My guilty secret is that I love this book and I’ve read it many times. Yes, there are so many awful things! But I can’t help enjoying all the other bits, Merlin vs Fascists is like catnip to me. When I read the Space Trilogy, the other two books did nothing for me, but I had a great time with this one. I love Mark so desperate to fit in and get ahead and his confusion of what’s expected of him and the way it all gets worse and worse, I love so many of the set-piece scenes, as you say Merlin getting to grips with the modern world is incredible, the arrival of the planets, the destruction of NICE, and also the depiction of Mark and Jane’s marriage feels both awful and real. Also, Mr Bultitude! Who can not love Mr. Bultitude?