6.0 stars. On my list of "All Time Favorite" novels. I really enjoyed the two other books I have read by Michael Marshall Smith, Spares and Straw Men and so had fairly high expections going into this book. They were SIGNIFICANTLY exceeded. I loved this book from the opening page to the very last word. This book is defintely a "mind trip" where reality is not always what you think it is and you are never sure what is going to happen next. However, unlike other books like this, the author does a superb job of never losing his audience. You always have enough of an understanding to follow the story and, most importantly, you know that the explanations are coming. That is always a big issue for me when I am reading a story like this. If everything is not clear enough to follow the story line, I get distracted by finding myself asking, "Did I miss something" and wondering if I need to go back a reread the what I have already read. That usually leads to frustration and lack of "immersion" in the story if it goes on for too long. That does not happen here where the author does a great job of having his main character, Stark, basically tell you "look you are not going to understand this now, but I will explain it to you later if its necessary so sit back and just trust me for the moment...." By doing this he let's you know to enjoy the ride and everything will be made clear at the appropriate time, which it eventually is. I thought this was brilliant.In addition to having an incredibly original, mind-blowing plot, this book has some absolutely amazing characters starting with the protaganist, Stark, who is a private investigator handling very "unique" matters. Add to that a couple of psychotic, but well mannered brothers, Ji and Sneed, a couple of sarcatic "home applicances" and cat that gives any dog a run for its money as "man's best friend" and you have the makings for a dark, funny and, in the end, very poignant story. Stark's narration throughout is brilliant. He is both very funny (I laughed out loud more than once) and yet is able to grab you when the emotional aspects of the story become more serious. His tone was just perfect. Anyway, as you can tell from my comments above, I LOVED THIS BOOK. It receives my HIGHEST POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATION!!!Winner: British Fantasy AwardWinner: Philip K. Dick Award
This book was really a big surprise for me. With an exceptional narration, an unforseen plot, full of great surprises, and with an unexpected twist in the end, it was far more brilliant than i expected, based on friend's reviews.You could really say that the writer in the start had two different stories in his mind. The first part of the book is an outstanding adventure, with the breathtaking escape, and also a quite hilarious part with a protagonist full of deadly lines and jokes. In the second part, words cannot decribe the magic that takes place in it. The city of the dreams is trully an amazing conception.All the mystery that contains and hides or reveals to it's ''visitors'', is breathtaking. It might take a little time to understand what is going on, however up to a point you just do not care, since the descprtion is so vivid and trully i can say that i have never read any story that has any resemblance with this one. Ther only thing that comes to my mind right now is the movie inception.The end and all the explanations in it, come the way they should. Just in a few pages all the matters are getting straight, and the reader together with Stark get ready to meet his redemption in the final amazing chapter.Fully emotional, really funny, with great lines and sayings, this book managed to win my heart!
What do You think about Only Forward (1998)?
First part: funny but confusing. Second part: even more confusing, and not so funny anymore. Third part: bittersweet and beautiful. I still don't know what to make of this book. Many people don't seem to like the ending, but I loved it. Only then do the first parts make sense. You get bits and pieces of the back story throughout the book and can guess what's important and what different things have to do with each other, but only the end "explains" it all, and I'm one of those people who need that. Otherwise this book might just be an exercise in weirdness. There were many observations about life in the book that I just wanted to underline and probably will when I reread it. Weird and wonderful.
—Ann
Brought to your courtesy of Reading Project 2015.I love this, I deeply love it, largely because of a single quote which I shall now transcribe:How many times have you tried to talk to someone about something that matters to you, tried to get them to see it the way you do? And how many of those times have ended with you feeling bitter, resenting them for making you feel like your pain doesn't have any substance after all?Like when you've split up with someone, and you try to communicate the way you feel, because you need to say the words, need to feel that somebody understands just how pissed off and frightened you feel. The problem is, they never do. "Plenty more fish in the sea," they'll say, or "You're better off without them," or "Do you want some of these potato chips?" They never really understand, because they haven't been there, every day, every hour. They don't know the way things have been, the way that it's made you, the way it has structured your world. They'll never realise that someone who makes you feel bad may be the person you need most in the world. They don't understand the history, the background, don't know the pillars of memory that hold you up. Ultimately, they don't know you well enough, and they never can. Everyone's alone in their world, because everybody's life is different. You can send people letters, and show them photos, but they can never come to visit where you live.Unless you love them. And then they can burn it down.So, yes, deeply love but not much actual memory of ... y'know ... what the book is about or what happens in it.I seem to remember the narrator actively lies which is a new level of unreliability.Mind-twisty and intriguing.
—Alexis Hall
It's currently slightly past 12:30 in the morning and two and half hours past my bedtime. My eyes are tired from reading for the past 4 hours straight and sticky from unavoidable wetness that accompanied the end of this book. I don't know what I was expected when I first started reading "Only Forward". In the beginning, it was a bit strange, rip-roaringly funny, and had the foundations for a fun sci-fi adventure novel. Halfway through, I was hurdled into a surrealist expose on reality. Three quarters into it, I was in the middle of a grotesque and offensive horror film. And at the end, I was in tears over an unexpected and brilliant conclusion.I am still digesting the immediate impact the book has had on me, and I am sure I will for some time. Maybe some day I will write about how heavily "Only Forward" struck so many chords and resonated so close to past and present personal issues and situations, but for now, my humble recommendation will have to suffice. This book is one hell of a ride and one that should not be delayed. Easily one of my all time favorite reads.
—Richard
