Roofworld [Paperback]

I've read this book twice because I loved it so much the first time. I especially enjoyed the inclusion of characters from Fowler's other stories, this made it all seem very real. These characters are so real that I wonder if Christopher Fowler had studied and included local people rather than invented them.

I loved the premise of a society existing above us, after reading this book I can't help but look up when I'm in a big city.

The premise for Roofworld by Christopher Fowler is a relatively simple one. For many decades a secret society has existed on the rooftops of London. They live like ghosts and the majority of people are oblivious to their presence.

Enter Robert Linden, an executive for a production company, tasked by his boss to locate novels that can be adapted for the screen. During one such search, Robert meets a woman called Rose Leonard and they are accidentally made aware of the Roofworld's existence. Circumstances lead them further and further into this alien sub-culture and they are caught in the midst of a power struggle between two opposing forces. On one side, a group of displaced individuals trying to make a life for themselves away from politics and bureaucracy of the world below. On the other, a Satanic cult lead by a mad man who wants nothing but power.

Meanwhile at ground level, the police are struggling to understand the nature of the war that has erupted on London's rooftops. As bodies literally start dropping from the sky, Detective Inspector Ian Hargreave is called upon to try and make sense of the ongoing slaughter.

The two main characters in Roofworld are well realised. Robert and Rose are polar opposites of one another. He is reserved and somewhat staid, while she is outgoing and curious. You just know that if it wasn't for this adventure they find themselves on, they would have little in common and never mix in the same social circles. Robert has never taken a chance in his life and is shaken from his cosy existence when Rose comes into his life. Their relationship is realistically illustrated by Fowler.

The man trying to maintain order in the Roofworld society is a disgraced Dr called Nathaniel Zalian. He is flawed and troubled by his own inner demons but tries to do the best for all those that find their way to the group.

The leader of the cult is Chymes. This character is the only disappointment in the novel as far as I am concerned. He is suitably violent, mysterious, and evil, but I have always felt like there was more to this man that was never fully explored. It would have been nice to get more details about his motivations and the beginnings of his rise to power. This slight criticism aside, his maniacal qualities do make him a marvellous nemesis.

The thing I still remember from when I first read the novel was that I was utterly engrossed by the society that the author had created. Even now, years later I continue to be impressed by the lengths Fowler has gone to in order to create something that is believable. From the descriptions of the gadgets used to travel across the rooftops, to the explanations of how the society has managed to exist. As London has altered and changed over the years, the members of the community have needed to adapt with it. There is even detail about what happens to those that get told old to live on the roofs anymore.

The novels climax is truly spectacular and the use of a famous London landmark is the icing on the cake. I have always maintained, and still do, that this would make a great piece of cinema. It has everything that you could ever want from a thriller. The novel only covers a period of nine days but in that time, the action is non-stop.

It's scary to think that I last read the novel over twenty years ago. The good news is that the story has aged well, and with the exception of couple of minor references to out of date computer technology, everything still feels as fresh is did two decades ago. Fowler's social commentary on the homeless and dispossessed that existed in London in the Eighties is as relevant today as it was then. If you have never read Roofworld I suggest you check it out.

The only reason i gave this book two stars was because the idea was appealing, a world on top of the roofs, away from society. I bought the book based on that and was disappointed from then on. None of the characters were likeable, i spent the whole book waiting for their ropes to break. The plot was jumbled and didn't really have a point. On the whole i would advise anyone thinking of buying it not too.