Rant: An Oral History of Buster Casey Review
Written by Chuck Palahniuk - Chuck's Official Website
Book Review Posted on April 16th, 2006

Chuck Palahniuk, the writer who dropped the world's jaw with his mega-hit book Fight Club, is about to send shockwaves around the planet again in the form of his new book, Rant: An Oral Biography of Buster Casey when it hits bookshelves everywhere in May 2007. If you thought Fight Club was shocking, you ain't read nothin yet. In Rant, the author takes readers deep into the life of serial killer Buster "Rant" Casey", except he doesn't do the way you'd expect. You see Rant takes the form of an oral history, much like the award winning book Capote, which like Fight Club was later turned into a blockbuster movie. The entire book is basically a compilation of interviews that were taken with people who knew Rant at one point of his life, whether it be family members, friends, or hated enemies. To give a little background on just how messed up Buster "Rant" Casey was, let me give you a quick glimpse of how this serial killer came to be.

Buster "Rant" Casey grew up in a small town called Middletown, and the way he went about getting his thrills was by purposely getting bit and poisened by local wildlife, whether it be black widow spiders, coyotes, rabbits, or cobras. Rant lived off poison coursing through his veins; he craved it and he had the hundreds of bite marks on his arms to prove it. This disturbing hobby led Rant to become somehow immune to rabies, yet he remained a carrier for the disease which nobody knew until it was too late. Rabies is a extremely easy disease to spread, as you only need the exchange of saliva for a successful transfer. It is through this fashion, the spreading of rabies to hundreds if not thousands of unsuspecting victim, that made Buster "Rant" Casey arguably the most efficient serial killer ever known, fictional or not. The author interviews dozens of friends, family members, and enemies that create an amazing yet ridiculously disturbing picture of Rant's life, from the very beginning to the gruesome end. On top of that, get ready to get thrown into an unpredictable setting much like Fight Club in that you will not believe what you are reading. If anyone can throw a mean literary curveball, it's Chuck Palahniuk.

As I mentioned earlier, Rant: An Oral History of Buster Casey takes the form of personal interviews. I think taking this approach towards the life of a serial killer was a wonderful choice; it gives the book almost an investigative feel to it which is what you want when you're talking about the world's most prolific serial killer, fictional or not. On top of that, readers will get sucked into the storyline on every page because you only find out new details about Buster "Rant" Casey as the writer does, if that makes any sense. The book itself is outstanding, and although it's not as good as his masterpiece Fight Club, it's darn close to it. Rant is the definition of a page-turner, and as you get to the end prepare to really be blown away as that curve ball I talked about comes flying at you. I don't want to give away any spoilers, but that point in the book will really blow you away in the form only Chuck Palahniuk can create.

If you're looking for an intense new read that isn't very long, Rant: An Oral History of Buster Casey deserves your hard earned dollars. Chuck's latest book is simply outstanding, and in my mind ranks neck and neck with his flagship title Fight Club, which is stellar company to be in. I really, really enjoyed reading this book and I'm confidant you will too. Rant: An Oral History of Buster Casey hits store shelves next month, May 2007.



Rating:
(3/4)

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