A Minotaur at the Savoy

by Dave Morris, Bampton Bromfield (Narrator), Cyril Clattercut (Narrator)

A Minotaur at the Savoy comprises more than fifty whimsical fantasy and SF vignettes, from the mysterious giant hand found in a wood in Yorkshire to the best way to deal with a dragon that's taken a shine to the gold reserves of Fort Knox. It is a little known fact of history - or myth, or both, that around the start of the twentieth century there existed a lost year. In this year, a green comet appeared in the sky. As it grew larger, things that would previously have been considered utterly fantastical began to seep into everyday life. By the height of summer, imagination and reality were so seamlessly merged that few recalled a time when the world had been otherwise. Mermaids swam in the Mediterranean. Martians commuted by train from Woking. Greek gods gave lecture tours of the United States. And with this new way of life came a whole set of problems of etiquette and decorum (see reference to mermaids). Fortunately, the solution was at hand. In the depths of the British Museum, intrepid academics Bampton "Bammy" Bromfield and Cyril Clattercut had long been cataloguing accounts of the uncanny from around the world on behalf of the Royal Mythological Society. The arrival of the green comet was about to give them the busiest year of their lives... This selection of Dunsany-esque fantasy vignettes ties in with the Mirabilis - Year of Wonders graphic novel, available in print and on iPad.

Genres: Fantasy

112 pages, Paperback

First published January 31, 2011

Reviews

[Dave Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's another of my own books, this time on Kindle and in a small paperback edition with a spiffing cover by Mr Martin McKenna. I have described it as Saki-meets-Serling but could equally say it's Dunsany-meets-Dear-Abby. Fifty-five fantasy vignettes in the tradition of books like Tales from the White Hart, ie whimsical, hyper-short SF and fantasy stories, in this case presented as letters from folks around the world as a green comet appears in the sky and causes fantasy and reality to merge. (Apologies for the 5 stars - really one should have the option to give no rating.)

[Ez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Snippets from the Royal Mythology Society's correspondence. As Professor Bromfield oft advises, there's much that can be put right with a good firm sock to the nose.

Chucklesome, engaging and rather erudite; bit like a good Greek vase, but without the naughty bits.

[Andy Fletcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had been considering leaving a review of A Minotaur At The Savoy for a little while. The recent sad news of the death of artist Martin Mckenna, whose work unbeknown to me until recently includes the fantastic front cover of this book, prompted me to pull my finger out.

Perhaps better known for their gamebook exploits, A Minotaur At The Savoy by Dave Morris and Leo Hartis, is a short book in the form of a string of letters relating to the weird events that occur during the course of annus Mirabilis, drily answered by several members of the Royal Mythological Society. Mythical characters are in abundance. If you want to find out what could happen if you attempt to tame a Unicorn, or have a strong opinion on the outcome of a heavyweight clash between Thor and Hercules, this is the book for you.

I would describe as fantasy themed with light comedic undertones, but don’t expect to be doubled over in stitches reading it, in the same way there aren’t belly laughs in The Detectorists, as an example. It’s just nicely executed and pokes fun in all directions. The book supplements the authors excellent Mirabilis graphic novels, which are well worth obtaining, even if like me you’re not usually a fan of the genre. Recommended.

[Thomas Bruin · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a quick, punchy, easy read. Essentially a collection of very short sci-fantasyGreat stories. Great to read in an evening or just read one or two letters on a tea break.
Has a very British sense of humour and wit about the commentary.