Scott Bartlett's "Royal Flush" certainly is a brilliant work of fiction.
It is very funny, a few of the character's are either dripping with sarcasm, or they are unbelievably stupid. The stupid ones are the most interesting, especially the King of Spades.
" The King studied the bespectacled man for a long time. 'You want me,' he said finally. 'to execute an entire people?'" Then later, "'I see. Would you like them beheaded or hanged?'" The King, simply because he has the power, will kill or maim people for his own benefit. Obviously he is a tyrant.
One character in the book who just so happens to be the King, is absolutely clueless and his advisor takes his place on the throne. The King's interactions with commoners is also a source of amusement. Mostly because he knows nothing at all about their lives and because of this, he is a pathetic ruler.
The happenings in this book, although they are fictitious, mirror real life happenings. The king is something like politicians in our own government, out for themselves rather than the benefit of society as a whole. Of course, not all politicians are like this. Only some are truly tyrannical and power hungry as the King in this novel.
Of course, the King's cluelessness adds a comedic note. "Clouds obscured that, too. This was irksome. He had never been faced with a problem he couldn't have excecuted." For the King he is so used to having others face his problems for him, he does not even know how to tackle one on his own. He is like an elementary school bully, just used to getting his way by exploiting others.
Also, because of his stupidity, he is convinced by the Wisest Man Alive that he must attend an event wearing a dress in order to catch his love interests attention.
This book is highly amusing and has some very interesting characters as well. I recommend it to anyone who is looking for a great fictional read.
