I really enjoyed this story being set in London.

Every few pages, I found myself excitedly pointing out, "OMGG I KNOW WHERE THAT IS! I GET THE REFERENCE!!" It was such a validating experience.

However, I have to admit that the ending let me down a bit. I was hoping for more from the TV show storyline.

But on the bright side, I really liked the main character. He was a smartass dickhead, which for some reason, really appealed to me.

Overall, despite the disappointment with the ending, I still had a great time reading this and would recommend it to others who enjoy stories set in London and characters with a bit of an edge.

I'm looking forward to seeing what else the author has in store for us.

I think this is my least favourite Banks so far.

To be honest, from time to time, you might indeed stumble upon some interesting ideas within its pages. However, the frustrating part is that almost all of these ideas remain completely undeveloped.

They just seem to be hanging there in a state of weightlessness, as if floating aimlessly.

Moreover, they are completely unrelated to anything else in the text, creating a disjointed and rather unsatisfactory reading experience.

To sum up, I really missed the mark with Banks in this one.

It fails to live up to the expectations that one might have had, leaving the reader feeling somewhat disappointed and longing for more substantial and well-developed content.

Perhaps in the future, Banks will manage to improve and deliver a more engaging and fulfilling work.

But for now, this particular offering leaves a lot to be desired.

The plot of "Dead Air" by Iain Banks is quite straightforward. We follow Kenneth (or Ken Nott), a radio DJ at a moderately popular radio station shortly after September 11, 2001. Surprisingly, or perhaps not as I'm still not entirely sure, Ken seems quite unaffected by the whole terrorist attack.

The story begins with Ken and some friends at a party, a moving-away gathering for some of their posh friends. In a state of being high on drugs and alcohol, Ken decides it would be a good idea to throw fruit from the balcony onto the carpark below, enjoying the sight of the fruit splattering. Eventually, their game escalates to throwing televisions, beanbags, and all sorts of other junk over the edge.

That's when they start noticing something on the television - a plane crashing into a tower, and then another one.

From there, things just keep getting more and more interesting. Ken witnesses a traffic accident, gets involved with a crime boss, appears on national television, does something completely outrageous to a holocaust-denier, gets kidnapped, nearly gets killed, but ultimately lives happily ever after. All of these plot points are skillfully interwoven in a style that is exactly what you would expect from Banks.

There are several reasons why this book might be worth reading. Firstly, it's a cozy read. It's probably one of the lightest-hearted things I've ever read by Banks, lacking the unspeakable horrors of "The Wasp Factory" or the insane twists in the plot. Instead, it offers a healthy dose of nice, clean fun.

Secondly, Ken Nott is a very witty character with some incredibly sharp comebacks. His rants and ideas about life are reasonably politically correct, yet also quite thought-provoking. The book is about people, both in their private lives and in the workplace, and it's mostly presented in a funny way that is also very believable in many aspects. The suspension of disbelief is kept to a minimum.

As a reader, you also get a good insight into the world of radio journalism and DJing. Based on my own limited experiences in the field, it seems fairly accurate.

The book reads very much like a film, with detailed descriptions in all the areas where you would expect a film to be detailed. You can easily imagine Brad Pitt or one of the other big stars delivering the snappy conversations. In addition, I found myself skipping paragraphs just to get to the point faster, as some of the sections are incredibly exciting and border on being a thriller.

I read the first fifty pages of this book in about a week, but then I plowed through the rest of it (a total of 400-odd pages) in less than two days, effectively leaving me without sleep for three nights in a row.

I really like this book. A lot. It may lack that unexpected Banks twist, but because of his sheer storytelling power, it doesn't really matter.

While it may not add anything significant to the literary world in terms of philosophical or literary value, it's still a book worth checking out if you want to kill a few hours on a journey, whether by train, bus, or even on a plane (if you can handle the occasional references to terrorist threats). Or just in your favorite comfy chair as you journey through life.

Dead Air is a captivating black comedy that centers around Ken Nott, a shock jock based in London. His love life is a complex web of emotions and relationships. Ken is known for his strong opinions, which he freely expresses on his radio show.

I found Dead Air to be an engaging read. The character of Ken Nott, although not particularly likable, is highly entertaining. His antics and outspoken nature add a unique charm to the story.

The novel begins at a somewhat leisurely pace, but as it progresses, the plot thickens and the ending becomes truly exciting. It had me turning the pages eagerly, eager to find out what would happen next.

Overall, Dead Air is a great choice for those who enjoy black comedies with a touch of drama and a memorable protagonist. It offers a unique perspective on the world of radio and the people who inhabit it.

This is one of Banks' literary novels.

It delves into the life of a radio DJ, a shock jock who has a penchant for speaking his unfiltered mind and insulting people.

