Only Forward (Michael Marshall Smith)

I really enjoyed this - what kept me going was that I wanted to know how he got 'there'.

A book of two halves. Both are enjoyable but the second half (set in "Jeamland" which is a clever idea which could have been executed better) drags slightly. It also has the fantastic inclusion of a cat called Spangle which is what I'd call a cat if I ever owned one.

A brilliant beginning but loses it toward the end. I found the City intriguing and new, but felt the whole dream subplot detracted from the pace.

Michael Marshall Smith is a great writer; pacy, stylish and hip with an excellent turn of phrase. Stark is a great character, for all the same reasons. However, this would have perhaps worked better as two shorts rather than one novel which flips itself around in the middle and turns into something else. The ending was a bit disappointing. That said, it's Stark's world and the story of his journey through it that are the fun parts, not the plot.

MMS's first work intrigued me so much that I went on to read the rest of his backlist, and found it very entertaining. The man certainly can write a masterful short story! I certainly will be joining him for his next book.