I do not remember reading a book that has affected me as profoundly as this one. Set in the Spanish holiday resort of, "Estrella de Mar," "Cocaine Nights," revolves around the main character's attempts to prove that his brother was not responsible for a fire which killed the wealthiest inhabitants of the resort.
On the surface this is a very interesting murder story, with enough twists to keep even the most ardent crime novel fan interested. However, delving below the surface we are able to uncover Ballard's true masterpiece. Akin to his other works such as, "Millennium People," we are presented with an intriguing outlook on a wealthy society. Here is where Ballard truly excels and forces us to question how far would we go to attain a perfect society and whether we truly understand the importance and nature of illicit activity within our own communities. If you will not read this book for its compelling criminality, or the superbly written commentary on a British society transposed into a world of drugs sex and murder, then the relationship presented between the two brothers alone makes "Cocaine Nights," a beautiful novel.Ballard at his best and the perfect read for fans of dystopian literature. Truly superb!
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