Chart Throb

Chart Throb by Ben Elton.Bantam Press.427pages.

Once again Ben Elton takes a swipe at a feature of modern society.This time its a soft target.Reality Television.
The book is based on the making of a programme similiar to American Idol or Big Brother and its new season of shows.

None of the characters evoked much sympathy from me, be they the judges or the competitors they prey on and manipulate.
I think this is because the whole premise of the book is based on such a flimsy lightweight subject.The satire is heavy and plodding.
The characters are so preposterous as to be totally ridiculous.But they have to be given that they exist in a world of Ann Nicole Smith and the antics of Michael Jackson.Its difficult to parody and belittle something that does not have much substance in the beginning.
There are a couple of twists through the course of the story.Not all of them ring true.The ending was a little abrupt as though the author had run out of steam.

Not one of Eltons better efforts.

As forgettable as the television shows it attempts to take the mickey out of.I think he's on more secure ground tilting at more serious issues such as those in Past Mortem or Stark.