The Unlikely Exploits Trilogy

Unlikely Exploits #1-3

by Philip Ardagh

A box set that contains - The Fall of Fergal, Heir of Mystery and The Rise of the House of McNally.

480 pages, Paperback

First published May 17, 2007

About the author

Over six-and-a-half feet tall, with a bushy beard, Philip Ardagh is not only very big but also very hairy. He is the author of the Eddie Dickens Trilogy and when not writing silly books, Mr. Ardagh is quite serious and frowns a great deal. He lives in a seaside town somewhere in England with his wife and their son, Fred.

Reviews

[Godly Gadfly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very clever, very funny, but a little too dark for my liking (3 stars)

I like Philip Ardagh's style of humour, and enjoyed his Eddie Dickens trilogy. The “Unlikely Exploits” series of three books is presented similarly to his earlier work, and showcases his similar brand of humour.

“Unlikely Exploits” tells the story of the McNally family. But the story is rather dark at times, and even opens with a young boy falling to his death from a hotel window. Ardagh does his best to make light of the horrible things that happen, but do expect some macabre events, including transplanting brains, and malevolent creatures with strange powers. His style reminds me a little of Roald Dahl, but with a more evil twist. I also didn't appreciate how Ardagh makes light of God several times.

All three books are connected and deserve to be read together, since some loose ends finally get tied up in the final book, in an exceedingly clever way. There's no doubt that Ardagh is a very witty writer, has some exceedingly clever plot ideas, and is entertaining to read. But I really think he didn't have to resort to being quite as dark as this.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perhaps amazing, as the five star rating above declares, is a little too "amazing" a term to use, but these books were an unexpected delight. When far too many books use character stupidity as a plot device, the thoughtful intelligence and resourceful of the various folk in this series often thoroughly surprised me. Plus, charmingly, not even the bad guys are what they appear to be. Although, the first book in particular reads as a stand alone, the three books work far better as one unit, particularly, as the mysterious holes are not explained until last book.