Finished a book today at lunch called Brother Cain. It has been far to long since I was in an English class, because I'm not 100% sure why the book is called Brother Cain. It's by British author Simon Raven and I seemed to have been reading a first printing. It has a pasted in erratum on the title page.
Simon Raven seems to be a rather interesting author. Born in 1927 he went to school at Charterhouse but was expelled for homosexual activities. I presume this does not mean he was expelled for decorating his room with impeccable taste and knowing how to ballroom dance. Later he dropped out of King's College, Cambridge due to a lack of funds brought on by an extravagant lifestyle. He joined the army, served in India, Kenya, and elsewhere, then left due to heavy gambling debts that would dishonor the regiment.
The protagonist of Brother Cain is one Jacinth Crewe. Expelled from his school because he pursued a homosexual affair with a younger student, he later left Cambridge for undisclosed reasons. When the book opens, he is being pushed out the door of his regiment so that his gambling debts do not embarrass the Army.
It is here that the stories of Simon Raven and Jacinth Crewe diverge. Mr. Raven went on to a long successful writing career. Writing at least two dozen novels and many essays and short stories. He got some TV writing credits, and even has a film credit for additional dialogue in On her Majesty's Secret Service. He continued writing into the 90s before dying in 2001. Jacinth Crewe on the other hand gets selected to join a secret quasi government organization and begins his training in Rome.
I would really hesitate to call it a good book. The twists are broadcast a little early, and the writing has some dry moments that made me skip a few pages every once in a while. On the other hand, Jacinth Crewe is a very interesting character. He cares for the idea of personal honor, even when those around him tell him that he should have none and move on, it would be easier on them all. He likes older woman and younger men; gambling, and has expensive tastes. Like James Bond, but more perverted, and ultimately, without the heart necessary to kill.
I don't think that Raven ever went back to Crewe as Fleming did to Bond, but they make for an interesting counterpoint. Considering the popularity of the Bond novels at the time, and the fact that studios were fighting over the movie rights in the late 50s (Brother Cain was published in 1959) it is possible that the book is meant as a playful homage/parody. But I found virtually nothing on the book itself online, just a few sites that want to sell me "antique" versions, and one with a very brief description.
I was wondering if anyone had heard of Simon Raven, read anything of his. Is it worth tracking down anymore of his novels? Also, anybody got any other examples of authors who clearly base their lead characters on themselves?
1 comment:
Davey said: "It has been far to long since I was in an English class, because I'm not 100% sure why the book is called Brother Cain...Jacinth Crewe on the other hand gets selected to join a secret quasi government organization and begins his training in Rome...Like James Bond, but more perverted, and ultimately, without the heart necessary to kill."
At a guess: as a quasi-religiously-based James Bond, if he's the Vatican's Hitman, or somesuch, then "Brother Cain" as a title makes perfect sense.
And while I realize the Vatican's Hitman has shades of Azrael, from the DCU Batmanverse, now I really, really want to (co)write that story. Could be that it's three in the morning, and I've stayed up way, way too late on a school night playing GTA IV, too...
Davey also said: "Also, anybody got any other examples of authors who clearly base their lead characters on themselves?"
Can't speak to much of the Simon Raven stuff -- though he sounds interesting. The stuff wasn't wonky enough, I take it, to not follow up on?
As for the quoted question: how much time you got? See also: James Joyce, Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald -- and that's just to stay high-minded while naming a few.
Apropos of nothing, but vaguely related: latest issue of Hellblazer is a nice first-part of what I think is destined to be a two-parter, which sees Constantine going into the Vatican to help a priest exorcise a demon from the Vatican's "Black Room," which is a consecrated room within which all manner of sin can be committed, but it's away from the eyes of God.
It's a great read. Andy Diggle's the current writer -- of The Losers fame.
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