Gridlock [Paperback]

Ben Elton (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 5, 1992

By the television comedy writer of "Blackadder" and "The Young Ones", this is an ecological disaster novel written with humour but containing an underlying seriousness. His first novel was "Stark".

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Gridlock is when a city dies. Killed in the name of freedom. Killed in the name of oil and steel. Choked on carbon monoxide and strangled with a pair of fuzzy dice. How did it come to this? How did the ultimate freedom machine end up paralyzing us all? How did we end up driving to our own funeral in somebody else's gravy train? Deborah and Geoffrey know, but they have transportation problems of their own. And anyway, whoever it was that murdered the city can just as easily murder them. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

As well as his own stand-up routines, Ben's numerous writing credits include BLACKADDER, THE MAN FROM AUNTIE and THE YOUNG ONES. His most recent books are INCONCEIVABLE and BLAST FROM THE PAST. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 435 pages
• Publisher: Time Warner Paperbacks (March 5, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0747405689
• ISBN-13: 978-0747405689
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 3.9 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,380,890 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Funny at first..., March 3, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Gridlock (Paperback)

Don't get me wrong, I found this book funny the whole way through, but by the time I had reached the end I was beginning to become aware of a handful of serious issues that Elton raises. For example, having a protagonist who is a c.p sufferer to demonstrate the way cars are beginning to disable us all; 'Gridlock is when a city dies'. He comments on various aspects of society, usually taking a small chapter away from the plot to do so. The film-like rapid change of scenes with the 'goodies' and the 'baddies' makes you wonder how long it'll be until someone buys the rights, yet at the same time, there is no way they could possibly show the deep analysis of humanity that Elton displays. This novel is a brilliant dip-in dip-out tale that can be read on two levels. The humour is perceptive and effective to the story. Please read it!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Short and not so satisfying., June 30, 2004

By 

J. L. Wright (Nedlands, WA Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Gridlock (Paperback)

I thought that I'd really like this book because private car ownership is something I despise. I don't drive a car because I think that the world would be so much more pleasant if there simply weren't as many as there are and I'm not one to say 'if you cant beat em, join em'. But cars can't be beaten as Elton's character Geoffrey Spasmo finds out.

Elton seems to be on my plain of thinking when he opens the book with a short story about the 'Brainian' aliens who study other planets as part of a TV show every week. They could understand every aspect of human activity except one "You're trying to tell me that they're all going in the same direction, travelling to much the same destinations yet deliberately impeding each others progress by occupying their own completely empty tin box?" Elton's Branian producer remarks in disbelief "you're drunk!"

Although Elton's political theme was one I'm personally interested in, I think this book suffers from a lack of strong characters and entertaining 'social' subplots; it is almost totally devoted to the world of politics and business. Elton's political rants are agreeable (if you swing toward the left) and are written to tickle the funny bone but I think he finds greater humour in the social scenario. This is why I believe the humor didn't match up to Elton's usual standard, it lacked his hilarious remarks on social do's and dont's.

If you're just starting on Ben Elton, I'd recommend his first novel 'Stark' which centres around environmental degradation. Stark was hilarious and keeps you guessing. Dead Famous is another good Elton novel investigating the sleazeball ethics behind exploiting people for reality TV.

Gridlock wasn't bad but if I don't think it's Elton's best effort. I do think he's a great political satirist.

3.0 out of 5 stars Not Free SF Reader, December 6, 2007

By 

Blue Tyson "- Research Finished" (Legion clubhouse) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Gridlock (Paperback)

A dead city doesn't move.


This book is certainly not in the class of Stark, unfortunately. Maybe due to the somewhat narrower focus, and some similarities to the previous effort.

Again, industrial pollution is an element as a city that becomes full of cars as has no functional transport methods dies.

Those doing well out of this of course want to keep the status quo and bump off people trying to do something about it.