366 pages
English language
Published Aug. 6, 2008 by Black Swan.
A dark, savagely comic novel from the bestselling author of Chart Throb...Imagine a world where everyone knows everything about everybody. Where 'sharing' is valued above all, and privacy is considered a dangerous perversion.Trafford wouldn't call himself a rebel, but he's daring to be different, to stand out from the crowd. In his own small ways, he wants to push against the system. But in this world, uniformity is everything. And even tiny defiances won't go unnoticed.Ben Elton's dark, savagely comic novel imagines a post-apocalyptic society where religious intolerance combines with a sex-obsessed, utterly egocentric culture. In this world, nakedness is modesty, independent thought subversive, and ignorance is wisdom. A chilling vision of what's to come? Or something rather closer to home?
'1984' for an internet generation. A bit too jaded and cynical for my taste, though Elton is a master world-builder. Not overly fond of being smacked over the head with repeated 'atheism is the only true reasonable way!' message, nor did I think the jab at the One campaign all that witty. Lost pace towards the end.
