Jonny Gibbings

Reviews to date:

Rahmasterflash – Some things will never be the same again! ★★★★★
This book is disgusting! Disgusting and brilliant!!! There were times when I felt sick and Im still unsure if it was because of the content of the book or because I was laughing so hard whilst trying to turn the pages. I mean seriously, I will never look at Asparagus or Marge in the same light again! And yet, if you can put Malice in Blunderland down I would eat a tube of the stuff (from the tube for the record) as a forfeit.
Really seriously loved it. READ IT!! Now, where’s my gimp suit and that nun…?

Ceri – I loved, loved, loved this book ★★★★★
I loved, loved, loved this book. It’s not too everyone’s taste, it’s rude, sickening, dark and crude in places but it’s also hysterical, deep, hilarious and clever, very clever. I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book but I didn’t expect the plot to unfold like it did, an excellent story line. We never get to know the name of the main character but it won’t stop you rooting for him through the book.

It does say at the beginning of the book that all typo’s and grammar mistakes are deliberate, I thought it might put me off as I’m a bit anal when it comes to spelling etc but it added to the story. I would 100% recommend this book but only if you’re open minded, have a stomach of steel and see the funny side in all things. Go on, you know you want to.

Silvergirl – Brain scrubbing ★★★★★
My life is now spoilt for two reasons. First and most important is that I never sit and watch tv, films or read and really laugh on my own out loud, but to this I did. Even at bits I’m not sure I would care to admit to in polite society (not that I’m ever in these types of circles!). This is a must read and I’ve now bought it for two friends for their kindles. I loved it from start to finish and this brings be to point two, I’m ruined…. I start to read other books and they seem covered in dust and grey in comparison…. Life will be dull until I read it again
*starts book again for third time*
Thanks Mr G for an awesome book! Please carry on the good and slightly disturbing work! I for one would have you no other way

L Jones – Tense yet funny and disgusting ★★★★★
I’m sad. It’s finished. In the beginning I didn’t want to read it. Heard a lot of talk beforehand but my curiosity is too much and so I bought my first iPhone Kindle app ebook. So glad I did. The teaser chapters are genius marketing, which I read and was far too intrigued. How could I not follow this sad, pathetic creature into a week of hell?
It’s fast paced, funny, disgusting, controversial and clever. I’m a grammar and spelling lover but the quirky writing style is diary-esque and strangely it didn’t bother me. My favourite bits? The burglary and the car chase. I held my breath through some of the burglary; tense yet funny and disgusting. Ridiculous visions conjured in my head all the way through. If you haven’t bought it yet, go read the teaser chapters and get on with it!

Sam – Blunderful; it’s not a real word I know ★★★★★
This is far an away the funniest book I have ever read, I even found myself crying with laughter at times!! I could barely put it down if it wasn’t for work I would not have done! The main character is so simple, so dislikable but you find yourself liking him more thoughout the book. The ending is one of the best I have read I have read.

The main thing I took from this book is that no matter how bad your day is going…. It could be so much worse!

Scott Bootland – Absolutely brilliant! ★★★★★
Waited a few months for this book to be released and it was worth the wait! Not for the faint hearted or easily offended. Never had the pleasure of reading a book that made me laugh so hard I cried, made me want to throw up and made me care so much about the main character without ever finding out his name. Mr gibbings, you sir are a genius!

Emma Howls ★★★★★
Got my Book early, now read it twice and am reading it again. This book has the best ending ever, and I mean ever! Can’t wait for the film. I laughed so much I had to leave it at home, but it also made me cry at the end. A total WOW of a book. A filthy, dirty, dark, hilarious yet strangely beautiful piece of work. We have a new Palahnuik, a new Irvine Welsh. This book is perfect in every way, you MUST read it.

Chris Scown – Rude & Funny ★★★★★
After hearing about this book directly from the authors twitter account my curiosity led me to purchase my first ever e-book (is that what you kids call them?). After being exposed to Jonny Gibbings’ crude, foul mouthed, manic and dark humour I was expecting much the same from this book. To be honest I just didn’t get all of that, no folks I got all of that and more. The more part was all the action. I couldn’t put this book down. OK that’s a lie, I actually couldn’t put my Samsung Galaxy tablet down, OK thats another lie because I just rested it on my stomach as I lay in bed but you get the picture. Anyway I read this book really fast so it must be good because I have adult onset adhd (self diagnosed(untreated)) and I thought that Malice in Blunderland would make a great movie and guess what even some people who actually make movies agree, so I really know what I’m talking about here.

Read it. Laugh. And then when the movie comes out you can be one of those people that say “yeah it was a good movie but the book was better”.

Chris Skardon – Rude & Funny ★★★★★
I can count on one hand the number of books that have actually made me laugh out loud, and this is one of them. I felt wrong for laughing, but it was too much effort to hold it in. Very readable, only took a few hours and I’m looking forward to the next one!

