Stark
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Product Description
Book Description
Ben Elton's earth-shattering début novel.
Product Description
Stark is a secret consortium with more money than God, and the social conscience of a dog on a croquet lawn. What's more, it knows the Earth is dying.
Deep in Western Australia where the Aboriginals used to milk the trees, a planet-sized plot is taking shape. Some green freaks pick up the scent: a pommie poseur; a brain-fried Vietnam vet; Aboriginals who have lost their land...not much against a conspiracy that controls society. But EcoAction isn't in society: it just lives in the same place, along with the cockroaches.
If you're facing the richest and most disgusting scheme in history, you have to do more than stick up two fingers and say 'peace'.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio Cassette
This book is possible the finest of Ben Elton's creations. The plot hangs around a corporate conspiracy known as 'Stark', the characters do not fulfil the the cliqued romantic ideals which is all to common in modern novels. Any reader can closely identify with the characters, and therefore can be embraced by the humour in it. It confirms the fact that recognition comedy, in which the reader can feel an empathy with the characters is the best kind of comedy. Everybody knows a 'C.D' or a 'Sly Moorcock', and it is good to have a bloody good laugh at their expense. The centre of the novel is ecological concern, it is written with a clear deveotion to the cause and despite the book principally being a comedy the passion and charm it is written with makes it an extremely moving book. The above factors are added to by virtue of Adrian Edmonsons exceptionally expressive voice brings the text to life. After listening to Stark, you will never be complacent about the environment again.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback
I don't think I've ever read a novel that improved so much as I read. From a slow beginning focusing on the less-than-compelling character of CD (obviously Elton's alter ego), more and more wonderful characters were introduced and the plot became surpisingly involving, till I was sorry to see my train pull in because it meant I would have to close the book. Waits for the bus became unnoticeable because I was so absorbed in what would happen next. Towards the end I literally couldn't put it down. I truly didn't expect the Stark Conspiracy to take the turn it did and it frightened me reading about the ecological destruction that seems inevitable if the facts Elton cited are true. I find myself in the position of many of the characters, just feeling helpless and hoping that "they" will find a way to fix it. I knew Elton was funny from watching Young Ones and Blackadder but I didn't expect such strong sense of storytelling and a bleak outlook from him. He creates many fine characterizations; most memorable are the burnt out Vietnam vet Zimmerman, his hippie buddy Walter (you'll recognize shades of Neil from the Young Ones in this guy), the uber-sarcastic Mrs. Culboon, rich car-phone fanatic Aristos Tyron, the exceedingly evil Professor Durf, and especially Stark Conspirator Sly Moorcock, who becomes the novel's most tragic figure. "Stark" also has a couple of strong heroines in Rachel and Chrissie. Now if Elton had just done something about that CD...
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback
I've read a few of Eltons books now and consider this one probably the best. The plot is about a global conspiracy by the rich as they destroy the earth due to their un-enivronmentally friendly policies and a group of people who attempt to stop them.
It's fairly fast paced stuff and funny enough in places. All of the characters are fun, though several of them are heavy handed stereotypes though this is not really supposed to be a serious book so it fits nicely enough.
The only real weakness is Eltons determination to get his point over about how much damage is being done to the environment. He continually makes asides which whilst being interesting enough and I'm sure accurate and relevant, they somehow break the flow of the book and I think the point could have been made a lot more effectively.
Still a good book with some nice twists and turns.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Loved it
I loved this book. It's funny and gripping enough to keep you utterly absorbed but deep and intellectual at the same time to give this impression of an enormous story despite being... Read more
Published 5 months ago by Dr. E. Bruce-lomba
stark
bought this as an ebook, fantastic easy reading, humorous with a serious and obvious message, this book should be put into the school reading programme, may encourage kids to... Read more
Published 6 months ago by mac
Titter ye not, but interesting nonetheless
I read this when it was first released. A good premise that perhaps without the jokey overtones could've been a modern classic. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Andrew Ives
what is the point of this book?
Ben Elton apparently started doing stand up in order to get his scripts into the open - he was a writer first rather than a showman, You wouldnt have thought so from this effort. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Captain Kirk
Timeless Classic
Like many people, I'd heard of this before, but hadn't read it until now. It's easy to see why it was such a blockbuster! Read more
Published 20 months ago by Mr. A. Cains
Good fun debut
I enjoyed Stark.
Yes, it's not perfect - it's too long, does tend to tell rather than show, and Ben Elton does have a habit of going off at a tangent to rant at... Read more
Yes, it's not perfect - it's too long, does tend to tell rather than show, and Ben Elton does have a habit of going off at a tangent to rant at... Read more
Published on 14 May 2010 by EddieMan
Way preachier than I could handle
I like Ben Elton, and I like eco-thrillers, and I like loopy writing, so why didn't I like this?
Well, I love the barely-concealed anger of a Carl Hiaasen or a Neal... Read more
Well, I love the barely-concealed anger of a Carl Hiaasen or a Neal... Read more
Published on 7 Jan 2010 by S. J. Rapaport
Ideal flight material
I read this book on the strong recommendation of a relative, and despite my deep reluctance due to Ben Elton being immensely dislikeable and my best efforts to not enjoy it to... Read more
Published on 16 Aug 2007 by Cheeky Monkey
Promising but falls short of expectations
It is apparent from Elton's first novel, Stark, that he has tremendous ability as a word crafter and imagineer (I made that word up - it means "one who can conjure an interesting... Read more
Published on 26 Mar 2007 by Jay
SATIRE SLAPSTICK AND DOOMSDAY
Ben Elton is probably best known as scriptwriter for the Blackadder series, and that will give you a fair idea of both his talent and his way of thinking. Read more
Published on 14 July 2005 by DAVID BRYSON
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