At least he provides his own dictionary this time...., 22 Oct 2008
I think I must have read most of Will Self's books by now - and this is, by some distance, his best. I've always felt, when reading previous efforts such as "My Idea Of Fun" or "Great Apes", that I needed a dictionary to hand to understand some of what he was trying to get across - there has always been a tendency to throw in long and clever words. Smug? Probably.

Thankfully, for "The Book Of Dave", Mr Self has provided his own dictionary at the back. "Thankfully", because half of the book is set in the future, when English has become corrupted as a language, and people talk in "Mokni", a bastardised version of txtspk and Cockney. Some of the fun is in spotting where the Mokni has its origins in our current language, some of it is just plain irritating. Yes, it takes a while to get used to, but you do eventually adjust.

The constant jumping between the past and the future works quite well - what does become difficult is the fact that the timeline in each is not chronological in itself, so there was a constant sense of needing to keep on your toes.

What I really enjoyed about this book is the way in which the truth is slowly revealed: at first sight, the future seems almost idyllic, with everyone living in harmony. Over the course of several chapters, the horrifying reality becomes apparent, but you never feel like you're being bludgeoned over the head, more that the author is treating you with some intelligence.

The story itself is one of the more involving creations Will Self has put his name to, and is an improvement on, say "Dorian: An Imitation". I won't go into detail here, since other reviewers have captured the essence, but you're left wondering what was trying to be achieved with this work - is it satire? If so, it's one of the bleakest satires I've read. Black comedy? Well, there's an element of this, but it's hardly laugh-out-loud material. I was left with the impression that this was a sharply observed critique of both modern society and organised religion (of whatever variety).

This could well be Will Self's masterpiece - but I think I may need to read it again...


what's your moto, 03 Oct 2008
Big, difficult, silly, sad, funny, awesome, bonkergull, tedious, jiggy, thought provoking, technically sound, technically inaccurate, perverse, anachronistic, long, brilliant.

Clever idea, pretentiously written, 11 Sep 2008
Not to be deterred by previous reviewers' comments about this book being difficult to read due to the phonetic vernacular sections, it was with high hopes that I began The Book of Dave. After several chapters I was still not convinced, yet I persevered. The 'mokni' vernacular is indeed irritating, but not quite so much as the pretentious written style of the present-day sections about Dave the cabbie. Self scatters around inappropriately high register vocabulary like he has just discovered the thesaurus. In the end I felt resentful toward the author, thinking, yes I do know what quadriga/menhir/sentience/doughty means, now why on earth have you used it in this sentence?

The interlinking between the two narratives is well done in some parts, overdone in others - I found myself almost groaning at some of the cross-references.

The thing which annoyed me most about this book was its lack of ending. Both stories follow a reasonable narrative arc, yet it is only the one about Dave the cabbie which actually has anything which can be described as an ending. As for Carl's story, I found myself turning over the last page and asking, "What, that's it?".

Overall, disappointing. I was looking forward to a challenging yet satisfying book, yet what I got was simply the former.

Fun and entertaining, 07 Aug 2008
This is the first ever Will Self book i ever read and I bought it on a whim!

The story takes place in modern-day London and the distant future where London and England have been desecrated by a large flood. In modern day London a cab driver named Dave meets Michelle in a chance meeting and they end up parenting a child together - Carl.

In the future a "Geezer" (religious man) living in his home island community of Ham seeks to change the established religious and social status quo when he finds the truth behind The Book and the knowledge contained within.

The following story unravels well and draws the reader into a completely new world, Dave and Michelle's relationship ends, badly, and forces Dave into a full on emotional break down when he writes a book and prints it on metal plates - Giving his lost son some "fatherly advice" it is this "consul" that is found on Ham and spawns a whole religion!

The two sides of the story play off each other excellently, although there is a large contrast that takes some getting used to, the book largely reads well, the slang used by the future people of London is playful but not too difficult to understand (although some people find it annoying, i thought it was worth getting my head round and there is a glossary to help).

If you like books that have abstract plots and if you want something that can make you think without being preachy this book will tickle your fancy - READ IT!

Too much effort, 14 Jul 2008
This book is just far too much effort. I would definitely recommend having a look at some of the phonetic sections (of which there are lots - and lots) before buying it. They are just simply too difficult to read. And in so being destroy any enjoyment that might be had out of the book.

I also didn't like the way the the author was trying to be too clever, using terms like Arpee to refer to RP (or Received Pronunciation), which a fraction of the readers will understand seemed a bit of a smug thing to do to me.

Definitely have a preview before committing to buy it.

At least he provides his own dictionary this time...., 22 Oct 2008
I think I must have read most of Will Self's books by now - and this is, by some distance, his best. I've always felt, when reading previous efforts such as "My Idea Of Fun" or "Great Apes", that I needed a dictionary to hand to understand some of what he was trying to get across - there has always been a tendency to throw in long and clever words. Smug? Probably.

Thankfully, for "The Book Of Dave", Mr Self has provided his own dictionary at the back. "Thankfully", because half of the book is set in the future, when English has become corrupted as a language, and people talk in "Mokni", a bastardised version of txtspk and Cockney. Some of the fun is in spotting where the Mokni has its origins in our current language, some of it is just plain irritating. Yes, it takes a while to get used to, but you do eventually adjust.

The constant jumping between the past and the future works quite well - what does become difficult is the fact that the timeline in each is not chronological in itself, so there was a constant sense of needing to keep on your toes.

What I really enjoyed about this book is the way in which the truth is slowly revealed: at first sight, the future seems almost idyllic, with everyone living in harmony. Over the course of several chapters, the horrifying reality becomes apparent, but you never feel like you're being bludgeoned over the head, more that the author is treating you with some intelligence.

The story itself is one of the more involving creations Will Self has put his name to, and is an improvement on, say "Dorian: An Imitation". I won't go into detail here, since other reviewers have captured the essence, but you're left wondering what was trying to be achieved with this work - is it satire? If so, it's one of the bleakest satires I've read. Black comedy? Well, there's an element of this, but it's hardly laugh-out-loud material. I was left with the impression that this was a sharply observed critique of both modern society and organised religion (of whatever variety).

This could well be Will Self's masterpiece - but I think I may need to read it again...


what's your moto, 03 Oct 2008
Big, difficult, silly, sad, funny, awesome, bonkergull, tedious, jiggy, thought provoking, technically sound, technically inaccurate, perverse, anachronistic, long, brilliant.

Clever idea, pretentiously written, 11 Sep 2008
Not to be deterred by previous reviewers' comments about this book being difficult to read due to the phonetic vernacular sections, it was with high hopes that I began The Book of Dave. After several chapters I was still not convinced, yet I persevered. The 'mokni' vernacular is indeed irritating, but not quite so much as the pretentious written style of the present-day sections about Dave the cabbie. Self scatters around inappropriately high register vocabulary like he has just discovered the thesaurus. In the end I felt resentful toward the author, thinking, yes I do know what quadriga/menhir/sentience/doughty means, now why on earth have you used it in this sentence?

The interlinking between the two narratives is well done in some parts, overdone in others - I found myself almost groaning at some of the cross-references.

The thing which annoyed me most about this book was its lack of ending. Both stories follow a reasonable narrative arc, yet it is only the one about Dave the cabbie which actually has anything which can be described as an ending. As for Carl's story, I found myself turning over the last page and asking, "What, that's it?".

Overall, disappointing. I was looking forward to a challenging yet satisfying book, yet what I got was simply the former.

Fun and entertaining, 07 Aug 2008
This is the first ever Will Self book i ever read and I bought it on a whim!

The story takes place in modern-day London and the distant future where London and England have been desecrated by a large flood. In modern day London a cab driver named Dave meets Michelle in a chance meeting and they end up parenting a child together - Carl.

In the future a "Geezer" (religious man) living in his home island community of Ham seeks to change the established religious and social status quo when he finds the truth behind The Book and the knowledge contained within.

The following story unravels well and draws the reader into a completely new world, Dave and Michelle's relationship ends, badly, and forces Dave into a full on emotional break down when he writes a book and prints it on metal plates - Giving his lost son some "fatherly advice" it is this "consul" that is found on Ham and spawns a whole religion!

The two sides of the story play off each other excellently, although there is a large contrast that takes some getting used to, the book largely reads well, the slang used by the future people of London is playful but not too difficult to understand (although some people find it annoying, i thought it was worth getting my head round and there is a glossary to help).

If you like books that have abstract plots and if you want something that can make you think without being preachy this book will tickle your fancy - READ IT!

Too much effort, 14 Jul 2008
This book is just far too much effort. I would definitely recommend having a look at some of the phonetic sections (of which there are lots - and lots) before buying it. They are just simply too difficult to read. And in so being destroy any enjoyment that might be had out of the book.

I also didn't like the way the the author was trying to be too clever, using terms like Arpee to refer to RP (or Received Pronunciation), which a fraction of the readers will understand seemed a bit of a smug thing to do to me.

Definitely have a preview before committing to buy it.

A modern masterpiece. , 20 Sep 2008
Sometimes (but not often), after finishing a book, I will find myself sitting in silence...trying to piece back together my thoughts and emotions.

Riddley Walker is a powerful, visceral, at times bleak, but ultimately fulfilling and rewarding tale.

I have rarely read a book so complete and consistent in its vision of the world, either as it is or as it may come to be.

You may or may not be able to cope with the language of the book...I see some people make an issue of this...

