Wednesday, February 22, 2006

Caught Reading: Lint by Steve Aylett

Aylett's latest book should bring a smile to the faces of regular science fiction readers as writes a darkly funny mock-biography of fictitious author Jeff Lint. Lint comes off as a cross between Kilgore Trout and Phillip K. Dick, as he pounds out stories with alarming titles like I Blame Ferns and Nose Furnace for an ever shifting litany of pulp fiction publishers. All the while he's hounded by his chief rival and critic Cameo Herzog. Lint finds himself caught up in the Beat movement for the 1940's before moving to California and growing into a cult hero for Hippies in the 60's and Punks in the 70's. Anyone whose read a biography of a literary figure before will appreciate the parody here, but SF fans especially will enjoy the in-jokes.

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