Provender Gleed (Gollancz Sf S.) [Hardcover]

James Lovegrove (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 15, 2005 | Series: Gollancz Sf S.

The Families.O Insanely rich and richly insane.O With world-spanning business interests, glamour and power, they are monarchs, Mafia and movie stars rolled into one.O Since theOBorgias and de'Medicis united in the 17th century,Othe FamiliesOhave transfixed, transformed, and ruled, the world. Top British FamilyOthe Gleeds areOhosting the social event of the year, their annual ball.O Venice has been reconstructed in all its glory in the grounds of their estate, Dashlands, and should provide the perfect romantic backdrop for Provender - the young, disaffected Gleed heir upon whom the Family line, and status, depends - finally to find a wife.O But Provender shows no sign of settling down with any of the social beauties his mother parades before him ...and in the moment whenOloveOdoes begin to blossom, Provender is kidnapped by an anti-Familial revolutionary. The future of the Gleeds, and of Europe,Odepends onOthe skills of two Anagrammatic Detectives - while Provender's own future depends on the dark eyes and equally dark wit of a girl called Is.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Provender Gleed emerges as some of its author's best work thus far. Its satire strikes vigorously home in the end, and its motivating love story is wonderfully conceived and handled." -- Nick Gevers LOCUS "Great fun and its delicate construction, reminiscent of all that is traditionally best in those robust and traditional British murder mysteries, Provender Gleed is a real treat for readers. It's a novel with a unique feel and one in which its hugely talented author balances the comedy and the drama perfectly. Highly recommended." -- John Berlyne SF REVU "Pick up James Lovegrove's latest novel and you can rest assured that you are in the safe hands of a master craftsman. There a few things sweeter than reading a writer who's so absolutely in love with the English language, and Lovegrove is clearly head over heels." SFX "Wordplay that would have The Two Ronnies cheering and groaning in equal measure but which is such fun that you forgive the plot device" Starburst "This is a book about quiet competence - Provender and Isis, his kidnapper's accomplice, are one of the more charming couples in recent fiction because they are both too smart and too able for simple romance. An entirely quieter sort of British SF." -- Roz Kaveney TIME OUT "The best description of Provender Gleed is an old fashioned romp. More often than not used as faint praise, in this case it encompasses both the pacing of the plot as well as the book's overall readability. Not high literature, it remains extremely enjoyable. Here's hoping this won't be the last we've heard of Messers Gleed and the anagrammatic detectives." EDGE "My favourite book of the year. It's a futuristic satire on the class system, beautifully written. Lovegrove is one of the very best SF writers in the land." -- Eric Brown TELEGRAPH AND ARGUS "Provender Gleed shows, if more evidence was required, that James Lovegrove is one of the foremost novelists of his generation." INTERZONE

About the Author

James Lovegrove was born on Christmas Eve 1965. He has been identified as one of the most talented of the current crop of British genre writers by numerous critics. His novel DAYS was shortlisted for the Arthur C. Clarke Award. He is married and has a son.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: Gollancz (September 15, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0575076844
• ISBN-13: 978-0575076846
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 5.8 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,399,165 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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