March 28, 2007

Shark Bait

“The Raw Shark Texts,” by Steven Hall

On that historic day when the Fonz sailed over a fish on water skis, he simultaneously destroyed Happy Days and invented “jumping the shark,” wherein something takes a turn for the worse.

In British author Steven Hall’s experimental debut novel, The Raw Shark Texts, main character Eric Sanderson’s life follows a similar trajectory. Upon awakening one morning with no knowledge of who or where he is, he finds a series of letters from his former self which dictate a tragic past and an uncertain future.

Now, Sanderson must hunt for answers in the darkest spaces of his mind. He encounters a creature so terrifying in its ability to feed on his memories and sense of self that it makes Animal Planet critters look like guppies.

But just like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Jaws, the novel has a Hollywood ending. 

Meaning, happy days are here again.

Available online at amazon.com.