The Unbearable Lightness of Being in Aberystwyth (Aberystwyth S.) Paperback – 4 April 2005

This is the third of the series that I have read and I , also, think it is the best. All the other reviews are at least a year old and I do not have much to add....To those who complain that the book is too dark, surely the whole point of the series is that there is an extremely dark underbelly in this vision of Aberystwyth.And to those who think Pryce can not write, try this;"They call it the train you take when your life has gone wrong.The Aberystwyth Cliff Railway.It creeps up the hill at the speed of lichen.You get off at the top, fortify yourself from a styro-foam cup with tea the colour and strength of a horse, and walk to Clarach. If Borth is the poor man's Aberystwyth- and it isn't- then Clarach is the poor man's Borth. And that's about as poor as you can get without selling a kidney. It's not a one horse town, not even a hoof, maybe the imprint left by a horseshoe nailed once long ago to a fence or maybe just a handful of oats."Well that is the 'Piper at the Gates of Dawn' for this age. I have never been to West Wales but now I just have to visit Aberystwyth, Borth and, of course, Clarach.

Although my local bookshops usually have the other three volumes of the Aberystwyth series in stock, they don't seem to like this one, so I ended up buying it from Amazon, and reading it after the fourth book. Fortunately that didn't seem to matter much, though certainly it helps to have read the first two when reading the later books.It seems churlish to complain about the implausibility of the plot of one of Malcolm Pryce's books, but at first, the story-line with its monkey from the Welsh Space program, Victorian murder mystery (with ghost), and amnesiac organ-grinder, seemed to have crossed the line from enjoyably ludicrous to plain silly, and the characterisation seemed thinner than I remembered from the other books. However, things seemed to improve after about fifty pages or so, and I began to really enjoy Louie Knight's company again. I especially enjoyed learning about the local "waifery", and the finer points of using tea-cosies in an investigation. I'm now looking forward to the fifth installment in the series.This series is probably not for those who like their detective stories tightly plotted. In fact this series might not really be for those who like detective stories. And, although some of the books are very funny, I find that almost incidental: the writing is usually first-rate, many of the characters are likeable and quite real, and Louie is prone to philosophising in a way I often find thought-provoking and interesting. There is probably plenty of pastiche and parody in there as well; thoughthat passes me by it doesn't hamper my enjoyment of the books at all.Readers who have enjoyed Jasper Fforde's Swindon and Nursery Crimes books will probably also appreciate Malcolm Pryce's books. There is a fairly fixed cast-list for this series, which sometimes makes it a little less free-wheeling and imaginative than Jasper Fforde, but on the other hand this allows the stories and characters to acquire greater depth in the long run. After four volumes I'm beginning to believe that the Welsh war in Patagonia really happened.

Aberystwyth has a lot to thank Louie Knight for. There are some dark figures roaming the streets; it’s not all ice cream vendors and bingo callers. And so begins another adventure for this most intrepid and damaged private eye. Asked to solve a one and fifty year mystery by a man with a monkey; could this prove to be Calamity’s finest hour?If you enjoy books with larger than life characters, vividly imagined settings and truly unique storylines, this should tick all your boxes. I am re-reading this entire series yet again and loving it just as much. Some books date and are a shadow of their original selves when revisited several years down the line. That is not the case here. Louie’s adventures are as fresh, wacky and invigorating as the day they were penned. Just wonderful.

This series of books cannot be praised too highly reminds one of Spike Milligan at his best brilliantly conceived and written by an author at the very height of his powers.His portrayal of Louis Knight the best detective in Aberystwyth is the work of a comic genius.

Another fine entry into the 'aberystwyth' world of Malcolm Price. This entry seems a little darker than the previous 2 to me, although a lot of the same elements are involved. particularly the sub plot involving a monkey and her missing son.However the humour is still as deadpan and effective as usual, and i really feel that i am getting to know the regular charactors, which is always a sign of good world building.This ins't the best book that i have read this year, however it is satisfying and if you have read the first two books then you really should read this.

The book arrived very quickly after ordering, and I enjoyed the read. It is an easy read with shortish chapters so can be picked up and put down at regular intervals! Well recommended if you enjoy a lighthearted read, especially if you are au fait with the Welsh town and its peoples. I love it.

A really nice follow-up to the other books in the series. Really enjoyed the mix of humour and darkness. I would recommend this series to friends. Unfortunately I don't have any friends,, should I find any in the future I'll tell 'em.

If you haven't read any of the 'Aberystwyth' series, try one. Surreal doesn't really say it. The books are well written and funny and I'm sure they will be made into a TV series soon. A great find.