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Blind Faith - 4/4/10

I can't recommend this book enough. Ben Elton is a well-known comedic satirist, and he's outdone himself with this one.

Blind Faith is a futuristic novel set in London after an apocalyptic flood has wiped out half the world's land. The flood is blamed on God's will and our era's foolish obsession with science, along with all other evils.

The protagonist, Trafford Sewell, is a wannabe free thinker in a world in which free thinking is illegal, along with privacy and fiction. Childhood vaccinations are also illegal. As a result, one in two children die before the age of five. Although it's not stated specifically, this law is clearly in place to keep the massively overcrowded population from getting even bigger. The offical reason given by the government (which is run by the church) is that vaccinations constitute heresy.

Trafford and his wife Chantorria have a baby girl, and when he hears about a chance to have her illegally vaccinated against the frequent epidemics of childhood diseases, he decides to look into it, even though the punishment if caught could mean public torture and/or death by burning. As serious as the plot sounds - and it is - it's written with the typical Ben Elton humor that will have you laughing out loud. Often. Characters have names like Barbieheart, Princess Lovebud, Gucci Kitkat, Sandra Dee, and my favorite, Madonnatella. Trafford wants to name his daughter something old-fashioned like Caitlin, but gives in to overwhelming social pressure and compromises on Caitlin Happymeal.

The book has elements of Fahrenheit 451 and 1984, but as much as it's a glimpse into a disastrous and possible future, it's also a hilarious parody of our exhibitionist/voyeuristic present. Everyone is expected and required to post blogs and videos of every aspect of their lives, and to have breast enlargement and other cosmetic surgery. Serial marriage is routine, obesity is the norm along with over-exposure of it, intrusive two-way video chatrooms run 24/7, and society is ruled by consumerism, junk food, and reality TV. At one point a new law is extravagantly put in place that joyously proclaims "everyone is famous."

What starts as a darkly comic look at the more idiotic elements of present society soon develops into a tragic bigger picture and a scathing blast at media, politics, and mandated religion. It's the best thing I've read since Chuck Palahniuk, and compares well to Elton's satiric parodies of Big Brother and Pop Idol/American Idol/X Factor, Dead Famous and Chart Throb. I plan to read more of his stuff.

some of my other sites
Hamsterwatch.com
~ Big Brother live feeds
iTrixie.com
~ my papillon dog's woofsite
PogoTips.com
~ tips for Club Pogo games
The-Cult.com
~ fansite for the rock band
NeonPages.com
~ website hosting & design

about me
I could give stats & facts, but what do they mean? Let's just say I'm an aging, cynical optimist living on the West Coast, doing what I need to do to survive - just like you are

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