Doktor Proktor og verdens undergang. Kanskje.

Doktor Proktor og verdens undergang. Kanskje. Doctor Proctor and the End of the World. Maybe

Doctor Proctor #3

The third book featuring Doctor Proctor and his friends is about an alien invasion, choir music vs marching bands, Doctor Proctor’s Power Potion, how socks REALLY disappear from washing machines, genuine frog men, not quite so genuine baboons, sinister waffle irons, and not entirely perfected balancing shoes. Plus a seven-legged Peruvian sucking spider, a king in exile, and the end of the world. Maybe.

This time along, Jo Nesbø blasts through all realistic constraints and introduces delightfully grotesque aliens in a style reminiscent of Roald Dahl’s The Witches.

Click here for a video interview in English with Jo Nesbø about Doctor Proctor and the End of the World. Maybe.

Reviews

  • “This light-humored story is sure to bring laughs with its bizarre adventures, zany characters, and off-colored wittiness. It's an entertaining novel that's bound to delight many”

    Library Media Connection, US

  • “Jo Nesbø writes in a cheerful pace. The story fizzes with narrative exuberance and joyful spirit. The dialogue is pitch perfect, the events fall over one another, and in the middle of all the make-believe one can glimpse both seriousness and a hint of poetry.”

    Politiken, Denmark

  • “Breakneck, laughter-inducing, thought provoking… In addition, Nesbø’s writing is fantastically funny, pleasing young and old.”

    Dagsavisen, Norway

  • “Wild and side-splitting adventure… Part three in Nesbø’s rocket of a children’s series takes off with thunder and lightning, powered by numerous references, sprawling whims, dinosaur-sized exaggerations, burlesque pranks à la Roald Dahl, and even a love story.”

    Dagbladet, Norway

  • “Nesbø doesn’t compromise in his children’s fiction writing. He pursues advanced linguistic play.”

    Aftenposten, Norway

  • “As a children’s author [Nesbø] is simply brilliant… The goodies line up for both children and adults: Per Dybvig’s illustrations are as mad and chaotic as always, perfect for the Proctor stories. Just as elegant is Nesbø’s spirited linguistic flounce.”

    Stavanger Aftenblad, Norway

  • “Wild? It sure is; Jo Nesbø brilliantly carries out the third book about Doctor Proctor. He denies himself nothing, and the result is wild and unpredictable humor, a sheer joy to read for young and old.”

    Oppland Arbeiderblad, Norway

  • “I am repeatedly impressed by [Nesbø’s] linguistic playfulness and madcap whims. Nesbø succeeds perfectly in writing unpredictably and yet following a certain logic, since the details that lead to the story’s twists and turns have been cleverly and elegantly planted beforehand /…/ This is the ultimate crazy comedy! It is incredibly entertaining and so insanely inspiring that it makes me eager to write something funny myself.”

    Barnboksprat.se, Sweden

  • “To write cheeky and burlesque political satire and weave in sensitive issues such as the Nazi takeover while drawing parallels to today's manipulative media climate, all in the context of a children's book, warrants a brilliant writing talent like Jo Nesbø's. The almost manic narrative joy will infect readers of all ages.”

    Göteborgs-Posten, Sweden

  • “Nesbø tucks enough silly antics, oddball adults and sly digs at his country’s culture and foibles into his third Doctor Proctor epic to keep even non-Scandinavians amused. Hefty but lightweight, with occasional pokerfaced line drawings to reinforce the tongue-in-cheek tone.”

    Kirkus Reviews, US

  • “Parody, satire, and some very witty dialogue; no matter how crazy the plot (and 464 pages allows for a lot of plot) the story retains its own rationality and logic. The book fizzes with inventiveness and intelligence. Adults will appreciate the swipes at politicians, and the monarchy, while Abba and the Beatles come in for a bit of a pasting too. And it's hard to see how anyone could resist a book of Animals You Wish Didn't Exist (aka A.Y.W.D.E.)”

    Books for Keeps, UK

  • “The translation retains a Scandinavian flavour in the syntax, so that it reads rather like a Norwegian who speaks excellent English, but that only adds to its charm rather than detracting from it. The end of the world looms as Doctor Proctor and co, fuelled by lots of jelly, struggle to thwart an alien invasion with quirky inventiveness. Children will love the wacky humour, nail-biting cliff-hangers, weird characters and crazy inventions.”

    The Herald, UK

  • “A lighthearted romp with humor, mystery, and a bit of adventure. Fans of farce should take note.”

    School Library Journal, US

Author
Photo: Stian Broch Jo Nesbø
Published
2010
Genre
  • Children's
Pages
317
Reading material

Norwegian edition

English edition

German edition

Rights sold

Bosnia and Herzegovina, Malik Books

Brazil, Martin Fontes

Bulgaria, Emas

Catalonia, La Galera

China, Dolphin Media (Simplified Chinese)

Croatia, Fokus

Czech Republic, Jota

Czech Republic, Zlin

Denmark, Alvilda

Estonia, Varrak

Finland, WSOY

Germany, Arena

Greece, Metaixmio

Hungary, Kolibri

Iceland, Forlagid

Italy, Salani

Japan, Hayakawa

Korea, Sakyejul

Latvia, Zvaigzne ABC

Netherlands, Lemniscaat

Norway, Aschehoug

Poland, Dolnoslaskie

Romania, RAO

Romania, Trei

Russia, Azbooka

Serbia, Odiseja

Slovakia, Iron Libri

Slovenia, Didakta

Slovenia, Mladinska

Spain, La Galera (World Spanish)

Sweden, Bonnier Carlsen

Turkey, Pegasus

UK & Commonwealth, Simon & Schuster

Ukraine, Bohdan

US, Aladdin (incl. Canada)

Vietnam, Tre Publishing

More From Jo Nesbø

Harry Hole

Short Story Collection

Doctor Proctor

Blood on Snow

Stand-alone