Bow-Legged Buccaneers From Outer Space by David Owain Hughes

• Story 2/5
• Ease of access 5/5
• Character 2/5
• Time commitment 5/5
• Trigger/Glimmer 3/5
• Cosiness 4/5
  • Overall 3/5

The hell did I just read? That was my first thought after finishing Bow-Legged Buccaneers From Outer Space by David Owain Hughes.

After recent reads I decided to pick up something that looked bad, sounded bad and was generally nothing to worry about reading and reviewing. Let me tell you I was not disappointed in the best way!

Bow-Legged Buccaneers From Outer Space is a C-tier eighties action movie set in the 2080’s Chinatown of an undisclosed country which has become a cyberpunk prison city as some kind of Sheldon Pacotti/Mary DeMarle wet dream. Characters are all members of gangs with the gang and character nicknames all coming from 80’s cult movies and cartoons. A scene where the Goonies are being shot at by the Lost boys and lamenting that Sloth OD’d that morning would not be remis. Or where Frank Castle aka the Punisher saves Daphne from scooby doo from the Hollywood Chainsaw Hooker. What about the tongue in cheek joke where they have to escape the T-Girl district and I’m thinking oh no, we’re going transphobic only for the T-Girl gang to be an army of Tank Girl cosplayers!

Confusion may be setting in, if I am talking positively about all these 80’s references and unoriginal character names and concepts why did I enjoy Bow-Legged Buccaneers From Outer Space while absolutely roasting the Fourth Wing? Simple my straw friend, originality and fun.

At no time did David Owain Hughes intend for this work of litereary merde to be treated as a serious read, with movie deals and cosplayers. This is a work of pure alcohol and adaral driven fun. The characters aren’t actually The Punisher, or Bev, or the Goonies, and none of them even think that they are. Every character is introduced with the real name first and then their nickname which is taken from and 80’s movie or comic book.

You can tell from page one that nothing in this work of fiction is to be taken seriously or even to heart. It a fever dream of fun, silliness and one liners all wrapped up in a badly written mess of flash in the pack characters, throw away lines and of there era jokes. And honestly after the last few books I’ve read it is exactly the silly pallete cleanser that I needed.

Do I recommend Bow-Legged Buccaneers From Outer space? Probably not. But if you see any of David Owain Hughes books in the wild I’d pick one up just to enjoy the ride.