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Underground > Books, Criticism & Writing >

Iain Banks, <i>Complicity</i> (Overflowing wiv spoilerz)

Bill Posters

17:59 / 30.01.03

Well, is this his best ever? Does this book not say all that needs to be said about being a leftie (or, more to the point, being cynical and bitter about failing to be a leftie)? Is this book not about us? Or is it none of these things? Share your thoughts if you want, 'cos I have yet to have a discussion with anyone about this book, and I've read it twice already this month.

rizla mission

10:25 / 31.01.03

I don't think it's anywhere near his best book, but I did really, really like it when I read it.

Thinking back though, the plot is absolutely ludicrous and several degrees too excessively, um, excessive.

But I believe I was about 16 or 17 when I read it, so it was simply a matter of - hideous violence, scary sex, absurd levels of substance abuse = "cool!"

Not sure quite what I'd think of it now.

I like(d) the way the muder scenes are written in the 2nd person. That's a pretty disturbing trick.

Bill Posters

12:07 / 31.01.03

Ta for that sah, and my apols you said that on sat night and had to repeat yourself here due to my drunkenness. It may well not be a very good book, technically. I seem to have formulated my opinion of it simply due to emotionally empathising with the main character. Given that I know sod all about literature, it's about all I can do.

rizla mission

13:44 / 31.01.03

I don't recall discussing Complicity on last Saturday..

Actually, I reckon it is a good book, technically speaking (although again, it's hard to say, since I read it a while ago). It's certainly about the most interesting and unusual modern 'crime thriller' I've ever read, and while I think certain bits of it are pretty ridiculous*, it has that brilliant 'kick-to-the-head' feeling about it which I think is to be applauded.. overall I think the book can be summed up as being 'excessive in every possible way'. Which is of course far better than being boring.

*I remember having a problem with the central character's drink n' drug intake - going for the extreme gonzo journalism angle's fair enough, but surely any real person on such a diet would spend most of the book too wankered to stand up, let alone speed down the motorway pondering a complex murder investigation?

Bill Posters

13:57 / 31.01.03

I don't recall discussing Complicity on last Saturday..

Oh, kewl, obviously 'twas another 'Loid.

but surely any real person on such a diet would spend most of the book too wankered to stand up, let alone speed down the motorway pondering a complex murder investigation?

No, some people can take their drink 'n' smoke.

(Dear oh dear, you walked - or should one say staggered - into that one, heh heh.) In all seriousness, it didn't strike me as all that unreasonable, and it also comes over as fairly autobiographical.