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Rathbone Kydd - sex'n'drugs'n'quantum stuff
"Time will reveal everything. It is a babbler, and speaks even when not asked.”
Euripides, 480-406 BC
February 2012: Detective Superintendent Derek Burridge is shocked to learn that his estranged wife, Vicky, has been involved in a serious car accident, knocking down a woman and narrowly missing a man. He is even more shocked to learn that the woman is inexplicably in a coma and the man, Rathbone Kydd, is claiming to have travelled through time.
Derek launches an investigation into Rathbone’s claims, many of which are made whilst he is a compulsory patient in the mental health department of Plymouth Royal Infirmary. When Derek checks into the alleged suicide of Rathbone’s father in 1972, he seriously considers the possibility that Rathbone is telling the truth.
Derek and Rathbone soon uncover a conspiracy of, quite literally, quantum proportions involving a ruthless biker gang, rock’n’roll, international drug running, the Greek secret police, the Russian KGB, and British Military Intelligence. They discover that secretive government agencies can be just as ruthless as the wildest biker gang, and that time will, indeed, reveal everything.
CONTENT WARNING - not recommended for readers aged under 16 years
Euripides, 480-406 BC
February 2012: Detective Superintendent Derek Burridge is shocked to learn that his estranged wife, Vicky, has been involved in a serious car accident, knocking down a woman and narrowly missing a man. He is even more shocked to learn that the woman is inexplicably in a coma and the man, Rathbone Kydd, is claiming to have travelled through time.
Derek launches an investigation into Rathbone’s claims, many of which are made whilst he is a compulsory patient in the mental health department of Plymouth Royal Infirmary. When Derek checks into the alleged suicide of Rathbone’s father in 1972, he seriously considers the possibility that Rathbone is telling the truth.
Derek and Rathbone soon uncover a conspiracy of, quite literally, quantum proportions involving a ruthless biker gang, rock’n’roll, international drug running, the Greek secret police, the Russian KGB, and British Military Intelligence. They discover that secretive government agencies can be just as ruthless as the wildest biker gang, and that time will, indeed, reveal everything.
CONTENT WARNING - not recommended for readers aged under 16 years
309 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 27, 2012
7 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
September 23, 2012
I was lucky enough to receive a promotional copy of Rathbone Kydd - sex'n'drugs'n'quantum stuff from the author in an exchange for my honest review.
I can quite honestly, therefore, say that I would be more than happy to pay more than twice it's price on Amazon for the delight that was reading this unusual book. I enjoyed it a lot, more than I expected to!
It's 1979 and 24 year old Rathbone 'Rats' Kydd is a frontman for a little known rock band called Red Hot in Alex; their main followers are a gang of Hell's Angels biker types, who have them caught up in all sorts of drugs, sex, violence and other illegal activities. The quantum stuff comes into play when Rats gets caught up in some espionage, and ends up trying to explain his predicament to the police, specifically Derek, whose wife ran over the Russian spy that Rats happened to be on the run with. In 2012. Rats, still 24, is accused by his own mother of a murder that happened in approximately 1972, more than 20 years before he ought to have been born. He struggles to explain this alleged time travel phenomena to Derek, as Derek struggles with not only that, but not being able to hold Rats accountable for a crime that he would never be able to be proven to have committed, the whole series of events takes conspiracy, espionage and time travel to a whole new level.
It is very well written, and the author has managed to juggle the present happenings and Rats' recounting of what happened all those years ago very well, in a way that makes the book flow along nicely, instead of making it disjointed, as one may expect.
The language used is very appropriate, and interjected with a smattering of humour; the parts where accents were written phonetically in the latter half of the book actually had me howling out loud.
The story itself is a delightfully novel concept; yes, time travel has been dealt with before. However, in my experience, it has rarely been dealt with in such a matter of fact and plausible way; that is to say well.