Tim Hawken – A Rollicking Read ★★★★★
If you’re easy offended this book certainly isn’t for you. However, if you’re like me and enjoy a bit of ‘sick humour’, then this book is right up your twisted alley. Our hero is a drug taking, scumbag who get’s embroiled in some kind of bizarre Mafia war, that involves a secret recipe for scentless cocaine. Bruised, battered and ‘thumbed’ he has to figure out how to stay alive and to keep his dealer/friend safe from the enemy, while trying to get laid (and sometimes trying to get out of it). It’s not Shakepeare, but it’s not supposed to be. I was laughing in bed so much at one point that I almost soiled myself. There are some fantastic plays on words, hilarious descriptions and cringe worthy moments, where you feel the narrator’s pain.

I repeat, it’s not for the faint hearted, but well worth a read.

Tom Clementson – A raw adventure from the darkest depths of comedy ★★★★★
Real and raw, this story isn’t for the thin-skinned or prudish sort. Malice in Blunderland is laden with adult situations and language that may offend some, but if you like your humor gritty then you will appreciate Jonny Gibbings fictional first-hand account of a life gone horribly wrong and getting worse over the span of a few days.
The main character is coarse, angry, self-loathing, witty, loyal, and intelligent. Jonny Gibbings does a great job developing someone as dynamic and complicated as any you’ll ever meet. Writing most of this in first person, he gives you a chance to really get inside his character’s mind to better relate and what you discover is that beyond outward appearances and behavior is a person you’d probably do well to befriend.
At the end of the day…
This is clearly not a book for everyone, particularly those who are uncomfortable with profanity and a fair share of deviance, but if you appreciate a raw, dark brand of humor then you’ll enjoy this book immensely. There are moments throughout the book that will make you laugh and more than a few that will make you cringe in fear. You’ll fly through each chapter and appreciate Gibbings’ efficiency in the editing process, limiting his pages to essentials to maintain its brisk pace.
More than anything, I loved that this story comes across more real and funny than most anything out there in a fiction genre. His descriptions are colorful and thorough, allowing you to feel like you’re right there watching the entire calamity. This is a solid four stars on any scale and one you won’t want to put down.

Lindsey Downey – FAB, read it! ★★★★★
Just finished Malice, read it in one day and haven’t laughed so much when reading for a long time. Where do I start…
Wasn’t quite sure what to expect but I was hooked almost immediately. What a brilliant main character. I started off disliking ‘him’ (we never learn his name) but ended up feeling protective and proud and wanting to be his friend! It’s not for the prude though – I’ll not be recommending this to my mother-in-law, but I’m already recommending it to my friends. Reading this book took me through a literacy journey of emotions – thought ‘yuk’ and felt shocked quite a few times but also laughed so hard I nearly pee’d myself. Jonny is such a brave and clever writer. He really does cross boundaries – but does it so well. It’s quite addictive and I felt myself longing for more random twists and turns. Although not sure in the beginning where the story would take the reader it develops into a very clever plot. I hope this book does well. I would love to see this made into a film – would be interesting to see some of the key moments on the big screen and how they’d get around filming them! You must read this. I’m eagerly awaiting the sequel. Well done Jonny.

Mark Woolward: Modern slapstick genius ★★★★★
Gibbings starts out with the alienation and disconnection of someone stuck in a recurring episode of ‘the Office’ where the mundanity of modern office culture can only be alleviated by the habitual use of massive quantities of recreational drugs. Brilliantly funny observations are dropped effortlessly, although the paranoia, loneliness and downright hopelessness are every bit as tangible as that captured by Will Self in his Grey Area short.

Then the hero’s life really takes a turn for the worse……….
Following a string of poor decisions, and downright catastrophic luck the story becomes a hilarious slapstick collage of beatings, arrests, and humiliating sexual depravities.

I don’t want to talk at all about the second half of the book, for fear of undermining the unexpected twists and turns make this book really special. Lets just say I found myself convulsing uncontrollably with laughter and wincing with revulsion within a few minutes on more than one train journey over the past couple of weeks.
A comic masterpiece along the lines of Trainspotting, with some wonderful observations, and a really beautifully written ending. Highly recommend this work.

WRONG, WRONG, WRONG on oh so many levels. ★★★★★
That said easily the funniest book I’ve ever read. Gripped from the first page and held until the end, if this is a sign of what’s to come from the brilliant Mr. Gibbings I can assure you he will become not only mine but a generations favourite author.

Stuart: READ IT!! ★★★★★
Like a couple of other people who have given reviews on here, I didn’t particularly want to read this book. I was introduced to it by a work colleague who assured me it was worth reading – how right they were!! I know people are always writing “laugh out load” reviews and then you pick up the book and can’t see the joke/s. I can only say that I genuinely snorted rather unattractively on the Tube on a number of occasions and even stopped reading it in public for fear of further embarrassment.
It took me a little while to get into the book but once I did it was a real find. It’s a cracking read with some great situations that really will have you laughing out loud!!! In addition to the humour there is a good story that had me picking the book up at every opportunity (apart from the Tube!!)

