Customer Reviews

Dead Air

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4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

It took me a while to figure out this one: it is set in the backdrop of 9/11, but 9/11 is not really important for the story, apart from a brilliant line: "If 9/11 was meant to be an attack on democracy, they should have rammed the planes into Al Gore's house!"
No, the satire lies in the fact that for the wast majority of people 9/11 did not change anything, life has gone on. Some banality here, a little drama there.
The protagonist, a shock-jock with similarities to Howard Stern goes on with his daily life in London, UK. Things happen to him, and he tries to set wheels rolling with political stunts, but everything just fizzles out for him. I think that's where the satire is: whatever big things that happen around is, our personal life and private dramas tend to be pretty banal.

I am huge fan of Iain Banks (the non-sci-fi books) and was thoroughly disappointed with this book. I just felt that he used the main character, a radio show host ala Howard Stern, to say whatever he wanted. A huge rant and rave session. Even the storyline was too predictable to save the book. Don't waste your time reading this one, read some of his other books like The Business, Complicity and Whit.

Reading the other reviewers, I see that most have made their bow to the maestro before settling in to criticize Iain Banks' recent novel, Dead Air, so let me do the same: Mr Banks has written some truly compelling fiction (the Bridge) and science fiction (virtually any of the Culture stories); he has a great gift for balancing wonder and speculation against a complex but often relentless narrative pace. He is a terrific writer. You might never guess from reading Dead Air.

I would not have written this review if it were not for the glowing tributes by the press: "thrilling" (Scotland on Sunday), "hugely entertaining" (Daily Telegraph), and most astonishingly, an "exhausting, careering ride of a novel adored by speed junkies" (Independent). I certainly could have used some speed as I trudged through this book; until the very end, virtually nothing seemed to happen. Spoilers: in the Abacus paper edition, there is a short burst of activity from pages 167 to 175 (protagonist almost kidnaped), and pages 290 to 291 (protagonist biffs Holocaust denier on cheek); otherwise, wait until page 349 for anything resembling a story to make an appearance.

Then there is the protagonist, Ken Nott (McNutt in Scotland), the "doyen of the so-called Shock Jocks and - as he's described himself - unrepentant post-lefty." (p. 289). With remarkable economy, Mr Banks describes a truly reprehensible character. Run through the checklist: Cheating on his live-in girlfriend? That's a yes. Slept with the wife of his (Scottish) best friend? Yes again. Snogged the daughter of that same best friend? Certainly. Is conducting an adulterous affair, with the wife of a crime boss, no less? Of course. With magnetism like that, you expect he must really bring something to the table. It's not physical courage. By his own admission, it's apparently not looks. And where you might think to find compassion, in its place (largely) is a sort of off-the-shelf set of left-wing bromides. Thinking back, it's hard for me now to remember even a single generous act that he performs, until the very end.

So what actually happens? Hard to say. There's certainly a lot of chaffer, and more information about Mr Nott's sex life than I ever wanted to know. It reminds me of times when I have been trapped at some party or a bar by some blowhard, who for reasons I never understand needs me to like him and believes the way to ensure this is simply to explain - in detail - just how cool, witty and irresistible to the ladies he is. Occasionally, this blowhard will conclude his disquisition with a self-deprecating remark or chuckle. If this sounds like your idea of a good time, I can strongly recommend Dead Air.

Now I am fully prepared to acknowledge that Mr Banks is doubtless a much cleverer writer than I am a reader, and I suspect he has his reasons for writing this sort of story, perhaps to illustrate in numbing detail that the attack on the Twin Towers was not a world historical event, but just a criminal act - and one of far too many (pp. 402-403); that life really does go on, and is just as tedious now as it ever was before. If that was his point, I will take it as read and move briskly on to more interesting books. It will not be hard to find one.

I'm about finished reading all of Iain Banks' books, and this one has to rank at the bottom so far.

In Dead Air, the very unlikable "shock-jock" Ken Nott goes on with his daily life, watching (or rather imagining) the world revolve around him. Mix with this the diatribes and controversy associated with any shock jock persona, infidelity on top of indiscretion, and a mysterious "crime boss" who seems to be on Nott's mind a LOT after Nott decides to have an affair with his wife.

I have to admit, with all the short passages on current issues in British and American society, what I was really expecting was the showdown between Nott and the crime boss. I mean, you know it's coming, right? Almost... false alarm... too quiet... defenses down... got away... BOOM!

This book won't stop me from reading another Banks' novel, but it will give me pause when I'm recommending his books to others.

I was disappointed in this, but mostly because I've seen Iain do better. It's not that Iain can't tell a story, but more that the characters in his non-SF books are less than consistent, aren't developed naturally and from time-to-time he goes into a long ravel on one politically cute topic or another, seemingly just for fun rather than for real character development or to truly further the plot. I think I'll reread one of his Culture books, as his drones have more personality that some of the characters in his non-Sf books.
-Gurgeh

Iain Banks first novel, The Wasp Factory, was published in 1984. In the years since, he's won critical acclaim, topped best-seller lists and has even written Science Fiction books under the cunning nom-de-plume 'Iain M. Banks'. He's also seen this book, "The Crow Road", adapted for television by the BBC in 1996. "Dead Air" is his eleventh non sci-fi book and was first published in 2002.

The book's 'hero' is Ken Nott - a Scottish 'shock jock' who works in London for Capital Live. He's very much a liberal who doesn't believe in religion; having said that, he isn't about to prevent someone from going to church. Ken currently lives on the 'Temple Belle', a very cool houseboat on the Thames. His home, however, is actually owned by Sir Jamie Werthalmey, Capital Live's incredibly rich owner, and is rented by our hero at a very reasonable rate. Ken also appears to be a very prolific lover. Divorced from Jude, his current official girlfriend in Jo. A PR agent for a record label, Jo's main project appears to be pandering to the every whim of the label's current 'hot' band, Addicta. Unofficially, Ken's also been spending quite a bit of time with Celia. This is something he has to be very secretive about - not only because of Jo, but also because Celia is married to John Merrial. Merrial is not only an acquaintance of Sir Jamie's, but is also a noted 'businessman' whose imports and exports include drugs and people. Although, apparently, he isn't personally violent, crossing him will leave you - at best - VERY injured.

The story itself jumps backwards and forwards, which may put some off - for example, its established very early in the book that Ken and Celia are lovers, though the history of their relationship is told only gradually as the book progresses. The biggest factor on how much someone's going to enjoy this book is Ken himself. He holds very definite opinions about things - notably politics and religion - and won't hold back when he wants to make a point. Given that the book opens on the 11th of September, 2001, it shouldn't come as too much of a surprise that part of what Ken has to say touches on America's response. I'm also pretty sure there'll be people who won't like what he has to say or how he says it - as a result, I suspect the book won't be enjoyed by the pro-war, anti-liberal community. However, this isn't a book about the Twin Towers or the 'War on Terror' : it's about Ken's ability to get himself in trouble. Despite what I felt was a slow start, I enjoyed it a great deal.

Iain Bank's recent "reality" novels haven't quite matched the magnificence of his splendid sci-fi "Culture" saga, and Dead Air, sadly, is no exception. Like the similarly slow-paced The Business, DA certainly takes a while to get going, and by page 125 or so, I was on the verge of giving up. Apart from the occasionally and all too brief witty dialogue between the shock jocks, I was finding the ponderous characterisation and politicising very heavy going.

HOWEVER, I am very glad to have finished DA, as, when the main plot surrounding the dangerous affair with Celia starts to develop, things certainly start to accelerate, and there is a building sense of unease that Banks is about to throw something pretty damn mind-blowing at the unsuspecting reader. You want tension? You got it! Certainly, the chapter which finds our (anti-)hero Ken stranded in the Merrial mansion is amongst the most heart-stoppingly suspenseful passages Iain Banks has ever written. I also loved Ken's (Banks') inspired method of illustrating the morally repugnant dogma of the Holocaust denier, and the final pay-off, without giving any spoilers, is satisfying.

So. The bottom line is that whilst, in my opinion, Dead Air isn't quite up there with The Bridge, Wasp Factory, Crow Road, Whit or any of the Culture epics, it is, ultimately worthwhile. I'm glad I read it, but slightly disappointed that it falls short of the very high standard that this hugely talented author has set himself.

Honestly, does anyone think that Mr. Banks gave much of a hoot by the time he finished writing? I'd wager he wrote those last 100 or so pages (after The Phone Call) in a few days, or perhaps during one long binge session. Given the amazing things we have seen from our dear storyteller in the past, this book seems a trivial effort. Nonetheless, I'll have high hopes for the next one... what is it, sci-fi this time?

I'm very surprised at the low rating of this book to date on Amazon. I found it to be good entertainment from beginning to end, and found I could relate to a lot of the scenarios and dialogue arising in the book. It is not a book based around one particular strong storyline but more about getting involved with the everyday life of one man and his friendships, relationships, vices and virtues. I found myself laughing out loud (intentional on author's part) near the end of the book during what was, at the same time, one of the most tense scenes when he broke into the house of his soon-to-be tormentor.

Not my favourite Ian Banks book, but a good one as far as I'm concerned, and considerably better than the Business, the previous effort, which I did find dissappointing. I would like a return to something a bit darker though before Mr. Banks hangs up his pen for good.

Lots of political rants, it is true, but most of them pretty accurate and extremely funny. Banks is a master of comic prose, and if neither the plot nor the characters are as well worked out as in some of his other books ("The Crow Road", "Whit", "Espedair Street") and his imagination isn't firing on all cylinders (as with "The Bridge" or "Walking on Glass"), it is still the case that he could write about the weather and still make me laugh out loud.