Stark is a secret consortium with more money than God, and the social conscience of a dog on a croquet lawn. What's more, it knows the Earth is dying. Deep in Western Australia where the Aboriginals used to milk the trees, a planet-sized plot is taking shape. Some green freaks pick up the scent: a pommie poseur; a brain-fried Vietnam vet; Aboriginals who have lost their land...not much against a conspiracy that controls society. But EcoAction isn't in society: it just lives in the same place, along with the cockroaches. If you're facing the richest and most disgusting scheme in history, you have to do more than stick up two fingers and say 'peace'.

Have now read this book and was not impressed. It's Ben Elton's first novel and, if it had been the first of his I'd read, I wouldn't have read any others. Which would have been a pity as I have enjoyed Dead Famous and Past Mortem. For literally the first 200 pages, I couldn't make out what was going on, or what relationship the various people were to each other. After it became clearer, the book did get better, but I was jolly glad when I finished it.

RELEASE NOTES:

Taking to the picnic at Cannon Hill Park tomorrow.

Picked up at the Picnic in Cannon Hill Park yesterday. Grabbed it because I've read it already and so can release it with the minimum delay.

I read this a few years ago and recall enjoying it, although the specifics of the plot escape me now and even the helpful summary above hasn't restored my memory (never my strong point). Published at the end of the 80s as the first flush of "alternative comedy" was coming to an end, it attempts to combine humour with a certain passion for global responsibility, a mix which is never easy to achieve, as there always comes a point at which one has to stop smiling to force the point home. Ben Elton was arguably one of the most proficient pioneers of this style, which hasn't entirely run out of steam even to this day.

I note that this copy has been loitering around Brum and badly needs to see other places, so I will take it to some exotic far off locale to broaden its experience. They say travel broadens the mind but in this case air travel is probably not an option!



Also by Ben Elton:

Popcorn
Gridlock
This Other Eden
Dead Famous
High Society

RELEASE NOTES:

In the upstairs area, either on a table or - if there is one - a mantlepiece. I'm also releasing


Brother to Dragons by David Hartnett
The Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adamas
No Comebacks by Frederick Forsyth

all in the same place.