Product Description

Seventy-Two Virgins is a comic political novel, with similar appeal to Stephen Fry or Ben Elton, written by one of Britain's most popular politicians. It is Boris Johnson's first novel and was widely acclaimed on publication. The American President, on a State Visit to Britain is giving a major address to a top-level audience in Westminster Hall. Ferocious security -- with some difficulties in communication -- is provided by a joint force of the United States Secret Service and Scotland Yard. The best sharpshooters from both countries are stationed on the roof of the Parliament buildings. Then a stolen ambulance runs into trouble with the Parking Authorities. A hapless Member of Parliament, having mislaid his crucial pass, is barred from Westminster, his bicycle regarded as a potential lethal weapon. And a man going by the name of Jones, although born in Karachi, successfully slips through the barriers, and whole new ball game starts. Despite the united efforts of the finest security minds, events begin to spin out of control. A remarkable new worldwide reality television show dominates the airwaves. And the most unlikely heroes emerge!

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #8621 in Books
• Published on: 2005-05-03
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 400 pages

Review
'A hectic comedy thriller!a rip-roaring knockabout farce!refreshingly unpompous, faintly dishevelled and often very funny.' Mail on Sunday 'At the centre of his first novel, a light comedy, is a terrorist plot of frightening ingenuity!the comedy is reminiscent of Tom Sharpe.' Sunday Times 'Johnson scores in his comic handling of those most sensitive issues!he succeeds in being charming and sincere!Boris Johnson has written a witty page-turner.' Observer 'Among the hilarious scenes of events and the wonderful dialogue which keeps the story moving at a cracking pace, Johnson uncovers some home truths!I can give no higher praise to this book than to say that I lapped it up at a single uproarious sitting.' Irish Examiner 'As an author, the Shadow Arts Minister is in a class of his own: ebullient, exhausting but irresistible.' Daily Mail 'fluent, funny material!the writing is vintage, Wodehousian Boris!it has been assembled with skill and terrific energy and will lift morale in the soul of many.' Evening Standard 'This is a comic novel, but Johnson is never far away from making serious points, which he leads us towards with admirable stealth.' Daily Telegraph 'a splendidly accomplished and gripping first novel!Few authors could get away with it, but this one most certainly does. Highly recommended.' Sunday Telegraph 'The rollicking pace and continuous outpouring of comic invention make the book!The guardians of our author's future need not worry. This is a laurel from a new bush, but certainly a prizewinner.' Spectator 'invents a genre all of his own: a post 9/11 farce!a pacy, knockabout political thriller which takes in would-be terrorists careering through Westminster in a stolen ambulance, a visit from the US president, celebrity chefs, snipers, tabloids chasing extra-curricular!as much fun reading it as Johnson had writing it.' GQ 'As well as Mr Johnson's inside knowledge of Parliament and his exuberantly idiosyncratic prose style, Mr Johnson is also brilliant at characterisation -- each one of his cast of hundreds leaps to life in a few sentences!and yes, I laughed out loud approximately every 30 minutes.' Country Life

From the Author
It maybe a truism but I wrote this novel because I had to.
I had long wanted to write fiction but had never quite got round to it. Then last year when I was planning to work on a quite different book, the idea of a political thriller set in one day in the Palace of Westminster came into my head. It was irresistible. I rose every day at 4am to write. The characters, the scenario, the developments of the plot took on a life of their own - which is supposed to be the mark of a good story. I will leave you to be the judge of that but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I am - clearly - interested in politics, in the way politicians work, in the life of Westminster. I find the interaction with our closest ally endlessly fascinating. So a novel which presented a shocking event at Westminster and involved Members of Parliament, the political establishment, some apparently disenfranchised zealots and a worldwide audience participating in a novel form of voter power enabled me to share many of my interests with readers to my, and I hope their, enjoyment.

It is strange how few political novels are written in Britain and yet all human interest, plenty of drama and some comedy is there. Perhaps Seventy Two Virgins will lead the return to political thrillers.

About the Author
Boris Johnson is the editor of the Spectator, MP for Henley, writes a column for the Daily Telegraph and has just been appointed Shadow Arts Minister. He lives in London and Oxfordshire with his wife and their children.

Customer Reviews

Heavenly - almost...
A witty and highly enjoyable romp through much that is wrong with how Britain works (or doesn't) today.

The plot revolves around a bicycling MP who's a bit hapless, but basically a decent sort of chap (where have we seen that before?); islamist terrorists; a stolen ambulance and a speech by the President of the United States (POTUS) in Westminster Hall. Just don't cheer too loudly when the parking attendant gets stabbed! It had to lose one star off the maximum, though, because of a rather cheesy plot device involving the terrorist's demands and the general public - I won't give it away, but you'll know it when you see it!

Regular readers of Boris's journalism will know what to expect. Readers who have previously been taken in by his highly cultivated "bumbling, public-school educated, bit of a thicko but basically decent chap" image will be pleasantly surprised!

Enjoy!

Excellent if you can take him seriously
Boris Johnson's novel has all the facets of a readable book. It has an entertaining and sometimes quite deep storyline. The author has crafted some fine and interesting characters without making them too stereotypical. The whole book is quite a masterpiece, although the language can sometimes seem especially 'Johnsonian' (his claim that rumours about his affair amounted to an 'inverted pyramid of piffle' comes to mind).

If I could make one suggestion to anyone who is considering reading this novel, it would be this: make sure you have read a lot of Mr. Johnson's work before. As someone who hasn't read so much serious material by the author, unfortunately I couldn't help but assume that something utterly ludicrous was about to happen as I turned the page. I have always struggled - perhaps this is unfair - to take the author seriously in real life, and that did make me a little uncertain about the seriousness behind the profound messages he had to put across.

Provided the reader has the capacity to take the fine man seriously, I recommend that they enjoy this very special novel.

Lovely, madcap romp!
I've been ill this week and found this book a brilliant distraction. It takes place over the span of just a few hours during a terrorist seige, but those hours are action-packed. Somehow a grim concept has been made into a surprisingly non-bloody and very funny book. It is not a whit serious, so if you liked _Lend Me Your Ears_ more than you did _Friends, Voters, Countrymen_, this may not be for you.

If you've read a Carl Hiaasen novel, this has a similar flavour and pacing. There is a great deal of local colour, tidbits of history, details of the setting and traditions of Parliament, including some areas the public never see. None of that stops the action, but it does make everything feel more real. The main characters all mask various comic areas of incompetence or weakness, so you understand them instantly and mostly forgive them.

Some readers will have a bit of fun spotting minor celebs, mostly political, who have cameos in the story. Johnson has not given any space to people he genuinely dislikes; the PM is hardly in it! His version of George Bush, however, seems quite charitably smarter than the real thing. I also noticed a few bits of literary homage, including a Raymond Chandler line that never fails to bring a smile to my face.

The terrorists are largely cardboard cutouts, but one of them (based largely on Richard Reid, the shoe bomber) has more of a role to play, and by God you end up understanding him as well.

The only thing I didn't like about this book was a few Britishisms inserted in the mouths of American characters. This is easily overlooked, and in fact most readers probably won't notice. It's not enough of a problem to lose it any stars.

This is definitely a fluffy and fun book, and it was just the thing to read with a bout of bronchitis. I'd recommend it as a good choice of Christmas or beach reading and a decent gift. There is little in the way of heavy material, despite a recurring implication of marital cheating and a plot about terrorism.

Basically, you could feel safe giving this book to practically anyone. I already have a few recipients in mind.