“all-to-wall, farcical fornicating and fighting…a jolly good time can be had.” It’s a manic, masterly mix-winning, wild and something today’s groundlings will applaud. Moore confesses he borrows from at least a dozen of the Bard’s plays for this buffet of tragedy, comedy and medieval porn action. There’s more murder, mayhem, mistaken identities and scene changes than you can remember, but bestselling Moore ( You Suck) turns things on their head with an edgy 21st-century perspective that makes the story line as sharp, surly and slick as a game of Grand Theft Auto. It’s 1288, and the king’s fool, Pocket, and his dimwit apprentice, Drool, set out to clean up the mess Lear has made of his kingdom, his family and his fortune-only to discover the truth about their own heritage. Here’s the Cliff Notes you wished you’d had for King Lear-the mad royal, his devious daughters, rhyming ghosts and a castle full of hot intrigue-in a cheeky and ribald romp that both channels and chides the Bard and all Fate’s bastards. and to shag every lusciously shaggable wench who’s amenable to shagging along the way.

Now he’s going to have to do some very fancy maneuvering-cast some spells, incite a few assassinations, start a war or two (the usual stuff)-to get Cordelia back into Daddy Lear’s good graces, to derail the fiendish power plays of Cordelia’s twisted sisters, to rescue his gigantic, gigantically dim, and always randy friend and apprentice fool, Drool, from repeated beatings. and the equally well-honed daggers he keeps conveniently hidden behind his back. He’s already managed to sidestep catastrophe (and the vengeful blades of many an offended nobleman) on numerous occasions, using his razor-sharp mind, rapier wit. is Pocket, a small and slight clown with a biting sense of humor. And the only person who can possibly make things right.

The whole damn country’s about to go to hell in a handbasket because of a stubborn old fart’s wounded pride. Well, now the bangers and mash have really hit the fan. stupid, and her blunt honesty ends up costing her her rightful share of the kingdom and earns her a banishment to boot. But Cordelia believes that her father’s request is kind of. Of course Goneril and Regan are only too happy to brownnose Dad. So naturally Pocket is at his brainless, elderly liege’s side when Lear-at the insidious urging of Edmund, the bastard (in every way imaginable) son of the Earl of Gloucester-demands that his kids swear their undying love and devotion before a collection of assembled guests. A man of infinite jest, Pocket has been Lear’s cherished fool for years, from the time the king’s grown daughters-selfish, scheming Goneril, sadistic (but erotic-fantasy-grade-hot) Regan, and sweet, loyal Cordelia-were mere girls.

Fool by christopher moore