Literary Crack

One of the key themes of Stephen Donaldson's Gap series is addiction, or dependency. The main protagonists are variously addicted to, or dependent on:

drugs (medicinal, recreational, mechanical, biochemical, smoke it, inject it, ingest it, implant it, generate it in your own body, drink it , you name it one of them does it);
power (over others and self mastery);
Shame;
Revenge;
Duty;
Winning;
Risk;
Lots of other stuff.......all substitutes or metaphors for Self Destruct.

As it happens, the series as a whole (well, books 2-5) are the most addictive boks I have ever read. But ultimately rather than being destructive the experience of devouring them (the only way to read them - these are not 50 page a day books) is wholly positive and uplifting.

I don't know why I love these books, exactly. None of the protagonists is obviously likeable (apart from old Sixten Vertigus who is a sweetie) but actually, in a way they all are. Even though Donaldson goes out of his way to make them all flawed, all dirty, all potentially 'baddies'. Even Morn Hyland who starts out as a total victim with a life that turns into an exploitation film isn't really that person - the real story is something darker, more complex, nastier, but ultimately a Better Answer than self destruct, exploitation, victimhood and abuse. I guess that's why I love the characters so - especially Angus and Nick despite the things they do. None of them could be described as straightforward. Or, for that mater, boring. Are they 'real'? I bloody hope not. But they live for me, when I'm in their world. And every single one of them undergoes a logical development throughout the series. I certainly believe in them on their own terms.

Ultimately most of the protagonists find redemption - better answers than the particular form of self destruct they started out with. That's one reason why it's addictive - apart from the sheer rollickingness of the plot, and the grim grimmer grimmest nature of the various predicaments our anti-heroes encounter as the stakes get ever higher - they do find that better answer.

I'm absolutely convinced the books would make a marvellous film - it would obviously last many days but it would be great so who would mind?! Maybe though BSG has now cornered the whole 'It's grim in space' vibe. Maybe they took some notes from the Gap books, too. Because while it's grim in space, sometimes, just sometimes, it can be just a little bit glorious, a little bit magnificent, too. When people make choices and live with the consequences and strive to find that Better Answer which is somewhere inside us all.