Only Forward (Paperback)

And this is more than that. This is in my mind one of the most understated and important novels of the last 15 years.

I also hate the usual cliches reviewers use when discussing a great book; "unputdownable" and " a real page turner" spring to mind. Yet this is a book where these cliches totally apply. As others have said, I lost sleep and missed a whole day of college to read this book. It was simply that fantastic, and I've never before or since been so entralled and captivated by a book.

Stark is a fantastic character and MMS is a master of the first person narrative. This book is also intensely funny, (you will laugh out loud), violent, beautiful, revalational, upsetting, and truely horrific. The ideas presented are phenomenal - mind boggolingly brilliant.

To describe this as Sci-fi is completely missing the point. The book is a hybrid of genres carefully woven into one another, encompassing, to name a few, elements of the Gothic, fantastical, satiric and horror traditions.

The writing is superb. Any criticism of clumsiness is misfounded. If it is ever clumsy, it is intentional to portraying Stark's human character. Re-read this and you will realise the writing is carefully crafted and beautifully sublime.

Plus, all the appliances talk! In one of the early chapters an elevator is said to be being treated by a "SWAT team of hydrolic psychotherapists" for "insinuating damaging things about the sexual proclivities of the building's interior designers..."!!

Absolute genius.

All I have to say is read this book. It will honestly immerse and affect you like no book has before!

The main character, Stark, is a wonder of creation. For once, here is a hero we can believe, a man with faults and a past, a man who will admit that he is not perfect, but has this amazing quality about him: you actually want to meet him! Smith has done such a great job of creating his characters that you honestly can associate with Stark and all the other gritty, realistic and beautiful little freaks that haunt his world.

If you need your sleep, DO NOT GET THIS BOOK. Because i assure you, if you start the book, you will not put it down and if you have to put it down you'll be thinking of ways to get back to it. It really is just that good.

I'd like to go into the plot in more depth but unfortunately it would be unfair. Too much to give away, too many secrets that i'm sure Stark would rather tell you yourself. Buy the book, get to know Stark and have fun. Then read it a second time and fall in love all over again.

And if you're wondering, yes the other books are just as good. Michael Marshall Smith is one of the best authors we have today. A gifted, imaginative and above all, entertaining writer who will surely bring mush happiness and many sleepless nights to many more people. All i can say is, roll on 'Straw Men'!!