~ Milten & Percy: The skeletons castle ~

Here’s the english version of my latest article – and I have to say sorry that I publish this today and not yesterday as promised. Hope you like this article. Since the book is only available in german language so far I will translate the quotes as well…

***

In the end of 2015 I got a new reviewer’s copy of another young writer. I simply liked the title of the ebook and decided to write a note to this guy. So after I began reading the story I suddenly found myself in the company of a stressed meerkat and a slightly clumsy inventor.

The names of these characters attracted me at first – Milten & Percy – that sounds like a nice team of agents.

Right at the beginning you are pitchforked into another reality which has nothing to do with our world we live in:

Even this beginning was interesting enough to keep me reading. It sounded a lot like fantasy and a slightly crazy content.

Despite me reading not so many fantasy novels – I really don’t know when I had the last fantasy novel between my fingers – Milten & Percy kind of spoke to me.

Now some words regarding the content:

After the reader gets to know the local conditions and the life of the humans on earth who now had to deal with the residents of Gnaa we also get to know the main character of this novel: Percy.

“Just like on earth crime was a problem Gnaa also had to deal with. And with the fusion between this two environments the crime rate really hit new dimensions.

In the course of the cooperation a detective of Gnaa took over the cases that involved both – the world of Gnaa and the human part of the planet. His name was Percy Meercat, he is a speaking meerkat and this is his first adventure.”

(S. 9)

Then you are really fast finding yourself right where the action happens: two historians went missing and they are not the only ones.

While this is happening Percy is really looking like he’s about to go on vacation – driving in his 68 Ford Mustang through the country.

For sure not all humans are fond of the new union of the planets – and they are not shy talking about their feelings:

“Bloody animals. Back in the days something like that would have been unthinkable, a weasal at a gas station. And then also a smoking one – this is too much“, muttered the owner of the beer belly before everything else went down in a wild cough.

[…]

“I am not a weasal – I am a meerkat“, he said in a friendly tone. „And I really would like you to apologise. You really bowled me over.”

(S. 16)

But Percy’s day is going to get worse: he is not getting his vacation. Not a single day!

But he is getting an intern: Milten Greenbutton.

This is not a thing this meercat is looking for:

“Then would you please shut up.

We don’t know each other well enough for me to bear your drivel.”

(S. 24)

This is something that is making its way through the whole story: the development of those two. Coming from a feeling of enforcement (from the side of Percy) to the good beginnings of a kind of friendship. And it is exactly this banter between the two of them that makes this characters likeable.

***

The principal town of the story is called Sharpytown – and it’s all in the name: they produce pencils. Also for the interested citizens of Gnaa. 

And also in this town that individuals are vanishing…

***

Percy and Milten are accomodating themselves in this little town and Percy discovers his fondness for the owner of the local pension – a woman named Rachel – and she also has a weak spot for meercats.

Normally one would shake one’s head or look at you with puckered brows if you say things like „I would definitely match your pyjamas“ – but this kind of words are the ones of Percy who is kind of a laddish meercat.

Percy and Milten are thinking about doing some kind of vacation and going for the work real slow. But when Rachel herself got kidnapped the vacation is suddenly over.

***

In Sharpytown there are many other strange characters and soon enough our two heros are finding the secret of this town.

The remains of a castle which suddenly reappears…skeletons that are kidnapping humans and bizarre creatures like walrusbears are paving the road of this story.

Is Percy going to scamp the work of the skeletons?

Could they rescue the kidnapped humans?

And… who is the creator of all this stuff?

***

The most important thing is: Percy is not someone to take a joke at punishing criminals – whether they are human or living at Gnaa:

“To be honest, Freddy, you have a vibe of I-will-always-come-back.

I really don’t fancy this. My time is too precious to always fight against the same bad guy.

The steamroller had arrived at the bony legs of the killer when Percy found a lever he didn’t know what it was for.

“What this might be doing?” he asks himself and just pulled it.”

(S. 165)

 

“Milten & Percy: The Skeletons Castle” is a nice litte book to read. The story has some humour in it and definitely some crazy characters and what’s the best: there will be a sequel!

Many thanks for the Ebook to Florian C. Booktian, the author if this book.