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Snuff Fiction
Society's plug is about to be pulled, big time. At the stroke of midnight on 31 December 1999, computer systems all over the world will crash and plunge us into chaos. But so what if it's the downfall of civilization? These things happen. We'll just have to take it on the chin. Or at least up the nose. Because rejoice and give thanks, snuff is making a comeback. And who do we thank for this? Who is the man who brings joy to the nostrils of the nation? The tender blender with the blinder grinder? The master blaster with the louder powder? The geezer with the sneezer that's a real crowd pleaser? Mr Doveston, that's who, and this is his story. So forget about impending doom and enter the glamorous world of snuff-snorting. Oh, and don't forget to bring a hanky. Things could get a little messy later.
Robert Rankin's latest novel gleefully chronicles the collapse of civilisation, as the world slides into chaos with a smile on its face and a finger up its nose. Prophetic vision of an imminent dystopia? Or just the rabid ranting of a snuff-crazed technophobe?
Robert Rankin's latest novel gleefully chronicles the collapse of civilisation, as the world slides into chaos with a smile on its face and a finger up its nose. Prophetic vision of an imminent dystopia? Or just the rabid ranting of a snuff-crazed technophobe?
368 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 1999
14 people are currently reading
740 people want to read
About the author
Robert Rankin
60 books859 followers"When Robert Rankin embarked upon his writing career in the late 1970s, his ambition was to create an entirely new literary genre, which he named Far-Fetched Fiction. He reasoned that by doing this he could avoid competing with any other living author in any known genre and would be given his own special section in WH Smith."
(from Web Site Story)
Robert Rankin describes himself as a teller of tall tales, a fitting description, assuming that he isn't lying about it. From his early beginnings as a baby in 1949, Robert Rankin has grown into a tall man of some stature. Somewhere along the way he experimented in the writing of books, and found that he could do it rather well. Not being one to light his hide under a bushel, Mister Rankin continues to write fine novels of a humorous science-fictional nature.
(from Web Site Story)
Robert Rankin describes himself as a teller of tall tales, a fitting description, assuming that he isn't lying about it. From his early beginnings as a baby in 1949, Robert Rankin has grown into a tall man of some stature. Somewhere along the way he experimented in the writing of books, and found that he could do it rather well. Not being one to light his hide under a bushel, Mister Rankin continues to write fine novels of a humorous science-fictional nature.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
July 29, 2016
Earlier this year, someone on an online forum I frequent offered to send a mystery box of books to anyone who would be willing to pay to have them shipped. Given that I like free books, I had read enough of this person's reviews to know he had good taste in fiction, and I always like to discover new books and authors, I took him up on his offer. I received a nice selection of books in a large Flat Rate box, and this was one of the books among them.
I've heard the name Robert Rankin before, but I didn't know much about him, and now that I've finished this book, I think maybe I was thinking this guy was Rudy Rucker, or even Charles Stross (I don't know how to explain how my memory works). I mean, Rankin probably has more in common with Terry Pratchett than either of those authors, given the nature of this book. Then again, the cover of the book features what could best be described as a dominatrix teapot, so I'm not sure why I was all that surprised.
The story follows a character named Doveston, narrated by his childhood friend Edwin, who has been by his side from his days as a fast-talking street urchin to a current-day (-ish) tobacco mogul. "Story", though, might be an overly generous term, as what little plot there is is just there to keep us moving from one random encounter to another. Sure, we see what drove Doveston on his journey, but mostly this book is a collection of humorous anecdotes from his life. One of those anecdotes involves the first time Doveston grew his own tobacco (genetically modified, of course) with plans to sell them at a Woodstock-type music festival in the London borough of Brentford. Hijinks, of course, ensue, namely because Doveston and Edwin are both around fifteen at the time of this anecdote, but also because Doveston's homegrown tobacco was genetically modified.
The book made me laugh at its absurdity. Rankin has a clever, witty style, coupled with a wacky imagination that I can appreciate. Doveston has a lot of charm, but he's also rarely every up to any good for anyone else; much of his antics develop because he's trying to get what he wants at the expense of others (which usually turns out to be Edwin). In fact, much of the story is keeping up with Doveston and predicting what's going to happen to him next.
I enjoyed the book, but not enough to seek out any of Rankin's other books. With Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett already on my shelf, and with Rankin feeling more like an imitator than an original, I just don't see myself picking up the rest of his catalog.
