Customer Reviews

Country of the Blind

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In this darkly humorous romp, Brookmyre takes on the power-crazed elites of Britain and their willingness to do whatever it takes to increase their influence and wealth. The violent murder of a media magnate and the framing of four hapless miscreants for the job is the starting point for mayhem of great vigour and violence, interspersed with Brookmyre's frequent bitter asides about the state of decay in British, and more especially Scottish, society. The voice of reason, speaking, like everyone else, in the grating Glaswegian patois, belongs to investigative hack Jack Parlabane, whose cunning and bloody-mindedness prove sufficient to cause the downfall of the mighty. Thoroughly enjoyable and often insightful -- MJS, author of Forward O Peasant

True to the left-of-center credentials of its author, Christopher Brookmyre, `Country of the Blind' takes multiple swipes at right wing businessmen and government ministers who, according to the story, arrange a violent murder and cover-up, eventually raising the wrath of improbable superhero, crusading journalist Jack Parlabane.

Though far from supporting left-wing politics myself (or any `wing' for that matter), I still found myself cheering the good guys and booing the baddies. As with other Brookmyre novels, `Country of the Blind' had me hooked from the first pages where his description of a young lawyer's first clients (Mrs McGrotty) had me in hysterics. Having kicked off to such a great start the story kept up the pace and was as memorable as this author's other novels. The style of writing is very 90s Scotland and includes many pointed comments on the right wing government of 1980s England. Most of these comments aren't entirely original but will reassure the likely leftish, middle-class audience that they have a liberal-minded fellow-traveller who is also quite cross about what went on. Sadly, as comedian Alexei Sayle memorably pointed out, you can't change the world with the lyrics of a pop song - you have to do the dance as well !

Another 'double edged sword' of Damocles. Behind the ribald humour is the sneaky suspiscion that the author has experience of corruption in the political arena. But then who hasn't! This author, however, does manage to keep this 'thriller' moving along with some tried and tested characters, and I still am caught out every time with gales of laughter - usually in a place that gets me many pitying looks. Love this style of writing....hope he writes many more. That's what this world needs.....more unabashed belly laughs.