Definitely a different book I have read.

It is written in the third person, which offers a distinct reading experience.

It took me a while to anticipate the ending, and when it came, it wasn't what I had imagined at all.

I would classify it as a psychological thriller, with elements of dark comedy in certain parts.

The book contains some violence, so it may not be suitable for everyone, especially those who don't like such content.

This is the first book I have read by this author, and it is his second novel. I was quite intrigued by the unique writing style and the unexpected twists and turns in the plot. It kept me engaged from beginning to end, and I found myself constantly trying to figure out what would happen next. Overall, it was a memorable read that I would recommend to others who enjoy psychological thrillers and dark comedies.

This story began with great strength and immediately pulled me in with all the excitement that is inherent in a good Scottish murder mystery. The initial setup was captivating, filled with anticipation and a sense of mystery that kept me on the edge of my seat.

However, in the middle, I got a bit lost. But this was entirely my own fault as I didn't read it quickly enough and thus lost the momentum that had been building. The story seemed to meander a bit during this phase, and I found myself having to work harder to stay engaged.

Thankfully, the ending more than made up for the mid-section lull. It drew me in once again and presented a plethora of interesting points. It delved into the themes of capitalism, highlighting its often complex and sometimes morally ambiguous nature. The concept of accountability was also explored, making the reader question who is truly responsible for the events that unfold. And as the title subtly suggests, there is a strong undercurrent of complicity running throughout the story, adding an extra layer of depth and intrigue. Overall, it was a thought-provoking and engaging read.

Cameron Colley is a substance-abusing, sex-obsessed, left-leaning journalist who doesn't shy away from calling out the Tories as the capitalist scum they are. He sees himself as a Gonzo journalist, and an anonymous source has given him a tip about a series of murders that occurred a few years ago and are linked to an Iranian arms deal. At the same time, another series of gruesome murders is happening, and Cameron is unaware that he is at the center of them.

One of my new favorites, for sure, "Complicity" by Ian Banks is a crime thriller that really got to me. I had no idea who the culprit was until it was revealed. It has an intense energy, driven by S&M and speed. It is both graphically sexual and graphically violent, so I wouldn't recommend it if you have a weak constitution. But if you're like me, it will greatly satisfy your justice-based schadenfreude and also be highly arousing.

"Complicity" is not just a collection of sex and violence, though. It is a powerful commentary on modern society, its politics, greed, and morals (or lack thereof). As the quote goes, "The point is, there is no feasible excuse for what are, for what we have made of ourselves. We have chosen to put profits before people, money before morality, dividends before decency, fanaticism before fairness, and our own trivial comforts before the unspeakable agonies of others." This novel makes us think about the choices we make and the consequences they have.

No, it is definitely not my book, and I prefer to read such a genre.

From the very beginning, I was "pleasantly" surprised that the chapters about the murderer are written in the second person singular, and you constantly have the feeling that you cannot immerse yourself in the story because you are telling it to yourself.

Then comes the turn of the journalist, who explains to us more about how he takes the next dose or smokes the next cigarette with a narcotic, or gets drunk with alcohol, instead of having some development of the story.

The only good thing here is the cover! Yes, such a cover can sell any fullness! I am completely disappointed.

Overall, this book fails to engage me. The writing style of the murderer's chapters is rather unusual and makes it difficult for me to truly connect with the story. And the journalist's part seems to focus more on his vices rather than advancing the plot. The cover may be eye-catching, but it doesn't make up for the shortcomings of the content inside. I had high hopes for this book, but unfortunately, it didn't meet my expectations.

Ian Banks is surely one of the authorities who know the secret recipe for writing a successful thriller. Written nearly 30 years ago, his 1993 novel "Complicity" can be regarded as exemplary in the genre of how to capture and maintain the reader's attention. "Complicity" is part of the catalogue of the publisher "Butterfly", translated by Venciслав Venkov.