I would thoroughly recommend the reading of this exciting, action and humour packed novel to anyone with the ability to go into a book with an open mind, or those who like their sci-fi in a nice, plausible little parcel. I very much look forward to reading the other works by K.J. Bennett, in the hope that they will be just as great to read!
I can quite honestly, therefore, say that I would be more than happy to pay more than twice it's price on Amazon for the delight that was reading this unusual book. I enjoyed it a lot, more than I expected to!
It's 1979 and 24 year old Rathbone 'Rats' Kydd is a frontman for a little known rock band called Red Hot in Alex; their main followers are a gang of Hell's Angels biker types, who have them caught up in all sorts of drugs, sex, violence and other illegal activities. The quantum stuff comes into play when Rats gets caught up in some espionage, and ends up trying to explain his predicament to the police, specifically Derek, whose wife ran over the Russian spy that Rats happened to be on the run with. In 2012. Rats, still 24, is accused by his own mother of a murder that happened in approximately 1972, more than 20 years before he ought to have been born. He struggles to explain this alleged time travel phenomena to Derek, as Derek struggles with not only that, but not being able to hold Rats accountable for a crime that he would never be able to be proven to have committed, the whole series of events takes conspiracy, espionage and time travel to a whole new level.
It is very well written, and the author has managed to juggle the present happenings and Rats' recounting of what happened all those years ago very well, in a way that makes the book flow along nicely, instead of making it disjointed, as one may expect.
The language used is very appropriate, and interjected with a smattering of humour; the parts where accents were written phonetically in the latter half of the book actually had me howling out loud.
The story itself is a delightfully novel concept; yes, time travel has been dealt with before. However, in my experience, it has rarely been dealt with in such a matter of fact and plausible way; that is to say well.
I would thoroughly recommend the reading of this exciting, action and humour packed novel to anyone with the ability to go into a book with an open mind, or those who like their sci-fi in a nice, plausible little parcel. I very much look forward to reading the other works by K.J. Bennett, in the hope that they will be just as great to read!
December 10, 2013
I loved this book! If you love rock music, time travel, stuff about government conspiracies, and a good laugh, you'll love it too.
KJ Bennett has done something that many try and fail to do - he's created a truly fascinating, absorbing character. Rathbone Kydd is someone you'd like to know in real life, who you'd fancy if you're a woman and envy if you're a bloke. I want more of him!
If you're reading this review you've probably read the blurb, and know that Rathbone is a rock musician who inadvertently time travels from 1979 to 2012 - much of the first part of the book is Rathbone's account of the events that led up to this; I so enjoyed this part. It was absolutely spot on.
The only fault I can find is that I would have liked more evidence of Rathbone being astounded by the differences between everyday life in 1979 and 2012 - there was a fair bit, but I felt this element had endless mileage, humour wise, and was not milked to its full extent - however, this is hardly a fault!
The actual plot is unusual and held my interest in itself; the whole novel is clever in its humour and very well written, with none of the 'clunky' sentences or dodgy punctuation that can make me abandon a book early - KJ writes like a professional. I guessed the main plot twist - or what I thought was the main one, until I read the last few chapters - but it in no way spoilt my enjoyment of the book and all its characters (loved Nettles and Newcombe, and the awful Madeleine!) The ending was terrific - so often one feels let down by an ending, does one not? Rathbone Kydd's finale left me with a smile on my face. I so hope this is not the end of him...
Read it!
KJ Bennett has done something that many try and fail to do - he's created a truly fascinating, absorbing character. Rathbone Kydd is someone you'd like to know in real life, who you'd fancy if you're a woman and envy if you're a bloke. I want more of him!
If you're reading this review you've probably read the blurb, and know that Rathbone is a rock musician who inadvertently time travels from 1979 to 2012 - much of the first part of the book is Rathbone's account of the events that led up to this; I so enjoyed this part. It was absolutely spot on.
