Survivor

As per usual for Chuck Palahniuk, Survivor isn't told in linear sequence. In fact, it's told completely backwards. The main character and narrator, Tender Branson, is telling his story to the black box of an aircraft he's hi-jacked.

Tender Branson is the one of the few remaining survivors of the Creedish cult. An exaggerated view on religious cults. The Creedish have very complex values, which you have to read the book to understand, and they believe that they must work as servers (in roles such as cleaners or waiters) until a sign is recognised, then they must all give themselves to their lord. By committing suicide. All the remaining survivors, Tender included, have counselling sessions once a week. And although Tender knows that he doesn't have to be a server any more, he remains in the same line of work, as it is all he's ever known.

Tender's telephone number was once given out as a suicide hotline in a newspaper by accident, and although the paper gave the correct number, people still called him. So he told every caller to end it, to kill themselves. By coincidence, he meets the sister of one of the callers who'd killed himself. It is slowly revealed that the woman he meets, Fertility can see the future, but found that people reacted badly is she ever tried to stop what was going to happen, so no longer acts upon her knowledge, unless is is for personal gain.

The plot gains speed, and soon enough Tender is the last remaining Creedish. Or so he is saying. He becomes a religious celebrity and completely dependent on pills to stay as his 'new improved self'. The novel ends without much warning, and you are left with the feeling that something like this could actually happen.

I really enjoyed reading Survivor, because as well as having a fast paced, interesting plot, it questions modern commercialism within relationships that certain characters develop with each other. Not my favourite Chuck Palahniuk novel, but I would like to read it again. 4/5 stars.