What do You think about Riotous Assembly (1994)?
Scene:A deserted road in New Zealand. In the distance, we see a bus bombing along the highway at high speed, slowing down and then screeching to a halt.Interior Bus:Bus driver turns in his seat, a look of concern on his face. We hear a kind of strange wheezing sound, which is both alarming and somehow amusing. Is someone having a heart attack? An epileptic seizure? The bus driver gets out of his seat and approaches the passenger who is making these strange sounds, collapsed onto his side in the empty seat beside him.Bus Driver: Are you alright sir?The passenger continues making the strange choking sounds. There are tears running down his face, and he is hiccuping with ... yes, it's definitely laughter.Mark: Sorry. It's just ... [he points to the cover of Riotous Assembly by Tom Sharpe] ... so ...Bus Driver: Bloody hell.
—Mark Rayner
This book is simply hysterical. It is difficult to recommend to people as they tend to give you a very strange look when you explain that it is a satire of apartheid South Africa written by a white South African. This book is an exemplary piece of modern satire. The first time I read it, I was commuting on a public train and was laughing out loud the entire time. My mother and I would read it out loud to each other and laugh so hard we cried. In some parts it was impossible to read aloud because we were laughing so hard we couldn't breathe. I read the sequel but was disappointed. What was razor sharp criticism dulled to caricature - I would advise sticking with this book and avoiding the sequel. (for the record, Sharpe was eventually exiled from South Africa as a result of his criticism of the government)
—Bernardette
Just finished this one and jumped right in to Indecent Exposure. I wish I had discovered this author sooner. It's one of the funniest things I've read in a long time. I'm a little on the sensitive side, though, so was shocked from time to time. I love how the characters will seem to be operating at cross-purposes and end up helping each other. It was a little bit predictable as far as who was going to come out on top, but since the element of suspense is beside the point of the novel, no complaints. And I laughed out loud more than once.
—Carye Yanko