The only fault I can find is that I would have liked more evidence of Rathbone being astounded by the differences between everyday life in 1979 and 2012 - there was a fair bit, but I felt this element had endless mileage, humour wise, and was not milked to its full extent - however, this is hardly a fault!
The actual plot is unusual and held my interest in itself; the whole novel is clever in its humour and very well written, with none of the 'clunky' sentences or dodgy punctuation that can make me abandon a book early - KJ writes like a professional. I guessed the main plot twist - or what I thought was the main one, until I read the last few chapters - but it in no way spoilt my enjoyment of the book and all its characters (loved Nettles and Newcombe, and the awful Madeleine!) The ending was terrific - so often one feels let down by an ending, does one not? Rathbone Kydd's finale left me with a smile on my face. I so hope this is not the end of him...
Read it!
September 30, 2012
This novel is packed full of sci-fi, time travelling fun.
Rathbone Kydd comes from the 1970s and is in a band called 'Red Hot in Alex'. Their biggest fans are a hell's angels group who are notorious to say the least. Rathbone finds himself in all sorts of hot water and inexplicably, travels through time to the present day. He finds himself in the company of a police officer called Derek, and his wife, and he tells his story.
The main words I would use to describe this novel is fun, fun, fun. Rathbone is a true 70s rock star and he's irresistible to women! So imagine what happens when he meets Derek's wife... Compared to the incredibly normal Derek, Rathbone is even funnier but the two manage to make a team. The novel is also quite gritty in places, such as the crime that is committed by the hell's angels gang, but this is done well and it gives a feeling of true danger to the novel.
Overall, this is a well written, gripping read and if you like your stories original and quirky, then this is definitely worth downloading.
Rathbone Kydd comes from the 1970s and is in a band called 'Red Hot in Alex'. Their biggest fans are a hell's angels group who are notorious to say the least. Rathbone finds himself in all sorts of hot water and inexplicably, travels through time to the present day. He finds himself in the company of a police officer called Derek, and his wife, and he tells his story.
The main words I would use to describe this novel is fun, fun, fun. Rathbone is a true 70s rock star and he's irresistible to women! So imagine what happens when he meets Derek's wife... Compared to the incredibly normal Derek, Rathbone is even funnier but the two manage to make a team. The novel is also quite gritty in places, such as the crime that is committed by the hell's angels gang, but this is done well and it gives a feeling of true danger to the novel.
Overall, this is a well written, gripping read and if you like your stories original and quirky, then this is definitely worth downloading.
November 4, 2012
I’ve been fortunate enough discover K J Bennett on Twitter. I even got a chance to be interviewed by Rathbone Kydd. It was such a fun experience that I knew I had to buy the book. I had some idea what I was getting into—a book with an arrogant playboy as the main character…but I was wrong.
The story is told from the point of view of Rathbone Kydd—a naïve but good-hearted rocker from the seventies. As well as Detective Superintendent Derek Burridge—the fair, hard-nosed cop from the present. And an occasional visit with a few shady government employees. It’s largely written in the third person with jumps into first person for Rathbone’s tales of his wild past (or present? :D ).
K J’s writing is smooth and well edited. The pace keeps you interested. His descriptions are fresh and often humorous. These characters are believable…and identifiable. I found myself rooting for them all (well, not the shady ones). And the ending is satisfying.
All in all this is an adorable book (though I bet he’d smack me for calling it that).
The story is told from the point of view of Rathbone Kydd—a naïve but good-hearted rocker from the seventies. As well as Detective Superintendent Derek Burridge—the fair, hard-nosed cop from the present. And an occasional visit with a few shady government employees. It’s largely written in the third person with jumps into first person for Rathbone’s tales of his wild past (or present? :D ).
K J’s writing is smooth and well edited. The pace keeps you interested. His descriptions are fresh and often humorous. These characters are believable…and identifiable. I found myself rooting for them all (well, not the shady ones). And the ending is satisfying.
All in all this is an adorable book (though I bet he’d smack me for calling it that).
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews