Larry Kirwan must be a very interesting man; he's written a very interesting book.
Mr. Kirwan is the leader of a New York Irish-American band called Black 47; he was born in Wexford. Their records are available on Amazon.com. He's also the host of a radio show called Celtic Crush.
Liverpool Fantasy is alternative history of the Beatles, and of Britain, one in which John Lennon has a disagreement with George Martin and stomps out of a recording session in 1963 (or 1962? can't keep those dates from the dawn of time straight). George and Ringo follow him out; Brian Epstein continues to manage Paul McCartney's career, taking him to America where he becomes Paul Montana, king of the Vegas showrooms.
In Larry's alternative reality, Lennon is threatened by the National Front, a paramilitary fascist organization that is part of a Tory coalition government. Lennon's son, Julian, is an "up and coming" captain in this organization.
This is a dystopian novel, and the fictional characters Kirwan has created are quite different in some ways than their real-life counterparts. The fictional Lennon is a kind of cartoon character, a kind of caricature.
As a writer, Kirwan endlessly displays his fandom knowledge; he does have a tendency to place lyric fragments in characters' mouths, and that is a fictional practice of which I disapprove. In my experience, our speech is very much influenced by what we read and hear, but no one I've ever met talks like this. It's all a display of cleverness: the concept, the execution, the expert fandom; to put lyric fragments in characters' mouths is inconsistent with the rest of the piece, distracting, and analagous to breaking the fourth wall: it reminds that you are consuming a piece of fiction instead of allowing you to experience the world of the novel.
I was amazed that Kirwan managed to incorporate a reference to Mr. Acker Bilk into his novel; I found myself wondering at times if I, playing along at home, should be assigning bonus points for the most obscure references. If I thought of something that Mr. Kirwan didn't, should I award points to myself?
Kirwan is also a writer who surrounds his dialogue with a great deal of stage direction. This reminds me of my friend who dismissed Faithful Place, saying, "Too many words!" It's a cliche, but true: there is much to be said for economy.
Nevertheless, I admire Kirwin for his daring and passion in reimagining such famous lives.
Mr. Kirwan is the leader of a New York Irish-American band called Black 47; he was born in Wexford. Their records are available on Amazon.com. He's also the host of a radio show called Celtic Crush.
Liverpool Fantasy is alternative history of the Beatles, and of Britain, one in which John Lennon has a disagreement with George Martin and stomps out of a recording session in 1963 (or 1962? can't keep those dates from the dawn of time straight). George and Ringo follow him out; Brian Epstein continues to manage Paul McCartney's career, taking him to America where he becomes Paul Montana, king of the Vegas showrooms.
In Larry's alternative reality, Lennon is threatened by the National Front, a paramilitary fascist organization that is part of a Tory coalition government. Lennon's son, Julian, is an "up and coming" captain in this organization.
This is a dystopian novel, and the fictional characters Kirwan has created are quite different in some ways than their real-life counterparts. The fictional Lennon is a kind of cartoon character, a kind of caricature.
As a writer, Kirwan endlessly displays his fandom knowledge; he does have a tendency to place lyric fragments in characters' mouths, and that is a fictional practice of which I disapprove. In my experience, our speech is very much influenced by what we read and hear, but no one I've ever met talks like this. It's all a display of cleverness: the concept, the execution, the expert fandom; to put lyric fragments in characters' mouths is inconsistent with the rest of the piece, distracting, and analagous to breaking the fourth wall: it reminds that you are consuming a piece of fiction instead of allowing you to experience the world of the novel.
I was amazed that Kirwan managed to incorporate a reference to Mr. Acker Bilk into his novel; I found myself wondering at times if I, playing along at home, should be assigning bonus points for the most obscure references. If I thought of something that Mr. Kirwan didn't, should I award points to myself?
Kirwan is also a writer who surrounds his dialogue with a great deal of stage direction. This reminds me of my friend who dismissed Faithful Place, saying, "Too many words!" It's a cliche, but true: there is much to be said for economy.
Nevertheless, I admire Kirwin for his daring and passion in reimagining such famous lives.
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