The novel begins with a terrifying crime, and the intrigue is skillfully woven even in the first few lines. The main role in the book is entrusted to the Scottish journalist Cameron Colley, who is not the typical glamorous representative of the guild. On the contrary, Colley is one of the bad boys in the business - he drinks, gambles, has a street vocabulary, plays video games all night, has indiscriminate sex, but perhaps precisely because of this, he deals with the investigation of extremely difficult and serious crimes and frauds.
Cameron's life takes an unexpected turn when an anonymous gentleman, posing as Mr. Archer, starts contacting him on his work phone and, lie by lie, provides him with intriguing information about a grand scam. And when Cameron thinks he is about to make the biggest revelation of his journalistic career, he himself turns out to be suspected of several crimes due to the lack of an alibi. It turns out that all the criminals exposed by Cameron have been mysteriously killed, and the evidence collected by the police investigation leads the criminologists right to him. Is it possible that the one who seeks the truth is the one who dispenses justice with a pistol in his hand?
What is the common thread between these crimes, Cameron and his "mentor" - Mr. Archer? The search for the answers to these questions will draw you into the underworld of the journalist's life and his weaknesses. You will discover that he is surely not a bad person, despite the first impressions.
"Complicity" is an unpredictable thriller, and Banks is excellent at creating heroes and complex situations. The book is a well-balanced mixture of humor, horror, violence, crime, and impressive sexual scenes, which create an incredibly vivid story and a complex plot. The development of literature and its genres surely implies that very soon there will be a subsection of Classic Thrillers, otherwise considered boulevard and transitional books, in which "Complicity" should also fall.
Ian Banks (1954 - 2013) is a Scottish author of science fiction and mainstream novels. His works have been awarded dozens of awards, including the "Locus", "Hugo", "Arthur C. Clarke", "John W. Campbell", "British Fantasy" awards, and the award of the British Science Fiction Association. The "Times" places him among the 50 greatest British writers born after 1945.

Sex and violence, according to Manny. An inferior anti-Thatcherite fantasy, claims Paul.

And I say…

It is about hopes and disappointments, unrequited love, bravery and cowardice. Technically, it’s a quintessentially modern English novel. There are two stories running simultaneously. Neither is told chronologically – heaven forbid we should start at the beginning and end at the end, too old-fashioned. We do indeed have exposed sex, unexpurgated violence, and a Thatcherite setting. But in addition to this:

‘…because I had a quick, quiet wank earlier – don’t come too quickly’

we also have this:

Summer in Strathspeld: the first really hot day that year, the air warm and thick with the coconut smell of gorse – swathed richly yellow on the hills – and the sweet sharpness of pine resin, lying droplet on the rough trunks in thick translucent bubbles. Insects buzzed and butterflies filled the glades with silent flashes of colour; in the fields the corncrake stooped and zoomed, its strange, percussive call stuttering through the scent-laden air.

Lovely prose.

We have Cameron, our doomed hero, who freezes whenever he shouldn’t, runs when he should stand and fight. Cameron dreams every night of what he sees as his failings, yet, horrific as they are, he doesn’t face the one that hurts him the most. The one where he finally gets sent to the Middle East to be a real reporter and yet again he freezes. He is completely unable to tell his readers what he sees.

Ah. But he does tell us, not knowing we are there, I suppose.

Oh God help me here on the island of the dead with the crise of the tormented, here with the angel of death and the acrid stench of excrement and carrion taking me back in the darkness and the pale fawn light to the place I never wanted to go back to, the man-made earthly black hell and the human scrapyard kilometres long. Here down amongst the dead men, midst-ways with the torn-souled and the wild, inhuman screams; here with the ferryman, the boatman, my eyes covered and my brains scrambled, here with this prince of death, this prophet of reprisal, this jealous, vengeful, unforgiving son of our bastard commonwealth of greed; help me help me help me…

…

I can hear the dead men, hear their flayed souls, wailing on the wind to no ear save mine and no understanding at all. The view behind my eyelids goes from pink to red and then purple into black, and is suffused with a rumblin shift into a terrible, tearing roaring noise, shaking the ground, filling the air, pounding my bones, dark going dark, black stinking hell o mum o dad o no no please don’t take me back there

*

And I’m there, in the one place I’ve hidden from myself’ not that cold day by the hole in the ice or the other day in the sunlit woods near the hole in the hill – days deniable because I was then not yet the me I have become – but just eighteen months ago; the time of my failure and my simple, shaming incapacity to reap and work the obvious power of what I was observing; the place that exposed my incompetence, my hopeless inability to witness.

