The title of this book is so lame that I would never have picked it up had it not been for Will’s recommendation. I’m glad I did, as all in all it is a great read. There are a couple of minor plot holes which I won’t go into, but these are entirely papered over by the exponentially building plot momentum, the constant low lying (and occasional surface breaking) humor, and the great characterisation.

It’s told from a multi-narrator first person perspective, a structure which I played with far less sucessfully in my second attempt at novel writing, and on the whole Minister Faust brings it off well — although there are a few chapters told from the perspective of characters with very strong accents, and it is somewhat of a struggle to read through those sections (though, ultimately, worthwhile.) The plot is essentially a modern day magical grail quest; Faust’s mythological inventions are coherent and convincing. Something which I’ve learned from this book: always make your own tea!