Holt Tom 01

Reviews & Overviews by Rod Cameron

Falling Sideways by Tom Holt

Falling Sideways is Tom Holt's 19th comic fantasy. For a change, Tom Holt has changed his sights from the worlds of myths, legends and religions, towards science fiction, and the world of cloning and small alien green frogs to be exact. David Perkins is a modern day computer nerd who is in love with Phillipa Levens, fifth marchioness of Ipswich, the girl in a 17th century painting. Of course, when a lock of the girl's hair comes up for sale in an auction, he has to buy it. In no time at all, he has walked into a shop called "Honest John's House of Clones", and from here on the story gets truly bizarre.
It would take me far too long to explain the further intricacies of the plot, but the analogy of one of those tube slides in a swimming complex springs to mind. Particularly one which doubles back on itself several times, and twists and turns before dumping you into a pool of cold water! Suffice it to say that white sugar, dandruff and frogspawn play an integral part in the plot.

This is a typical Tom Holt story, well crafted, amusing and ultimately very silly. Don't worry, the book is enjoyable. Only don't expect to have made any personal progress towards understanding the universe at the end. Not unless it really is controlled by space-travelling creatures looking like small Amazonian tree frogs that is. If for nothing else, the book is worth reading for the Microsoft jokes.

Publisher: Orbit
Date: 2002
Pages: 406
Price: £16.99
Format: Hardback
ISBN: 1 84149 087 3
Reviewed by: Rod Cameron
Review Date: April 2002