THE YOWLER FOUL-UP

The land of Illmore, entirely peopled by oafs and nitwits, is threatened by followers of a dark god in this Pratchett-like comedy of errors. The down-on-his-luck Duke Modeset has returned to the capital city of Dullitch. The citizens of Dullitch have nothing but loathing for the duke—after all, they exiled him seven years ago, following the events of The Ratastrophe Catastrophe (2004)—but it will fall to him to save the city. Though all that the duke really wants is a room in a decent inn and a less irritating manservant, his egotistical bumbling leads him to a half-vampire investigator, an incompetent thief and a plot to turn the continent to stone. The ensuing chaos, while occasionally difficult to follow, is thoroughly enjoyable. Evil is defeated by a slightly more likable and less impressive evil in this clownish tale of fantasyland’s underbelly. (Fantasy. 10-13)