The Road to Mars

Of mankind's future one thing is certain. There will be Show Business. There will be comedians.An illuminating and uproariously funny novel by ex-Python and comic genius Eric Idle, The Road to Mars is at once a story of comedians on a vaudeville circuit, an examination of the nature of comedy, a romantic love story and a thirller set in space.It is the 22nd Century and two comedians, one a maniac who is occasionally depressed and the other a depressive who is occasionally manic, decide to set off on 'The Road to Mars' - the circuit of young hopefuls and old has-beens bringing entertainment to mining stations and space colonies around the solar system. Their companion is Carlton, a robot who is writing a thesis on the nature of comedy, and trying desperately to learn to understand irony and innuendo. Soon they find themselves caught up in a murder mystery and a terrorist plot to 'liberate' Mars. Will they manage to avert disaster? Will artificial intelligence finally learn to understand Monty Python? And will they ever get a gig on the Road to Mars?