My copy has a quote from a review in the New York Times which I believe sums this issue up - " (a book) designed to prevent the modern reader from becoming stupid..."

One of the greatest books I have ever read. What more can i say?

D




An original and challenging read, but ultimately unrewarding, 01 May 2008
Set in the region of modern Kent, thousands of years after a nuclear disaster destroys civilisation as we know it, Russell Hoban's "Riddley Walker" is an imaginative story of society's struggle to continue amidst the wreckage of the past. Riddley, the book's eponymous hero, is just twelve years old and on the verge of manhood. When his father is killed and he inherits the role of his tribe's 'connexions man' - a kind of prophet, he begins his search for meaning in his world and an understanding of how it came to be.

The first thing that the reader will notice is that, rather than using standard English, the book is written in the degenerate, phonetic language of its own imagined time - an interesting device, certainly, but not without its problems. Because the reading of every sentence is so challenging, it demands a great deal of persistence from the reader. On the one hand, this can be seen as a positive thing: by forcing the reader to slow down, the hope is that he or she will digest more of the meaning of the text. On the other, the reader naturally expects there to be a substantial pay-off to justify such a high investment of time and effort. Unfortunately this pay-off is never delivered; the plot does not really progress, and though we meander through Riddley's world, there is little sense either of direction or of unravelling its many mysteries. This is the kind of style that could work well for a brief period - a short story, for example - but that over the course of 230 pages, merely becomes wearing and, ultimately, fails to hold the reader's interest.

This is not to say that Hoban does not present some interesting ideas. The culture and mythology - part Judaeo-Christian, part Punch and Judy - of this imagined post-nuclear future are incredibly rich, if peculiar, and Hoban has evidently done much research in order to create it. It is fascinating to see how his characters weave fragments of surviving documents and artefacts together to create interpretations of their past - our civilisation's demise - and the implications for our own reading of historical and religious truth are clear. To a limited extent, too, it is interesting to decipher the words and terms used by Riddley - and though there is a glossary at the back, it is by no means complete.

This edition - published to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of the book's original publication - also includes an Afterword by the author, in which he explains the evolution of the idea through some early drafts of the text (written in standard English), and an introduction by Will Self, whose own novel, "The Book of Dave", shares many of the same themes as this book.

"Riddley Walker" is an unusual and original reading experience, defying the conventions of modern literature. Unfortunately, despite the detailed world Hoban has created, the story within it is ultimately neither strong enough, nor rewarding enough to leave the reader wholly satisifed.

I Don't Like it, But..., 10 Mar 2008
According to amazon, I should award it 2 stars if I don't like it. I don't, but it is not without merit - in fact it is with a lot of merit. Its merits I am sure has been reviewed by others here, so I shan;t dwell on that. The problem with it is that to me one - and the most important - raison d'etre of literature is to divert. The linguistic audacity of this book is simply pushed too far for even the masochistic school of pleasure. Also, this 20th Anniversay edition does contain very good, albeit rather insufficient, notes and introduction. The glossary I found very helpful when it expounds the crypt I was looking for, which most of the time it does not. The Afterward definitely raised my appreciation of the work a fair deal.

I read it every year, 23 Dec 2007
Hoban's images of a post-nuclear England where the characters hearken back to a legendary past of "picters on the wind" (television) etc and his masterful weaving of Christian mythology and future mythology are powerful stuff. This coupled with his reworking of the English language to conjure up new mental pictures of familiar (to us) places, objects and concepts make this a Deffo Desert Island choice.

Honestly...., 10 Nov 2007
Artistic snobs delight! For the rest of us, it's just a shile of pite...

At least he provides his own dictionary this time...., 22 Oct 2008
I think I must have read most of Will Self's books by now - and this is, by some distance, his best. I've always felt, when reading previous efforts such as "My Idea Of Fun" or "Great Apes", that I needed a dictionary to hand to understand some of what he was trying to get across - there has always been a tendency to throw in long and clever words. Smug? Probably.

Thankfully, for "The Book Of Dave", Mr Self has provided his own dictionary at the back. "Thankfully", because half of the book is set in the future, when English has become corrupted as a language, and people talk in "Mokni", a bastardised version of txtspk and Cockney. Some of the fun is in spotting where the Mokni has its origins in our current language, some of it is just plain irritating. Yes, it takes a while to get used to, but you do eventually adjust.

The constant jumping between the past and the future works quite well - what does become difficult is the fact that the timeline in each is not chronological in itself, so there was a constant sense of needing to keep on your toes.

What I really enjoyed about this book is the way in which the truth is slowly revealed: at first sight, the future seems almost idyllic, with everyone living in harmony. Over the course of several chapters, the horrifying reality becomes apparent, but you never feel like you're being bludgeoned over the head, more that the author is treating you with some intelligence.

The story itself is one of the more involving creations Will Self has put his name to, and is an improvement on, say "Dorian: An Imitation". I won't go into detail here, since other reviewers have captured the essence, but you're left wondering what was trying to be achieved with this work - is it satire? If so, it's one of the bleakest satires I've read. Black comedy? Well, there's an element of this, but it's hardly laugh-out-loud material. I was left with the impression that this was a sharply observed critique of both modern society and organised religion (of whatever variety).

This could well be Will Self's masterpiece - but I think I may need to read it again...


what's your moto, 03 Oct 2008
Big, difficult, silly, sad, funny, awesome, bonkergull, tedious, jiggy, thought provoking, technically sound, technically inaccurate, perverse, anachronistic, long, brilliant.

Clever idea, pretentiously written, 11 Sep 2008
Not to be deterred by previous reviewers' comments about this book being difficult to read due to the phonetic vernacular sections, it was with high hopes that I began The Book of Dave. After several chapters I was still not convinced, yet I persevered. The 'mokni' vernacular is indeed irritating, but not quite so much as the pretentious written style of the present-day sections about Dave the cabbie. Self scatters around inappropriately high register vocabulary like he has just discovered the thesaurus. In the end I felt resentful toward the author, thinking, yes I do know what quadriga/menhir/sentience/doughty means, now why on earth have you used it in this sentence?

The interlinking between the two narratives is well done in some parts, overdone in others - I found myself almost groaning at some of the cross-references.

The thing which annoyed me most about this book was its lack of ending. Both stories follow a reasonable narrative arc, yet it is only the one about Dave the cabbie which actually has anything which can be described as an ending. As for Carl's story, I found myself turning over the last page and asking, "What, that's it?".

Overall, disappointing. I was looking forward to a challenging yet satisfying book, yet what I got was simply the former.

Fun and entertaining, 07 Aug 2008
This is the first ever Will Self book i ever read and I bought it on a whim!

The story takes place in modern-day London and the distant future where London and England have been desecrated by a large flood. In modern day London a cab driver named Dave meets Michelle in a chance meeting and they end up parenting a child together - Carl.

In the future a "Geezer" (religious man) living in his home island community of Ham seeks to change the established religious and social status quo when he finds the truth behind The Book and the knowledge contained within.

The following story unravels well and draws the reader into a completely new world, Dave and Michelle's relationship ends, badly, and forces Dave into a full on emotional break down when he writes a book and prints it on metal plates - Giving his lost son some "fatherly advice" it is this "consul" that is found on Ham and spawns a whole religion!

The two sides of the story play off each other excellently, although there is a large contrast that takes some getting used to, the book largely reads well, the slang used by the future people of London is playful but not too difficult to understand (although some people find it annoying, i thought it was worth getting my head round and there is a glossary to help).

If you like books that have abstract plots and if you want something that can make you think without being preachy this book will tickle your fancy - READ IT!

Too much effort, 14 Jul 2008
This book is just far too much effort. I would definitely recommend having a look at some of the phonetic sections (of which there are lots - and lots) before buying it. They are just simply too difficult to read. And in so being destroy any enjoyment that might be had out of the book.

I also didn't like the way the the author was trying to be too clever, using terms like Arpee to refer to RP (or Received Pronunciation), which a fraction of the readers will understand seemed a bit of a smug thing to do to me.

Definitely have a preview before committing to buy it.

A modern masterpiece. , 20 Sep 2008
Sometimes (but not often), after finishing a book, I will find myself sitting in silence...trying to piece back together my thoughts and emotions.

Riddley Walker is a powerful, visceral, at times bleak, but ultimately fulfilling and rewarding tale.

I have rarely read a book so complete and consistent in its vision of the world, either as it is or as it may come to be.

You may or may not be able to cope with the language of the book...I see some people make an issue of this...

My copy has a quote from a review in the New York Times which I believe sums this issue up - " (a book) designed to prevent the modern reader from becoming stupid..."

One of the greatest books I have ever read. What more can i say?

D




An original and challenging read, but ultimately unrewarding, 01 May 2008
Set in the region of modern Kent, thousands of years after a nuclear disaster destroys civilisation as we know it, Russell Hoban's "Riddley Walker" is an imaginative story of society's struggle to continue amidst the wreckage of the past. Riddley, the book's eponymous hero, is just twelve years old and on the verge of manhood. When his father is killed and he inherits the role of his tribe's 'connexions man' - a kind of prophet, he begins his search for meaning in his world and an understanding of how it came to be.

