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Violent Disorder
Ten Year Anniversary
Violent Disorder is the sequel to best selling cult football hooligan novel, 'Ultra Violence' and is ten years old this year.
A pulsating hybrid of contemporary fiction and high literary values, the novel was heavily criticised and considered a failure in many quarters and never followed in the original's illustrious footsteps (UV is written entirely in second person, one of few novels in any genre to be so).
Yet, Violent Disorder contains two of the best written chapters in the whole (admittedly scorned) field of football hooligan fiction.
After writing this, the author went on to become an award winning contemporary English fiction writer including the harrowing, but beautiful, 'Carla', the funny and engaging, 'The Night Porter' and the critically acclaimed novel 'A Shiny Coin For Carol Prentice'. Now working as a travel writer and publicist, he considers 'Violent Disorder' an underrated novel deserving of a wider readership.
Violent Disorder is the sequel to best selling cult football hooligan novel, 'Ultra Violence' and is ten years old this year.
A pulsating hybrid of contemporary fiction and high literary values, the novel was heavily criticised and considered a failure in many quarters and never followed in the original's illustrious footsteps (UV is written entirely in second person, one of few novels in any genre to be so).
Yet, Violent Disorder contains two of the best written chapters in the whole (admittedly scorned) field of football hooligan fiction.
After writing this, the author went on to become an award winning contemporary English fiction writer including the harrowing, but beautiful, 'Carla', the funny and engaging, 'The Night Porter' and the critically acclaimed novel 'A Shiny Coin For Carol Prentice'. Now working as a travel writer and publicist, he considers 'Violent Disorder' an underrated novel deserving of a wider readership.
214 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 29, 2013
3 people want to read
About the author
Mark Barry
9 books129 followersMark Barry, author of Hollywood Shakedown, the highly acclaimed Carla and the top selling Ultra-Violence, is a writer and publisher based in Nottingham and Southwell. He writes extensively on a variety of topics including, horseracing, football, personality disorders and human relationships, but most recently, he writes about life in Nottingham and monitors closely its ever changing face.
Mark has been interviewed on several Radio chat shows where he has given readings of his work. His writing has been featured in the national press, and he has also been interviewed on television.
Mark resides in Southwell, Nottinghamshire and has one son, Matthew.
Mark has been interviewed on several Radio chat shows where he has given readings of his work. His writing has been featured in the national press, and he has also been interviewed on television.
Mark resides in Southwell, Nottinghamshire and has one son, Matthew.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
February 23, 2014
Violent Disorder, the follow-up to Ultra Violence is written with sheer passion. For the game and for writing itself. This author has a gift of telling a story that makes you feel you are there in the scenes living and seeing it all. Not many authors can achieve this goal. Mark Barry has a way with words, a knack at making dialog natural and a gift for creating a story that is both intriguing and entertaining.
“Violent Disorder” is a compelling read that pulls the reader in from the start.
Wow! Could this story get any darker?
"Halfway down the line, we merge into them, the ring fenced, blank faced zombie spectators, pacified and anesthetized by the dreadful anti-spectacle unveiling before them on the emerald green turf. I turn and look to see if we were followed."
“Violent Disorder” is a compelling read that pulls the reader in from the start.
Wow! Could this story get any darker?
"Halfway down the line, we merge into them, the ring fenced, blank faced zombie spectators, pacified and anesthetized by the dreadful anti-spectacle unveiling before them on the emerald green turf. I turn and look to see if we were followed."
May 31, 2015
Violent Disorder is a sequel to Ultra Violence but is not written in the second person and although many of the same characters make an appearance it is predominantly about the Bully Brothers who for brevity are called HobNob and Bull. This is a work of fiction about football, but about the hooliganism element of it rather than the pitch level stuff. That said there are many more references to players and managers than in Ultra Violence and if you are not a Notts County fan, or a follower of football in general, these may pass you by, but it matters not in the general reading of this work and it certainly didn’t bother me.
The story opens with the narrator, a writer, in fact Mark Barry himself, travelling with Bull to pick up his brother HobNob from a mysterious facility called Cedar Forest. The writer then follows the progress of the brothers as they aim to keep on the straight and narrow and along the way there are many tales of events and encounters with other clubs and their firms over the years.
