What do you think?
Rate this book
Slander & DOUBT
Enter the mind of a rapist… who's sleeping with your wife. Enter your own mind.
Enter the minds of ordinary men. Unflinchingly explore rape, infidelity, drug use, BDSM, prostitution in the burning crucible of Slander & Doubt... this novel won't shy away from the truth - will you?
Why should you be interested? Because that burning crucible is in your own mind. Think not? Listen to the novel's main protagonist:
"You're immune to insecurity, right? You have the odd moment, sure, but it's other people that let doubt take them over, that endlessly analyse their relationships and replay their glories and flaws, not you... right? You'd never be like me, Ken, at this moment lying awake sick to my stomach, in thrall to the accusation that my wife, Lol, is having an affair with a rapist.
The rapist is an everyman family-man who flounders between the high of sexual assault and the low of self-loathing. To escape his urges he buries himself in work, drink, drugs, and sex, but his is a lifelong search for the woman who will understand him, love him anyway, and cure him of the need to rape.
The slander's gnawing at me and it's so bloody powerful. Could you, even stable normal upstanding you, resist entertaining my unspeakable thoughts? Could you resist the fear that he might actually be telling the truth? My name is Ken and I have my... doubts."
A note from Alistair: the inspiration for the book has been with me for over twenty years, from when I worked as a volunteer helping women in crises and their families. A rape counsellor came to speak to us, and she spoke frankly and honestly about rape and its affects. One statement in particular was very confronting for the teenage me, that all men have the capability and latent urge to rape. I have written this book about two men, one of whom is a rapist and the other is the husband of one of his victims.
Sex, violence, sexual violence, drug use, and prostitution are part of this confronting story, and they are necessary and involving elements of the work. I would like to emphasise that neither I, nor my work, condone sexual violence in any way. I hate even having to write that, but there are some bloody fruitcakes in the world unfortunately.
Additional note 16th July 2013....
Before I go on, I'd like to say that a) the book was written with the highest ethical integrity, and b) it's fucking confronting. I need to say this as I've had people interested who see the title, see the blurb, but don't think it's for real. I guess we're all so bombarded with hype that we immediately think it's overkill, but I'd like to say that this book does exactly what it says on the tin. It's not Fifty Shades of tittilating bollocks, it's for real.
If it were a movie then it would be an adapted screenplay of the works of Irvine Welsh, Michel Houellebecq, and Marquez, and it would be directed by Ken Loach.
Whilst it's as graphic as some of Bret Easton Ellis's work, it's actually nothing like it. Dont mind a bit o' Bret now 'n' again, but my work wasn't aiming to bear any resemblance. It's not meant to allegorical, fantastic, or horror - though its reality can be horrific.
Anyhoo, Part 1 is available on Kindle/epub for here for FREE, and the full novel is US$18.99 paperback and US$0.99 on Kindle and US$8.99 on most other ebooks (I don't control all the pricing). Check out the links here http://bit.ly/1dBIENZ
Enter the minds of ordinary men. Unflinchingly explore rape, infidelity, drug use, BDSM, prostitution in the burning crucible of Slander & Doubt... this novel won't shy away from the truth - will you?
Why should you be interested? Because that burning crucible is in your own mind. Think not? Listen to the novel's main protagonist:
"You're immune to insecurity, right? You have the odd moment, sure, but it's other people that let doubt take them over, that endlessly analyse their relationships and replay their glories and flaws, not you... right? You'd never be like me, Ken, at this moment lying awake sick to my stomach, in thrall to the accusation that my wife, Lol, is having an affair with a rapist.
The rapist is an everyman family-man who flounders between the high of sexual assault and the low of self-loathing. To escape his urges he buries himself in work, drink, drugs, and sex, but his is a lifelong search for the woman who will understand him, love him anyway, and cure him of the need to rape.
The slander's gnawing at me and it's so bloody powerful. Could you, even stable normal upstanding you, resist entertaining my unspeakable thoughts? Could you resist the fear that he might actually be telling the truth? My name is Ken and I have my... doubts."
A note from Alistair: the inspiration for the book has been with me for over twenty years, from when I worked as a volunteer helping women in crises and their families. A rape counsellor came to speak to us, and she spoke frankly and honestly about rape and its affects. One statement in particular was very confronting for the teenage me, that all men have the capability and latent urge to rape. I have written this book about two men, one of whom is a rapist and the other is the husband of one of his victims.
Sex, violence, sexual violence, drug use, and prostitution are part of this confronting story, and they are necessary and involving elements of the work. I would like to emphasise that neither I, nor my work, condone sexual violence in any way. I hate even having to write that, but there are some bloody fruitcakes in the world unfortunately.
Additional note 16th July 2013....
Before I go on, I'd like to say that a) the book was written with the highest ethical integrity, and b) it's fucking confronting. I need to say this as I've had people interested who see the title, see the blurb, but don't think it's for real. I guess we're all so bombarded with hype that we immediately think it's overkill, but I'd like to say that this book does exactly what it says on the tin. It's not Fifty Shades of tittilating bollocks, it's for real.
If it were a movie then it would be an adapted screenplay of the works of Irvine Welsh, Michel Houellebecq, and Marquez, and it would be directed by Ken Loach.
