Brilliant book

Brilliant book perfectly narrated. This had me in stitches and I will listen to it again. The narrator got the characters down to a t. I loved it. McEwan at his best.

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Man made global warming

Like a coordinated air strike, Ian McEwan tries to reach many different targets in his new novel. As the interview with the writer included with the audio-book reveals, solar was going to be from the very beginning a novel about global warming. However although McEwan is a known proselytizer in this area, the characters in the novel are equivocal, until self interest and nothing more causes them to change sides. The central character of the book is a Nobel prize winning physicist who is trading on his former reputation both in the lecture room and in his personal life, and it is in the latter area in which he has problems as the book opens with his latest wife conducting her own extra marital experiments. The cleverly constructed story includes a great amount of accurate detail about contemporary physics as well as borrowing elements used in thrillers. The plot is an international as a James Bond novel, moving from suburban home county intrigues, a polar expedition, a South American experimental site and a North American trailer park. The more enjoyable sections would be the unintentional consequences of being caught short in sub zero temperatures, and a naive comment about gender predispositions leading to vilification in all sections of the press.

Roger Allam is a perfect choice for a reader of this novel. He portrays the worldly, self interested central character extremely well and his voice is well suited to McEwans slightly misanthropic and detached narrative.

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5 people found this helpful

quite amusing with good story

an enjoyable read, but not quite as good as some of M Ewan's others, like Machines like Me

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Even better second time

I read this book when it first came out but I thought I would enjoy it again. If anything I enjoyed it more the second time; brilliant narrator of a wonderfully funny book I highly recommend it.

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Roald Dahl meets Martin Amis

I've enjoyed all of the Ian McEwan books I have listened to and this is one of the best. He combines really clever writing with a liking for macabre plot twists and dark humour. There are some excellent set-pieces in the novel, my favourites being his descriptions of a nasty accident on a snow-mobile and of a stand-off over a packet of salt and vinegar crisps. The narrator did an excellent job. It is hard to find fault with this book if you are a fan.

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6 people found this helpful

Not my favourite McEwen

There are some great comic moments in this book but the story doesn’t really hang together. Beard is a caricature of a type that works well in comedy but I was left not that interested in what was happening to him.
The narration by Roger Allan was excellent.

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Black comedy

An amusing black comedy, a parable of modern consumer society and an exposition of global warming. I was surprised to enjoy my time spent with such an unpleasant main protagonist but the irony and sarcasm are perfectly British and the plot twist around a third of the way through led the story down a compelling path. I started out with some tredipation that it was going to preach but although McEwan gets the point across he leaves the humour to do the work amidst some brilliant writing and excellent narration.

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4 people found this helpful

Clever and entertaining

I greatly enjoyed this cleverly constructed book that meshed scientific ideas with a pacy and humorous story. The central character, physics professor Michael Beard, is a memorable creation: a conceited misogynist who had one brilliant scientific insight early in his career but little since, yet he is strangely endearing as he stumbles through one disaster after another, bemoans his ever-increasing bulk and yet cannot resist junk food. There are several hilarious scenes but also salutary reminders of the dire-straights the world is in owing to global warming. The author has evidently done a great deal of research to make the scientific content authentic but deftly incorporates the facts into an engaging story full of twists of fate and the vicissitudes of human relationships.

It's a marvellous book made all the better by Roger Allam's performance.

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1 person found this helpful

Almost a Farce

I chose to listen because Roger Allam is the reader; he was perfect. Which leads me to wonder what would be made of Dr Beard without Allam’s skilful handling. Certainly intriguing but ultimately disappointing the story ran along predictable lines. Grateful for the inclusion of the author interview. It helped to understand the process.

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One of his best !

I have read all Ian McEwan's books since first reading First Love, Last Rites and always look forward to a new publication. Solar is excellent. The main character Michael Beard is a self centred, foolish man who has managed to persuade the scientific world that he is an innovator but is revealed as a charlatan. He has deceived all his five wives and his current wife openly loathes him.
The humour is very ironic, almost black comedy and the denouement where he finally gets his come-uppance is achieved with the deft touch typical of Ian McEwan.
The narration by Roger Allam is perfectly matched to this gripping novel, very skilful and convincing.
Brilliant ! I shall listen to this book again.

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1 person found this helpful