If you're a fan of tell don't show - and tell at interminable digressive length - then you may enjoy this book. I found it tedious in the extreme. Larger-than-stereotypical characters, and attempts at Douglas Adams-style humour that consistently fell flat. On the positive side, the story was interesting enough to keep me slogging on. Not enough though that I'd ever pick up another book from this author.

Elton's theme in this story is humanity's blatent disregard for the survival of our planet, and through our pursuit of comfort and convenience, being on a path to creating an artificial and isolated existence. As always though, it is witty and insightful, despite the gloomy subject matter. I think what is most alarming is that this was written nearly 20 years ago, and yet it could have been written last week for it's environmental relevance.

Ben Elton as always delivers interesting dystopian takes on near future earth scenarios that are decently researched. Nice read and is solid at developing realistic characters

Did not enjoy this one as I have the other Elton I've read. Dystopia/satire set in the future, but the story leads in too many directions and above all, none of the characters are alive and you really do not care what happens to them.

I've read other Elton books and liked them but this one was not good. Part of the problem is it's supposed to be satirical and some of the stuff he satirizes, we are so far past at this point. Also, if you're going to write American characters, you need to realize they don't use British slang. Or sentence construction. And the ending is ridiculously pat.

Elton is generally a very funny man, and there's some amusing lines in this novel, but he's trying to satirist everything, all the time, and it gets a little draining to be honest. Not his finest work.

Really cardboard characters but this book is all about the plot and the plot is entertaining enough. I'd rate it a good airplane read.

Although a rather obvious plot, this book contained all of the comic elements that you come to expect from Ben Elton. I prefer the style of his later works (such as the excellent Two Brothers) and, for me, this was more reminiscent of something by Douglas Adams but, even so, an enjoyable holiday read.

An interesting read, written in 1993, which depicts a futuristic world in which mankind has destroyed earth. Some of the writing is frighteningly accurate, such as the resurgence of the natural world during lockdown. Elton is a clever man.

And the award for most cynical book I’ve ever read goes to… This Other Eden is a stand-alone science fiction satire first published in 1993. The paperback has been sitting on my “unread” bookcase since 2013, until, keen to read something funny, and remembering how much I had enjoyed Mr Elton’s previous efforts, I picked it up and dove in. It soon apparent that this is just as much of a dark twisted thriller as the books I’ve been trying to take a break from, but I was fascinated to see how well it had held up over nearly three decades. The depressing fact is it’s actually quite believable.

In the middle of the 21st Century, the planet is dying, and the most sought after solution is a Claustrosphere - a totally self-contained personal eco-system that a family can retreat to in order to wait out the apocalypse. The most powerful man on the planet, Plastic Tolstoy, controls the media narrative and will do anything to sell more models. Nathan Hoddle doesn’t care about any of this, he just wants to make a movie, and with famous movie star Max Maximus on board, his project is looking good - if only the pesky eco-terrorists would stop blowing things up. And FBI agent Judy Schwartz wants to stop the bad guys - if only he can work out who they are…

This was a wicked look at the End of the World which grows ever closer as we consume our way to oblivion. It’s depressing in terms of how little has changed and how accurate some of Elton’s predictions are, with a few exceptions - video tapes and answer-phones are still in use?!

Great combination of a good twisty plot and interesting thought-provoking writing.
A lot of political comment (as fitting for a Ben Elton book) and very winding plot of world-wide intrigue, eco-terrorism, huge egos and Hollywood. The whole thing takes place in the nearer-than-you-think future where the environment essentially collapses. There is an enourmouse power struggle between the "greenies" who try to save what's left and the salesmen who try to sell as many post-armageddon kits.

Had it been a bit sharper in writing, a bit better-paced and with slightly deeper characters - it would've been a 5-star. This really is a slightly unpolished diamond.

A clever and well-written story, but a tad grim.