Regicide [Paperback]

In recent literary times a lot has been made of the concept of weird in fiction, and various writers old and new have been said to write under this banner or of its stillborn offspring, the New Weird. For a whole host of reasons, I've never much cared for this concept, even though I like and appreciate the work of a number of writers labelled weird. Nicholas Royle is not weird - in the literary sense. He may be the freakiest dude you'll ever meet in reality, I've no idea - and is not generally considered such, as far as I'm aware. So why mention it? Well, because I think in some ways his writing represents another loosely aligned stream of fiction that plays with abstraction and the otherworldy, but which has not received the same degree of attention, that of the uncanny. A style that owes much to psychoanalysis and the writings of Sigmund Freud, and which can be seen in the works of authors like Roald Dahl and Christopher Priest, and in the films of Stanley Kubrick and David Lynch among others.

In Regicide, the motifs of the uncanny are present from the outset. From the moment that Carl (the narrator) breaks into a strange empty house to answer a constantly ringing telephone - only to find the person at the end of the line seemingly knows his name - the reader's perception of normality is eroded. The ringing phone re-occurs as a theme, along with puzzles and maps, records playing silent messages and dogs - violent, dangerous dogs. All of these have symbolic associations, that reveal the inner workings of Carl's mind. As the narrative progresses it becomes increasingly difficult to tell what has actually happened in this reality, and what has occurred in another place, that may or may not just be an aspect of Carl's psyche.

The linear time frame of this novel is also difficult to pin down. From the clues: no mention of internet or mobile phones, mostly vinyl records but some CDs mentioned, smoking carriages on trains, etc, it would appear to take place somewhere between 1984 and 1990. The somewhat fractured presentation of time adds to the dream like surrealism, but means that this short novel requires concentration.

The title of this book is principally a reference to Un Régicide by French Novelist, Alain Robbe-Grillet. A book which Carl is reading in the story and from which some of the recurrent elements are drawn. This novel is clearly in dialogue with the themes of that work. Songs by New Wave Manchester band, the Passage also feature heavily, and together these two cultural references provide unifying background narrative. Despite these references, I was reminded in places of Alan Parker's film, The Wall based on the album by Pink Floyd.

There are many elements to this novel that I found worked exceptionally well. As Carl's life is revealed by the gradual peeling away of the layers of his psyche, there are moments of real sadness and tenderness, particularly with regards to his family background. There are also some very disturbing aspects. All this is spliced together with hints of obsession and subtle erotica, and a blurring of the lines between the outer and the inner world. This last aspect in particular I enjoyed very much, as it's a concept I have great personal interest in.

Regicide is exactly the kind of novel that appeals to me; sinister and surreal, it manages to be original, unsettling, and yet deeply human at the same time. It exemplifies the kind of uncanny fiction that distorts the readers perception of reality, but which never gets lost in meaningless philosophical abstractions. Nicholas Royle is a master of his craft and Regicide an excellent example of his work.

Carl meets Annie Risk and falls for for her but Regicide isn't a love story instead it's about a map and Carl's obsession with finding the streets it matches. Though it isn't really about love or obsession either. What Nicholas Royle does is slowly peels away Carl's psyche but what it feels like is Carl's psyche unhinging as you read.

What really stands out is that it gets weird fast and then remains teetering back and forth on the edge of sanity/reality before finally leaping off the deep end. This isn't an easy at times to follow especially as it's not clear where Carl ultimately heading.

But through apparent asides and personal revelations Royle is really putting the reader in the same mental space that Carl inhabits and that makes this a haunting and disturbing tale.

It's not often that books effect me after reading them but this one lingers especially when you start asking how unhinged Carl actually is and when you first started to notice..

Now as this is a meditation on the life of a record store owner as he deals with love and inner demons the way Royle does things is going to effect your connection to Carl. And as this isn't a straightforward novel in terms of hero or narrative it requires an element of , especially when you're fast approaching the last few pages with no apparent ending in sight.

But it's those pages that make, rather than break, Regicide. It's not a trick ending but it does pull back that final layer that leaves Carl raw in front of the reader.

There are however things that do feel oddities in this strange tale. One is a feeling of being slightly dated or least it being date ambiguous. The plot requires the absence of some pretty everyday technology and then wondering at the beginning why Carl does one thing, even though coherent with later behaviour it jars a little in it's unexpectedness.

Even though those things stuck in my mind they weren't enough to pull me out of the story and they are minor considering the effect of the whole book. And it's nice to see a book that is confident enough to be shorter. Regicide weighs in at under 200 pages and carries more power for that.

Regicide is one of those books that is perfect for dark nights but if you hear a dog bark whilst reading I doubt you'll want to go to the window to investigate.

I bought this last year after reading a favourable review of it in the Saturday `Guardian' newspaper. Fantasy novels can be an acquired taste but this is a compelling read that packs much into the tale of Carl, a slacker and record shop owner, who discovers a mysterious portion of a map of an unknown city. Written in the first person singular the plot develops with the hero becoming infatuated with an Annie Risk and his subsequent entry into a bewildering and strange town and that's where his nightmare really takes off.
I read this book in one sitting and although there are one or two weaknesses in the plot it did prove to be an enjoyable if somewhat sinister read and it certainly helped me to revise my previous attitude towards fantasy fiction. Royle is a good writer who portrays a growing sense of insecurity and anxiety culminating in some dangerous and potentially life threatening situations for Carl. With it ambiguous ending this is one fantasy novel that deserves a wide readership and more interest in Royle's work.