A review by ianbanks
Bug Jack Barron by Norman Spinrad

4.0

An entry into the growing field of science fiction writing in a future that is now closer to the date of publication than the date of reading (One thing I was chuffed with, though, was the realisation that young me had when discovering that the time the book was set was roughly when I was reading it). Mr Spinrad gets a lot right in this novel about the power of the media and the search for immortality, but his writing hasn't aged terribly well. I first read this book thirty years ago and the slang and cultural references seemed dated then, although he had the nostalgia for the time it was written down pat. Aside from that, it's a book that could be snatched from today's headlines: political party seeks television star for presidential figurehead; conservative billionaire tries to buy his own legislation; people suspicious of social justice. For all its flaws - and they are very much of the time it was written - this is a terrific read that feels a lot more accurate than when I first encountered it.