Such a fun read! Clever ideas.

Everyone loves to hate lawyers. Somehow they always come across as smarmy tricksters more interested in making money than in justice. Bedlam and Belfry are the worst of the worst, or the best of the best if you consider the size of their pocketbooks and their courtroom successes. Had the stories in this anthology been written from their perspective, readers would boo and hiss - but - The stories are instead written from the perspective of their clients.

The change of perspective gives the stories an almost gleeful absurdity where you both empathize with the client and gape in amazement at the bizarre twists of fate. While Bedlam and Belfry are as corrupt as they come, you cheer on their efforts. I absolutely adored the client in the second tale of the anthology - who can help but adore a talking dog, particularly when it is a dachshund. Yes a dachshund!

Bedlam & Belfry, Intergalactic Attorneys at Law is a humorous treasure, delightfully absurd and immensely amusing. While it isn't for everyone, if you are looking for an unusual science fiction title or simply want to laugh rather than cringe at legal wrangling - this is the anthology for you.

5/5

I received a copy of Bedlam & Belfry, Intergalactic Attorneys at Law from the publisher and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

--Crittermom
(7/26/16)

Great book! Very entertaining. The stories are quick to read thru and well written. The characters are interesting and at times funny. This is not usually my type of read but it was pretty good. Might be interesting to read more.

Bedlam & Belfry, Intergalactic Attorneys at Law: The 1st Dozenby Glen Cadigan is a collection of stories about some unconventional lawyers.

What do a talking dog, an innocent man, and a singer/musician have in common? They all employed the services of “Bedlam & Belfry, Intergalactic Attorneys at Law.” These attorneys employ the unconventional and will take your case if it is outlandish and ask you to pay later. Their status as attorneys is renowned around the galaxy and no other attorneys don’t dare go against them.


I found some of the stories to be entertaining and think it’s a good compilation. I enjoyed the one with the talking dog (as who expects a dog to walk into a law office?). I think this book would be good for fans of Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy although it isn’t exactly comparable to it both deal with intergalactic themes and alien life.


I acknowledge that I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion of it.

Bedlam & Belfry, Intergalactic Attorneys at Law:The First Dozen has a truly clever concept: stories of attorneys Bedlam and Belfry, two men who rose from humble beginnings to the heights of success in New London's legal circles. The stories follow their exploits as they try cases of questionable repute (they being of questionable repute themselves)--an alleged embezzler, copyright infringers, even suing not just the church but God Himself.

The stories stand alone, so it's easy to pick this book up for a quick respite from everyday life and put it back down until some more free time appears. They are well-written, smart and wryly funny, and presented from the perspectives of someone near to the case in the question. The tone of the storytelling reminds me of Sherlock Holmes' Watson or the narrators in P.G. Wodehouse.

While I haven't had a chance to finish all the stories, I have been pleasantly surprised by the wit in these tales, and I look forward to reading more. My one frustration is that despite being advertised as "Intergalactic Attorneys," there is very little science fiction in what I've read so far. Although these are clearly set in the future, there is little happening outside of "New London," where the lawyers practice. It seems like a missed opportunity, or maybe just a misnomer. But despite that, these stories are entertaining, light-hearted and delightful.



Galleys for Bedlam & Belfry, Intergalactic Attorneys at Law:The First Dozen were provided by the publisher through NetGalley.