Entirely believable and entirely hillarious.
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I have read several of Ben Elton's novels and along with Stark I would have to say that "This Other Eden" is by far Elton at his very best. If you have an interest in the apocalypse, environmentalism, marketing or just enjoy rolling around on the floor laughing this novel is MOST DEFINITELY for you.
BUY IT!!!!!!!!
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Prophetic??
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Just read this and amazed that despite the fact that I had read all of his other novels, this was actually the third written after Stark and Gridlock. Given its early 1990's origins I think it could be considered somewhat prophetic; the original cover (I picked it up in a charity shop) had an apple covered in glass panels - just like the Eden Project domes in Cornwall. The explicit criticism that US big business puts its self-interest before global sustainability is also bang on the mark. Perhaps the US will sign global treaties when the President or Bill Gates no longer have snow to ski in Aspen....
Plot-wise I was struck by the number of times we were given warning that the 'Rat Run' was inevitable; there was one phrase in particular - we cannot continue to consume a finite resource without ultimately destroying it - that strikes me not as science fiction but as clear fact. As anyone who lived in the coal communities of South Wales. As such, Elton is preaching a strong message - that we must desist from using unrenewable resources and rely solely on those which the planet will, with our care, renew quite naturally.
I love the twist at the end (if such it is); a ray of hope.
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we've all soiled our proverbial nappies...
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I have to disagree with the dude who said this book was too similar to Stark. The basic idea of environmental destruction is the same but there's a lot more creativity involved than that. Elton's so much more imaginative and inventive with the future in this book. Stark almost asked you to change your attitude towards global warming (I think Elton believed we could still be saved) whereas Eden is all about the fact that we're all totally pooped on. Well, that we've pooped all over ourselves.
I'm not sure I liked the characters as much as I did in Stark and there's a pretty dodgy love story whacked in so that Elton can make a few observations on love and sex (it sells, I suppose... even the writer's not above the marketing he mocks). The love thing happens all a bit quickly for me though. However, it's an easy read and despite a somewhat serious message about the environment, for the majority of the book, impending doom does make for surprisingly good entertainment. Elton pokes fun at the industry of Hollywood, consumerism, sex, the future of technology, advertising, inevitable death and condoms. Well everything, really.
Anyways, if you like to ignore what's happening to your planet, you might not like this book... But just read it for the condom bits, you won't be disappointed.
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This other Eden- read another Elton morelike.
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Oh dear. This book was a massive disappointment. The premise looked interesting and Ben Elton is generally very witty so it should have been good but it wasn't. I liked the name Jurgen Thor, the idea of the mini-domes each with their own atmosphere cut off from the dying world, and the execution of one of the main characters, but otherwise this was very poor. It had the finesse of wine from a plastic bottle and the same jokes Elton was telling in the 80s. He has done a lot better than this.
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Ben Elton at his best
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I have read quite a few of Ben Eltons books, this by far has been my favourite. I read it on holiday, and could not put it down, so naturally it went everywhere with me, spending countless hours on the beach. This satire on the future is hilarious and shocking at the same time. I dont want to give much away but Ben Elton takes us on another brilliant adventure. Go and buy it!
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