The man behind DI John Rebus (Ian Rankin in general)

Member Name: pmcds

Product:	Ian Rankin in general
Date:	31/08/09 (29 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A wonderful author

Disadvantages: Nothing really

I was first introduced to the books of Ian Rankin a number of years ago by my mum, who is a great fan of his writing. He is, of course, well known and celebrated for his Rebus books, which pit the grumpy and rebellious Detective Inspector John Rebus against the darker and more criminal side of the wonderful Edinburgh he creates.

Rankin's first novel, Knots & Crosses, set the tone by winning awards, and with a couple of exceptions, the books have followed suit, rising him above pretty much everyone else in terms of British and even worldwide crime thriller literature.

So, what sets Ian Rankin apart from everyone else in terms of literary stature? Well, mainly, it's the Edinburgh connection. It always helps if you have an affiliation with the locale you are writing about, and I find that the better authors are often those whose regular series are set in a location that they themselves are familiar. Rankin lives in Edinburgh, and it is there that the majority of the cases his character John Rebus are set.

Rankin's love for Scotland shines through in his writing, and it is almost as if Edinburgh is painted as another character, and not just a location for events to happen. The detail is often extensive without dragging on and on, and this is a fine art to master, from a reader's point of view. This sets many of them well for transferral from the written word to the TV screen, where a good number of the Rebus books have been made into feature length TV crime dramas. Some have been successful and some have been not so, with John Hannah and Ken Stott both having appeared as the Scottish detective.

But it was not all plain sailing for the author, who tried to kick start his literary career with stints in London and France while he tried to write. In fact, when his first two novels came out and were categorised as noir crime thrillers, he wasn't too happy, as this was not the aim and he didn't want to be labelled. However, that label has stuck, and he is now widely regarded as the best crime thriller author Britain has.

There are other crime thriller authors who I find enjoyable to read, such as Val McDermid and Peter Robinson, but they manage to present their novels in different formats. Robinson tends to tone down the darkness a bit, while McDermid's power is in the plot dynamics and the links to the characters' history. Rankin tends to go for it with character development and careful control of often complex plot situations.

There only remain a couple of books Rankin has written that I am yet to read. He has dabbled outside of the Rebus books, as well as writing in a different style and as a different person, with a pseudonym, Jack Harvey. These I have yet to read, but I have been told they are just as good as the Rebus books. I shall, of course, give them a go in due course.

As Rankin approaches the age of 50, he shows no signs of losing the passion and drive that you often see with authors between the lines. Rebus is approaching the twilight of his career. Retirement beckons, and you can't help but find similarities between the two 'Rs' - Rebus and Rankin. I'm sure that authors do put a bit of themselves in their main characters - it's only natural, and Rebus is a highly interesting character that has been well developed throughout the books.

Rankin himself continues to live in Edinburgh with his wife and sons. He has been awarded an OBE for his services to literature, and often provides his literary skills for various other excursions, such as the James Tait Black Memorial Prize at Edinburgh University. He was a literary tutor there, and has involvement in the prize. Rumours are that other further literary projects include comic writing and documentaries, and it is good to see an author stretching out of his comfort zone to examine other more commercial elements of the literary world and its repercussions. Literature affects us more than we probably know, and Rankin is one at the forefront of helping raise awareness of the power of the written word. I shall continue to follow his work, be it on the page or off it, with intrigue and anticipation.

Rankin's books are all available quite readily from most bookshop retailers, either at the price of £6.99 or £7.99. He has written a short, which was retailing at Waterstone's for £1.99. One final publication which is well worth thumbing through every once in a while is the informative 'Rebus' Scotland', which provides a useful insight into the world of Rankin and Rebus, and how the character has developed and what the author sees when he looks at Scotland, Edinburgh and Rebus.

Summary: Ian Rankin - one of the leading crime thriller authors of our time