Product Description

Imagine a world where everyone knows everything about everybody. Where 'sharing' is valued above all, and privacy is considered a dangerous perversion. Trafford wouldn't call himself a rebel, but he's daring to be different, to stand out from the crowd. In his own small ways, he wants to push against the system. But in this world, uniformity is everything. And even tiny defiances won't go unnoticed. Ben Elton's dark, savagely comic novel imagines a post-apocalyptic society where religious intolerance combines with a sex-obsessed, utterly egocentric culture. In this world, nakedness is modesty, independent thought subversive, and ignorance is wisdom. A chilling vision of what's to come? Or something rather closer to home?

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #9909 in Books
• Published on: 2008-05-16
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 368 pages

From the Inside Flap
Imagine a world where everyone knows everything about everybody. Where what a person 'feels' and 'truly believes' is protected under the law, while what is rational, even provable, is condemned as heresy. A world where to question ignorance and intolerance is to commit a Crime against Faith.

Imagine it. Or just wait until After The Flood.

On a hot Sagittarian morning in the year 56 ATF, Trafford Sewell struggles to work through the usual crowds of near-naked commuters. He is confronted by the intimidating figure of his Parish Confessor. Why has Trafford not been streaming his every moment of sexual intimacy on to the community website like everybody else? Does he think he's different or special in some way? Better than his fellow man and woman? Does he have something to hide?

Ben Elton's dark, savagely comic novel imagines a post-apocalyptic society where religious intolerance combines with a confessional sex -obsessed, egocentric culture to create a world where nakedness is modesty, ignorance is wisdom and privacy is a dangerous perversion. A chilling vision of what's to come? Or something rather closer to what we call reality?

From the Back Cover
Imagine a world where everyone knows everything about everybody. Where 'sharing' is valued above all, and privacy is considered a dangerous perversion.

Trafford wouldn't call himself a rebel, but he's daring to be different, to stand out from the crowd. In his own small ways, he wants to push against the system. But in this world, uniformity is everything. And even tiny defiances won't go unnoticed.

Ben Elton's dark, savagely comic novel imagines a post-apocalyptic society where religious intolerance combines with a sex-obsessed, utterly egocentric culture. In this world, nakedness is modesty, independent thought subversive, and ignorance is wisdom.

A chilling vision of what's to come? Or something rather closer to home?

About the Author
Ben Elton's career encompasses some of the most memorable and incisive comedy of the past twenty-five years.His TV writing and performance credits include The Young Ones, the Blackadder series, Saturday Live, The Man from Auntie and The Thin Blue Line. He was recently awarded the 2007 Honorary Golden Rose at the International Television Festival in Lucerne. He has written three hit West End plays and the books for three hit musicals. These include Popcorn, The Beautiful Game and We Will Rock You, which he also directs. Six of Elton's eleven previous novels have been UK No.1 bestsellers. They include Stark, Popcorn (Golden Dagger Award for Best Crime Novel 1996), Inconceivable (adapted by Elton into the film Maybe Baby, which he also directed), Dead Famous, High Society (WH Smith People's Choice Award 2003) and The First Casualty. He is married with three children.

Customer Reviews

Very different
Having just read a very turgid novel, it was a relief to read Blind Faith as a flowing original view on a futuristic society. It is a great comment on modern paranoia transgressing into a fake plastic society based on the Internet generation hooked on reality TV and dismissive of inoculation as evil. Some great Ben Elton humour throughout and another original offering - Ben's only ever written 1 book that I have not enjoyed to date (Dead Famous)

Fundamentalism taken to the ultimate conclusion
Many of the other reviewers have compared this book with Orwell's 1984 and without a doubt there are parallels. But what Elton also brings into play is an analysis of the current rise of religious fundamentalism and its rejection of science and logic. As well as being set in a post apocalypse police state this novel is also set in a world that has reverted to the dark ages where science is outlawed and faith is all that is to be believed.

A preview of a post global-warming world. The possible conclusion of today's FaceBook/You Tube and reality TV fixation. And a total denunciation of the mindlessness of reactionary religion. All in an easy to read and fast paced novel.

Disappointingly unsubtle
For me, effective satire is akin to dissecting the absurdity of your subject with a scalpel. This book is more like being repeatedly smacked around the head with a shovel. The scenario is so heavy-handed and lacking in subtletly even before the obvious 1984 parallels signal the "twist". It reads almost like he has aimed it squarely at the people he is ridiculing; everything has to be spelled out to avoid you having to think or draw your own conclusions. It all feels a bit dumbed down and patronising. I've read and liked most of Ben Elton's books and can't remember one I enjoyed less. I can't see me bothering to re-read it, which is unusual, but because of the lack of subtlety I can't imagine finding something I missed on the first time around. 2 stars is probably a bit generous.