Mark Rollins – Just the funniest book, ever. Period. ★★★★★
I’ve been waiting for this to come out for ages. If you like ‘Apathy and other small victories’ but thought the plot was weak, this is for you. Far funnier and a brilliant story. There is so much about this book that is brilliant. I belly laughed so hard every page. If you are a fan of Palahnuik, there are so many references you will love.
Some of the stuff in this book is so twisted, so dark, but just so funny. I’d say the funniest book ever.

Spike - Oh My Good Lord. ★★★★★
I wish I hadn’t bought this book. It made me laugh too hard. Nothing and no-one is safe although I don’t recall any dwarfs in it. It’s a car crash of a book but I think the car is one of those exploding clown cars. I’ll keep it on the Kindle and will buy a heap of the real book when it comes out. People need to read and enjoy and feel just a little bit sick when they find themselves laughing at really non PC stuff. I hated the grammar to start but it works, very clever. Congratulations to the author and the bravery of his publishers … Guessing that the dwarves might come in book two? I hope there is a follow-up. Oddly moving too. Mr Gibbings has a sick but amazing talent.

Earl Grey – A book that makes you laugh out loud and feel nauseous at the same time. ★★★★★
It is rare that you find a book that will make you roar with laughter out loud and even rarer to find a book that makes you want to be physically sick – and I do not think I have ever read a book that even attempts to combine both of these and yet Jonny Gibbings in his first book has managed to successfully integrate these with a precision and skill that even the most disciplined militia could ever achieve.

This book has to become a cult classic and I am sure will be one of the most controversial books of 2012.
If a film is ever made of this book, the producers should have a film as seminal as trainspotting.

S. China – A brilliant book. I’ve never laughed so much, but has depth. ★★★★★
Okay so it is very funny and extremely dark. Much of it is gross humor, that you cringe at and laugh out loud at things you really shouldn’t. What I loved was secretly it is a very clever book, don’t let it fool you.

Right from the offset the author tries to make you emotionally give up on the main character, in the same way you cast judgement on people like that you see in real life. But then you get sucked in, and soon you are empathizing for the guy. The deliberate spelling and grammar errors quickly complement the book. Because it makes you stumble for a split second, and these are strategically placed to have you falter in sync with the main character. Were it not such a disaster of a tale, a accidental farce, the spelling wouldn’t have worked. Because the cleverness of the book is well hidden it has a real authenticity. I say clever because it expertly does many things you get told to never do in creative writing classes, such as it’s cinematic references to films are scattered that immediately cement descriptions. Dumb silly gags that reveal themselves again much later, having a clever secret plot agenda that you never expected. The way you never get to know the characters name throughout the whole piece. What I loved most was because of how fast it was, you get caught up in the momentum and then you are halted by a beautifully written and sensitive part. For those who have read it I mean the bit by the bridge, and the bit in the park. So unexpected one part (trying to not give away spoilers) that I actually cried! I can’t believe a book that had made me laugh like I had, sneaked up on me and had me in tears. (The park for those who have read it). I had to stop and get a tea, I didn’t want to happen what I thought was going to happen and it was such a shock. I don’t want to give anything away but again, those clever previous, what I thought were pointless gags show themselves as unexpected, sneaky smart.

I didn’t want to read Malice in Blunderland but a friend at work kept on, saying ‘trust me – it’s different than you think.’ I have never read a book like this, I think it is brilliant, it’s even made an Indy bookstore buyer like me do an Amazon review! I could go on forever about this book, it is a master class in it’s genre. As near to perfect.

Jessica Barrie – A brilliant book. ★★★★★
I could not stop laughing at every page!!
I think it has to be the funniest book I’ve read all year….if you want to go into a completely new world and live on the edge read this book you will be raving about it for weeks! If this became a movie I think I would literally piss myself in the cinema out of pure laughter…
Character is an absolute classic!! cant wait for more Gibbings!! absolute genius!
however one warning: ONLY FOR THOSE WITH A SENSE OF HUMOUR AND A STOMACH OF IRON! Fantastic.

Rebecca Cosgriff – Sardonic, Sadistic yet Satisfying.
After being surreptitiously dumped Gibbings’ protagonist life goes on an asphyxiated downward spiral, with cataclysmic results. Being blackmailed by the mafia and wanted for sex crimes isn’t even the worst of it. No, a week in the life of this loser would have James Frey running for cover. Malice in Blunderland, like many of life’s pleasures, should come with a health warning. Crossing the proverbial `line’ more than once, it will have you stifling laughter before guiltily glancing around to make sure no-one is reading over your shoulder. Wonderfully sardonic and intelligent writing with which Guy Ritchie would have a field day.

J. Hay – The Funniest book I have personally read…Ever! ★★★★★
Malice was heavily recommended by a friend… I was forced to read a couple pages and before I knew it, I had finished the book… Belly laughing through out! Now it is my turn to encourage people to read the first page. It is a very quick read, thanks to the authors style of writing. Every page seems to turn faster and faster, situations that only seem to get more worse than the previous.

The errors throughout add to the character of the book, I noticed them at first and quickly overlooked them. I can imagine this may irritate many, but may be the most enjoyable read for many more! I will not reveal anything… Give the first page a go and see for yourself.
GREAT FILM POTENTIAL!!!… (mehr)