“Declan Burke is his own genre. The Lammisters dazzles, beguiles and transcends. Virtuoso from start to finish.” – Eoin McNamee “This bourbon-smooth riot of jazz-age excess, high satire and Wodehouse flamboyance is a pitch-perfect bullseye of comic brilliance.” – Irish Independent Books of the Year 2019 “This rapid-fire novel deserves a place on any bookshelf that grants asylum to PG Wodehouse, Flann O’Brien or Kyril Bonfiglioli.” – Eoin Colfer, Guardian Best Books of the Year 2019 “The funniest book of the year.” – Sunday Independent “Declan Burke is one funny bastard. The Lammisters ... conducts a forensic analysis on the anatomy of a story.” – Liz Nugent “Burke’s exuberant prose takes centre stage … He plays with language like a jazz soloist stretching the boundaries of musical theory.” – Totally Dublin “A mega-meta smorgasbord of inventive language ... linguistic verve not just on every page but every line.Irish Times “Above all, The Lammisters gives the impression of a writer enjoying himself. And so, dear reader, should you.” – Sunday Times “A triumph of absurdity, which burlesques the literary canon from Shakespeare, Pope and Austen to Flann O’Brien … The Lammisters is very clever indeed.” – The Guardian

Monday, July 23, 2007

Ask Not For Whom The Poll Bells

The elves have voted early and often, the last hanging chad has been accounted for, and finally we can reveal the results of the inaugural Crime Always Pays Poll to discover the Funniest Irish Crime Fiction Writer, Like, Ever™. To no one’s real surprise, The Artist Formerly Known As Colin Bateman (right) topped the vote with 47%, followed by Eoin Colfer and Ruth Dudley Edwards sharing 23% each, and Pauline McLynn coming home with 9%. In the heady hours leading up to the vote’s close, we contacted He Who Must Be Called Bateman for an appropriate response to the news that he was leading the most hotly contested contest since the Sweden-Finland flip-off in the 2006 World Championship Sauna Tiddlywinks Tourney. Quoth Col:
“Well, I would be truly staggered and honoured if I won, but I would prefer not to count my chickens until I actually get my hands on the cheque. And it is cashed.”
Hmmm. Wethinks there’ll be an unconscionable number of uncounted chicks around chez Bateman in the weeks and months to come … Meanwhile, cast a cold eye on the new poll, above right, and tell us who you think is the Best Irish Crime Fiction PI, Like, Ever™. The countdown staaaarts … now.

2 comments:

Jen Jordan said...

Mr. Batemen is never truly surprised by his success. Look behind the blushing facade, the "Oh, shucks" who is confused, yes, but meticulously so.

I did an interview with him once and found myself threatening him with violence after the first question was answered. He is a very naughty man.

I forgot what my point was, if I even had one. Damn tequila!

Declan Burke said...

Jennifer? It's no longer 'Mr Bateman' ... it's 'Bateman'. Although it is permissible to refer to him, obliquely, as 'The Artist Formerly Known As Colin Bateman'. Or 'The funny Irish writer guy'. Sorry, but we don't make the rules, we just enforce 'em ... Cheers, Declan