This book is almost an earlier version of Super-Cannes, set in a very similar resort community, in which a psychotic psychologist/psychiatrist character believes that the people in his community require crime to avoid becoming complacent and faded. This idea, a sort of redemptive side of violence and taboo, which to be fair does indeed turn up in cultures all over the world, tends to by misogynist and ableist, glorifying in racism and exultant 'othering' of anyone at all different in order to have enough appropriate victims to satisfy the elites' need for a criminal fix. In this novel it is particularly unconvincing, and the story relies on the idea that the psycho promoting crime is very charismatic. Whether the plus-side of crime has any merit or not, this book does bring up good questions about the nature of complacency in the modern world. But, I think Super-Cannes did a better job overall. ( )

"the arts and criminality have always flourished side by side."

'Cocaine Nights' is set in the fictional private resort town of Estrella de Mar on the Costa del Sol. Five people have been killed in an arson attack and the local sports club manager Frank Prentice immediately pleads guilty to it. His brother, travel writer Charles Prentice, travels to Estrella de Mar, hoping clear Frank. Instead Charles finds himself inveigled in a strange world of unexplained criminality.

Globetrotting Charles has never visited the Costa del Sol before and the first thing he notices when he arrives there is the feeling of paralyzing stillness amongst its
ex-pat residents, their sun-soaked boredom has become their most prized possession. However, Estrella de Mar is anything but boring. The residents are active and joyous all seemingly inspired by random surges of violence orchestrated by their own charismatic resident tennis pro, Bobby Crawford.

In truth there isn't really any sense of mystery about this book, its pretty obvious from early on who the villain is, and even the ending is relatively predictable. Charles is a likeable character but what makes this novel interesting is Ballard's portrayal of the sense of boredom and impunity felt amongst the rich and privileged. Who seemingly have no ambitions in life left and would spend their remaining days in self-contained, hermetically sealed housing developments in a cloud of vodka or Valium if it wasn't for random moments of criminal instability.

“We're building prisons all over the world and calling them luxury condos.”

In a world where more and more people seem to desire early retirement but find that they have nothing to fill their days except satellite television despite their initial plans for an more adventurous life makes this an interesting idea. However, the limited action throughout meant that I felt that the Ballard hadn't really followed through with it as much as he might have done. Ultimately I felt that this novel was just too similar to another novel of Ballard, 'Super-Cannes', with many of the same ideas, to make it really stand out. ( )

Un grupo de británicos expatriados vive en una idílica comunidad conocida con el nombre de Estrella de Mar. En ese emplazamiento situado en un pueblo de la Costa del sol, sus residentes llevan un estilo de vida totalmente relajado, teniendo a su disposición todo tipo de opciones lúdicas. Esa paz ideal se viene abajo tras producirse un incendio que acaba con la vida de cinco de sus residentes.
El director del club, Frank Prentice, es detenido por asesinato. Directo desde Londres, Charles, el hermano de Frank, llega para hacerse cargo de la situación. Para sus sorpresa, si bien ni los testimonios ni la policía lo creen responsable del crimen, Frank insiste en auto-inculparse. A fin de comprender la actitud de este, Charles resuelve investigar Estrella de Mar y detectara extrañas redes de personajes y comportamientos.

Interesting and strange. Much more readalethan Atrocity Exhibition and less weird than High Rise. ( )

Dove stiamo andando?

Ballard è (stato, ahimè non ci illuminerà più con altri racconti) uno dei pochi scrittori contemporanei ad indagare minuziosamente la follia moderna dietro comportamenti apparentemente normali. Dopo tante conquiste sociali, economiche, industriali, sembra proprio che l'uomo, perduto ogni contatto con la sua dimensione più reale, abbia di nuovo bisogno di "sporcarsi" con i suoi istinti primordiali. Insicurezza, solitudine, trasgressione, domande che cercano risposte a dubbi ed interrogativi che lasciano impantanati su cosa sia morale e cosa no. L'inferno può anche avere le sembianze di un dorato paradiso e, se guardiamo attentamente il nostro quotidiano, ognuno di noi può dirne di conoscerne un volto.