Lickspittles, Buttonholers and Damned Pernicious Go-Betweens

Book excerpt: During the Napoleonic wars, three extraneous Danish court officials—a professional loudmouth (the buttonholer), a kiss-ass for hire (the lickspittle), and a successful dastard (the go-between)—are tossed out of court just as Denmark’s merchant fleet becomes of strategic importance. The three men journey to France and meet Napoleon’s top lickspittle, buttonholer, and go-between—who are females?! Unnecessarily complex plots abound, flying machines are destroyed, and the head of Marie Antoinette is discovered during the madcap struggle to save Copenhagen from British howitzers. With an extraordinary use of rhyming alexandrine verse, plus cameos by sestina, haiku, free verse, limericks, and sonnets, LICKSPITTLES, BUTTONHOLERS AND DAMNED PERNICIOUS GO-BETWEENS is a farce for the ages, a delightful romp no matter your poetic preferences.