THE LORD OF THE RING ROADS

First edition in book form, first printing. Limited edition. Signed by the author. Publisher's original white cloth with gilt titles to the spine, in the Dez Skinn illustrated dustwrapper. With an illustrated title page, 24 black and white illustrations by Robert Rankin throughout, and a publisher's advertisment at the rear. A fine copy, the binding square and firm, the cloth bright and fresh, with just a couple of tiny bumps to the extreme bottom edge of the upper board. The contents are clean throughout, and without previous owners' inscriptions or stamps. Complete with the fine original dustwrapper that remains without fading, loss or tears. Not price-clipped (£19.95 to the lower front flap).

Issued in an edition of 1981 copies (commemorating the publication year of the very first Brentford novel), from which this example is numbered 653, and signed by Robert Rankin in black ink on the limitation page. The first book in the author's comedic fantasy 'The Final Brentford Trilogy' series, followed by 'The Chronicles of Banarnia' (2019) and 'Normanghast' (2023). First released in e-book format for Amazon Kindle, the novel is published here in hardcover format for the first time by the author's own publishing company, named for his self-invented literary genre 'Far-fetched Fiction'. In typical Rankin style, the book's title parodies a classic work of fantasy or science fiction, here spoofing J. R. R. Tolkien's epic fantasy series 'The Lord of the Rings'. For this 'final adventure', fan-favourite characters Jim Pooley and John Omalley investigate a mysterious ring road building development in their hometown of Brentford and the possible involvement of the 'unfeasibly charistmatic' town clerk Mr. Pocklington.