I've read quite a few Ben Elton books. Some of them are just out and out funny; some have a much darker side but still manage to pull a few belly laughs. This one must have been one of his earlier efforts (it was first published in 1991). Oh, the characters are good and many of the situations and events are funny. But the structure of the book is... bitty... and it clearly has never been anywhere near a copy-editor. It's stuffed full of comma splices and poor (usually missing) punctuation, which for me at least detracts from the enjoyment of reading.
   I still managed to enjoy it, but it was a case of in spite of rather than because of. You might see it on the second-hand shelves somewhere: it's worth picking up just to be introduced to Toss, who never failed to raise a smile.