V Book

Thomas Pynchon's debut novel, 'V.', follows the deranged exploits of both former U.S. Navy sailor Benny Profane as he attempted to reconnect with the pseudo-bohemian artists and hangers-on that form New York's Whole Sick Crew and aging traveller Herbert Stencil as he attempts to identify and locate the mysterious entity he knows only as 'V'. The novel alternates between episodes featuring Benny, his sidekick Pig Bodine and the Whole Sick Crew and the generation-spanning quest of Stencil as he attempts to unravel the clues relating to the existence of 'V'. Each of the Stencil chapters takes place during different periods of historical unrest with the narrative involving Stencil himself, his father's journals and 'V' weaving the fiction of the novel together with the real-world history. Towards the end of the novel, the two strands of story begin to come together so that their converging plotlines form a metaphorical V shape when Stencil hires Benny to travel with him to Malta.

The quest for 'V' sweeps the reader along on a mind-bending journey through sixty years and from Alexandria to Paris, New York to Africa, reality to fable. In a delightfully nonsensical way, 'V.'is a truly immense novel and a puzzling delight to read. While the action twists and turns in such unpredictable ways as to almost dare the reader to try and keep pace, the characters are well-developed and the situations convincing if improbable.

An interesting side note: there is a persistent rumour swirling around the interwebs that JD Salinger and Thomas Pynchon were in fact one and the same person - effectively, that Thomas Pynchon was the pen name that Salinger used from 1963 onwards. Although both authors were/are noted for their reclusive natures and both exhibit similar style and themes in their works, the idea of them being the same person does seem rather outlandish. However, now that JD Salinger has died, it will be interesting to see when, and indeed if, Thomas Pynchon releases a new novel.

The first novel from the great, incomparable Thomas Pynchon.The quest for V. sweeps us through sixty years and a panorama of Alexandria, Paris, Malta, Florence, Africa and New York. But who, where or what is V.? Bawdy, sometimes sad and frequently hilarious, V. as become a modern classic.'The greatest, wildest, most infuriating author of his generation' Ian Rankin, Guardian'To read V. today is to experience Pynchon anew' New Yorker

The quest for V. sweeps us through sixty years and a panorama of Alexandria, Paris, Malta, Florence, Africa and New York. But who, where or what is V.? The quest for V. sweeps us through sixty years and a panorama of Alexandria, Paris, Malta...