Urgum the Axeman

‘Barbarians with attitude!’ proclaims the front cover of this satisfyingly squat, fat, very yellow book. Urgum and his seven sons are trying to uphold good old-fashioned barbarian values in the face of creeping gentrification as his wife, who reads all the right magazines, takes advantage of his long barbarian absences to do up the cave. Meanwhile, the gods have to preserve Urgum’s life at all costs – he is the last mortal believer, and without him they will be myth.

Very silly, very funny, a Blackadder-esque romp with the semi-serious purpose of illustrating that girls can do anything boys can do, better, and that a mite of intelligence can be handy. Reeve’s illustrations are an intrinsic part of the whole and the whirlwind of inventiveness will appeal to all sorts.