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4.0 out of 5 stars
workout for the brain, Nov 10 2003
Slaughtermatic is a fitting title for a book set in a violent future where you can enjoy a refreshing cocktail of antifreeze while the sounds of gunfire blare from the jukebox. It is a place where you can ski down a mountain of dead bodies whilst bomb zombies self destruct; a place where all your fellow citizens are gun toting and pill popping along with you. The title is amusing as well.
Steve Aylett produced a comical, fast paced and well-exaggerated satire of what seems to be America: a willfully ignorant nation of a desensitized gun-wielding society. Aylett was born and resides in England, a sort of outsider looking in, if you will. This is his first book to be published in the United States.
The story takes place in the turbulent city of Beerlight, a futuristic place where crime is art. Criminals are put on ice only to be tapped into a virtual reality program called the Mall. In Beerlight, killing is a way of life.
Slaughtermatic takes us into a chaotic day in the life of Dante Cubit. On this day, he and his pal, the Entropy Kid, hold up a bank. They do not do it for the money, as you might expect, but for something that has a deeper meaning to Dante: answers. The heist involves time travel, and from there, the mass confusion sets in. Two realities intertwine, and a bizarre, expeditiously paced tale ensues, peppered with hired killers, hackers, and cops with warped laws to uphold.
The main characters are memorable. Dante Cubit is a book obsessed textropist. Rosa Control, a deadly assassin who mixes pleasure with pain. Findley Taz is better known as the Entropy Kid; a pill-popping, death obsessed twenty-something. The weapons of Ayelett's imagination are intriguing. Imagine a gun that does all the deciding for you, or one that fires calories, or perhaps one that melds to your arm with a seamless fit.
Ayelett's writing style is a sort of poetic prose. Perhaps that sounds nonsensical, but Slaughtermatic is on the fantastical side. His wordplay is fitting for the fictional reality and virtual reality of this book. It is interesting as well. There are many humorous bits, such as the writer's subtle hatred of mimes.
Unfortunately, I struggled with this book, as short as it is. Granted, writing is an art form, and the audience is already specialized, but I am not a specialist in this field of science fiction. There are almost too many characters to keep up with. The story was very fast paced as well, and difficult to unsnarl. It is unquestionably a book to be read in one sitting. Alas, I haven't the time; and without much time, you hope for that lull in a story, so you can look for a job, write a paper, rearrange your life, get a cup of coffee, urinate and catch up with it later.
Nonetheless, I am glad I trekked through the muddled mess. The farther you venture, the easier it gets. As soon as the snarl of a story began to untangle, I felt an explicit need to finish the race. I can honestly say I have never read anything like this. It was a workout for my brain.
I would definitely read Slaughtermatic again, if I ever obtain the luxury of bountiful leisure time. If you not already familiar with Steve Ayelett, I would not suggest buying the book. I would suggest borrowing it from the library or a friend. Set aside a couple of hours and be prepared for some intense brain activity.
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