I've heard the name Robert Rankin before, but I didn't know much about him, and now that I've finished this book, I think maybe I was thinking this guy was Rudy Rucker, or even Charles Stross (I don't know how to explain how my memory works). I mean, Rankin probably has more in common with Terry Pratchett than either of those authors, given the nature of this book. Then again, the cover of the book features what could best be described as a dominatrix teapot, so I'm not sure why I was all that surprised.
The story follows a character named Doveston, narrated by his childhood friend Edwin, who has been by his side from his days as a fast-talking street urchin to a current-day (-ish) tobacco mogul. "Story", though, might be an overly generous term, as what little plot there is is just there to keep us moving from one random encounter to another. Sure, we see what drove Doveston on his journey, but mostly this book is a collection of humorous anecdotes from his life. One of those anecdotes involves the first time Doveston grew his own tobacco (genetically modified, of course) with plans to sell them at a Woodstock-type music festival in the London borough of Brentford. Hijinks, of course, ensue, namely because Doveston and Edwin are both around fifteen at the time of this anecdote, but also because Doveston's homegrown tobacco was genetically modified.
The book made me laugh at its absurdity. Rankin has a clever, witty style, coupled with a wacky imagination that I can appreciate. Doveston has a lot of charm, but he's also rarely every up to any good for anyone else; much of his antics develop because he's trying to get what he wants at the expense of others (which usually turns out to be Edwin). In fact, much of the story is keeping up with Doveston and predicting what's going to happen to him next.
I enjoyed the book, but not enough to seek out any of Rankin's other books. With Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett already on my shelf, and with Rankin feeling more like an imitator than an original, I just don't see myself picking up the rest of his catalog.
May 26, 2023
Rankin is one of those authors where I’ll generally read anything I find by him, even though most of his work is a variation on the same theme (i.e. some occult apocalyptic event or conspiracy theory, with jokes, set in, near or about Brentford). But then credit where it’s due – not everyone can stretch a sack full of running gags across 40+ books and get away with it. And so it is here, one of the few of Rankin’s older books I hadn’t managed to get a copy of.
And yet it’s something different in that it’s ostensibly a biography about a powerful Brentford tobacco billionaire known as “the Doveston”, as told by his childhood pal Edwin – albeit one written years after the collapse of civilization from the Y2K Bug (a topic Rankin tackled in a different book, though it’s not connected to this one). The story covers their school days in 1950s Brentford – where the Doveston is already exhibiting a genius knowledge of tobacco products and hints of megalomaniacal ambitions (as well as a fondness for dynamite) – all the way up to the Y2K Bug and its aftermath. There’s also wild parties, man-eating plants, secret govts and whatnot.
And, for possibly the first time ever, I found myself thinking, “Gee, this was a bit bleak, wasn’t it?” It has all the elements one expects in a Rankin book, to include a lot of funny bits, and while the plotline feels scattershot, it more or less gels by the end. That said, what it gels into is a shaggy-dog revenge story that – when you step back and look at it – is a bit grim. It may also be that I was put off by one key bit of animal cruelty that, while not graphic, is quite mean and sad and not at all funny – the fact that this seems to be Rankin’s intention doesn’t really help. Anyway, it’s not a bad novel, but it’s one I enjoyed less than his other stuff.
And yet it’s something different in that it’s ostensibly a biography about a powerful Brentford tobacco billionaire known as “the Doveston”, as told by his childhood pal Edwin – albeit one written years after the collapse of civilization from the Y2K Bug (a topic Rankin tackled in a different book, though it’s not connected to this one). The story covers their school days in 1950s Brentford – where the Doveston is already exhibiting a genius knowledge of tobacco products and hints of megalomaniacal ambitions (as well as a fondness for dynamite) – all the way up to the Y2K Bug and its aftermath. There’s also wild parties, man-eating plants, secret govts and whatnot.
And, for possibly the first time ever, I found myself thinking, “Gee, this was a bit bleak, wasn’t it?” It has all the elements one expects in a Rankin book, to include a lot of funny bits, and while the plotline feels scattershot, it more or less gels by the end. That said, what it gels into is a shaggy-dog revenge story that – when you step back and look at it – is a bit grim. It may also be that I was put off by one key bit of animal cruelty that, while not graphic, is quite mean and sad and not at all funny – the fact that this seems to be Rankin’s intention doesn’t really help. Anyway, it’s not a bad novel, but it’s one I enjoyed less than his other stuff.
April 29, 2015
It always helps to have read previous Rankin books before his later ones, but Snuff Fiction takes all the usual in jokes and self referential humour and gives it a darker, much darker twist than ever before. The humour here is balanced by the horrors suffered by Edwin, the narrator, as he gets all the bad luck while his childhood friend Doveston sets him up for fall after fall and gets all the success at his expense.
