Book Review: The Raw Shark Texts by Steven Hall - Page 2

Hall’s imagination is endless, and his ability to pull together these provocative details and incidents into a coherent whole is remarkable. And his creativity applies as much to the form as to the content of The Raw Shark Texts. The book includes various exhibits, diagrams and typographical innovations, and these quirky elements infuse the novel with a piquant avant-garde flavor.

This is not a conventional thriller, but an experimental novel that builds on many of the devices of speculative fiction. Hall takes chances at every corner, and some of his more daring leaps of imagination will present challenges to the filmmakers who will be inevitably attracted to this story given its movie potential. (Apparently Nicole Kidman was so excited by the story that she tried to convince Hall to make the protagonist a woman so she could play the role.) Yet, The Raw Shark Texts is very much, as the title suggests, a text, and its most potent moments are conceptual and literary. Those looking for a mere roller-coaster ride, or a shockfest in the manner of Stephen King, will be surprised at how much more is involved in this multilayered book.

In short, The Raw Shark Texts is a brilliant debut by a promising author. Every so often, a work of imaginative fiction arrives — such as Gibson’s Neuromancer in 1984 or Stephenson’s Snow Crash in 1992 – that shakes things up and opens up a new universe of possibilities. The Raw Shark Texts is one of these works. Not only will it be widely read. I expect it will be widely imitated.

Article Author: Ted Gioia

Ted Gioia is a writer and musician. He is the author of Delta Blues, The History of Jazz and, most recently, The Birth (and Death) of the Cool.

Visit Ted Gioia's author page — Ted Gioia's Blog