Knees Up Mother Earth

In the seventh installment of the Brentford Trilogy, local residents Jim Pooley and John Omalley take on a battle to protect their beloved football grounds from destruction. The story connects a real-world preservation campaign with supernatural elements involving satanic plots and biblical creatures. The narrative combines British football culture with fantasy elements, setting the story in the London suburb of Brentford. The campaign to save Brentford F.C.'s grounds serves as the foundation for a larger tale that expands into mythological territory. The book merges local history, sports culture, and supernatural fiction while exploring themes of community resistance and preservation against powerful forces. It stands as both a tribute to grassroots activism and an entry in Rankin's larger mythology of Brentford.

Readers say this isn't one of Rankin's stronger books, noting it relies too heavily on recycled jokes and references from his previous works. Readers liked: - The football/soccer storyline provides structure - Continuity with other Brentford books - Jim Pooley and John Omally's chemistry - References that reward long-time fans Readers disliked: - Too much repetition of earlier material - Plot meanders compared to other Brentford novels - Inside jokes feel forced - Difficult entry point for new readers Ratings: Goodreads: 3.72/5 (187 ratings) Amazon UK: 3.9/5 (21 reviews) "The usual Rankin madness but getting a bit formulaic" - Amazon reviewer "Fun for fans but newcomers should start with earlier books" - Goodreads review "Missing the freshness of the original Brentford trilogy" - LibraryThing user

Good Omens by Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman The tale of an angel and demon trying to prevent the apocalypse contains the same blend of British humor and supernatural elements mixed with everyday life.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams This science fiction comedy follows an ordinary man through absurd cosmic adventures with the same irreverent British wit and satirical observations.

The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde The story takes place in an alternate England where literature and reality intersect in bizarre ways, featuring the same type of wordplay and genre-bending narrative.

The Gates by John Connolly A young boy must save the world from demons in this story that combines supernatural events in suburban settings with British humor and pop culture references.

To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis Time travel meets Victorian comedy of manners in this novel that shares the same approach to mixing genres with eccentric British characters and situations.

🏆 Brentford Football Club, which inspired the novel, was founded in 1889 and played at Griffin Park for 116 years before moving to their new stadium in 2020. 🎭 Robert Rankin is often called "the father of Far-Fetched Fiction" - a genre he essentially created, blending humor, fantasy, and conspiracy theories. 🏟️ The real-life campaign to save Brentford's Griffin Park in the early 2000s involved thousands of local supporters and ultimately influenced the club's future development plans. 📚 This book is part of the Brentford Trilogy, which ironically consists of nine books, playing into Rankin's characteristic style of subverting expectations. 🎨 Many of Rankin's novels, including this one, feature cover art by his wife Linda, who has been illustrating his books since 1999.