''Flying Dutch'' () is the third humorous-fantasy novel by popular British author

Tom Holt Thomas Charles Louis Holt (born 13 September 1961) is a British novelist. In addition to fiction published under his own name, he writes fantasy under the pseudonym K. J. Parker. Biography Holt was born in London, the son of novelist Hazel H ...

. First published in the UK in 1991 by

Orbit Books Orbit Books is an international publisher that specialises in science fiction and fantasy books. It is a division of Lagardère Publishing. History It was founded in 1974 as part of the Macdonald Futura publishing company. In 1992, its parent ...

. Inspired by Wagner's 1843 opera, ''The Flying Dutchman'', the novel asserts that the famous Dutchman and his crew were not, in fact, cursed by the Devil, but were instead the victim of a flawed alchemical experiment which made them immortal, but, as a side effect, gave them a horrible, unbearable stench. Every seven years, the stench wears off, briefly, and the crew can land and reprovision. However, modern technology is catching up with the Dutchman, and compound interest on his ancient life-insurance policy threatens the entire world's economy.

Reception

Publishers Weekly ''Publishers Weekly'' (''PW'') is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers, and literary agents. Published continuously since 1872, it has carried the tagline, "The International News Magazine of B ...

'' considered it to be "diverting" and "occasionally hilarious", but also "creaky".Flying Dutch
reviewed at ''

''; published March 2, 1992; retrieved April 14, 2019 ''

Kirkus Reviews ''Kirkus Reviews'' (or ''Kirkus Media'') is an American book review magazine founded in 1933 by Virginia Kirkus (1893–1980). The magazine is headquartered in New York City. ''Kirkus Reviews'' confers the annual Kirkus Prize to authors of fic ...

'' was far harsher, decrying its "mechanical plotting, predictable doings, and humor too obvious and trite to raise even a glimmer of a smile."Flying Dutch
reviewed at ''

''; published January 15, 1992; archived online May 20, 2010; retrieved April 14, 2019 The ''

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the Un ...

'' found it to be "ingenious", with a "sardonic, breezy tone", and compared it to the works of

Terry Gilliam Terrence Vance Gilliam (; born 22 November 1940) is an American-born British filmmaker, comedian, animator, actor and former member of the Monty Python comedy troupe. Gilliam has directed 13 feature films, including ''Time Bandits'' (1981), ''B ...

, but faulted its second half for not living up to the standard set by its first half. BOOK REVIEW : Ship's Legend Goes on a Romp : FLYING DUTCH by Tom Holt ; St. Martin's Press/Thomas Dunne $18.95; 252 pages
by Chris Goodrich, at the ''

''; published March 13, 1992; retrieved April 14, 2019 The novel earned 17th place in ''Locus'' magazine's annual Best Fantasy Novel of the Year awards in 1992.

References

1991 British novels British fantasy novels Novels by Tom Holt Flying Dutchman Fiction about immortality Orbit Books books {{1990s-fantasy-novel-stub