It's the 25th century and the British Space Empire is spreading civilisation, democracy and tea across the galaxy. However, the dreaded Ghast hive (evil ant soldiers) are hell-bent on glactic dominion, and wouldn't mind exterminating humanoid life along the way.

Thus sets the stage for Space Captain Isambard Smith, sent on a perilous journey to bring a fair dame into the safety of the Empire in his ship, the John Pym. Keeping the Captain company are his best friend, the alien Suruk (who's idea of a holiday consists mostly of terror, mayhem, and returning with a bag full of skulls for the mantleplace), his pilot Carveth, who's actually a renegade sex-doll, and the ship mascot, a hamster called Gerald. They are pursued across the galaxy by a pantomime cast of bad guys, including the John Gilead (a psychopathical officer from the religious empire of New Eden) and 462, one of the Ghast commanders (with a big behind).


Frost aims for the sort of surreal, off the wall humour found in Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy, Red Dwarf and Pratchett's Discworld novels, and while he falls slightly short (the humour is generally more slapstick than intellectual/ironic) it's still frequently laugh-out-loud funny. The book satirises all that's sacred about being British, from the Victorian sense of decorum and stiff upper lip to the opinion of the French.

The author does know his Science Fiction, and it's fun to play spot-the-reference as you read along. The plot (and there is a plot for the humour to hang of, a pleasant surprise) moves briskly along and the action spices things up nicely.

If you're looking for a light-hearted romp around space with an incompetent but well meaning British chap in a red serge uniform and his frequently violent mis-adventures, Space Captain Smith is for you.