Beyond his on-air persona, there is his private life, which is a rather complicated jumble of romances and friendships.

Overall, my impression of the book was somewhat mediocre. It had a strong start that initially piqued my interest. However, the middle part felt a bit dull and dragged on.

To make matters worse, the story was wrapped up with a quite moronic and unrealistic twist that left me disappointed.

For my personal taste, the entire narrative was a bit too bland. The various story threads seemed too unconnected, lacking a cohesive element to tie them all together.

It was a bit of a miss from this otherwise great writer, failing to live up to the high expectations I had.

This book contains a plot that could easily sustain a short story. In fact, it's a really excellent short story, yet that's all it is. The remainder is classic Banksian filler: engaging banter, reflections on 9/11 and the growth of global surveillance, as well as being Scottish (naturally), some seemingly character-developing anecdotes, and a convoluted subplot. It's all highly entertaining, given that it's still Banks. However, you can't help but feel that the various elements on show don't truly blend well together and that you've witnessed it all before.

And of course, you have if you've read Complicity, which remains the finest introduction to non-sci-fi Banks. It offers a more cohesive and impactful narrative compared to this particular work. While this book has its moments of charm and wit, it lacks the depth and unity that made Complicity such a standout. Overall, it's an enjoyable read, but it doesn't quite reach the heights of Banks' other non-sci-fi offerings.

Why did I keep getting books filled with crappy, pretentious white angst from the 1001 list?

It's truly a mystery and a source of frustration. I expected to discover a wealth of diverse and engaging literary works on that list. However, time and time again, I found myself confronted with these books that seemed to be nothing more than a display of self-indulgent whining and a rather one-sided view of the world.

One would think that a list as renowned as the 1001 books would offer a more comprehensive and representative selection. But it appears that there is an overabundance of this particular type of literature. It makes me question the criteria used for inclusion and whether there is a need for a more critical evaluation to ensure a greater variety of voices and perspectives are represented.

I hope that in the future, the 1001 list can be updated and refined to better reflect the true richness and complexity of the literary world, rather than being dominated by this tiresome and unappealing genre of white angst.

I finished it because it was a gift, otherwise it would have been a DNF like a house.

My impression of the two books I have read by this author has been the same: What is this about? And who cares?

To expand on this, I must say that the story in this book seemed rather disjointed. There were so many elements that didn't seem to connect or make much sense. It was as if the author was trying to cram in too many ideas without properly developing them.

The characters also lacked depth. I found it difficult to really care about what happened to them because they didn't feel real or relatable.

Overall, I was quite disappointed with this book. While it may have had some redeeming qualities, they were overshadowed by the many flaws. I'm not sure if I would recommend this author to others based on my experience with these two books.

I randomly select the books I read (I have a random picker on my phone). However, I prefer to read books that are related to my current location in the world (if I'm in Italy, I like Italian authors or books on Italian history) or the time of year, and so on. Therefore, I was pleasantly surprised when my random book generator chose 'Dead Air'. It was September 10th, 2021, a day before the 20th anniversary of 9/11, and the blurb on the back mentioned the 9/11 attacks. So, I delved into the book.

I have read several Iain Banks novels and find that he has a large number of one-off characters. This book is no different. Also, I find that many of his books are overly long. Now, 'Dead Air' is just over 400 pages, not unusually long, but I felt that he stretched the storyline to the breaking point. This novel could and should have been written in 220 pages, and it probably would have been a masterpiece. But at nearly double that length, I just found it dragged on until the last 100 or so pages, which flew by, and I read them in one sitting.

The novel centers on a'shock jock' named Ken Nott. He is a drug-taking, womanizing wreck of a man. He meets and falls for Celia, who is married to Gangster John Merrial. They have an affair, and there are long, drawn-out passages about their affair. Later, he accidentally leaves a message on her home answer phone instead of her mobile. He panics and calls her, and she tells him where the spare key to the house is and the alarm code so he can get in and wipe the answer phone messages. But beware, her husband is probably on his way home. He gets into the house (conveniently parking his Land Rover at the side of the house) but dithers around (going to the toilet, looking around the house, listening for police cars). He eventually wipes the messages, but shockingly, the husband comes home. Conveniently, he parks his Bentley outside his house and not in his garage, where he would have seen Ken's Land Rover. Ken hides in a cupboard before the husband has a shower, and then he makes his escape. (The husband thinks someone is in the house because the alarm is not on. He checks every room but fails to properly check the cupboard. The guy is a gangster; he would get a torch and check every cupboard.) As Ken is about to leave, he has to hide in the cloakroom as the Gangster's bodyguard walks in. But again, even though the bodyguard hangs his coat up, he fails to spot the man hiding. Ken thinks he has got away scot-free, but John Merrial has covert CCTV, and so the game is up. Ken is kidnapped, taken to an underground bunker, where he literally shits himself before being beaten up in front of Celia. As things turn out, John and Celia argue. John accuses Celia of having an affair with Ken, Celia denies it and calls John's bluff, and they decide to get divorced anyway. Ken and Celia move off happily into the distance.

