Books like Halfhead

"Halfhead" marks the first venture of Scottish author Stuart MacBride into what his publishers seem to want to call science fiction, but is probably more properly classed as science fantasy, or rather future-world thriller -- something of a major departure for an author best known for his Logan McRae series of crime novels, all based in contemporary Aberdeen, a gritty crime series set in the Granite City.Regardless of its classification, this book is written in MacBride's trademark no-holds barred mix of blunt prose and colloquial brogue, which makes for a fast and riveting read with the action fairly spinning off the page. It is also a gruesome and gory read, with graphic depictions of gratuitous violence from the opening sentence, right up until the final climactic shoot-out.The story is set in a Glasgow "not too far in the future", although not a Glasgow that many would recognise as having much in common with the current city, except for the dialect, the appearance of current district and street names, and the ubiquitous presence of Irn Bru - just one of numerous Scottish in-jokes which pepper the prose. The plot is well worked out and with sufficient threads to sustain interest through the violence and blood-shed, and to keep most readers on the edge of their seats throughout, although it is obvious from early in the book that there are only two possible endings for the book. It is to MacBride's credit that he manages to conceal until almost the very last page just which he'll finally opt for. The end is somewhat abrupt, anti-climactic, and ambiguous.There will undoubtedly be a sequel. MacBride's characters are too likeable and reusable not to reappear. The villain of the piece, like Thomas Harris' Hannibal Lectern series, is altogether too grotesquely fascinating to be allowed to feature in only one book.If you're into light and frothy prose recounting grim and gruesome events at a break-neck pace in a bleak and unpleasant future, give this book a try.