Usually the person who has had all the bad times gets a reprieve sooner or later, but not here. Here the humour of the situation, whilst there and very funny, takes a back seat and the ultimate fate of Edwin is not just an example of how Rankin can avoid humour when he likes but how he can, if he wants, write true, horrific, heart wrenching drama and do it far less pretentiously than most writers who claim to be serious.
Edwin's friendship with Doveston, even though Doveston basically just uses him all the way through, is written realistically, making Edwin a truly sympathetic character. Unlike many of Rankin's characters who only appear in one story, Edwin evokes sympathy and is written 3 dimensionally. He is not written simply for shock value and he is fleshed out as a character without the contrived emo crap that other writers use as a substitute for genuine character depth.
I feel that those who do not like this book have just seen it as another Rankin book and have not tried to understand why it is different. It is hands down the most mature of his books, despite the usual madcap stuff going on, and for me the best thing Rankin has ever written, feeling like it truly comes from the heart as opposed to being fun and frenetic for the hell of it.
Go in without expectations for best results.
Usually the person who has had all the bad times gets a reprieve sooner or later, but not here. Here the humour of the situation, whilst there and very funny, takes a back seat and the ultimate fate of Edwin is not just an example of how Rankin can avoid humour when he likes but how he can, if he wants, write true, horrific, heart wrenching drama and do it far less pretentiously than most writers who claim to be serious.
Edwin's friendship with Doveston, even though Doveston basically just uses him all the way through, is written realistically, making Edwin a truly sympathetic character. Unlike many of Rankin's characters who only appear in one story, Edwin evokes sympathy and is written 3 dimensionally. He is not written simply for shock value and he is fleshed out as a character without the contrived emo crap that other writers use as a substitute for genuine character depth.
I feel that those who do not like this book have just seen it as another Rankin book and have not tried to understand why it is different. It is hands down the most mature of his books, despite the usual madcap stuff going on, and for me the best thing Rankin has ever written, feeling like it truly comes from the heart as opposed to being fun and frenetic for the hell of it.
Go in without expectations for best results.
September 19, 2017
While Rankin often employs dark humor, this one is even darker than most, focusing on the narrator's unfortunate friendship with tobacco magnate, terrorist, and generally underhanded guy Doveston. He's constantly helping out Doveston with some scheme or other, pretty much always resulting in Doveston coming out ahead and his getting screwed over. These schemes range from running a tobacco plantation in Brentford to bringing back snuff in the late twentieth century to the abolition of income tax and secret legalization of all drugs. Written in 1999, it also makes use of the then-current Y2K panic, presenting a worst-case scenario that allows Doveston to pretty much take control of the world. Of course, there are also plenty of running gags and references to Rankin's other books. Norman Hartnell, the local shopkeeper who builds seemingly impossible machines from common household parts, is a significant character; and many other recurring characters and ideas receive mentions. I did think that, while the sentient plants grown by Doveston's mentor towards the beginning of the book did return, it wasn't as much of a payoff as I would have hoped. But then, a large part of Rankin's style is that you can never really guess what's going to become important and what isn't.
February 25, 2020
It's been a while since I've read any Rankin. I went on a tear reading his stuff some time back and then drifted in to other things. I decided to take up where I'd left off and...maybe it wasn't the best place. Not that there's anything inherently wrong with the book. It's just not up with the best of Rankin's work.
The book is premised on the lead-up to the turn of the millennium and the Millennium Bug. To that end we follow the life of Edwin, the biographer of The Doveston, who goes from being an urchin in post-war Brentford to being one of the movers and the shakers in the world as the millennium wans. Story is never Rankin's strongest suit, but it takes more of a back-seat here as we really get a series of events leading to the ending. Unfortunately what Rankin is best at, running gags, run characters, general wackiness, just never quite pans out here. It was nice to see the cameo's by Pooley and O'Malley and Archroy. And it was nice to see Norman Hartnell get some serious time. But that wasn't enough to make this more than middling Rankin.
Probably worth it if you're a fan. But passable and very definitely not the place to start.
The book is premised on the lead-up to the turn of the millennium and the Millennium Bug. To that end we follow the life of Edwin, the biographer of The Doveston, who goes from being an urchin in post-war Brentford to being one of the movers and the shakers in the world as the millennium wans. Story is never Rankin's strongest suit, but it takes more of a back-seat here as we really get a series of events leading to the ending. Unfortunately what Rankin is best at, running gags, run characters, general wackiness, just never quite pans out here. It was nice to see the cameo's by Pooley and O'Malley and Archroy. And it was nice to see Norman Hartnell get some serious time. But that wasn't enough to make this more than middling Rankin.
