Review: Like an MMA dwarf with a steroids habit...
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 03 14, 2014
I've waited for what feels like an age for some new Keith Nixon work. His debut novel, The Fix was a superbly handled caper full of the most detestable characters ever placed upon the page. Of the few likeable rogues that rubbed shoulders with those aforementioned ratbags, the curiously skilled vagrant, Konstantin, held deeper secrets than the rest combined.So here we are, the follow up piece. Dreamland takes us right back to the beginning, with Konstantin finding himself on the South-East coastal town of Margate, straight into trouble with local hoodlum Dave the Rave, and his assorted cronies.Nixon has a very distinct style to his narrative. It's short and punchy. Doesn't bother with the fluff. Tells you what you need to know and no more. It works like a dream for him. The seemingly untouchable Konstantin lurches swiftly from violent set piece to violent set piece, and witty dialogue to witty dialogue, through the darkened corners of Keith Nixon's sordid little world. With every crunch of a fist upon a nose you're inwardly cheering him along his nasty adventure.It's entertainment in it's most concentrated form. It's short, hard, and aggressive, rather like an MMA dwarf with a steroids habit. Take your hit, enjoy the buzz, and then get the hell out of its sight before it beats you to death. Highly recommended reading.