High Society (Hardcover)

Writing with a passion and fervour that he hasn’t evidenced in a long time, Elton patiently sets out his argument, using a multitude of characters, and a wonderfully flowing style, without traditional chapters. The main story deals with a government back-bencher’s attempts to get his private member’s bill introduced - a bill to legalise drugs. It gives Elton a marvellous backdrop onto which to paint his story, a story in which everyone takes drugs, the media are nothing but a pack of ravenous jackals and the general public is only interested in sound bytes and celebrities. A story which deals with prostitution, corrupt police and gangsters.

There’s a danger that a story this complex could run away from an author, but Elton is to suave for that, letting many of the stories unfold in the character’s own words. It’s a wonderfully fluent piece of work, with characters that, although obvious characatures, still elicit strong emotion from the reader. If it seems bleak, it’s because this is a bleak subject, but Elton’s customary humour and satire are there to lighten the load.

There are caveats, of course. The prose does lapse into preachiness at times (a side-effect of the author’s fervour) and, of course, not everyone will agree with the points that he raises.

But even taking that into consideration, this is a wonderfully well thought out and realised book, which feels so “now” you’ll swear it was written last week. It’s a fine return to form for an author who, after such powerful books as “Gridlock” and “This Other Eden” was beginning to look as if he’d gone a little soft. It’s a book that should be compulsory reading for every politician and newspaper editor, not to mention every parent and teacher. Read this first, then read the equally superb “Out of It” by Stuart Walton, a book that more scientifically puts forth the reasons for legalisation.

High Society focusses on the fact that in this day of age, there are no truly lawful people. Either we, or someone we know go about there life breaking all mannor of laws. Not nescecarily big things like drug offenses, it could be as small as not cleaning your dogs poop off the street, or copying a friends CD.

The main issue here though is topical (like all of Eltons books) Previously he satarised Big Brother with Dead Famous, and Quentin Tarantino with Popcorn. Now he turns to the current issue of the legalisation of drugs (and one minister who is a great believer in this)

Without giving too much away, needless to say that once again Elton leaves the reader with a lot to think about. How you do your thinking ultimately will skew your opinion of the book.

The stage is therefore set for a well constructed comedy/drama the outcomes of which are never predictable and which finishes, rather oddly, in a very unlikely love story. There are many pleasingly sharp observations on the political climate and the media in particular which clearly demonstrate that Elton, though no longer the stand-up comic in the sparkly suit, has not lost his talent for witty social observation.

Ben Elton's vision is bleak in many respects and some scenarios do leave a bitter aftertaste. If his aim was to advocate, like Peter Paget, for the legalisation of drugs, I didn't come away entirely convinced in spite of some persuasive arguments. However the book is undeniably a good read and does provide food for thought. Elton's writing style and plotting has certainly improved since the publication of his first novel, and in "High Society" he has created an intelligent, unflinching and probably overdue comment on a critically important issue.