Probably worth it if you're a fan. But passable and very definitely not the place to start.
January 2, 2019
I don't imagine I will read any other books by Robert Rankin. This was a gift from my roommate; and I can understand why they chose it for me, they know I like Terry Pratchett. To me, this felt like Pratchett without the heart or insight. This book felt like someone thought they were far more clever than they were and wanted to show off how clever they were. There were no characters that were likable and as the story progressed I asked myself more and more "Why am I still reading this?". The running jokes aren't really running jokes, by the end of the book a lot of them feel like jokes that have been beaten to death, the pages punished me more and more as it went on. If I could give it 2.5 stars I would. I didn't hate it, I didn't love it, I meh'ed it.
January 17, 2023
This was one of those serendipitous events where one comes across a new author quite by chance in an Oxfam second hand book shop. I had never read Robert Rankin before and the title was a little off-putting. I couldn't get the idea of 'Snuff' films out of my head. A quick read of the sleeve notes clarified the situation by explaining that the snuff in this book was a tobacco product.
For £2-99 it was worth finding out if Robert Rankin books were worth reading. This is what I wrote in my diary; 'Totally bonkers, quite funny and well worth the money. 5* '
For £2-99 it was worth finding out if Robert Rankin books were worth reading. This is what I wrote in my diary; 'Totally bonkers, quite funny and well worth the money. 5* '
December 23, 2020
Dark humor, with numerous places where I chuckled while reading it. The story takes you for a wild ride, with a nonsensical plot that is definitely not to be taken seriously. By the end of 257 pages, the characters had grown on me from the sheer imaginative writing style, in spite of this not my preferred genre. I probably won't read anymore by this author, but it was a fun, brief detour while it lasted.
January 13, 2022
Wow, i really enjoyed this.
I had only read 1, book of Robert Rankins before this i had found it good, but too busy. I wasn't a book i would re-read, but this one was really good. This way it was written in a biography way was on top form. This made me laugh out loud so many times i devoured this book within days.
I had only read 1, book of Robert Rankins before this i had found it good, but too busy. I wasn't a book i would re-read, but this one was really good. This way it was written in a biography way was on top form. This made me laugh out loud so many times i devoured this book within days.
March 28, 2022
One of the better books from a master who has bascially only great books. This story is told in the typial way only Robert Rankin can. Basically a british Scarface version for all the drinking and smoking people out there :-)
June 11, 2018
This one was ok, a couple of laugh out loud moments, but generally nothing too special.
Still, it’s a stern man who’s determined not to enjoy a Rankin book.
Still, it’s a stern man who’s determined not to enjoy a Rankin book.
February 24, 2019
The comedy is of a good level and is intelligent.
April 7, 2019
Its Rankin, nuts, insane, funny and a little confusing. It will keep you sane.
Read
August 10, 2019One of his better book in my opinion.
March 27, 2009
My Scottish friend, whose British sense of humor I enjoy, recommended this book. Apparently, Robert Rankin is very popular in Great Britain. Well, I thought it was a ridiculous book!! I wasn’t very funny, except for two or three paragraphs and one joke – hardly worth the two hours of your life it will take to read the 360 pages of nonsense. In my opinion a complete waste of time.
June 18, 2012
A colleague leant this to me but I'm afraid it did not float my boat (sorry Jo). I struggled through to the end, as I felt I should give it every chance but it was a relief when I finally finished it. I know many people find him funny but it just doesn't work for me.
April 6, 2016
Slightly overtaken by the events but the running gags are there together with some toe curling jokes which elicit the response 'you can't say that in this day and age'. All in all, a bit of a romp!! If you like laughing and the occasional cringe, this could be right down your street!
August 11, 2008
The second part of this book was actually hilarious!
August 26, 2012
One of the funniest books I've ever read!
March 21, 2015
Never particularly lives up to the fun of the first few chapters with the man-eating plants. 250 pages of slogging without a payoff. Such a poor way to spend my time.
October 6, 2015
Fantastic Far Fetched Fiction.
November 10, 2015
I rated five stars. It's a tradition, or an old charter or something.
September 7, 2016
Feast of black British absurd comedy, Adrian Mole meats Kurt Vonnegut.
December 12, 2010
A load of old toot :)
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews