Skaters, Trekkies and Cool Dudes

Derek Lawrence

Average Rating 8/10 (1 Review)

When God and Lucifer go missing and Heaven and Hell start to descend into chaos, the Joint Darkness & Light Emergency Committee decides that urgent action is needed. They send a search party to Earth, comprising an Archangel and a demon gargoyle accompanied by the outspoken head of a Heavenly cherub and a three-headed hell-hound. Their mission is to find their respective leaders and bring them home.

So it is that a punk rocker and a teenage skateboarder arrive in Worcester in the English Midlands. But things are not quite as they seem, and their mission is thrown into disarray by the appearance of one of Hell's most secret weapons. And why is Worcester so full of pop-star and Star Trek look-alikes?

Review by Nigel (170707) Rating (8/10)

Review by Nigel
Rating 8/10
What would happen if celestial events were run by committee rather than omnipotent autocrats? If there were no God or the Devil, who would make the decisions? Would it be for the better?

This is the main premise for Skaters, Trekkies and Cool Dudes. The Joint Darkness and Light Emergency Committee, taking over duties in the absence of God and Lucifer, see the running of things slightly differently and so ensues mild chaos in the normally smooth administration of the afterlife. You think being stranded at the airport is a pain, wait until you are trying to get into heaven or hell and the system doesn't work.

To be seen to be doing their best to reinstate the rightful rulers, the committee recruit (putting it one way) an Archangel and a Demon (so being seen as fair) to locate the missing all powerful, who are thought to be on Earth. Unfortunately the team is rather management heavy on one side, namely the Archangel being Gabriel, with the demon being... well, no demon of any import really, which is very much of a surprise to him.

The pair set out on their appointed quest, accompanied by the bodiless head of a Cherub and a three headed hellhound call Fifi (honestly), to try and bring the rightful rulers home. As you have probably guessed not all is as it seems and so ensues a humorous extravaganza as the pair come to terms with each other, sworn immortal enemies from the beginning of time, and their impossible task… how do you locate omnipotent beings that don't want to be found?

The story is full of wonderful comedic situations and amusing running gags; one of my favourites was the constantly changing name of the demon throughout.

Don't be put of by the title; this book has very little to do with Star Trek other than to parody it and its followers (in a nice way, no offence to Star Trek fans); it's basically poking fun at the cult fan thing really.

A very entertaining (if you don't mind laughing too much) book that will suit anyone with a slightly dark sense of humour. I only hope it isn't really like that, heaven help us...
Nigel (17th July 2007)