Rant by Chuck Palahniuk. Doubleday (321 pgs.) $24.95

Chuck Palahniuk's latest novel may not be his best book to date, but it may be his most ambitious and most intriguing. Rant, or The Oral History of Buster Casey utilizes a technique pioneered by non-fiction authors George Plimpton and Studs Terkel, and seen most recently in Please Kill Me: The Uncensored Oral History of Punk. That is, the story unfolds as a series of annecdotes told by friends, family and other associates of the subject -- in this case, Buster "Rant" Casey.

The form may be too difficult for the casual reader and many of Palahniuk's fans may have a rough time with this one. Basically, it tells the story of an odd, but charismatic youth who wreaks havoc wherever he goes, disrupting his hometown, infecting people with rabies and, allegedly dying in a horrific traffic accident as a member of a gang of illegal demolition racers.

For the most part, I found this book to be engrossing and at times, humorous. Nonetheless, the cult of personality, addiction, the effect of material want upon the human spirit, etc. are all themes Palahniuk has tackled before with greater insight and depth. I also found the author's liberal theft of ideas from well-known science fiction writers somewhat disconcerting. The demolition racers, known as "party crashers" is something straight out of J.G. Ballard's Crash and there is also a time travel subplot that instantly reminded me of a story I read by Robert Heinlein when I was in high school. What saves this book from being a disaster is Buster "Rant" Casey himself. Arguably one of the most original characters ever inked to life by a writer, it's Rant who kept me reading, wanting to learn more of his story and unravel the mystery of his existence.

-- reviewed by JCE