The first thing that the reader will notice is that, rather than using standard English, the book is written in the degenerate, phonetic language of its own imagined time - an interesting device, certainly, but not without its problems. Because the reading of every sentence is so challenging, it demands a great deal of persistence from the reader. On the one hand, this can be seen as a positive thing: by forcing the reader to slow down, the hope is that he or she will digest more of the meaning of the text. On the other, the reader naturally expects there to be a substantial pay-off to justify such a high investment of time and effort. Unfortunately this pay-off is never delivered; the plot does not really progress, and though we meander through Riddley's world, there is little sense either of direction or of unravelling its many mysteries. This is the kind of style that could work well for a brief period - a short story, for example - but that over the course of 230 pages, merely becomes wearing and, ultimately, fails to hold the reader's interest.

This is not to say that Hoban does not present some interesting ideas. The culture and mythology - part Judaeo-Christian, part Punch and Judy - of this imagined post-nuclear future are incredibly rich, if peculiar, and Hoban has evidently done much research in order to create it. It is fascinating to see how his characters weave fragments of surviving documents and artefacts together to create interpretations of their past - our civilisation's demise - and the implications for our own reading of historical and religious truth are clear. To a limited extent, too, it is interesting to decipher the words and terms used by Riddley - and though there is a glossary at the back, it is by no means complete.

This edition - published to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of the book's original publication - also includes an Afterword by the author, in which he explains the evolution of the idea through some early drafts of the text (written in standard English), and an introduction by Will Self, whose own novel, "The Book of Dave", shares many of the same themes as this book.

"Riddley Walker" is an unusual and original reading experience, defying the conventions of modern literature. Unfortunately, despite the detailed world Hoban has created, the story within it is ultimately neither strong enough, nor rewarding enough to leave the reader wholly satisifed.

I Don't Like it, But..., 10 Mar 2008
According to amazon, I should award it 2 stars if I don't like it. I don't, but it is not without merit - in fact it is with a lot of merit. Its merits I am sure has been reviewed by others here, so I shan;t dwell on that. The problem with it is that to me one - and the most important - raison d'etre of literature is to divert. The linguistic audacity of this book is simply pushed too far for even the masochistic school of pleasure. Also, this 20th Anniversay edition does contain very good, albeit rather insufficient, notes and introduction. The glossary I found very helpful when it expounds the crypt I was looking for, which most of the time it does not. The Afterward definitely raised my appreciation of the work a fair deal.

I read it every year, 23 Dec 2007
Hoban's images of a post-nuclear England where the characters hearken back to a legendary past of "picters on the wind" (television) etc and his masterful weaving of Christian mythology and future mythology are powerful stuff. This coupled with his reworking of the English language to conjure up new mental pictures of familiar (to us) places, objects and concepts make this a Deffo Desert Island choice.

Honestly...., 10 Nov 2007
Artistic snobs delight! For the rest of us, it's just a shile of pite...

killer riffs, shame about the songs..., 14 Nov 2008
Having looked forward to, and having ploughed through, Liver this week, I have to say I found it to be a real disappointment. Upon reflection, the fact that when I first laid eyes on it I thought it to be one of the most pleasing, beautifully designed books I'd seen in a long time should have peeked my caution: for, true to the cliche, it's gorgeous exterior masked, for me, a hollow internal organ.

Even more bitter than usual (yes, it was evidently possible) Self's latest collection is a fierce exercise in abjection, riffing off references left, right and centre; but one that runs amok only to do itself harm, as each story whittles itself down to an all too familiar core of nothingness. Yes, Self's bottomless intellect is on fine form, matched depth for depth by his deep, dark humour, but Liver rings hollow to me; all style over content, pomp but little circumstance, once the chiming riffs have echoed past.

The first of Liver's quartet, Foie Humaine, lays out some truly killer lines, and it's thinly veiled pastiche of Francis Bacon's Colony Rooms reminded me at times of Dorian; but never really becomes a genuine story, pulling itself up too sharp on a device that felt tacked on and clumsy.

At the other end of the collection, Birdy Num Num - a drug tale to match Foie Humaine's alcoholic gloom - has its moments, but, again, struggles, becoming too crowded out by its own ideas, and ends up quite trying.

Credit where it's due, Birdy is a brilliant distillation of drug mania, with, as ever, some truly gorgeous lines, but its another tale that feels far too indulgent; an exercise that, for want of some decent editing, ends up serving only itself.

In the middle, Prometheus, drove me nuts, rendering itself far too exclusive in tone for its own good, and dragged on way past its own smartness; and Leberknödel just left me cold.

When it comes down to it, Liver feels rushed, untidy and too indulgent; like it was an exercise in desk tidying, or perhaps a rushed Christmas sell-through opportunity that couldn't be missed, leaving out some firm editing in its haste to hit the shelves.

I feel bad criticising such a towering talent, but once Self's undeniable genius is acknowledged, Liver is just too confused and bloated to do the author real justice; on evidence, his seems to be floundering ability, struggling to match itself with some killer tales. Self can knock these shorts out in his sleep, I wager, but too often sheer indulgence overdoses where stern editing could have made for a truly mindblowing trip.

Classic Self, 03 Nov 2008
An excellent collection (one novella, three short stories) from Self. Felt to me like a return to some of his earlier work - which is no bad thing. Great cover too. Highly recommended whether you're an established fan or a newcomer.

At least he provides his own dictionary this time...., 22 Oct 2008
I think I must have read most of Will Self's books by now - and this is, by some distance, his best. I've always felt, when reading previous efforts such as "My Idea Of Fun" or "Great Apes", that I needed a dictionary to hand to understand some of what he was trying to get across - there has always been a tendency to throw in long and clever words. Smug? Probably.

Thankfully, for "The Book Of Dave", Mr Self has provided his own dictionary at the back. "Thankfully", because half of the book is set in the future, when English has become corrupted as a language, and people talk in "Mokni", a bastardised version of txtspk and Cockney. Some of the fun is in spotting where the Mokni has its origins in our current language, some of it is just plain irritating. Yes, it takes a while to get used to, but you do eventually adjust.

The constant jumping between the past and the future works quite well - what does become difficult is the fact that the timeline in each is not chronological in itself, so there was a constant sense of needing to keep on your toes.

What I really enjoyed about this book is the way in which the truth is slowly revealed: at first sight, the future seems almost idyllic, with everyone living in harmony. Over the course of several chapters, the horrifying reality becomes apparent, but you never feel like you're being bludgeoned over the head, more that the author is treating you with some intelligence.

The story itself is one of the more involving creations Will Self has put his name to, and is an improvement on, say "Dorian: An Imitation". I won't go into detail here, since other reviewers have captured the essence, but you're left wondering what was trying to be achieved with this work - is it satire? If so, it's one of the bleakest satires I've read. Black comedy? Well, there's an element of this, but it's hardly laugh-out-loud material. I was left with the impression that this was a sharply observed critique of both modern society and organised religion (of whatever variety).

This could well be Will Self's masterpiece - but I think I may need to read it again...


what's your moto, 03 Oct 2008
Big, difficult, silly, sad, funny, awesome, bonkergull, tedious, jiggy, thought provoking, technically sound, technically inaccurate, perverse, anachronistic, long, brilliant.

Clever idea, pretentiously written, 11 Sep 2008
Not to be deterred by previous reviewers' comments about this book being difficult to read due to the phonetic vernacular sections, it was with high hopes that I began The Book of Dave. After several chapters I was still not convinced, yet I persevered. The 'mokni' vernacular is indeed irritating, but not quite so much as the pretentious written style of the present-day sections about Dave the cabbie. Self scatters around inappropriately high register vocabulary like he has just discovered the thesaurus. In the end I felt resentful toward the author, thinking, yes I do know what quadriga/menhir/sentience/doughty means, now why on earth have you used it in this sentence?

The interlinking between the two narratives is well done in some parts, overdone in others - I found myself almost groaning at some of the cross-references.

The thing which annoyed me most about this book was its lack of ending. Both stories follow a reasonable narrative arc, yet it is only the one about Dave the cabbie which actually has anything which can be described as an ending. As for Carl's story, I found myself turning over the last page and asking, "What, that's it?".

Overall, disappointing. I was looking forward to a challenging yet satisfying book, yet what I got was simply the former.

Fun and entertaining, 07 Aug 2008
This is the first ever Will Self book i ever read and I bought it on a whim!

The story takes place in modern-day London and the distant future where London and England have been desecrated by a large flood. In modern day London a cab driver named Dave meets Michelle in a chance meeting and they end up parenting a child together - Carl.

In the future a "Geezer" (religious man) living in his home island community of Ham seeks to change the established religious and social status quo when he finds the truth behind The Book and the knowledge contained within.

The following story unravels well and draws the reader into a completely new world, Dave and Michelle's relationship ends, badly, and forces Dave into a full on emotional break down when he writes a book and prints it on metal plates - Giving his lost son some "fatherly advice" it is this "consul" that is found on Ham and spawns a whole religion!

The two sides of the story play off each other excellently, although there is a large contrast that takes some getting used to, the book largely reads well, the slang used by the future people of London is playful but not too difficult to understand (although some people find it annoying, i thought it was worth getting my head round and there is a glossary to help).

If you like books that have abstract plots and if you want something that can make you think without being preachy this book will tickle your fancy - READ IT!

Too much effort, 14 Jul 2008
This book is just far too much effort. I would definitely recommend having a look at some of the phonetic sections (of which there are lots - and lots) before buying it. They are just simply too difficult to read. And in so being destroy any enjoyment that might be had out of the book.

I also didn't like the way the the author was trying to be too clever, using terms like Arpee to refer to RP (or Received Pronunciation), which a fraction of the readers will understand seemed a bit of a smug thing to do to me.

Definitely have a preview before committing to buy it.

