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I was the first boy in Britain to meet a Dalek in the flesh (so to speak) when my Dad took me to the BBC workshops one dark January night in 1964. That early experience probably explains quite a lot. After a childhood spent daydreaming about aliens and vampires, I discovered Marvel Comics and happily gave up all connection with reality to immerse myself in the marvellous worlds of Steve Ditko, Jack Kirby, John Romita, Jim Steranko and Neal Adams. Every Saturday I used to head doggedly from newsagent to newsagent, searching out the latest Iron Man or Spider-man comics, which I would buy for 10d each (that’s about 4p in your fancy modern digital money). Since those halcyon days I've written a lot of books. Really, a lot. If you put a copy of every one of my books in a suitcase then you’d need to get a friend to help you lift it. My favorites among my own books are Heart of Ice, a sci-fi interactive adventure story where the Côte d’Azur is a jungle and the Sahara is covered in snow, and my current project, Mirabilis, a comic book epic in the making. I'd say that my fantasy writing has been most influenced by Lord Dunsany, Jack Vance, Mike Mignola and Neil Gaiman, but I should stress that none of those gentlemen is personally to blame.

Description

Peter and the Whimper-Whineys is about a small rabbit who whines all the time. His mother cautions him that if he keeps on whining and crying, he’ll have to go live with the Whimper-Whineys. One night Peter hops into the dark forest. He meets some Whimper-Whineymen and discovers that not only do the Whimper-Whineys whine all the time, but they are very ill-mannered and rude. He discovers that everything is sour in Whimper-Whineyland and decides his mother was right! If only he can get back home… a recent critique, “Though there are other books out there for children about whining, I cannot imagine any parent or guardian not wanting to read this book to their child!... Parents everywhere applaud you!”

Story Behind The Book

In 1830, Victor Frankenstein’s procedures for reanimating the dead have become widely known. Europe is in the grip of a war that cannot end, as soldiers are dragged from the battlefield and reanimated to fight again another day. Neither side can gain ground. Every effort goes to maintain the engine of warfare. In France, a new revolution has occurred more brutal than the last. The ruling council, fanatics of reason, authorize experiments in which men and beasts are stitched together, creating ever more terrible hybrids for the generals to use in battle. The Emperor Napoleon, brought from his grave on St Helena, has been restored to life. His body having partially decayed, he floats inside a glass tank filled with preservative oils brought from Egypt. The revolutionary council consider Napoleon a state asset, an oracle they can consult on how to conduct the war. Napoleon considers himself the rightful Emperor. In Britain, hordes of resurrected war veterans flock to the cities. These are men who have been patched up and reanimated too often. Now they are of no use in battle but they cannot die, so they crawl and beg on the fringes of London’s slums. In places the stench of formaldehyde is overpowering. With the country’s economy weakened by war and disease, and the populace wary and fearful of the “lazarans” in their midst, the authorities maintain a strangling grip on control thanks to the British secret police headed by ruthless Lord Blakeney, the “Bloody Pimpernel”. The Frankenstein technology is unreliable. Restoring life is easy. A man can be made to breathe and speak walk again. But very often it comes at a price – gaps in the memory and a dulling of the intellect, which most count as a blessing. To clearly remember the moment of death would be hard enough. To be considered by others to be a walking, soulless monster and yet to understand your condition and still to feel love for your living family would be too much to bear. Some, like Napoleon, can be restored with their mind intact, but not usually with full vigor. Only a very few are raised from the dead healthy in both mind and body. These lucky accidents are studied by scientists looking to perfect the process, as each side seeks the breakthrough that will turn the war in their favor.

Reviews

PRAISE FOR JOHN WHITBOURN'S WRITING <div>“Whitbourn’s wit is both unforced and splendidly droll.” -The Daily Express“Original and intriguing.” – Starburst“He doesn’t cheat, and he doesn’t soften the edges.” – Mary GentleThe Binscombe Tales“These stories are not comfortable to read, but they still bring enjoyment of good company and the vicarious chill of a good fright at someone else’s expense, and as such are to be heartily recommended.” - InterzoneA Dangerous Energy“A work of brilliance. Never was a prize more richly deserved.” – Starburst“A terrifying story, marvellously inventive, written with great power.” - The TimesThe Royal Changeling“The powerful, dark deviousness of Whitbourn’s world makes this novel most intriguing.” – Locus“Gutsy, witty and time-twisting.” – The Daily Telegraph“A great historical fantasy.” – The Bookseller“A brisk-moving, exciting story, rich in humour and historical detail.” – SFXDowns-Lord Dawn“Witty, bawdy, action-packed and extremely clever.” – Waterstone’s SF magazine“Pulled off with panache and no small amount of humour.” – The Daily Express“If you’re looking for something entirely different from the run-of-the-mill, make this your first port of call.” – Ariel</div>

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Peter and the Whimper-Whineys

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Story Behind The Book

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