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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Elton has tried, and failed, to write a semi-serious book.,
By A Customer
This review is from: Blast from the Past (Hardcover)
Why oh why?I absolutely loved Elton's first three novels (Stark, Gridlock and This Other Eden) which were topical, political and most importantly the funniest books I have read. In Blast from the past, however, Elton dumps his usual extreme-and-action-packed-plot-intertwined-with-hilarious-comedic-observations style in favour of a more sombre look at love and politics. Unfortunately, Elton is not good at it. His 'subtle as a steamroller' tone worked well in his first three novels where character development needed to be sacrificed to comedy, but in a book that focuses on two central characters, it falls flat. And in a book that is meant to be little less extreme than its predecessors, the dialogue is simply implausible. After all, if a lover who disappeared 16 years previously turned up at 3 in the morning, would you spend the first hour of your reunion discussing Thatcherite politics? Even the characters themselves are tired and unoriginal. In all of Elton's books there has been an attractive left-wing woman who has it in for a right-wing male a**hole. Blast from the Past continues this tired tradition and makes you wonder if Elton is good at anything else. And while this book does have it's funny moments (the first chapter for example), they are few and far between and do not justify the boring political banter and teen lovers angst that fills the rest of the book. Elton, stick with what you do best: comedy!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A fun Ben book,
By Michael J Harrington (Phoenix, Arizona USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Blast from the Past (Hardcover)
I have been a huge Ben Elton fan for years (unusual for a yank for sure, however lived in Australia for 8 years, so...), and have read all his books. I felt that this had it's truly enjoyable Elton comic moments, however the story was rather weak. Buy, hey, what the hell! Ben's books have never been literary masterpieces nor the top of the pops when it comes to 'the most clever plot line' either. Stark was better than this, however this was a far cry better than the pathetic 'Other Eden' thing he did a few years back. Overall, this book moves along pretty well, and sprinkles some of the ole Elton humour liberally amongst the situations. Can Ben really write the thriller of the year? NO - however this book is great bit of fun, and we all need that every so often, eh?Enjoy it for what it is - Ben is not out to be the next Hemingway or anything - I think he just likes to write, and he doesn't do a bad job of it at all.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Gripping and thought-provoking, but also very funny.,
This review is from: Blast from the Past (Hardcover)
This is the best kind of comedy, the kind used in shows such as Blackadder, Red Dwarf and One Foot in the Grave - plenty of humour and hilarity but also a serious underlying theme.'Blast from the Past' is a masterpiece. The characters are believable and all of them, even the disturbed stalker, are sympathetic. Though there is no shortage of political and social humour (a certain head of state even makes an appearance), the 'Fox and Hound'-type storyline - two characters who live in a society which refuses to allow them to be close because of their backgrounds - means you genuinely care about the two central characters and are kept glued to the book until the very end.
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