A fairy tale comedy, somewhat similar to Terry Prachett or Robert Aspirin's stories. The main characters don't quite fit the roles in which they've been stereotyped, and much comic mayhem ensues. ( )

The country of Damask doesn't have much going for it. But with WMD (that's Weapons of Magical Destruction) and a princess at stake, Bad Prince Charlie's up for the challenge. For the good of his country, he's sure he can root out corruption, make everyone hate him, and ensure that the neighboring country invades... confused? What 'til he starts not quoting Hamlet, and visiting the spaced out Oracle (not of Delphi).

Humor, not quite at it's best, but certainly entertaining. Follow along and try to keep up as allegiances change and evil plots emerge on all sides. It's sure tough to be the bad guy with this lot around! ( )

Think of any convention in fairy tales (evil royal advisor, fair princess) or fantasy and this book either satirizes it or turns it upside down. It's funny, but fortunately short, as by the end of the book the humor was wearing thin. ( )

Bad Prince Charlie is another of Moore's flamboyant frolics through the fertile fields of fairy-tale and fantasy. Moore branches out a bit for his source material this time; Charlie's story is basically a sidewise retelling of Hamlet, run thru a fine-mesh angst filter and well-mixed with humor, topical references, and general silliness.

Charlie, illegitimate son of the late King of Damask, is home for the funeral. The king left no legitimate heir, so Charlie's two uncles have the unenviable job of selecting a successor from among the available candidates. But there's a problem... Damask is a struggling land, plagued with insufficient water and a complete lack of chickens, and the king of the neighboring Kingdom of Noile has offered them a terrific deal if they can find a way to let him take over with minimal bloodshed. Installing a Wicked Regent who will offend the nobles, foment civil unrest, and make the people long for a "rescuer" is the easiest solution, and Bad Prince Charlie seems like the perfect man for the job. While a bit reluctant at first, Charlie is convinced to join the plot by the offer of the... hand... of the voluptuous Lady Catherine Durace.

But something appears to be rotten in the Kingdom of Damask. First the ghost of the dead King appears on the castle parapet, telling Charlie that his uncles are Up To No Good. Then there are questions to which no one is willing to give him an answer. Where is the Head Wizard Thessalonius? Why did his father make so many visits to the Temple of Matka? What was the wizard working on that his uncles are so anxious to find? Last but not least, Lady Catherine is being frustrating, blowing hot and cold by turns and making her own plans on the side; for the Star Trek fans in the audience, it will be pretty obvious that she actually belongs, not to the House of Durace, but to the House of Duras.

The rest of the story is fairly well described by the phrase "hijinks ensue". Moore walks a fine line between his characters being real people and actors who know they're playing the characters, never letting the balance tip too far in either direction. Hidden in the humor are in-jokes, side-references to other stories, Truly Awful Puns, and even a bit of political commentary. I've already learned not to try to drink anything while reading Moore's books! ( )

Bad Prince Charlie wasn't John Moore's best, but was funny nonetheless and recommeneded for a laugh. ( )