A modern masterpiece. , 20 Sep 2008
Sometimes (but not often), after finishing a book, I will find myself sitting in silence...trying to piece back together my thoughts and emotions.

Riddley Walker is a powerful, visceral, at times bleak, but ultimately fulfilling and rewarding tale.

I have rarely read a book so complete and consistent in its vision of the world, either as it is or as it may come to be.

You may or may not be able to cope with the language of the book...I see some people make an issue of this...

My copy has a quote from a review in the New York Times which I believe sums this issue up - " (a book) designed to prevent the modern reader from becoming stupid..."

One of the greatest books I have ever read. What more can i say?

D




An original and challenging read, but ultimately unrewarding, 01 May 2008
Set in the region of modern Kent, thousands of years after a nuclear disaster destroys civilisation as we know it, Russell Hoban's "Riddley Walker" is an imaginative story of society's struggle to continue amidst the wreckage of the past. Riddley, the book's eponymous hero, is just twelve years old and on the verge of manhood. When his father is killed and he inherits the role of his tribe's 'connexions man' - a kind of prophet, he begins his search for meaning in his world and an understanding of how it came to be.

The first thing that the reader will notice is that, rather than using standard English, the book is written in the degenerate, phonetic language of its own imagined time - an interesting device, certainly, but not without its problems. Because the reading of every sentence is so challenging, it demands a great deal of persistence from the reader. On the one hand, this can be seen as a positive thing: by forcing the reader to slow down, the hope is that he or she will digest more of the meaning of the text. On the other, the reader naturally expects there to be a substantial pay-off to justify such a high investment of time and effort. Unfortunately this pay-off is never delivered; the plot does not really progress, and though we meander through Riddley's world, there is little sense either of direction or of unravelling its many mysteries. This is the kind of style that could work well for a brief period - a short story, for example - but that over the course of 230 pages, merely becomes wearing and, ultimately, fails to hold the reader's interest.

This is not to say that Hoban does not present some interesting ideas. The culture and mythology - part Judaeo-Christian, part Punch and Judy - of this imagined post-nuclear future are incredibly rich, if peculiar, and Hoban has evidently done much research in order to create it. It is fascinating to see how his characters weave fragments of surviving documents and artefacts together to create interpretations of their past - our civilisation's demise - and the implications for our own reading of historical and religious truth are clear. To a limited extent, too, it is interesting to decipher the words and terms used by Riddley - and though there is a glossary at the back, it is by no means complete.

This edition - published to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of the book's original publication - also includes an Afterword by the author, in which he explains the evolution of the idea through some early drafts of the text (written in standard English), and an introduction by Will Self, whose own novel, "The Book of Dave", shares many of the same themes as this book.

"Riddley Walker" is an unusual and original reading experience, defying the conventions of modern literature. Unfortunately, despite the detailed world Hoban has created, the story within it is ultimately neither strong enough, nor rewarding enough to leave the reader wholly satisifed.

I Don't Like it, But..., 10 Mar 2008
According to amazon, I should award it 2 stars if I don't like it. I don't, but it is not without merit - in fact it is with a lot of merit. Its merits I am sure has been reviewed by others here, so I shan;t dwell on that. The problem with it is that to me one - and the most important - raison d'etre of literature is to divert. The linguistic audacity of this book is simply pushed too far for even the masochistic school of pleasure. Also, this 20th Anniversay edition does contain very good, albeit rather insufficient, notes and introduction. The glossary I found very helpful when it expounds the crypt I was looking for, which most of the time it does not. The Afterward definitely raised my appreciation of the work a fair deal.

I read it every year, 23 Dec 2007
Hoban's images of a post-nuclear England where the characters hearken back to a legendary past of "picters on the wind" (television) etc and his masterful weaving of Christian mythology and future mythology are powerful stuff. This coupled with his reworking of the English language to conjure up new mental pictures of familiar (to us) places, objects and concepts make this a Deffo Desert Island choice.

Honestly...., 10 Nov 2007
Artistic snobs delight! For the rest of us, it's just a shile of pite...

killer riffs, shame about the songs..., 14 Nov 2008
Having looked forward to, and having ploughed through, Liver this week, I have to say I found it to be a real disappointment. Upon reflection, the fact that when I first laid eyes on it I thought it to be one of the most pleasing, beautifully designed books I'd seen in a long time should have peeked my caution: for, true to the cliche, it's gorgeous exterior masked, for me, a hollow internal organ.

Even more bitter than usual (yes, it was evidently possible) Self's latest collection is a fierce exercise in abjection, riffing off references left, right and centre; but one that runs amok only to do itself harm, as each story whittles itself down to an all too familiar core of nothingness. Yes, Self's bottomless intellect is on fine form, matched depth for depth by his deep, dark humour, but Liver rings hollow to me; all style over content, pomp but little circumstance, once the chiming riffs have echoed past.

The first of Liver's quartet, Foie Humaine, lays out some truly killer lines, and it's thinly veiled pastiche of Francis Bacon's Colony Rooms reminded me at times of Dorian; but never really becomes a genuine story, pulling itself up too sharp on a device that felt tacked on and clumsy.

At the other end of the collection, Birdy Num Num - a drug tale to match Foie Humaine's alcoholic gloom - has its moments, but, again, struggles, becoming too crowded out by its own ideas, and ends up quite trying.

Credit where it's due, Birdy is a brilliant distillation of drug mania, with, as ever, some truly gorgeous lines, but its another tale that feels far too indulgent; an exercise that, for want of some decent editing, ends up serving only itself.

In the middle, Prometheus, drove me nuts, rendering itself far too exclusive in tone for its own good, and dragged on way past its own smartness; and Leberknödel just left me cold.

When it comes down to it, Liver feels rushed, untidy and too indulgent; like it was an exercise in desk tidying, or perhaps a rushed Christmas sell-through opportunity that couldn't be missed, leaving out some firm editing in its haste to hit the shelves.

I feel bad criticising such a towering talent, but once Self's undeniable genius is acknowledged, Liver is just too confused and bloated to do the author real justice; on evidence, his seems to be floundering ability, struggling to match itself with some killer tales. Self can knock these shorts out in his sleep, I wager, but too often sheer indulgence overdoses where stern editing could have made for a truly mindblowing trip.

Classic Self, 03 Nov 2008
An excellent collection (one novella, three short stories) from Self. Felt to me like a return to some of his earlier work - which is no bad thing. Great cover too. Highly recommended whether you're an established fan or a newcomer.

Brilliant Prose, 29 Feb 2008
I began reading We with some trepidation. From what I had heard of the book, I was expecting a rather clumsy, dusty work with limited characterisation and a plot which simply supported some of the author's more politically charged ideas.
I was pleasantly surprised. The plot is genuinely exciting and drives the short novel on to its conclusion. The confusion of the narrative character's ideology is wonderfully rendered. The quality of the prose - certainly this novel's finest feature - is a delight to read. Zamyatin mimics the icy, transparent and glassy landscape of his imaginary city with precise and frosty language.
This is certainly the edition to look out for. As she explains in her introduction, Randall (the translator of this new edition) firmly feels the importance of creating a prose structure as similar to Zamyatin's as she can make it. Will Self's lively introduction is also very well placed.

At least he provides his own dictionary this time...., 22 Oct 2008
I think I must have read most of Will Self's books by now - and this is, by some distance, his best. I've always felt, when reading previous efforts such as "My Idea Of Fun" or "Great Apes", that I needed a dictionary to hand to understand some of what he was trying to get across - there has always been a tendency to throw in long and clever words. Smug? Probably.

Thankfully, for "The Book Of Dave", Mr Self has provided his own dictionary at the back. "Thankfully", because half of the book is set in the future, when English has become corrupted as a language, and people talk in "Mokni", a bastardised version of txtspk and Cockney. Some of the fun is in spotting where the Mokni has its origins in our current language, some of it is just plain irritating. Yes, it takes a while to get used to, but you do eventually adjust.

The constant jumping between the past and the future works quite well - what does become difficult is the fact that the timeline in each is not chronological in itself, so there was a constant sense of needing to keep on your toes.

What I really enjoyed about this book is the way in which the truth is slowly revealed: at first sight, the future seems almost idyllic, with everyone living in harmony. Over the course of several chapters, the horrifying reality becomes apparent, but you never feel like you're being bludgeoned over the head, more that the author is treating you with some intelligence.

The story itself is one of the more involving creations Will Self has put his name to, and is an improvement on, say "Dorian: An Imitation". I won't go into detail here, since other reviewers have captured the essence, but you're left wondering what was trying to be achieved with this work - is it satire? If so, it's one of the bleakest satires I've read. Black comedy? Well, there's an element of this, but it's hardly laugh-out-loud material. I was left with the impression that this was a sharply observed critique of both modern society and organised religion (of whatever variety).

This could well be Will Self's masterpiece - but I think I may need to read it again...


what's your moto, 03 Oct 2008
Big, difficult, silly, sad, funny, awesome, bonkergull, tedious, jiggy, thought provoking, technically sound, technically inaccurate, perverse, anachronistic, long, brilliant.

Clever idea, pretentiously written, 11 Sep 2008
Not to be deterred by previous reviewers' comments about this book being difficult to read due to the phonetic vernacular sections, it was with high hopes that I began The Book of Dave. After several chapters I was still not convinced, yet I persevered. The 'mokni' vernacular is indeed irritating, but not quite so much as the pretentious written style of the present-day sections about Dave the cabbie. Self scatters around inappropriately high register vocabulary like he has just discovered the thesaurus. In the end I felt resentful toward the author, thinking, yes I do know what quadriga/menhir/sentience/doughty means, now why on earth have you used it in this sentence?

The interlinking between the two narratives is well done in some parts, overdone in others - I found myself almost groaning at some of the cross-references.

The thing which annoyed me most about this book was its lack of ending. Both stories follow a reasonable narrative arc, yet it is only the one about Dave the cabbie which actually has anything which can be described as an ending. As for Carl's story, I found myself turning over the last page and asking, "What, that's it?".

Overall, disappointing. I was looking forward to a challenging yet satisfying book, yet what I got was simply the former.

Fun and entertaining, 07 Aug 2008
This is the first ever Will Self book i ever read and I bought it on a whim!

The story takes place in modern-day London and the distant future where London and England have been desecrated by a large flood. In modern day London a cab driver named Dave meets Michelle in a chance meeting and they end up parenting a child together - Carl.

In the future a "Geezer" (religious man) living in his home island community of Ham seeks to change the established religious and social status quo when he finds the truth behind The Book and the knowledge contained within.

The following story unravels well and draws the reader into a completely new world, Dave and Michelle's relationship ends, badly, and forces Dave into a full on emotional break down when he writes a book and prints it on metal plates - Giving his lost son some "fatherly advice" it is this "consul" that is found on Ham and spawns a whole religion!

The two sides of the story play off each other excellently, although there is a large contrast that takes some getting used to, the book largely reads well, the slang used by the future people of London is playful but not too difficult to understand (although some people find it annoying, i thought it was worth getting my head round and there is a glossary to help).

If you like books that have abstract plots and if you want something that can make you think without being preachy this book will tickle your fancy - READ IT!

Too much effort, 14 Jul 2008
This book is just far too much effort. I would definitely recommend having a look at some of the phonetic sections (of which there are lots - and lots) before buying it. They are just simply too difficult to read. And in so being destroy any enjoyment that might be had out of the book.

I also didn't like the way the the author was trying to be too clever, using terms like Arpee to refer to RP (or Received Pronunciation), which a fraction of the readers will understand seemed a bit of a smug thing to do to me.

Definitely have a preview before committing to buy it.

A modern masterpiece. , 20 Sep 2008
Sometimes (but not often), after finishing a book, I will find myself sitting in silence...trying to piece back together my thoughts and emotions.

Riddley Walker is a powerful, visceral, at times bleak, but ultimately fulfilling and rewarding tale.

I have rarely read a book so complete and consistent in its vision of the world, either as it is or as it may come to be.

You may or may not be able to cope with the language of the book...I see some people make an issue of this...

My copy has a quote from a review in the New York Times which I believe sums this issue up - " (a book) designed to prevent the modern reader from becoming stupid..."

One of the greatest books I have ever read. What more can i say?

D




An original and challenging read, but ultimately unrewarding, 01 May 2008
Set in the region of modern Kent, thousands of years after a nuclear disaster destroys civilisation as we know it, Russell Hoban's "Riddley Walker" is an imaginative story of society's struggle to continue amidst the wreckage of the past. Riddley, the book's eponymous hero, is just twelve years old and on the verge of manhood. When his father is killed and he inherits the role of his tribe's 'connexions man' - a kind of prophet, he begins his search for meaning in his world and an understanding of how it came to be.

The first thing that the reader will notice is that, rather than using standard English, the book is written in the degenerate, phonetic language of its own imagined time - an interesting device, certainly, but not without its problems. Because the reading of every sentence is so challenging, it demands a great deal of persistence from the reader. On the one hand, this can be seen as a positive thing: by forcing the reader to slow down, the hope is that he or she will digest more of the meaning of the text. On the other, the reader naturally expects there to be a substantial pay-off to justify such a high investment of time and effort. Unfortunately this pay-off is never delivered; the plot does not really progress, and though we meander through Riddley's world, there is little sense either of direction or of unravelling its many mysteries. This is the kind of style that could work well for a brief period - a short story, for example - but that over the course of 230 pages, merely becomes wearing and, ultimately, fails to hold the reader's interest.

This is not to say that Hoban does not present some interesting ideas. The culture and mythology - part Judaeo-Christian, part Punch and Judy - of this imagined post-nuclear future are incredibly rich, if peculiar, and Hoban has evidently done much research in order to create it. It is fascinating to see how his characters weave fragments of surviving documents and artefacts together to create interpretations of their past - our civilisation's demise - and the implications for our own reading of historical and religious truth are clear. To a limited extent, too, it is interesting to decipher the words and terms used by Riddley - and though there is a glossary at the back, it is by no means complete.

This edition - published to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of the book's original publication - also includes an Afterword by the author, in which he explains the evolution of the idea through some early drafts of the text (written in standard English), and an introduction by Will Self, whose own novel, "The Book of Dave", shares many of the same themes as this book.

"Riddley Walker" is an unusual and original reading experience, defying the conventions of modern literature. Unfortunately, despite the detailed world Hoban has created, the story within it is ultimately neither strong enough, nor rewarding enough to leave the reader wholly satisifed.

I Don't Like it, But..., 10 Mar 2008
According to amazon, I should award it 2 stars if I don't like it. I don't, but it is not without merit - in fact it is with a lot of merit. Its merits I am sure has been reviewed by others here, so I shan;t dwell on that. The problem with it is that to me one - and the most important - raison d'etre of literature is to divert. The linguistic audacity of this book is simply pushed too far for even the masochistic school of pleasure. Also, this 20th Anniversay edition does contain very good, albeit rather insufficient, notes and introduction. The glossary I found very helpful when it expounds the crypt I was looking for, which most of the time it does not. The Afterward definitely raised my appreciation of the work a fair deal.

I read it every year, 23 Dec 2007
Hoban's images of a post-nuclear England where the characters hearken back to a legendary past of "picters on the wind" (television) etc and his masterful weaving of Christian mythology and future mythology are powerful stuff. This coupled with his reworking of the English language to conjure up new mental pictures of familiar (to us) places, objects and concepts make this a Deffo Desert Island choice.

Honestly...., 10 Nov 2007
Artistic snobs delight! For the rest of us, it's just a shile of pite...

killer riffs, shame about the songs..., 14 Nov 2008
Having looked forward to, and having ploughed through, Liver this week, I have to say I found it to be a real disappointment. Upon reflection, the fact that when I first laid eyes on it I thought it to be one of the most pleasing, beautifully designed books I'd seen in a long time should have peeked my caution: for, true to the cliche, it's gorgeous exterior masked, for me, a hollow internal organ.

Even more bitter than usual (yes, it was evidently possible) Self's latest collection is a fierce exercise in abjection, riffing off references left, right and centre; but one that runs amok only to do itself harm, as each story whittles itself down to an all too familiar core of nothingness. Yes, Self's bottomless intellect is on fine form, matched depth for depth by his deep, dark humour, but Liver rings hollow to me; all style over content, pomp but little circumstance, once the chiming riffs have echoed past.

The first of Liver's quartet, Foie Humaine, lays out some truly killer lines, and it's thinly veiled pastiche of Francis Bacon's Colony Rooms reminded me at times of Dorian; but never really becomes a genuine story, pulling itself up too sharp on a device that felt tacked on and clumsy.

At the other end of the collection, Birdy Num Num - a drug tale to match Foie Humaine's alcoholic gloom - has its moments, but, again, struggles, becoming too crowded out by its own ideas, and ends up quite trying.

Credit where it's due, Birdy is a brilliant distillation of drug mania, with, as ever, some truly gorgeous lines, but its another tale that feels far too indulgent; an exercise that, for want of some decent editing, ends up serving only itself.

In the middle, Prometheus, drove me nuts, rendering itself far too exclusive in tone for its own good, and dragged on way past its own smartness; and Leberknödel just left me cold.

When it comes down to it, Liver feels rushed, untidy and too indulgent; like it was an exercise in desk tidying, or perhaps a rushed Christmas sell-through opportunity that couldn't be missed, leaving out some firm editing in its haste to hit the shelves.

I feel bad criticising such a towering talent, but once Self's undeniable genius is acknowledged, Liver is just too confused and bloated to do the author real justice; on evidence, his seems to be floundering ability, struggling to match itself with some killer tales. Self can knock these shorts out in his sleep, I wager, but too often sheer indulgence overdoses where stern editing could have made for a truly mindblowing trip.

Classic Self, 03 Nov 2008
An excellent collection (one novella, three short stories) from Self. Felt to me like a return to some of his earlier work - which is no bad thing. Great cover too. Highly recommended whether you're an established fan or a newcomer.

Brilliant Prose, 29 Feb 2008
I began reading We with some trepidation. From what I had heard of the book, I was expecting a rather clumsy, dusty work with limited characterisation and a plot which simply supported some of the author's more politically charged ideas.
I was pleasantly surprised. The plot is genuinely exciting and drives the short novel on to its conclusion. The confusion of the narrative character's ideology is wonderfully rendered. The quality of the prose - certainly this novel's finest feature - is a delight to read. Zamyatin mimics the icy, transparent and glassy landscape of his imaginary city with precise and frosty language.
This is certainly the edition to look out for. As she explains in her introduction, Randall (the translator of this new edition) firmly feels the importance of creating a prose structure as similar to Zamyatin's as she can make it. Will Self's lively introduction is also very well placed.

Powerful&Brutally Honest ;Beautifully Wrote , 01 May 2007
Whether you have any interest in addiction, or you just wanna good read, put this in your "Works". Unlike so much of Burroughs,this is an easily read,straight-forward & beautifully written narrative. A disturbing account of heroin addiction in 1940's post-war America. Burrough's creates vivid characters without a single wasted word in his dry,dark tones. You feel as if you know these characters. Any preconceptions will be swiftly swepped aside as you delve deeper into this book. Its easy to forget this book was published in 1953, albeit edited&censored (unsurprisingly), as it is still applicable today. Fortunately, thanks to Burroughs(and Allen Ginsberg&Co) and others like him, the censor laws are far more realistic. A genuine 20th century classic which has stood the test of time, which will still be on bookshop shelves, and yours, in 2053.

An astonding first novel for Burrough's, the purveyor of strange...

ACCESSIBLE AND COMPELLING, 27 Feb 2006
Burroughs' writing here is a unique and successful blend of autobiography and detached journalism, unprecedented for that time. The prologue gives Junky an air of authenticity from the outset as the author briefly describes his childhood before plunging into this narrative of a journey - teeming with colourful low-life characters - from the Midwest to New York to Texas to New Orleans, a farm in the Rio Grande Valley, & finally Mexico in his relentless pursuit of the heroin trip. There is a certain aloofness in the style, giving the reader the impression that you're only witness to a restricted part of the protagonist's experiences. For example, the text makes vague references to his wife who obviously journeyed and indulged with him, but no more is told of her, poor Joan. Although Queer, which is a more rounded novel, filled in many pieces of the jigsaw, it was only upon reading Ellis Ambrose's The Subterranean Kerouac, that this novel finally made sense and I began to see a fuller picture of Burroughs, his wife and their contemporaries. Anyway, this is a piece of brilliant writing on many levels. The book concludes with a glossary of "junk lingo" or "jive talk" - so that's what the BeeGees were singing about!

An accurate and honest portrayal of heroin addiction, 23 Aug 2003
Having personally experienced heroin addiction, I was intrigued and keen to read Junky and I wasn't disappointed. Although Junky was published in the 1950s, it's excellent depiction of drug addiction and the associated lifestyle hasn't aged in the slightest (although disposable needles and syringes - 'works' - have replaced eyedroppers).

What I particularly liked about Junky, is that Burroughs isn't remotely self-pitying, even when he describes 'taking the cure' in a hospital and going through bouts of 'junk sickness'. Burroughs also manages to keep the reader completely focused on the book, with eager anticipation about what's going to happen next. Although Junky isn't a particularly long book (it only took a few days to read) it's like a slow-release euphoric experience from beginning to end!

Unique & Compelling, 03 May 2002
Burroughs’ writing here is a unique and successful blend of autobiography and detached journalism, unprecedented for that time. The prologue gives Junky an air of authenticity from the outset as the author briefly describes his childhood before plunging into this narrative of a journey – teeming with colorful low-life characters - from the Midwest to New York to Texas to New Orleans, a farm in the Rio Grande Valley, & finally Mexico in his relentless pursuit of the heroin trip.
There is a certain aloofness in the style, giving the reader the impression that you’re only witness to a restricted part of the protagonist’s experiences. For example, the text makes vague references to his wife who obviously journeyed and indulged with him, but no more is told of her, poor Joan. Although “Queer’, which is a more rounded novel, filled in many pieces of the jigsaw, it was only upon reading Ellis Ambrose’s “The Subterranean Kerouac,” that this novel finally made sense and I began to see a fuller picture of Burroughs, his wife and their contemporaries. Anyway, this is a piece of brilliant writing on many levels. The book concludes with a glossary of “junk lingo” or “jive talk” – so that’s what the BeeGees were singing about?

A classic of the early Beats, 06 Apr 2002
Junky is William Burroughs's first novel, and one of his most important....Don't let the first person narrative fool you, this is not an autobiography in any usual sense. Burroughs himself described it as a 'travel book.'
Unlike the cut-up novels this novel easily engages the reader. There is a narrative, even if there is no narrative development towards a repentant self realsation that would be expected in a confessional novel.
If you have read On the Road then you'll appreciate Junky.
If you have read Naked Lunch then this might come as something of a surprise. But don't berate the book for that. It might not deconstruct a logical narrative development. Or for that matter it doesn't deconstruct the liberal humanist individual. But it does reveal Burroughs the genius....
If you are familiar with Burroughs allready then Junky is well worth buying.
And if you aren't... buy this book. You'll never look at eye droppers the same way after reading this.

At least he provides his own dictionary this time...., 22 Oct 2008
I think I must have read most of Will Self's books by now - and this is, by some distance, his best. I've always felt, when reading previous efforts such as "My Idea Of Fun" or "Great Apes", that I needed a dictionary to hand to understand some of what he was trying to get across - there has always been a tendency to throw in long and clever words. Smug? Probably.

Thankfully, for "The Book Of Dave", Mr Self has provided his own dictionary at the back. "Thankfully", because half of the book is set in the future, when English has become corrupted as a language, and people talk in "Mokni", a bastardised version of txtspk and Cockney. Some of the fun is in spotting where the Mokni has its origins in our current language, some of it is just plain irritating. Yes, it takes a while to get used to, but you do eventually adjust.

The constant jumping between the past and the future works quite well - what does become difficult is the fact that the timeline in each is not chronological in itself, so there was a constant sense of needing to keep on your toes.

What I really enjoyed about this book is the way in which the truth is slowly revealed: at first sight, the future seems almost idyllic, with everyone living in harmony. Over the course of several chapters, the horrifying reality becomes apparent, but you never feel like you're being bludgeoned over the head, more that the author is treating you with some intelligence.

The story itself is one of the more involving creations Will Self has put his name to, and is an improvement on, say "Dorian: An Imitation". I won't go into detail here, since other reviewers have captured the essence, but you're left wondering what was trying to be achieved with this work - is it satire? If so, it's one of the bleakest satires I've read. Black comedy? Well, there's an element of this, but it's hardly laugh-out-loud material. I was left with the impression that this was a sharply observed critique of both modern society and organised religion (of whatever variety).

This could well be Will Self's masterpiece - but I think I may need to read it again...


what's your moto, 03 Oct 2008
Big, difficult, silly, sad, funny, awesome, bonkergull, tedious, jiggy, thought provoking, technically sound, technically inaccurate, perverse, anachronistic, long, brilliant.

Clever idea, pretentiously written, 11 Sep 2008
Not to be deterred by previous reviewers' comments about this book being difficult to read due to the phonetic vernacular sections, it was with high hopes that I began The Book of Dave. After several chapters I was still not convinced, yet I persevered. The 'mokni' vernacular is indeed irritating, but not quite so much as the pretentious written style of the present-day sections about Dave the cabbie. Self scatters around inappropriately high register vocabulary like he has just discovered the thesaurus. In the end I felt resentful toward the author, thinking, yes I do know what quadriga/menhir/sentience/doughty means, now why on earth have you used it in this sentence?

The interlinking between the two narratives is well done in some parts, overdone in others - I found myself almost groaning at some of the cross-references.

The thing which annoyed me most about this book was its lack of ending. Both stories follow a reasonable narrative arc, yet it is only the one about Dave the cabbie which actually has anything which can be described as an ending. As for Carl's story, I found myself turning over the last page and asking, "What, that's it?".

Overall, disappointing. I was looking forward to a challenging yet satisfying book, yet what I got was simply the former.

Fun and entertaining, 07 Aug 2008
This is the first ever Will Self book i ever read and I bought it on a whim!

The story takes place in modern-day London and the distant future where London and England have been desecrated by a large flood. In modern day London a cab driver named Dave meets Michelle in a chance meeting and they end up parenting a child together - Carl.

In the future a "Geezer" (religious man) living in his home island community of Ham seeks to change the established religious and social status quo when he finds the truth behind The Book and the knowledge contained within.

The following story unravels well and draws the reader into a completely new world, Dave and Michelle's relationship ends, badly, and forces Dave into a full on emotional break down when he writes a book and prints it on metal plates - Giving his lost son some "fatherly advice" it is this "consul" that is found on Ham and spawns a whole religion!

The two sides of the story play off each other excellently, although there is a large contrast that takes some getting used to, the book largely reads well, the slang used by the future people of London is playful but not too difficult to understand (although some people find it annoying, i thought it was worth getting my head round and there is a glossary to help).

If you like books that have abstract plots and if you want something that can make you think without being preachy this book will tickle your fancy - READ IT!

Too much effort, 14 Jul 2008
This book is just far too much effort. I would definitely recommend having a look at some of the phonetic sections (of which there are lots - and lots) before buying it. They are just simply too difficult to read. And in so being destroy any enjoyment that might be had out of the book.

I also didn't like the way the the author was trying to be too clever, using terms like Arpee to refer to RP (or Received Pronunciation), which a fraction of the readers will understand seemed a bit of a smug thing to do to me.

Definitely have a preview before committing to buy it.

A modern masterpiece. , 20 Sep 2008
Sometimes (but not often), after finishing a book, I will find myself sitting in silence...trying to piece back together my thoughts and emotions.

Riddley Walker is a powerful, visceral, at times bleak, but ultimately fulfilling and rewarding tale.

I have rarely read a book so complete and consistent in its vision of the world, either as it is or as it may come to be.

You may or may not be able to cope with the language of the book...I see some people make an issue of this...

My copy has a quote from a review in the New York Times which I believe sums this issue up - " (a book) designed to prevent the modern reader from becoming stupid..."

One of the greatest books I have ever read. What more can i say?

D




An original and challenging read, but ultimately unrewarding, 01 May 2008
Set in the region of modern Kent, thousands of years after a nuclear disaster destroys civilisation as we know it, Russell Hoban's "Riddley Walker" is an imaginative story of society's struggle to continue amidst the wreckage of the past. Riddley, the book's eponymous hero, is just twelve years old and on the verge of manhood. When his father is killed and he inherits the role of his tribe's 'connexions man' - a kind of prophet, he begins his search for meaning in his world and an understanding of how it came to be.

The first thing that the reader will notice is that, rather than using standard English, the book is written in the degenerate, phonetic language of its own imagined time - an interesting device, certainly, but not without its problems. Because the reading of every sentence is so challenging, it demands a great deal of persistence from the reader. On the one hand, this can be seen as a positive thing: by forcing the reader to slow down, the hope is that he or she will digest more of the meaning of the text. On the other, the reader naturally expects there to be a substantial pay-off to justify such a high investment of time and effort. Unfortunately this pay-off is never delivered; the plot does not really progress, and though we meander through Riddley's world, there is little sense either of direction or of unravelling its many mysteries. This is the kind of style that could work well for a brief period - a short story, for example - but that over the course of 230 pages, merely becomes wearing and, ultimately, fails to hold the reader's interest.

This is not to say that Hoban does not present some interesting ideas. The culture and mythology - part Judaeo-Christian, part Punch and Judy - of this imagined post-nuclear future are incredibly rich, if peculiar, and Hoban has evidently done much research in order to create it. It is fascinating to see how his characters weave fragments of surviving documents and artefacts together to create interpretations of their past - our civilisation's demise - and the implications for our own reading of historical and religious truth are clear. To a limited extent, too, it is interesting to decipher the words and terms used by Riddley - and though there is a glossary at the back, it is by no means complete.

This edition - published to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of the book's original publication - also includes an Afterword by the author, in which he explains the evolution of the idea through some early drafts of the text (written in standard English), and an introduction by Will Self, whose own novel, "The Book of Dave", shares many of the same themes as this book.

"Riddley Walker" is an unusual and original reading experience, defying the conventions of modern literature. Unfortunately, despite the detailed world Hoban has created, the story within it is ultimately neither strong enough, nor rewarding enough to leave the reader wholly satisifed.

I Don't Like it, But..., 10 Mar 2008
According to amazon, I should award it 2 stars if I don't like it. I don't, but it is not without merit - in fact it is with a lot of merit. Its merits I am sure has been reviewed by others here, so I shan;t dwell on that. The problem with it is that to me one - and the most important - raison d'etre of literature is to divert. The linguistic audacity of this book is simply pushed too far for even the masochistic school of pleasure. Also, this 20th Anniversay edition does contain very good, albeit rather insufficient, notes and introduction. The glossary I found very helpful when it expounds the crypt I was looking for, which most of the time it does not. The Afterward definitely raised my appreciation of the work a fair deal.

I read it every year, 23 Dec 2007
Hoban's images of a post-nuclear England where the characters hearken back to a legendary past of "picters on the wind" (television) etc and his masterful weaving of Christian mythology and future mythology are powerful stuff. This coupled with his reworking of the English language to conjure up new mental pictures of familiar (to us) places, objects and concepts make this a Deffo Desert Island choice.

Honestly...., 10 Nov 2007
Artistic snobs delight! For the rest of us, it's just a shile of pite...

killer riffs, shame about the songs..., 14 Nov 2008
Having looked forward to, and having ploughed through, Liver this week, I have to say I found it to be a real disappointment. Upon reflection, the fact that when I first laid eyes on it I thought it to be one of the most pleasing, beautifully designed books I'd seen in a long time should have peeked my caution: for, true to the cliche, it's gorgeous exterior masked, for me, a hollow internal organ.

Even more bitter than usual (yes, it was evidently possible) Self's latest collection is a fierce exercise in abjection, riffing off references left, right and centre; but one that runs amok only to do itself harm, as each story whittles itself down to an all too familiar core of nothingness. Yes, Self's bottomless intellect is on fine form, matched depth for depth by his deep, dark humour, but Liver rings hollow to me; all style over content, pomp but little circumstance, once the chiming riffs have echoed past.

The first of Liver's quartet, Foie Humaine, lays out some truly killer lines, and it's thinly veiled pastiche of Francis Bacon's Colony Rooms reminded me at times of Dorian; but never really becomes a genuine story, pulling itself up too sharp on a device that felt tacked on and clumsy.

At the other end of the collection, Birdy Num Num - a drug tale to match Foie Humaine's alcoholic gloom - has its moments, but, again, struggles, becoming too crowded out by its own ideas, and ends up quite trying.

Credit where it's due, Birdy is a brilliant distillation of drug mania, with, as ever, some truly gorgeous lines, but its another tale that feels far too indulgent; an exercise that, for want of some decent editing, ends up serving only itself.

In the middle, Prometheus, drove me nuts, rendering itself far too exclusive in tone for its own good, and dragged on way past its own smartness; and Leberknödel just left me cold.

When it comes down to it, Liver feels rushed, untidy and too indulgent; like it was an exercise in desk tidying, or perhaps a rushed Christmas sell-through opportunity that couldn't be missed, leaving out some firm editing in its haste to hit the shelves.

I feel bad criticising such a towering talent, but once Self's undeniable genius is acknowledged, Liver is just too confused and bloated to do the author real justice; on evidence, his seems to be floundering ability, struggling to match itself with some killer tales. Self can knock these shorts out in his sleep, I wager, but too often sheer indulgence overdoses where stern editing could have made for a truly mindblowing trip.

Classic Self, 03 Nov 2008
An excellent collection (one novella, three short stories) from Self. Felt to me like a return to some of his earlier work - which is no bad thing. Great cover too. Highly recommended whether you're an established fan or a newcomer.

Brilliant Prose, 29 Feb 2008
I began reading We with some trepidation. From what I had heard of the book, I was expecting a rather clumsy, dusty work with limited characterisation and a plot which simply supported some of the author's more politically charged ideas.
I was pleasantly surprised. The plot is genuinely exciting and drives the short novel on to its conclusion. The confusion of the narrative character's ideology is wonderfully rendered. The quality of the prose - certainly this novel's finest feature - is a delight to read. Zamyatin mimics the icy, transparent and glassy landscape of his imaginary city with precise and frosty language.
This is certainly the edition to look out for. As she explains in her introduction, Randall (the translator of this new edition) firmly feels the importance of creating a prose structure as similar to Zamyatin's as she can make it. Will Self's lively introduction is also very well placed.

Powerful&Brutally Honest ;Beautifully Wrote , 01 May 2007
Whether you have any interest in addiction, or you just wanna good read, put this in your "Works". Unlike so much of Burroughs,this is an easily read,straight-forward & beautifully written narrative. A disturbing account of heroin addiction in 1940's post-war America. Burrough's creates vivid characters without a single wasted word in his dry,dark tones. You feel as if you know these characters. Any preconceptions will be swiftly swepped aside as you delve deeper into this book. Its easy to forget this book was published in 1953, albeit edited&censored (unsurprisingly), as it is still applicable today. Fortunately, thanks to Burroughs(and Allen Ginsberg&Co) and others like him, the censor laws are far more realistic. A genuine 20th century classic which has stood the test of time, which will still be on bookshop shelves, and yours, in 2053.

An astonding first novel for Burrough's, the purveyor of strange...

ACCESSIBLE AND COMPELLING, 27 Feb 2006
Burroughs' writing here is a unique and successful blend of autobiography and detached journalism, unprecedented for that time. The prologue gives Junky an air of authenticity from the outset as the author briefly describes his childhood before plunging into this narrative of a journey - teeming with colourful low-life characters - from the Midwest to New York to Texas to New Orleans, a farm in the Rio Grande Valley, & finally Mexico in his relentless pursuit of the heroin trip. There is a certain aloofness in the style, giving the reader the impression that you're only witness to a restricted part of the protagonist's experiences. For example, the text makes vague references to his wife who obviously journeyed and indulged with him, but no more is told of her, poor Joan. Although Queer, which is a more rounded novel, filled in many pieces of the jigsaw, it was only upon reading Ellis Ambrose's The Subterranean Kerouac, that this novel finally made sense and I began to see a fuller picture of Burroughs, his wife and their contemporaries. Anyway, this is a piece of brilliant writing on many levels. The book concludes with a glossary of "junk lingo" or "jive talk" - so that's what the BeeGees were singing about!

An accurate and honest portrayal of heroin addiction, 23 Aug 2003
Having personally experienced heroin addiction, I was intrigued and keen to read Junky and I wasn't disappointed. Although Junky was published in the 1950s, it's excellent depiction of drug addiction and the associated lifestyle hasn't aged in the slightest (although disposable needles and syringes - 'works' - have replaced eyedroppers).

What I particularly liked about Junky, is that Burroughs isn't remotely self-pitying, even when he describes 'taking the cure' in a hospital and going through bouts of 'junk sickness'. Burroughs also manages to keep the reader completely focused on the book, with eager anticipation about what's going to happen next. Although Junky isn't a particularly long book (it only took a few days to read) it's like a slow-release euphoric experience from beginning to end!

