Life of Brian

This is actually the second book I've read this year by an author I've had the pleasure of meeting. Admittedly they were at completely different stages of their careers – the first a Booker Prize winner with a rich legacy of work, the second a debut novelist writing for a small independent publisher. But he was a very nice young chap (indeed, I imagine he's a little younger than me), very funny and charming and slightly awkwardly eccentric in a very English kind of way. But then I like that, so I'm certainly not registering this as a complaint. Anyway, having heard him talk about both his book and the process of writing it, getting it published and then promoting it, I was certainly interested enough to want to read it – and I don't think I was the only one who walked away thinking that.

Cult Fiction – I do like the title – by Ardie Collins is a satirical look at religion. The quote before the story starts is from Douglas Adams and the influence of the eternal hitchhiker is very obvious throughout the book in its style. The surreal streak, the asides, the talking directly to the reader is clearly the product of a rich history of English eccentricity, no doubt taking in other standards such as Monty Python and Terry Pratchett. This may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it does appeal to me and I enjoyed it. It wasn't just a cheap, quickly abandoned gimmick, and the references to prior events and the clever ending show that there was a plot and not just a series of random interconected thoughts that somehow ended up in story form.

Indeed, it's message is very much like Life of Brian. Basically, it pokes fun at the problems with organised religion, interpretation of events and how things develop in completely different ways to how they were intended. Poor Stephen, the hero of our tale loses his home and his faith (the two are connected) and while trying to figure things out, inadvertently ends up starting a cult. The willingness of people to follow anyone is highlighted as the aptly named Brian hijacks the group and essentially starts telling people what to do – think "Yes, we're all individuals" and you get the gist of it. It's not wholly original, but it is fun, entertaining, nicely plotted and puts its point across well so it works for me.

Book number: 90
Title: Cult Fiction
Author: Ardie Collins
Category: Books by authors I've never heard of