One of my favourite parts was a conversation between HobNob and his son, Mini-Beefy, as they walk through town…here’s a taster…
‘…Just down a bit, look, there’s Browne’s wine bar, where you went if you wanted to impress a bird. You couldn’t pull in there – well I couldn’t pull anywhere! – as it was full of couples drinking Barolo and listening to Curtis Steigers.
Who, dad?
Some curly haired balladeer. Girl’s music, soft and soulful. Michael Bolton-ish.
You’ve got me here, dad, Mini-Beefy said. I’ve no idea who you are talking about. Are they any good?
Shit, but if you had a woman on the go, listening to ballads like one sung by Steigers, normally put them in a good mood. Worth having your ears pummelled for an hour or two. Trendiest place in Notts for a while. Shut down now…we’ll pass it on the way. You hungry?
Starving.’
Barry makes it very clear; indeed it is written on the back of the book that this is written for adults, it contains scenes of threat, opinions likely to offend, earthy dialogue, incessant foul language and relentless, sometimes extreme, scenes of urban violence. Forewarned is forearmed as they say but for me it was written just as I would expect from that culture.
Violent Disorder differs from Ultra Violence in that it doesn’t have the very personal tale of love and loss running through it so for me lacked some of the heart of Ultra Violence. That said Barry’s writing is as solid as ever. You can’t fault its observational detail, edgy humour and constant ability to surprise…or in this case shock. For that is what I felt when the end came…but there are no spoilers here so you’ll have to find that out for yourselves, won’t you?
The story opens with the narrator, a writer, in fact Mark Barry himself, travelling with Bull to pick up his brother HobNob from a mysterious facility called Cedar Forest. The writer then follows the progress of the brothers as they aim to keep on the straight and narrow and along the way there are many tales of events and encounters with other clubs and their firms over the years.
One of my favourite parts was a conversation between HobNob and his son, Mini-Beefy, as they walk through town…here’s a taster…
‘…Just down a bit, look, there’s Browne’s wine bar, where you went if you wanted to impress a bird. You couldn’t pull in there – well I couldn’t pull anywhere! – as it was full of couples drinking Barolo and listening to Curtis Steigers.
Who, dad?
Some curly haired balladeer. Girl’s music, soft and soulful. Michael Bolton-ish.
You’ve got me here, dad, Mini-Beefy said. I’ve no idea who you are talking about. Are they any good?
Shit, but if you had a woman on the go, listening to ballads like one sung by Steigers, normally put them in a good mood. Worth having your ears pummelled for an hour or two. Trendiest place in Notts for a while. Shut down now…we’ll pass it on the way. You hungry?
Starving.’
Barry makes it very clear; indeed it is written on the back of the book that this is written for adults, it contains scenes of threat, opinions likely to offend, earthy dialogue, incessant foul language and relentless, sometimes extreme, scenes of urban violence. Forewarned is forearmed as they say but for me it was written just as I would expect from that culture.
Violent Disorder differs from Ultra Violence in that it doesn’t have the very personal tale of love and loss running through it so for me lacked some of the heart of Ultra Violence. That said Barry’s writing is as solid as ever. You can’t fault its observational detail, edgy humour and constant ability to surprise…or in this case shock. For that is what I felt when the end came…but there are no spoilers here so you’ll have to find that out for yourselves, won’t you?
August 23, 2013
Violent Disorder is the long awaited sequel of Mr. Barry’s highly acclaimed novel on violence in sports, Ultra Violence.
The story revolves around the Bully Brothers, and their passionate support of the Notts Football team, which results in violent clashes with opposing fans on game day. In this novel, HobNob and Bull draw the reader into their world, recounting horrific tales of brutality when football hooliganism ran rampant decades ago. However, the sad truth reveals that the violent behavior still exists today as middle-aged men continue to pick up the gauntlet. A powerful ending.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I recommend it to men, and women, on both sides of the pond.
The story revolves around the Bully Brothers, and their passionate support of the Notts Football team, which results in violent clashes with opposing fans on game day. In this novel, HobNob and Bull draw the reader into their world, recounting horrific tales of brutality when football hooliganism ran rampant decades ago. However, the sad truth reveals that the violent behavior still exists today as middle-aged men continue to pick up the gauntlet. A powerful ending.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I recommend it to men, and women, on both sides of the pond.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews