Complicity

Iain Banks

Average Rating 10/10 (2 Reviews)

A few spliffs, a spot of mild S&M, phone through the copy for tomorrow's front page, catch up with the latest from your mystery source - could be big, could be very big - in fact, just a regular day at the office for free-wheeling, substance-abusing Cameron Colley, a fully paid up Gonzo hack on an Edinburgh newspaper.

The source is pretty thin, but Cameron senses a scoop and checks out a series of bizarre deaths from a few years ago - only to find out that the police are checking out a series of deaths that are happening right now. And Cameron might just know more about it than he'd care to admit...

Involvement; connection; liability - Complicity is a stunning exploration of the morality of greed, corruption and violence, venturing fearlessly into the darker recesses of human purpose.

'A remarkable novel ... superbly crafted, funny and intelligent.'

'A stylishly executed and well produced study in fear loathing and victimisation which moves towards doom in measured steps.'

'Fast moving ... tightly plotted.'

Review by Nigel (310809) Rating (10/10) Star Book
Review by Chrissi (090400) Rating (9/10)

Warning - This book is not suitable for younger readers. We would recommend 18 and above.

Review by Nigel
Rating 10/10
I really don't know why it has taken me so long to get around to reviewing this book; it has been one of my all time favourites and as far as I'm concerned well deserving of a 10/10 Star Rating. If anyone asks for a recommendation and they like their books dark and funny this is always at the top of my list… although, as Chrissi has said, one friend did come back and tell me I was, and I quote,"sick", for thinking he would like it… not sure what he meant. :)

Our main protagonist is one Cameron Colley, a journalist for the Caledonian newspaper. He is a bit of an anti-hero with questionable morals who thinks nothing of sleeping with his friend's wife, partaking of various illegal substances and generally behaving badly, although you can't help but like him as a character.

Interleaved with the story of Cameron's personal life we have a series of ever more grisly murders of rich and influential men who have behaved questionably in their never ending pursuit for power.

It's difficult not to give too much away but as Cameron follows leads given to him by a mysterious Mr Archer, his very own 'Deep Throat', he becomes all too involved in the murders and the police take a serious interest in his movements, which, due to his lifestyle, makes providing feasible explanations difficult without his world unravelling.

Complicity is a brilliantly written dark comedy of the first order; some scenes will have you rolling with laughter while others will have you reaching for a bucket. As my friend said, sick… but in a humorous way.
Nigel (31st August 2009)

Review by Chrissi
Rating 9/10
This I do believe is the only book that we own three copies of... and why this has come about you may well ask. You see, Nigel is very fussy about the condition of his books and, having raved about this one to a friend and subsequently giving/lending it as the ideal way to spend a long-haul flight, we had to obtain another copy (paper back again, but then we got a hard back because we saw it, you know how it goes). Unfortunately the original (no longer in pristine condition but well travelled) came home as the friend who had borrowed it returned it as being "sick - I can't believe that you thought I would like this! What kind of person do you think I am?" It had never occurred to us that he would not like it (sorry Jon), as we both find it to be completely brilliant.

I really do empathise with Cameron Colley, he is sooooo cool, but as with certain other Mr. Banks novels, it is the very black humour (and a frighteningly fertile imagination) that makes it rise above a standard 'journalist leading hunt for criminal gets personally involved... has personal luggage and moral dilemma... gets bad guy at end..' type story.

I can also say that I have read this book lots of times, Cameron is an old friend, and, although my scottish accent sounds terrible and I do not like whisky, Scotland is a much more real place for me just because of Mr. Banks, although I do not really want to visit just in case...
Chrissi (9th April 2000)