Half of the fun of the short novel, The Boy Who Kicked Pigs, comes from Tom Baker's prose. Only half, you say? Why only half? That's easy: because the other half derives from David Roberts' wonderful illustrations.
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| Robert having an evil thought. |
When I say half, I mean half. Every time you turn the page, you'll see one of David Robert's illustrations on the left, with Tom Baker's story on the right. Each illustration enhances Tom Baker's storytelling, and helps you better visualize Robert's world.
Uh, I'm talking about Tom Baker's evil character there. Not about the world of David Roberts, the wonderful illustrator. (I suppose that could be evil too, but I hope that's not the case).
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| Robert finds kicking pigs infectious. Soon he's kicking all pork-related products, including this woman's port chops. |
David Roberts' work reminds me of the late Charles Addams, from which the TV series The Addams Family and the resultant movies are derived. It's whimsical, mischievous, and the perfect fit for Tom Baker's storytelling.
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| Robert's evil actions draw a crowd. |
A quick perusal of David Roberts' website demonstrates his range and depth as an artist. You can find his wonderful work in a number of books, some of which he's contributed to, and others entirely of his own making. They all look great, and make me want to check them out. But really, people, you must pick up a copy of The Boy Who Kicked Pigs. There's no way that I can demonstrate, in two posts, how devilishly fun this book is. I'd tell you to do whatever you have to do to get your hands on a copy--beg, borrow, or steal, if necessary--but that would only demonstrate how Tom Baker's prose and David Robert's illustrations form a completely compelling and utterly mischievous experience.
So, on the whole, best to buy a copy, I think. Don't you?
Dragon Dave
Related Internet Links
David Roberts' website
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