Incompetence (GollanczF.)
by Rob Grant
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Book Summary Information
Author: Rob GrantEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2004-10-01
ISBN: 0575074493
Number of pages: 336
Publisher: Gollancz Paperbacks
Book Reviews of Incompetence (GollanczF.)
Book Review: "A novel of the far too near future",
Summary: 4 Stars
"Incompetence" is a satirical black comedy set in an extreme near-future world. Rob Grant has taken some trends he perceives in modern society, extrapolated them ad absurdum, and had fun seeing how ludicrous he can make the consequences.
The preface to "Incompetence" reads as follows:
"Article 13199 of the Pan European constitution: `No person shall be prejudiced from employment in any capacity at any level by reason of age, race, creed, or incompitence'" (Yes, the spelling mistake is deliberate - I wonder if Rob Grant had the same problem I did in preventing the software he was writing in from automatically correcting it !)
"Incompetence" is described as "A novel of the far too near future" and is set in a united Europe in which "Non Specific Stupidity" is a registered disability which cannot be used to hold back promotion prospects, waiters have Tourette's syndrome, airline pilots have vertigo, etc. The story is told through the eyes of an undercover agent who is not what he appears to be, on the tail of a mass-murderer who is all too competent.
"Incompetence" works well as humorous entertainment: it could be seen as supporting a political view (e.g. hostility to the European Union and to big government), but anyone who reads it for political reasons may be disappointed. And anyone from the US is thinking of buying it for a good laugh at the expense of the Europeans should be aware that the book turns round at the end and delivers a few bites in the other direction.
Overall I found this book to be very amusing and highly recommend it.
If you enjoy "Incompetence" because you enjoy funny writing, and not because you agree or disagree with any particular political view which may be satirised within it, then another book which you may also enjoy is "Jennifer Government" by Max Barry. However, the irony is that while these two books came out at the same time and use much the same type of humour, the trends which they extrapolate ad absurdum and the targets they take aim at are diametrically opposite.
It says something about how complex the trends in our society are that Rob Grant in "Incompetence" and Max Barry in his book could use the same technique to satirise opposite trends and both books contain enough truth to be funny. Perhaps it also demonstrates that satire is so universal in its applicability as to be highly effective as a means of entertainment but much less so as a means of putting over a political argument.
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