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Underground > Books, Criticism & Writing >

Jeff Noon

quinine92001

16:32 / 08.12.03

A while back I read Vurt and loved Noon's scifi cyberpunk writings. I am currently reading Pollen and enjoying it. Any other Noon recommendations? Automated Alice, Nymphomation, Cobralingus?

Squirmelia

09:53 / 09.12.03

Read them all, but possibly read Pixel Juice, Automated Alice or Nymphomation next, since they're related to Vurt and Pollen. Pixel Juice is my favourite out of the three, and is short stories.

Needle in the Groove and Falling out of Cars are less related, but still great, so read those too. Cobralingus is short, although fascinating in a mixing up text kind of way, and there's definitely some beautiful bits.

Have you read Mappalujo? It's an online collaboration with Steve Beard, and some of it is fairly good.

adamswish

16:30 / 09.12.03

Have all of Noon's work apart from "Falling out of cars", which I may still get (is it out in paperback yet?).

Interesting little fact with Vurt - you could follow the story through with a copy of Manchester A-Z street map. As Noon had lived there for several years before the book was published he was able to place the characters in as real a setting as possible.

I understand that due to recent work in that city since the book was published this is no longer possible.

macrophage

10:17 / 15.12.03

Aeons ago - well last century I used to squat in Hulme (so-called Sunshine Valley - interesting psychogeographical sidebar, a possible site for the Temple of Apollo when the Romans took control), in Manchester. What I liked about his fiction is that I could tap into the locations well. I once loaned "Vurt" to this lass, when she gave me it back - she enclosed a pink feather. Silly me - was it a hint or something????? Now sadly Hulme got knocked down because of some crap commercial athletics blah - bah humbug!!!!! What's his new book like????

Kit-Cat Club

11:20 / 15.12.03

Of those you mention, quinine92001, I have only read Automated Alice and Nymphomation. Nymphomation I thought was excellent, a really good read and possibly the best of the three earlier ones. Automated Alice is a fun read but really more of a jeu d'esprit - still worth a look though.

I did have a look at his other stuff and I think I've read Pixel Juice - evidently didn't make a huge impression on me, though this might be because I read it when I was ill and not paying much attention.

James Clarke

19:56 / 09.01.04

If you have enjoyed Jeff Noon's books I suggest you also try Michael Marshall Smith's works. Everyone I have introduced to MMS has loved it.

pointless and uncalled for

09:28 / 10.01.04

There are some interesting bits and pieces on the Jeff Noon website for the fans amongst you. This really should be all of you as the man is sheer brilliance personified.

If he and Gibson were to have a child then I could spend my latter years in a state of litterary bliss. Provided the kid turned out the goodies a bit fucking quicker that is.

adamswish

17:28 / 26.02.04

Just finished "Falling out of Cars" by Mr Noon (and yes myself it is out in papaerback).

Very good with a delivery/style that seems straight out of his side project "Cobralingus". Kind of stream of conscieness (sic), first person delivery. But to give the man credit he does hold together the story well.

Can't really say to much without too much of the plot away. I will say this it's not his most linear of stories. As I said it put me in mind of "Cobralingus" or the more experimental pieces in "Pixel Juices".

Still, another success as far as this fan is concerned anyway.

Earlier than I thought

18:34 / 26.02.04

I read Vurt whilst living in Manchester and was delighted to realise that the gun battle near the end of the book was taking place approximately twenty feet from my front room...
Not in normal reality, I hasten to add. Well, someone might have been popping caps, but I don't immediately think there was a connection.

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