John J. Niven

'honest' is what came to mind when I listened to the book (read by the author). But if course I have no way of telling if it is. But it is very personal, like an open door to Niven family history. None of the usual Niven bravado, but it is still brutal. It's the protagonists that make it thus, but also the way of retelling the last days and hours, the author's shortcomings and qualms. At least the style is honest, that is safe to say. And beautiful. Small memories transcend into meaningful remarks on character and personality. He must have taken that from King's "On Writing" 😁
Not to the point at all, but the Scottish accent makes it all the more endearing!… (mais)

It's a Niven alright. Behind all the fluffy funniness, the book does show how horribly wrong people have strayed from righteousness proper to righteousness in the name of God. And a lot of other things in which man has gone off the right path, not just in the U.S. (But there particularly...).
It's not at all about believing, necessarily. It's about tolerance, and about thre fact that, ironically, it's often religion that leads people to become intolerant. So behind the scandalous setting and choice of cast, all the book is saying is: Come off it and look around at how hypocritical and bad everything has become. It's simple, really. Simple fucking Niven.… (mais)

* I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this book. *

Steven Stelfox is a music industry mogul who has made a fortune producing pop talent shows and girl bands. He is now properly rich, or at least he thinks he is until David Geffen's yacht pulls in next to his. Stelfox realises that he is still really only small change and not a real player, so he becomes determined to make that happen.

His opportunity arises when his old mate James summons him to help with a crisis. James runs a record label whose star signing is Lucius du Pre, a childlike superstar who lives in a secluded ranch called Narnia surrounded by animals and hosting parties for little boys. One of those little boys has some compromising footage, and hence the crisis. Stelfox pulls no punches and brings all his resources to bear to both resolve the crisis and ensure that he enriches himself further in the process.

This novel is just a romp, but a hugely enjoyable one. Stelfox is a splendidly contemptuous and sardonic narrator; his continual put-downs of people less fortunate than himself and his idolisation of Donald Trump make him an appealing anti-hero for our times. The book is populated with a myriad of grotesque and exaggerated supporting characters, much in the style of Tom Sharpe. I would say that anybody who likes Sharpe would enjoy this.… (mais)

L’ironia e il sarcasmo sono le armi vincenti di questo libro che altro non è se non una satira feroce ma molto intelligente sul perbenismo, il conformismo e l’egoismo che porta le persone a credere di essere loro il centro dell’universo.
Un libro per riflettere sulla dimensione umana e sulla sua natura e su quel falso moralismo che crea disuguaglianza e disparità per colpa di un’umanità che non risponde alla più semplice ed essenziale delle regole “Fate i bravi”.
Dolcezza, ingenuità e innocenza si contrappongono alla cattiveria e malvagità alla cui base c’è sempre un tornaconto personale sia esso materiale o ideale.
Gesù Cristo viene rimandato sulla terra per rimettere in carreggiata un’umanità che ha perso completamente la bussola. Nelle vesti di un musicista fricchetone si circonda di reietti ed emarginati e con essi fonda una comunità aperta destinata però a creare scontento nella società locale perbenista e moralista.
Da leggere per divertirsi, commuoversi, arrabbiarsi e, soprattutto, riflettere.
… (mais)