Unique & Compelling, 03 May 2002
Burroughs’ writing here is a unique and successful blend of autobiography and detached journalism, unprecedented for that time. The prologue gives Junky an air of authenticity from the outset as the author briefly describes his childhood before plunging into this narrative of a journey – teeming with colorful low-life characters - from the Midwest to New York to Texas to New Orleans, a farm in the Rio Grande Valley, & finally Mexico in his relentless pursuit of the heroin trip.
There is a certain aloofness in the style, giving the reader the impression that you’re only witness to a restricted part of the protagonist’s experiences. For example, the text makes vague references to his wife who obviously journeyed and indulged with him, but no more is told of her, poor Joan. Although “Queer’, which is a more rounded novel, filled in many pieces of the jigsaw, it was only upon reading Ellis Ambrose’s “The Subterranean Kerouac,” that this novel finally made sense and I began to see a fuller picture of Burroughs, his wife and their contemporaries. Anyway, this is a piece of brilliant writing on many levels. The book concludes with a glossary of “junk lingo” or “jive talk” – so that’s what the BeeGees were singing about?

A classic of the early Beats, 06 Apr 2002
Junky is William Burroughs's first novel, and one of his most important....Don't let the first person narrative fool you, this is not an autobiography in any usual sense. Burroughs himself described it as a 'travel book.'
Unlike the cut-up novels this novel easily engages the reader. There is a narrative, even if there is no narrative development towards a repentant self realsation that would be expected in a confessional novel.
If you have read On the Road then you'll appreciate Junky.
If you have read Naked Lunch then this might come as something of a surprise. But don't berate the book for that. It might not deconstruct a logical narrative development. Or for that matter it doesn't deconstruct the liberal humanist individual. But it does reveal Burroughs the genius....
If you are familiar with Burroughs allready then Junky is well worth buying.
And if you aren't... buy this book. You'll never look at eye droppers the same way after reading this.

Has Irvine Welsh read this book, I wonder!, 05 Sep 2008
This is another excellent and extremely funny book from the fabulous Will Self. Perhaps not so cleverly written as previous books, particularly the amazingly well-thought out Book of Dave, but still, as ever, unputdownable to the last page.
Anyone reading Irvine Welsh's latest novel, Crime, after reading Self's The Butt, will be amazed to read of a man on holiday with his fiancee (and although without children of his own, there are children present throughout the book with the main character, if not always in the physical sense)and to read about the trouble this man's bad habit gets him into and the subsequent journey by car to the eventual discovery of organised child abuse.
I feel angry that will Self's excellent novel has been ripped off in this way with an inferior offering from the Scot. Self will always be the better writer.

Surreal in the manner of..., 01 Jun 2008
A chip-vendor punctuates the mawkish excoriations of this handsome text. For are we not fashionable? In our failings, in our dealings? The tone here follows the author's tiresomely coy expostulations in The Evening Standard - all about his life and how cool it is, with his city walks and famous friends and all - all carefully presented as being carelessly offered: a mock sardonic preachiness as only any old smack-hack can (and will) - endlessly... droningly... drawlingly... have on offer (ask his kids) - on and bleeding on... And automatically, inevitably, "surrealist" in the same way that New Improved Persil is "automatic" and also washes whiter and is surrealist in a way that is certified and gentrified, sanitised and CLEAN, a surrealism as safe as the real estate he owns as a hedge against the bad times. Thus do we learn of the grumblings of a Groucho Club Git (GCG), abrim with half-baked PCisms and the ruffled rafters of his incognito sprawl. Or should that be "drawl"? Which impends a kind of ending. The kind of ending which has Dear Author muttering in his jugs about "moral panics" and then BLING! - he gets stabbed in the bottie by an underclass junkie who neglected to read the statistics about knife crime peddled by hippie coppers or heed the limp lamentations of hippie magistrates. And there, dear reader, he lies. Picture the picture. Our Dear Author, on a patch of parched grass in Clapham. Bleeding to death through his apostrophes and phony wounds and bleeding heart... on and bleeding on...

Absurd, 20 May 2008
The language of this novel is richly textured and full of masterful metaphor. One example of many is: "Adams chose his words as fastidiously as a spinster selecting Scrabble tiles". Enjoyment of the masterful use of language was where the pleasure of this book ended for me, however. This is the kind of book that I think readers will either love or hate. The enigmatic and intriguing opening, where we are introduced to the bizarre culture of the country where the novel is set, sees the central character facing criminal charges for thoughtlessly flicking his cigarette butt onto an old man's head. For me, the book became less and less intriguing as absurdity was piled onto absurdity as the plot continued. One bizarre example is the towns in the desert where insurance policies are sold to multiple parties with conditions that the last of the policyholders to die collects the entire payout. Rampant killing ensues but the practice continues as it is supposedly beneficial to the economy.

The novel is largely allegorical in nature, but allegory is powerful when it is subtle. There is nothing subtle about demonstrating the arbitrary nature of culture by having natives in the desert wearing Austrian national costume to serve a psychologically disturbed anthropologist who has saved their tribe by inventing a culture for them when they had none. I can see how the imaginative nature of this story might appeal to some, but others will find the absurdity to be a bit too much.


Self hits the road, 08 Apr 2008
Will Self's uproariously horrible novel The Butt retains the author's recent forays into the creation of entire fictional territories but also adds a hefty dash of post 9/11 liberal paranoia. This is grand, interrogative satire, which revels in making the reader uncomfortable, questioning their every motivation beyond their initial notions of altruism or benevolence. The bulk of the novel takes the form of a road trip through a foreboding country reminiscent of both Australia and Iraq, undertaken by two men making recompense for their crimes, one apparently trivial, one (it is hinted) deadly serious. Frequently hilarious - in the way that Self provokes laughs which are often accompanied by a groan of self-knowledge - both novel and characters traverse difficult, occasionally terrifying territory, with Self's themes offering both comical and deadly straight response to writers such as Joseph Conrad and James Frazer. This reader's initial expectations - that the journey will illustrate how Conrad's fear of primitivism has just mutated into a rather tedious series of globalised bureaucracies - were confounded in the most fantastically horrible way as the characters make their way towards journey's end. There is something much more horrible and fundamental lurking at Self's heart of darkness. Self's prose is as masterful as ever and this excursion into bigger geographical territory is an exciting development. Highly recommended.

In 1988, sixty-five-year old Lily Bloom quickly succumbs to cancer in London. But after life there's death. Guided by an Aborigine named Phar Lap Jones, Lily is transported by a Greek Cypriot minicab driver to the North London dead neighbourhood of Dulston. There, accompanied by her lithopedion Lithy and her dead son Rude Boy, she's introduced to the twelve-step Personally Dead meetings, and watches over her living daughters--the cold, ambitious Charlotte, and her favourite, the heroin-addicted Natasha.

Since Self's face, voice and, notoriously, his life story are familiar to millions who will never pick up his book, there's always the risk of over-reading his work biographically. Read this way, Lily is clearly based on his New York-born Jewish mother; large chunks of Self's much-publicised addictions are wittily retooled; and Self himself is sexily transmuted into the beautiful and glamorously doomed Natasha. But Lily is a feisty, articulate woman, with a complex history spanning two continents, two husbands, and a constantly recreated personality--a great literary creation. Self's longterm obsession with London provides us with the utterly convincing Dulston; his treatment of modern Jewish life in North London (versus New York) will find its fans and critics; and his sympathetic account of Lily's decline into her morphine-laden deathbed is deeply affecting. But ultimately How The Dead Live grows beyond such local concerns. Ultimately, this novel is about the vexed relationship between the local worries of contemporary Western life and a more transcendent non-Western spirituality--signalled by Self's opening gesture to The Tibetan Book of the Dead and by the all-seeing Aborigine Phar Lap Jones. Readers familiar with his satire and pyrotechnic wordplay--both still well in place--may initially be thrown by the book's unexpected lurches of narrative voice and locale and its mysticism--but they'd be well advised to give it a chance. How The Dead Live is a big book with big ideas, and quite definitely Will Self's most ambitious and mature work to date.--Alan Stewart

At least he provides his own dictionary this time...., 22 Oct 2008
I think I must have read most of Will Self's books by now - and this is, by some distance, his best. I've always felt, when reading previous efforts such as "My Idea Of Fun" or "Great Apes", that I needed a dictionary to hand to understand some of what he was trying to get across - there has always been a tendency to throw in long and clever words. Smug? Probably.

Thankfully, for "The Book Of Dave", Mr Self has provided his own dictionary at the back. "Thankfully", because half of the book is set in the future, when English has become corrupted as a language, and people talk in "Mokni", a bastardised version of txtspk and Cockney. Some of the fun is in spotting where the Mokni has its origins in our current language, some of it is just plain irritating. Yes, it takes a while to get used to, but you do eventually adjust.

The constant jumping between the past and the future works quite well - what does become difficult is the fact that the timeline in each is not chronological in itself, so there was a constant sense of needing to keep on your toes.

What I really enjoyed about this book is the way in which the truth is slowly revealed: at first sight, the future seems almost idyllic, with everyone living in harmony. Over the course of several chapters, the horrifying reality becomes apparent, but you never feel like you're being bludgeoned over the head, more that the author is treating you with some intelligence.

The story itself is one of the more involving creations Will Self has put his name to, and is an improvement on, say "Dorian: An Imitation". I won't go into detail here, since other reviewers have captured the essence, but you're left wondering what was trying to be achieved with this work - is it satire? If so, it's one of the bleakest satires I've read. Black comedy? Well, there's an element of this, but it's hardly laugh-out-loud material. I was left with the impression that this was a sharply observed critique of both modern society and organised religion (of whatever variety).

This could well be Will Self's m