But this is not what he writes. He files stories about war is hell and peace too if you are female in this part of the world. He smokes good dope. He goes home. And this is the failure that haunts him so much he can’t even dream of it.

Rollicking good yarn of sex and violence, a small political education for those who don’t know Thatcherite England; but also this other thing, a story of a little boy who happens to have forced upon him by circumstance terrible decisions to make, decisions adults shouldn’t have to make, let alone children, and what it does to his life. The violence and sex really don’t matter, you can skip them and you are left with the guts of a moving tale about complicity and its impact on our hero.

I have to say, it took me as long to read the first five pages as the rest of the book put together. I trapped myself on a plane trip to see my mother, and it was either the other 307 pages or the airplane what to do in an emergency card. I’m very pleased to report Complicity won.

Iain Banks writes in a way that makes me wish I were able to achieve such literary heights.

His works have a unique charm that keeps me completely engrossed. I never find myself forgetting the characters or the events that took place within the pages of his books.

This is because when I'm reading his stories, I feel as if I'm truly within them. It's as if I'm a part of the world he has created, experiencing everything along with the characters.

The vivid descriptions and the complex plotlines draw me in and hold my attention from beginning to end. Iain Banks has a remarkable talent for making his readers feel emotions and become invested in the story.

His writing is a true art form, and I'm constantly in awe of his ability to transport me to different worlds and make me believe in the impossible.

I can't wait to explore more of his works and continue to be amazed by his storytelling skills.

“... but I look at them and feel a terrible sense of loss. It's as if a part of my soul has been ripped away. Because I think I've surrendered all this - the ordinariness of life. That simple, yet precious aspect that allows us to just be a part of it and take part in it. The everyday routines, the small conversations, the shared smiles. All of these things that once seemed so insignificant now seem like treasures that I've carelessly thrown away. I long for the days when I could wake up without a heavy heart, when I could go about my day without constantly feeling like I'm missing out on something. But now, as I look at those around me, living their ordinary lives, I can't help but feel a profound sense of regret and longing.”

Complicity is a captivating and disturbing novel that delves into the dark side of human nature. Cameron Colley, a flawed reporter, finds himself embroiled in a high-stakes case that hits closer to home than he could have imagined. Despite his own personal vices, the torture he endures is far greater than his crimes.

The author, Banks, approaches the story with unfiltered honesty, printing even the most horrific and frowned-upon vices. Some may find this vulgar, but it gives the book a refreshing sense of authenticity. While I couldn't relate to any of the characters, I still felt a great deal of sympathy for Colley in the latter half of the book.

The style of writing in Complicity is unique, with most of the book written in the first person and some chapters in the second person, making the horrors seem uncomfortably close. It took me a while to get used to this style, but once I did, it both disturbed and motivated me to read on. However, the middle section of the book had a substantial jump and was filled with past recollections that seemed inconsistent with the opening chapters.

Overall, Complicity presents a terrifying vision of human savagery. Banks toys with the reader, pushing them to the edge of comfort and beyond, making the conclusion all the more striking. While it may not be an enjoyable read, it is a story worth exploring for any reader looking for something truly unique.

A drugged-out, adulterous journalist is hot on the trail of a possible conspiracy regarding the suspicious deaths of several men associated with the nuclear industry. He is being clandestinely fed information by an anonymous source, which only adds to the mystery and intrigue. Meanwhile, there is a serial killer lurking in the shadows, his motives remaining completely unclear and seemingly having no connection whatsoever to the journalist.

