2010 books

[peteryoung]

1) Russell Hoban, Linger Awhile, 2006
It's a stretch to call this science fiction, but the idea that underpins it – the physical re-creation of a dead Hollywood starlet from a screenshot captured from videotape – turns out to be a direct if rather warped riff on Frankenstein. And when in the flesh Justine Trimble turns out be a promiscuous vampire as well... well, you get the picture: you don't have to lift the veil very far to see this as dirty-old-man fiction, Hoban hankering after his lost youth. His trademark surreal wit is all here – the liquid mix from which Justine is created is cleverly called a 'suspension of disbelief' – however this probably isn't the best place to begin catching up on Hoban. It's a slight and mildly amusing add-on to his string of London novels, also using a few characters that have previously appeared elsewhere, and feels like reading a reincarnated and relocated Richard Brautigan stripped of his satire. I'm sure I'll find better books to compare more favourably with Riddley Walker and his lovely Turtle Diary.

Comments

[pigeonhed.livejournal.com]

I was really disappointed with this too. It seems so slight and thin and not especially well written to compensate for a weak story. The Bat Tattoo and Amaryllis Night & Day are much more interesting.

[peteyoung.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the recommendations (again). I've just ordered Fremder, which would appear to be much more the kind of vintage I'm looking for.

[dfordoom.livejournal.com]

I love Hoban's work, especially The Lion of Boaz-Jachin and Jachin-Boaz. And The Medusa Frequency was interesting. Of his more recent stuff The Bat Tattoo was slight but charming, and with a nice touch of ever so slightly warped humour.

Oddly enough I wasn't all that impressed by Riddley Walker.