Rag Time

Tonight, I finished reading The Armageddon Rag, by George R.R. Martin. This is a stand-alone novel written over 20 years ago by the genius writer behind the epic Song of Ice and Fire series, recently put back into print due to the success of those books. It has in common with two of his other stand-alone novels, Fevre Dream and Dying of the Light, the fact that it has little in common with his other writing.

This book is set in the real world, at the time of its original publication in the early 80s. It's the tale of a novelist who takes up his old job as a rock journalist to cover one more story -- a strange death relating to a fictional rock super group from the 60s, the Nazgûl. The novel is part mysterious crime novel, part 60s nostalgia piece. And in its second half, it begins to take on a touch of the fantastical familiar to those of us readers who first came to Martin in the last decade.

The quality of the writing is top notch. Even before the epic series that made him famous, this man had some real skill. The story being told, however, is a little uneven. This seems an awkward charge to level against a man who's currently writing a series with 100 notable characters, but the story in The Armageddon Rag meanders a bit too much. It really does feel like two separate books stitched together.

The first half is a big road trip in which the main character bounces from one interview to the next, also meeting with old friends of his from the 60s. By the time you reach the back cover, you realize in retrospect that a lot of this is completely wasted time, as far as the "plot" of the book goes. But I actually found it the more compelling chunk of the writing when I was reading it. Martin creates a series of very well-drawn characters that live fully in your mind, even though many only appear in a single chapter. I found myself being very drawn into the investigations of the reporter, too.

Then there's the second half, which deals with the reuniting of a classic rock group, and the oddly supernatural forces that are stirred up as events unfold. As I suggested above, this is ultimately the real meat of the book, but it ultimately went down less satisfyingly to me than what had preceeded -- perhaps because I found it rather predictable. (Though maybe I'm just used to the shocking twists and turns of the Ice and Fire series?)

Whatever flaws may be there, though, I would still recommend the book to most people. If you're a fan of Ice and Fire that doesn't subsist on a diet of only fantasy literature, you really have no reason not to read this book -- the next book after A Feast For Crows still isn't finished, and you've got time. If in your reading you look for quality craftsmanship in the words, or well-drawn characters, you'll enjoy it too. (To those interested in a somewhat more plot-driven novel, I'd instead recommend Martin's Fevre Dream -- assuming you've a taste for gothic horror.)