Steven Hall: The Raw Shark Texts

Eric Sanderson wakes up with a problem: he's lost his memory. With clues he has left, he finds his way to a psychologist and finds out he's suffering from psychological damage left by a trauma. Or is he? He could also be under an attack from a conceptual shark, trying to eat his past.

The Raw Shark Texts is an imaginative book: an exciting thriller and a magical story set where the information and imagination collide. Steven Hall has an arts degree and has decorated the book with clever typographical art that fits the theme well.

Italo Calvino and Jorge Luis Borges come to mind, but Hall is not quite as profound. Some will say The Raw Shark Texts pales in comparison, but I did find it much more accessible than Borges' work. Perhaps it's another case of popular culture versus high art. In any case, The Raw Shark Texts is an intriguing book and worth reading in my opinion. (Review based on the Finnish translation) [ The Raw Shark Texts at Amazon.co.uk ] [ The Raw Shark Texts at LibraryThing ]