This is a book that is extremely well-written and highly involving. The plot twists and turns, keeping the reader on the edge of their seat from start to finish. However, despite its many strengths, I might have been inclined to give it 4 stars, were it not for the unrelenting, nihilistic brutality that pervades the story. The violence and darkness can be overwhelming at times, almost numbing the reader to the point where it becomes difficult to fully engage with the narrative.

Nonetheless, it is a testament to the author's skill that they are able to create such a vivid and disturbing world, even if it is not always an easy one to inhabit.

Al Gore is a figure who combines several characteristics. He is often seen as a bit grim, perhaps due to the serious nature of the issues he has dedicated himself to, such as climate change. However, beneath that exterior lies a sharp wit.

Gore's grim determination is evident in his tireless efforts to raise awareness about the environmental challenges facing our planet. He has traveled the world, giving speeches and presenting his documentary "An Inconvenient Truth" to audiences far and wide. His passion for the cause is palpable, and it has inspired many people to take action.

But Gore also has a lighter side. He is known for his dry sense of humor and his ability to make a clever quip or two. This wit has endeared him to many, and it has helped to humanize him in the eyes of the public.

In conclusion, Al Gore is a complex and multifaceted individual. His grim determination and sharp wit make him a unique and influential figure in the world today. Whether he is speaking about the urgent need to address climate change or cracking a joke, Gore always manages to capture our attention.

Wow. This book truly captivated me and held my attention in its pages throughout the second half with a grip tighter than any book has in a long while. The description of "well-crafted" seems far too banal for what Banks has accomplished here.

**** MINOR SPOILERS ****

The book seizes you right from the start with the commission of a heinous crime. Then, just a few pages later, it introduces you to the protagonist, Cameron Colley: a smoking, snorting, drinking liberal Scottish newspaperman. And only a few more pages in, you meet Mr. Archer on the other end of the phone - the contact Cameron hopes will lead him to a Watergate-sized scoop.

As the first half of the book progresses, (surprisingly quickly as the pages pass by faster than you realize), we mostly follow present-day Cameron - at work, playing video games, out for a drink, taking direction from Mr. Archer. Occasionally, we visit Cameron's past, his young adulthood, childhood, and adolescence, as Cameron himself reflects back either consciously or in dreams. And occasionally, we witness the commission of another horrific crime.

Who is committing these crimes, narrated in the second person? What do they have to do with Cameron? What do they have to do with Mr. Archer? These questions keep you engaged, even if you're not sure you like Cameron or his lifestyle, although he's certainly not a bad guy. The pace is fairly brisk, and although you're hooked on the story even though you don't yet know why, it hasn't reached the point where you can't put it down.

Then Cameron is questioned by the police and eventually arrested for one or more of the horrific crimes he often didn't realize had occurred as he appears in the wrong place at the wrong time. And even though you might not like Cameron that much, you don't think he should be held for days and interrogated. But what can he do? He's apparently been in the wrong place at the wrong time on many occasions, and it must be him, right? After all, the victims are all people he named in a liberal article about the misuse of power.

At this point, it becomes extremely difficult to put this book down, and the suspense just builds and builds. The author's choices of switching from one point of view to another, and from present to past and back again are masterful - drawing you in bit by bit to a climax you can sense but can't predict. And even when you think you know some of what's coming, it unfolds brilliantly, turning into one of - perhaps the best - thrillers I've ever read. The use of the second person for the serial nut-job and the first person for Cameron finally makes perfect sense and is incredibly effective. The seemingly long descriptions of Cameron's favorite computer game, Despot, fit into the story like a puzzle piece in the end, as it becomes a fitting metaphor for the real world background setting. A thriller, a work of art, and a foray into human conscience, responsibility, and friendship all at once, this is truly an unexpected experience. It's so good that it makes me sad that you can only read a book for the first time once.