God decides to retire, so he sells the world to a galactic consortium and retires to a planet where he and his son, in whom he is well pleased, can relax and catch incredibly large and intelligent fish. Kevin, God's second son -- in whom he is less pleased, if we're being honest, but still very fond -- decides to stay behind and see how the new management handles things.

Snib and Ab Venturi run the Earth a little differently. They quickly abolish the outmoded concept of good and evil -- effectively putting Hell out of business -- and instead impose a pay-as-you-sin system that is efficient and profitable (for them), but dull (for people). Jersey Thorpe, who spent his life of adventure trying to know the unknowable, loses purpose now that the planet is run by a more hands-on type of manager. And Lucy, who previously worked as an operator for the heavenly helpline, finds herself out of a job.

It seems as good a time as any for a former thunder god -- who now lives in the frigid north, dresses in red and delivers presents with the help of a pack of bloodthirsty elves -- to make a dramatic return.

Tom Holt has written some of his funniest stuff when he turns religion and mythology on its collective ear. And this book, one of his latest novels, is laugh-out-loud funny, over and over again.

I am so glad I rediscovered Holt, hands down one of the wittiest writers since Revelations.