Whilst it's as graphic as some of Bret Easton Ellis's work, it's actually nothing like it. Dont mind a bit o' Bret now 'n' again, but my work wasn't aiming to bear any resemblance. It's not meant to allegorical, fantastic, or horror - though its reality can be horrific.
Anyhoo, Part 1 is available on Kindle/epub for here for FREE, and the full novel is US$18.99 paperback and US$0.99 on Kindle and US$8.99 on most other ebooks (I don't control all the pricing). Check out the links here http://bit.ly/1dBIENZ
356 pages, Paperback
First published April 29, 2013
11 people are currently reading
313 people want to read
About the author
Alistair Baillie
2 books7 followersI am a tango-dancing yogi who loves contact improvisation and aerial. And I also write.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
June 26, 2013
Are you allowed to put your own book on your bookshelf? And are you allowed to give it 5 stars if you do? Seems somewhat dubious, but if I can will. I'd hardly have spent this long writing the b@stard and gone to all this effort only to give it 3!
November 21, 2013
Note: I received this book through a GoodReads giveaway.
I wasn't offended or put off by the subject or the intense/vulgar scenes. My main problem with this book was the pacing. I felt that the book started off very slowly and it took me a while to get through it and keep reading. I also found myself skimming through chapters and paragraphs that were too long-winded or overly analytical and took me out of the plot for too long, which frequently happened in the sections where the rapist is talking to the voices inside his head.
While I understand that there needs to be moments to get you into the characters' heads, I don't think these were executed as well as they could have been. I'm not saying I want only action, but the book just moved too slowly for my taste and I often wished it was more concise.
I wasn't offended or put off by the subject or the intense/vulgar scenes. My main problem with this book was the pacing. I felt that the book started off very slowly and it took me a while to get through it and keep reading. I also found myself skimming through chapters and paragraphs that were too long-winded or overly analytical and took me out of the plot for too long, which frequently happened in the sections where the rapist is talking to the voices inside his head.
While I understand that there needs to be moments to get you into the characters' heads, I don't think these were executed as well as they could have been. I'm not saying I want only action, but the book just moved too slowly for my taste and I often wished it was more concise.
August 27, 2013
OMG what a brave, brave book!
I found Slander & DOUBT a total in your face, disturbing experience. The prose at times is so good the feeling of reality just jumps off the page intensifying the confrontational nature of parts of the book.
This is a book that I see-sawed between loving and hating. It was awful, it was brilliant but never boring.
The use of first and third person worked extremely well as did the different times frames which gave the reader a better understanding of the main characters.
This book is definitely not for the easily shocked, but I for one am looking forward to a second book from this very talented author.
I found Slander & DOUBT a total in your face, disturbing experience. The prose at times is so good the feeling of reality just jumps off the page intensifying the confrontational nature of parts of the book.
This is a book that I see-sawed between loving and hating. It was awful, it was brilliant but never boring.
The use of first and third person worked extremely well as did the different times frames which gave the reader a better understanding of the main characters.
This book is definitely not for the easily shocked, but I for one am looking forward to a second book from this very talented author.
October 20, 2013
Thanks Alistair for the free copy - review was a long time coming but here it is.
I'm going to be straight here - the book wasn't my cuppa tea. I'm always a big fan of novels discussing taboo'ish topics but the writing was what kept me from getting REALLY into the story. In itself, the writing is excellent. I just think, particularly in the scenes where the rapist is engaging in his internal dialogue with T&N, it was increasingly harder to keep focused on what was being said. I think this is just a reflection of my own tastes rather than the quality of the book. As for the confrontational nature....well it was most definitely an eye-opener, so no qualms there!
I'm going to be straight here - the book wasn't my cuppa tea. I'm always a big fan of novels discussing taboo'ish topics but the writing was what kept me from getting REALLY into the story. In itself, the writing is excellent. I just think, particularly in the scenes where the rapist is engaging in his internal dialogue with T&N, it was increasingly harder to keep focused on what was being said. I think this is just a reflection of my own tastes rather than the quality of the book. As for the confrontational nature....well it was most definitely an eye-opener, so no qualms there!
October 8, 2013
I found some sections extremely hard to read, but it was also impossible to put this book down. Very disturbing and thought provoking on several levels; social commentary, sexual mores, and interpersonal relationships.
I really enjoyed the way the book was written, ie the character development and the movement between different time frames.
I would highly recommend slander & doubt. thank you Alistair! Looking forward to your next book.
must mention I received this in a goodreads giveaway
I really enjoyed the way the book was written, ie the character development and the movement between different time frames.
I would highly recommend slander & doubt. thank you Alistair! Looking forward to your next book.
must mention I received this in a goodreads giveaway
July 16, 2013
A captivating read! For such a confronting theme, Alistair manages to engage the reader in the lives of the book's two main male characters, believably and with raw perspective. So well-written and un-put-downable!
July 31, 2013
I received a copy from goodreads giveaway and found the book very confronting but hard to put down. It had me on a bit of an emotional rollercoaster and will stay with me for a long time. Definately worth reading.
January 8, 2016
Written extremely well. It did however take me ages to read as the subject matter is a difficult one!
August 31, 2014
Excelente libro. Recomiendo su lectura.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews