By Steven Tillotson
Publisher: Avery Hill Publishing
ISBN: 9781910395257
That’s a curious title, isn’t it? The over-used and hyperbolic epic juxtaposed with the oddest of character names. I can’t think of many times that I’ve bought a book on the strength of a title alone, but this was one of them.
Untitled Ape is a rather large purple creature with a skull face and some strange supernatural abilities. Coming to the aid of Cat, a tailless feline who has lost his fags inside a tree trunk, the pair strike up an instant friendship. However, all is not well with Untitled Ape and he decides he needs to travel to the jungle and find his family. Initially reluctant, Cat submits when heavy rain means staying put is not an option, and so the adventure begins aboard a small rowing boat.
With no real idea of where they’re going they end up on the stormy ocean, ice flows and snowy peaks, running into dogs, narwhals, mammoths and a yeti, before getting some real direction from a host of birds living above the clouds. Unfortunately, throughout all this time, they’re being followed, pursued by someone from Untitled Ape’s recent past who is very keen for him to return, and is willing to make life very difficult to ensure it happens.
So, in a nutshell, it’s an offbeat road trip with other-worldly overtones and a dark sense of humour. Nicely-paced and brilliantly told, it’s a peculiar and witty tale that deals with adversity and friendship whilst rarely straying into the obvious. If you’ve read Headlopper, or anything by Joe Daly, then this will definitely tickle your interest.
And if you liked that: You can see more of Steve’s work at www.banalpig.com
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