The Time Machine Did It

John Swartzwelder

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absurd humor

comedic detective novel

frank burly character

time travel plot

rapid fire jokes

science fiction noir setting

minimalist writing style

stream of consciousness humor

absurd misadventures

The Time Machine Did It by John Swartzwelder is a comedic detective novel featuring the slow-witted Frank Burly, whose adventures are described as a mix of absurd humor and zaniness reminiscent of The Simpsons. The plot revolves around Burly's misadventures as a private investigator, often involving time travel and a series of bizarre and humorous situations. The writing style is noted for its rapid-fire jokes, dry delivery, and matter-of-fact narration that adds to the comedic elements of the story.

Characters:

The characters, particularly Frank Burly, are portrayed as inept and foolish, with little development, relying on humor arising from their incompetence.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is characterized by absurd humor and a minimalist approach, often resembling a stream of consciousness with a focus on jokes.

Plot/Storyline:

The story features time travel and follows the clueless private investigator Frank Burly, with a thin narrative that's primarily focused on humor.

Setting:

The setting combines elements of science fiction and noir, serving primarily as a backdrop for the absurd humor.

Pacing:

The pacing is fast, featuring rapid-fire jokes, though the first half is generally viewed as more engaging than the latter portions.

Frank Burly is my name. Okay, it’s not my name. I lied about that. My name is Edward R. Torgeson Jr. I changed it for the business. You’ve got to have a tough sounding name if you want people to hire ...

Notes:

John Swartzwelder wrote 59 episodes of The Simpsons.

The Time Machine Did It features a character named Frank Burly, described as the world's stupidest private investigator.

The book is filled with absurd humor that fans of The Simpsons will recognize.

Readers found themselves laughing out loud and enjoying the rapid-fire jokes throughout the novel.

The writing style is compared to a cartoon, blending humor with bizarre logic.

The narrative is considered more about the jokes than the plot.

Some readers think the first half of the book is significantly funnier than the second half.

The book has been described as a light and quick read, perfect for those who enjoy silliness.

It has been noted that the book is self-published, leading to minor typos and errors.

The character Frank Burly is often beaten up, which adds to the humor.

Many readers express a strong fondness for Swartzwelder's comedic style, akin to classic episodes of The Simpsons.

From The Publisher:

Humor/mystery novel by the writer of 59 episodes of The Simpsons.

Ratings (3)

Incredible (2)
Loved It (1)

Reader Stats (4):

Read It (3)
Want To Read (1)

1 comment(s)

pincus

Incredible

2 months

Incredibly funny, but the plot is kind of lost in a near stream-of-consciousness of Burly's thoughts and the author's jokes. It was funny enough to work in such a short book, but probably a good thing it wasn't any longer.

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