I have read that the book is supposed to be a satire based on the noughties culture, and you have all the reference points in there, such as Encarta, Motorola flip phones, 9/11, BT 1471 (there are many more). But it just comes across as dated. There are no likeable characters, and the first 300 pages deal with dead ends, such as a car accident where a guy is using a phone witnessed by Ken and his best friend's daughter, which ends up with Ken being kidnapped before escaping, all so the guy can escape a driving ban (this is later cleared up by a guy offering Ken money to forget everything he has seen. When Ken refuses, the matter is just dropped). Then there's the incident where Ken has been invited to debate a Holocaust denier on TV, but instead, he cuts the microphone cable and jumps over the table and attacks the guy (it's a ruse to make a stupid point). You were attacked, it was recorded on camera, and many people witnessed it, but I just deny it happened. This is to make the point that the Holocaust denier is doing the same thing about the Holocaust (conveniently, the denier drops the charges just before court, so Ken doesn't get sent down for perjury). Banks hints that Ken may have a gun in his pocket (it's a pair of pliers for cutting the mic leads).

In summary, (I'm rambling on like Banks and using just as many brackets) it's not the worst book I've read, but it's not the best either. If you want a book to remind you of the early noughties culture, it may bring a smile to your face and a tear to your eye, but like noughties culture, it is disposable, and it certainly won't stick in your memory for very long.

Many people seem to have a strong aversion to this book, and the reasons for this remain somewhat unclear to me. Personally, I truly liked it.

The main character, a British shock jock, may be a bit of an asshole, but he is an extremely entertaining one. I didn't find it overly difficult to accept him as he is and simply proceed to enjoy the story.

Regarding all the indignation that a supremely beautiful woman would fall for this horrible person, well, in an ideal world, perhaps that wouldn't occur. However, one only needs to open a gossip magazine to see that such things happen all the time. For instance, to pick the first example that comes to my mind, there's Penélope Cruz and Tom Cruise. My point is made.

The reason I suddenly thought of Dead Air was the current uproar over the Holocaust-denier bishop. There's a remarkable scene in the book that is completely relevant.

The hero, for reasons that his friends initially can't fathom, has agreed to take part in a TV talk program where he will debate a well-known Holocaust-denier. They are still at the stage of saying hello and asking how are you when he suddenly leaps over the table and punches the guy in the face.

"Why did you DO that?" asks the Holocaust-denier, in shock, as he checks if his nose is broken.

And the hero replies, "Do what?"

Not to speak ill of the dead (please don't haunt me, Iain!), but I truly despise Iain Bank's dialogue!

I can't quite figure out (this being only my second Banks novel) if it's supposed to be flimsy and unconvincing in some postmodern ironic manner, as if the entire book is a farce, the characters are a farce, and society itself is a farce = ART! Maybe?

I just can't get past the feeling that for a book so reliant on dialogue, it doesn't seem to incorporate any natural prosody, and the conversations come across as the cocaine-fueled rants of the writer, with characters attached as a means so he could label it a book and put it on the market?

And I loathe his characters. The only individuals I really liked in this book were perhaps Craig and Ed. I didn't believe in Ken Nott at all, and by the end, I was really rooting for the villains.

However, I will concede that the last 100 pages or so improved in terms of plot and readability - as inferred from my own decreasing level of teeth clenching as the novel progressed.

Hoping Banks doesn't have too many more books on the list - perhaps I'll push them to the bottom of the list and hope I fall into a vat of chocolate and drown before I have to pick them up. A girl can dream, right?

A book that is truly a delight to read, filled with a cast of great, yet obnoxious characters. They don't really seem to be doing much in a traditional sense, but their antics and interactions are thoroughly entertaining.

The writing in this book is smooth and flawless, flowing effortlessly from one page to the next. The characters are well formed, each with their own unique personalities and flaws, yet they are not particularly appealing. And yet, there is something about them that keeps you engaged and interested.

The softy in me absolutely loved the unexpected ending. It was a twist that I did not see coming, and it left me with a sense of satisfaction and wonder. I should probably mention the politics in the book, but since they happen to match my own views, it almost doesn't count.

Overall, this is a book that I would highly recommend to anyone looking for a fun, engaging read. It's not a deep or profound work of literature, but it doesn't need to be. It's simply a great story with great characters that will keep you entertained from start to finish.