Editing Dead Air (novel)

{{Short description|2002 novel by Iain Banks}}
{{For|other novels with the title|Dead Air (disambiguation)#Literature}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox book | <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Novels or Wikipedia:WikiProject_Books -->
| name         = Dead Air
| orig title   =
| translator   =
| image        = IainBanksDeadAir.jpg
| image_size = 200px
| caption = First edition cover
| author       = [[Iain Banks]]
| cover_artist = 
| country      = Scotland
| language     = English
| series       = 
| genre        = 
| publisher    = [[Little, Brown]]
| release_date = 2002
| media_type   = Print ([[Hardcover|Hardback]] & [[Paperback]])
| pages        = 408  
| isbn         = 0-316-86055-7
| dewey= 823/.914 22
| congress= PR6052.A485 D43 2002
| oclc= 248896541
| preceded_by  = 
| followed_by  = 
}}

'''''Dead Air''''' is a [[Scottish novel]] by [[Iain Banks]], published in 2002.

==Plot introduction==
The book revolves around the life of Kenneth Nott, a [[radio DJ]] on a London station called Capital Live!

==Plot summary==
The [[first person narrative]] begins on 11 September 2001, and Banks uses the protagonist's conversations - both on the radio and off - to discuss the consequences of the [[September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attack|terrorist attacks in the United States]] on that day. Ken Nott is at a loft party in London at the crucial moment.

The reader hears many of Nott's [[shock-jock]] lines ("Guns for nutters only; makes sense.") and sees him described as a sexually promiscuous party animal fuelled by alcohol and other drugs. His politics are [[left-wing]] and [[Libertarianism|libertarian]], and he rants at every chance.

Nott's various girlfriends (including Jo, who does public relations for an [[Indie (music)|indie]] band called Addicta), his long-suffering radio show colleague Phil, and his black DJ friend Ed are described. Apart from the expected difficulties associated with being a politically controversial radio DJ, everything is going smoothly for Ken until he meets Celia (or "Ceel"), a [[gangster]]'s wife, whom he falls in love with. An indiscretion with a mobile phone and an answering machine leads him into some difficult and frightening situations.

==Literary significance and criticism==
The book was not generally well received by critics. While Banks' story-telling skills were acknowledged, some felt that this was less satisfying, in contrast to ''[[Look to Windward]]'', his previous book (under the [[Iain M Banks]] guise). Like ''[[The Business (novel)|The Business]]'', ''Dead Air'' is very topical, with much detailed background on technology and contemporary political issues.

"Major rethink on format after the events of September the eleventh," Phil says, about a delay to a television show they are planning. "What a brilliant excuse that's turned out to be, for so many things." The cover of the novel conjures images of the attack as it shows an old picture of two of the chimneys of London's [[Battersea Power Station]] with an aeroplane above them. Critics charged that Banks used the dramatic events of 9/11, and other features of the early 21st century, more as wallpaper than in any meaningful or resonant way.{{Citation needed|date=September 2012}}

Critics also felt that Banks did not successfully establish a distance between his own voice and that of the protagonist.{{Citation needed|date=September 2012}} Nott's rants are often passionate and articulate; this book was written at the time Banks was building up to cutting up his passport and taking part in the campaign to impeach [[Tony Blair]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2007/may/25/hayfestival2007.hayfestival|title = Iain Banks talks to Stuart Jeffries about why he tore up his passport| newspaper=The Guardian |date = 25 May 2007| last1=Jeffries | first1=Stuart }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.socialistreview.org.uk/article.php?articlenumber=10267|title=Interview: Changing society, imagining the future|access-date=9 June 2021|archive-date=14 October 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111014234904/http://www.socialistreview.org.uk/article.php?articlenumber=10267|url-status=dead}}</ref> Some of these political ideas are developed further in ''[[Raw Spirit]]''.

Ken Nott resembles a happier version of Cameron Colley, the main character in Banks' earlier novel ''[[Complicity (novel)|Complicity]]''.

==Release details==
* 2002, UK, Little Brown ({{ISBN|0-316-86055-7}}), Pub date ? ? 2002, hardback (First edition)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://books.guardian.co.uk/reviews/generalfiction/0,6121,790947,00.html Guardian review]  14 September 2002.

{{Iain Banks}}

[[Category:2002 British novels]]
[[Category:British satirical novels]]
[[Category:Little, Brown and Company books]]
[[Category:Novels about the September 11 attacks]]
[[Category:Novels by Iain Banks]]
[[Category:Novels set in London]]
[[Category:Scottish novels]]