The Tilting Room

by Ron Butlin

136 pages, Hardcover

First published December 1, 1983

About the author

With a reputation as an international prize-winning novelist, Ron Butlin has also been Edinburgh's Poet-Laureate.
Before becoming a writer he was a lyricist with a pop band, a footman attending embassy receptions and weekend house parties, a barnacle-scraper on the Thames and a male model.
He has published almost twenty books including novels, short stories, and poetry as well a novel and an illustrated book of verse for children.
His work has been widely translated and twice been awarded a Best Foreign Novel prize. His most recent novel, Ghost Moon, was nominated for the highly prestigious international IMPAC Award 2016. Ron has 3 new books coming out in 2017. See his Goodreads blog for details.

Reviews

[Lionel Berthoux · Rating 2 out of 5]

Published in the early 80s, The Tilting Room should be considered as an early work for this author who is still very much alive and active. The stories all take place in some type or another of dystopian universes. But they all have in common that the reader doesn't understand much about what's going on. Wars are raging outside but they are never explained. Characters don't have much of a history, nor do they display clear personalities. The end result of these literary choices? We don't relate to the people or the stories, and we don't care much. Also, the publisher needs to be thrown some shade on: this is one of the ugliest book cover designs that I've seen in my life. Clearly, it is from a time when people were less picky because they had so much fewer choices of entertainment... All this being said, one can discern that the author has an interesting writing style, and I would give it a try at reading his more recent work.

[Harry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love it. Compelling. Well written portrait of a man possessed by alcohol, by a wonderful Scottish writer.