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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
March 9, 2018
I like to think of myself as reasonably well read. It’s probably unearned as is most of my self confidence, but that’s not what this is about.
Every now and again you finish that last page of book, close that back cover, breath a sigh of self satisfaction and wonder, what the fu#& was that about?
Picture a world where the eighties didn’t end, but progressed for another ten years. That is what the world built by Ferguson feels like in this novel. It centers around a detective that refuses to wear a gun because it ruins the lines of his suit. A detective that follows symbols instead of clues. In a world where stay and fashion trump politics.
It really is a very interesting world and the book is worth the read. For me, in places, it was hard to follow, but the mechanics are sound. The characters are believable and well developed. The setting and world is believable and fascinating.
Every now and again you finish that last page of book, close that back cover, breath a sigh of self satisfaction and wonder, what the fu#& was that about?
Picture a world where the eighties didn’t end, but progressed for another ten years. That is what the world built by Ferguson feels like in this novel. It centers around a detective that refuses to wear a gun because it ruins the lines of his suit. A detective that follows symbols instead of clues. In a world where stay and fashion trump politics.
It really is a very interesting world and the book is worth the read. For me, in places, it was hard to follow, but the mechanics are sound. The characters are believable and well developed. The setting and world is believable and fascinating.
November 2, 2009
A near-future science fiction novel whose protagonist is a semiotic detective: he doesn't look for clues, he reads cultural signs. That such a profession could ever come about is absurd, but the conceit makes for an interesting novel. As well as falling for a dame (naturally), our hero also solves an intricate political crime.
What makes this tale notable is the author's commitment to the idea. Everything is about the significance of forms: sports fixtures are ultimately won or lost by the quality and cut of the team's uniforms; a complimentary bottle of wine is scrutinised for layers of meaning; even the hero's romance is conducted as a dance of ritual. It's a stylish novel about style.
What makes this tale notable is the author's commitment to the idea. Everything is about the significance of forms: sports fixtures are ultimately won or lost by the quality and cut of the team's uniforms; a complimentary bottle of wine is scrutinised for layers of meaning; even the hero's romance is conducted as a dance of ritual. It's a stylish novel about style.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews