The Book of Dave

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This fast-paced novel from one of the rising stars of the Austrian literary scene confronts the social, philosophical and moral implications of artificial intelligence (AI). The Book of Dave can be considered to be a parody of modern religion especially with regard to blind faith.

The central spine of the story is that Dave Rudman – a London cabbie in the midst of marital, personal and nervous breakdown – committed an inchoate polemic to indelible metal-paged print. And that language has normal words: Words like “drivers” then “motos”, “toyist”, “queers”, “screen”, “MadeinChina”, “lawyer”, “lettuce”, “intercom”, “irony”, “fare”, “flying”. Although the story alternates its episodes in each timeline, neither the near contemporary nor the future set story follows a strictly linear chronology.The first thing to say about any Will Self book is that, love him or hate him, you can’t help but be impressed by the quality of his writing. Five hundred years later, the Book of Dave is discovered by the inhabitants on the island of Ham, where it becomes a sacred text of biblical proportion, and its author is revered as a mighty prophet.

Will Self is the author of nine novels including Cock and Bull; My Idea of Fun; Great Apes; How the Dead Live; Dorian, an Imitation; The Book of Dave; The Butt; Walking to Hollywood and Umbrella, which was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize. The chapters about Dave were very good, but the futuristic narrative, while funny for a chapter or two, was a slog, especially with the ridiculous Mockni dialogue. He later regrets this embittered rant but nevertheless, hundreds of years later after a natural disaster has destroyed Britain, his book is found and used as a basis to rebuild society. In this examination of fatherhood and other themes, Self pursues twin timelines separated by a couple of millennia of history and apocalyptic climate change trauma, but connected by the eponymous Book of Dave.There is the usual wit and intelligence as I'd expect of Will Self, lots of observation and wonderful turns of phrase. Here's half a plot with spoilers: London cab driver's personal life falls apart (he breaks up with his wife and is prevented from seeing his son).

Dave regrets the content of his book, and attempts to dig it up from the Hampstead garden, but fails. Nevertheless, it required entirely too much of the little energy I have the end of the day, when I have time to read, to expend upon this book. As always, don't take BookBrowse's word for it, instead read a substantial excerpt (exclusive to BookBrowse) representing both the present and future storylines, and decide for yourself whether it's a book for you.Whether or not a cabbie's life played out exactly like this, each part happened to someone- that's tragic. However, much of the future world’s nomenclature is derived from aspects of the cabbing experience that are entertaining if a little taxing (pun fully intended) on the reader, so much so that the book includes a glossary with helpful translations. Then global warming causes the seas to rise, and London and all the other low lying areas of the Earth are flooded.

No missing or damaged pages, no creases or tears, no underlining or highlighting of text, and no writing in the margins. Despite discovering that Carl is actually Cal's son, Dave slowly recovers his sanity and, during a stay in hospital, forms a relationship with Phyllis Vance, the mother of Steve, another patient. In my mind’s eye they resemble a cross between a pig, a person and a duck, with a fondness for wallowing in mud and swimming. Laura is of course a big bestseller in the US, and I am very much looking forward to bringing her books to countless more readers in the UK and beyond.The future portions of the novel are set from 523 AD (dating from the purported discovery of the book). Self channels what were then (early 2000s) contemporary issues such as Fathers for Justice and the Iraq war in his present story in a creative and imaginative tale that plays with language and ideas.