The Damned Busters / Matthew Hughes
“This is a funny and surprisingly endearing book with some interesting discussions about
the role of sin and our reactions to it.” - Keith Brooke in The Guardian
After accidentally summoning a demon while playing poker, the normally mild-mannered Chesney Anstruther refuses to sell his soul… which leads through various confusions to, well, Hell going on strike. Which means that nothing bad ever happens in the world – and that actually turns out to be a really bad thing.
There’s only one thing for it. Satan offers Chesney the ultimate deal – sign the damned contract, and he can have his heart’s desire. And thus the strangest superhero duo ever seen – in Hell or on Earth – is born!
Book one of the To Hell & Back saga is a riotous fantasy from the acclaimed author of the Henghis Hapthorn stories.
File Under: Fantasy [ Expletives Deleted | Up, Up And Away | Endless Loveliness | Life's Great Author ]
More praise for The Damned Busters:
“Since I’ve been ‘sinning’ and eating cheese, which I shouldn’t I’ll compare this story to a cheddar cheese (which I do love). It’s not like Velveeta which casts aspersions on the good name of cheese. Nor is it some cheap plasticky, slightly bouncy orange-colored thing. It’s not a Kraft cheese nor one you would find in most chain grocery stores. It is a cheese of respectable lineage from a specialty shop; a tongue tingling, well-aged, firm cheddar where the cows were sung to every morning while they were being milked. I’d give The Damned Busters a solid eight cheese wheels worth of fun and entertainment. A Hell of a good read.”
- Colleen Anderson
“Matthew Hughes has accomplished something unique: he has written a novel, without illustrations, that conveys the tone and feel of comics published during their Golden Age.”- Red Rook Review
“Hughes’ writing is both funny and clever, with some great descriptive passages. He has a style that instantly hooks the reader, that manages to balance the fine line between being a funny novel, and novel that is just full of jokes… I will be picking up the next instalment of this series without a doubt. A highly recommended read.“
- Ginger Nuts of Horror
“The Damned Busters is a supernatural adventure that blends a rich and unpredictable story, with a tone and wit that provides plenty of laughs along the way. A great balance of action and comedic situations with some romance thrown in for good measure, albeit an awkward romance, this is a great read. It will forever contain the most intense game of poker I have ever read. 5 *****”
- Celebrity Cafe
“An actuary’s dull life is interrupted when he accidently summons a demon. This story starts out as a tongue-in-cheek humorous parody of the relationship between humans and demons, until a sharp twist turns religion upside down. The premise is bold, thought-provoking, and original.”- Tangent Online
“Hughes continues to carve out a unique place for himself in the fantasy-mystery realm. A droll narrative voice, dry humor and an alternate universe that’s accessible without explicit exposition make this a winner.”
- Publisher’s Weekly
“You’re missing out if you haven’t bought this book yet. Pure and simple.”
- The Founding Fields
“The book is an insane adventure that messes with your mind and its perceived notions of the world around us. It feels like watching The Matrix when you learn not everything is as it seems. The writing is smart, never once assuming that the reader is an idiot, and the dialogue is brilliant and witty.”
- 42 Webs
“A witty superhero story that’s just plain fun.”
- John deNardo, SFSignal
THE DAMNED BUSTERS (To Hell and Back – Book I)
Matthew Hughes
Fantasy
Cover: Tom Gauld
UK
May 2011
352pp B-format paperback
£7.99 UK
ISBN 978 0 85766 102 9
US/Canada
June 2011
416pp mass-market paperback
$7.99 US $8.99 CAN
ISBN 978 0 85766 103 6
eBook
May 2011
£5.49
ePub ISBN 978 0 85766 104 3
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