Short term thingymajig wotsit / book review

[denny]

There have been a number of things I've intended to post about recently, which have subsequently slipped my mind before I got in range of a keyboard. This is mildly irritating, as I think my journal has got quite dull lately, but I suppose on the whole it's a good thing that my real life is taking up my precious spodding time :)

While I'm here though, I do need to review a book quickly:

The Centauri Device, M. John Harrison

I picked this up in the small bookshop in/near Old Street tube station (nice friendly little place, worth a look) and was immediately impressed by the front cover quote, a Mr Iain M Banks saying "A zen master of prose". Good start, I thought.

Turning it over, I found further pimpage:
"I worship the work of M John Harrison" - Pat Cadigan
"No one can use words like M John Harrison" - Michael Marshall Smith

There was also a quote from Clive Barker, but as I don't read horror I didn't count that one. Still, three very complimentary quotes from three absolutely fantastic authors - what could go wrong? I bought it immediately, and started reading it that very evening.

And now I've finished it, and to be honest, I couldn't even tell you what it was about. Crappy plot, underdeveloped and radically uninteresting characters, and completely undeveloped universe/culture - I literally have no idea of the kind of culture the story took place in, despite it spanning several worlds and involving various political factions. The whole thing reminds me of some of the tedious derivative shite I wrote in English lessons when I was 12. Possibly worse, in fact - at least I described the technology in loving detail ;)

The book is in fact so tedious that even though I've had a week off work and was planning on spending at least some of it wallowing in bed reading and eating chocolate, I have deferred this plan on several occasions because I couldn't be bothered to read any more of this book at the time.

So, overall, I'd have to say that I heartily recommend avoiding this book - and, unless his style changed radically at some point, anything else by the same author.

Comments

[zotz]

In his defence, that was published in 1975. The stuff people rave about was published from the mid-eighties onwards.

[bob]

his style did change.
he doesnt belive in world building.
i actually thought it was quite a good book.

[dennyd.livejournal.com]

he doesnt belive in world building.

Hrm. Possibly a major clash with one of the things I like most about Banks, Cadigan and Smith then.

[nisaba.livejournal.com]

One wonders if thsoe are the sorts of out-of-contect reviews that they're banning very soon (or have just banned, I forget which).

You know:
"A zen master of prose. So laid back he clearly couldn't be bothered writing any coherently"

"I worship the work of M John Harrison; writers like him prove the existence of Satan"

"No one can use words like M John Harrison; other writers prefer communicating interesting ideas to their audiences"

[dennyd.livejournal.com]

he clearly couldn't be bothered writing any coherently

Glass houses ;)

It would appear from comments previous to yours that perhaps the reviews were for works considerably later in his career than this one - I wonder if the legislation you refer to addresses that at all.