"Blind Faith" (book review)

...by Ben Elton, pub. 2007.

Ben Elton has informed the British sense of humour ever since scripting the Blackadder comedy series (and perhaps even before this).
His wit is incisive, though sometimes at the lower end of tastefulness.

"Blind Faith" is a dystopic novel, along the lines of Ballard and Atwood in terms of plot, but perhaps aiming more to be a comic version of "1984" (along the lines of Terry Gilliam's movie "Brazil" - highly recommended).

Therein lies the problem of the work - it is both satire and tragedy, featuring Elton's trademark stoicism (remember the very last Blackadder episode?).

I wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry, and found myself doing both at different times.

The book is one for churchgoers to read and to take heed from - how often do we give ourselves not in fact to God but into the hands of those who either wittingly or unwittingly may manipulate our goodwill/faith? (viz Destiny Church)

It is also a warning about the times we live in - times where the value of privacy is constantly under attack (viz. this blog! any blog!, facebook, bebo, youtube, etc.).

The quality of the writing is not in the league of Ballard or Atwood - this is the book of someone needing to get their message out and doing so without any particular literary subtlety.

It's a good book though - an infectious yarn, and ripe with political/moral issues.

8/10.