Godsquad by Heide Goody and Iain Grant

The Team: Joan of Arc, the armour-plated teen saint of Orleans. Francis of Assisi, friend to all the animals whether they like it or not. St Christopher, the patron saint of travel who by papal decree has never existed – no matter how much he argues otherwise. The Mission: An impossible prayer has been received by Heaven and it’s a prayer that only Mary, Mother of God, can answer. Unfortunately, Mary hasn’t been seen in decades and is off wandering the Earth somewhere. This elite team of Heavenly saints are sent down to Earth to find Mary before Armageddon is unleashed on an unsuspecting world. Godsquad: A breathless comedy road trip from Heaven to France and all points in-between featuring murderous butchers, a coachload of Welsh women, flying portaloos, nuclear missiles, giant rubber dragons, an army of dogs, a very rude balloon and way too much French wine. I’ve been a fan of these two authors since I was first introduced to their work with Clovenhoof. Its sequel, Pigeonwings, continued in a similar vein. Their latest collaboration is not a sequel to either book but takes place in the same, mildly deranged, shared universe. When a very important Heavenly personage…

Pigeonwings by Heide Goody & Iain Grant

Please note Pigeonwings is a direct sequel to the events in Clovenhoof. I would advise reading book one before losing yourself in the chaotic nonsense that is book two. Oh, and this review might contain spoilers if you haven’t read book one. As punishment for his part in an attempted coup in Heaven, the Archangel Michael is banished to Earth. The holiest of the angelic host has to learn to live as a mortal, not an easy job when you’ve got Satan as a next-door neighbour. Michael soon finds that being a good person involves more than helping out at Sunday school and attending church coffee mornings. He has to find his purpose in life, deal with earthly temptations and solve a mystery involving some unusual monks and a jar of very dangerous jam. I’m still firmly of the belief that writing a genuinely funny story is the darkest of arts. Deciding what’s funny can be such a subjective thing. Writing something that is will appeal to multiple readers strikes me as almost impossible. The good news is that there are still those that attempt this feat. The even better news is that there are some who succeed. Heidi Goody and…