“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 7, 2008

“Annnnnnnnnd … We’re Back.”


Good news and bad news, people. That we’re back, of course, is the bad news. The good news, however, is that there was something of a coup d’etat while the Grand Viz was away on holiday, and Princess Lilyput (pictured above, grovelling minions just out of picture) is now running the show here at Crime Always Pays Towers. There’ll be changes, apparently, and as most of them will be imposed by the necessity for more Lily-time, they’ll be fairly drastic.
  The first is that the new national anthem is Three Gypsies Are We, and if that doesn’t sound familiar it’s because the Princess commissioned it from the Court Composer Elf only last Monday as the royal cortege wound its way through the West Country towards Dartmoor. Sung to a light, Gilbert & Sullivan-ish operetta air, the anthem runneth thusly:
Three gypsies are we /
Off to see the sea /
To seeeeeeee what we can see /
Where shall we go? /
Nobody knows /
Oooonnnnly we three gypsies.
  A modest piece, it’s true, but the Princess seems to like it. There’s no need to stand, by the way; she’s a fairly easygoing tyrant.
  It’s good to be back, people. Even if I have been deposed …

7 comments:

John McFetridge said...

The best coup since Woody Allen in Bananas.

Welcome home.

The song sounds like a hit. Make sure Lily gets her royalties.

Anonymous said...

Welcome back!

Anonymous said...

I didn't stand. I curtsied. Dartmoor? You weren't blessed with the best of weather then. Good to see you all back, safe and sound.

Gerard Brennan said...

Welcome back!

Now, about these changes... they won't affect A Gonzo Noir, will they? And when can we expect a new installment? About nowish would be good.

gb

Declan Burke said...

Cheers, folks, much obliged. Crime Fic? Apparently we don't have to stand yet because Lilyput can't, but that may change. Gerard, man - there'll be a new installment some time this week, just as soon as I pull my head out of my fundament. Cheers, Dec

pattinase (abbott) said...

You will be shocked at how suddenly babies rise. And then trouble begins.

Uriah Robinson said...

You come on holiday from Ireland to Devon you obviously like your weather wet and foggy.
Princess Lily what a beautiful boss lady, nice you are back.