A Tangled Web by Emil Miller

[Gilliatt Gurgle]

When I see the words like “tangled” and “web” in a book title, I naturally reach for a pen, notepad, grid paper, possibly my drafting table, to aid in keeping track of who, what and when. After the first few chapters of A Tangled Web I put the notepad aside, realizing this was going to be an easier read, unlike the Solzhenitsyn I’m currently slogging through, plus I was able to laugh a few times.
Having known the author to the extent possible through an online literature forum, I had become familiar with many of his societal annoyances. The “web” not only consists of the strands that make up the plot of the story regarding two plagiarised novels and the eventual discovery of the true author, but weaves additional layers touching on the degradation of today’s literature, media and music.

“It occurred to Morry that Dimples was wasted as a backing player and that he would be more useful singer with his own group. Dimples couldn’t sing but neither could Billy Beaufort, for the post-war world had produced the age of charlatanry that would henceforth prevail to the lasting benefit of those like Morry who knew how best to exploit it.”

The brevity of the book along with the relative ease in following various strands, allowed the overall satirical punch to land clean blow. < That last line could have come straight from Jolyon Westgate’s ( character from A Tangled Web)

Another aspect of writing I appreciate is the periodic restating of who a particular character is and/or their role, a device (is there a literary term for this?) executed well in A Tangled Web


A clip from a movie based on a popular rock opera

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UETogHM8bc

[Emil Miller]

When I see the words like “tangled” and “web” in a book title, I naturally reach for a pen, notepad, grid paper, possibly my drafting table, to aid in keeping track of who, what and when. After the first few chapters of A Tangled Web I put the notepad aside, realizing this was going to be an easier read, unlike the Solzhenitsyn I’m currently slogging through, plus I was able to laugh a few times.
Having known the author to the extent possible through an online literature forum, I had become familiar with many of his societal annoyances. The “web” not only consists of the strands that make up the plot of the story regarding two plagiarised novels and the eventual discovery of the true author, but weaves additional layers touching on the degradation of today’s literature, media and music.


“It occurred to Morry that Dimples was wasted as a backing player and that he would be more useful singer with his own group. Dimples couldn’t sing but neither could Billy Beaufort, for the post-war world had produced the age of charlatanry that would henceforth prevail to the lasting benefit of those like Morry who knew how best to exploit it.”

The brevity of the book along with the relative ease in following various strands, allowed the overall satirical punch to land clean blow. < That last line could have come straight from Jolyon Westgate’s ( character from A Tangled Web)

Another aspect of writing I appreciate is the periodic restating of who a particular character is and/or their role, a device (is there a literary term for this?) executed well in A Tangled Web


A clip from a movie based on a popular rock opera

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UETogHM8bc

In re-reading Gilliatt's review, I see that there are some slight errors in the quoted text which should read as below. I have also added a few extra lines to accentuate the sentiment expressed in the original quotation.

It occurred to Morry that Dimples was wasted as a backing player and that he would be more useful as a singer with his own group. Dimples couldn’t sing but neither could Billy Beaufort, for the post-war world had produced the age of charlatanry that would henceforth prevail to the lasting benefit of those like Morry who knew how best to exploit it.
In short, Billy was put out to grass while the group became The Thunderbolts, Dimples became the vocalist and Morry became rich.
Dimples was heralded in the press as Britain’s answer to Elvis Presley and, while Morry raked in the cash, Dimples Malone and the Thunderbolts pranced their noisy, not to say noisome, way around the United Kingdom.