“Like most people, I didn’t meet and talk to Rant Casey until after he was dead”.

So begins the latest release from contemporary author of Fight Club, Chuck Palahniuk. The book is written as an oral biography, in a “Talking Heads” style, telling the bizarre and wonderful story of Buster “Rant” Casey, possibly America’s most efficient serial killer.

The hero of the story, if you can call him that , is “every small kid born into a small town”. This book charts his misadventures from boyhood to his life and spectacular death in the city through the eyes of those who knew him, those who loved him, and those who hated him.

The format takes narrative to a new level, relying completely on a firm and educated knowledge of each character, their lives and colloquialisms and more importantly, their opinions on Rant Casey. In this way, the reader experiences random fragments of the story and watches it slowly evolve.

Well, that’s all as far as the format goes, but to say what the book is about is a totally different story. Is it about a man who spreads rabies through everyone he meets? Is it about a strange new urban pass-time called party crashing, where young people stalk each other in cars decorated with Christmas trees and coffee machines through a network of dark city streets? Is it about downloading memories through a port at the base of the skull? Is it about time-travel?

There are aspects of all of these things in Rant but in order to see how they are joined together to make a story, it begs to be read. Admittedly, the book ultimately edges towards a confusing and scattered conclusion, however the book is the first part of a trilogy so will any luck, order will be restored.

It’s impossible to write about Chuck without mentioning “the faintings” associated with readings of his short story “Guts”, a cautionary tale on the dangers of creative masturbation. This story appears in his last book, Haunted and I defy anyone to read it without cringes, retching of the stomach or loss of consciousness. I was disappointed to find nothing quite so graphic in Rant, but as far as mainstream fiction goes, a windstorm of bloodied sanitory products still peaks the standards of polite conversation.

Fans of Chuck will be happy to learn that his plane crash countdown, Survivor, is scheduled to be made into a movie by producers of Constantine. The screenplay has been written and production is due to begin at the end of the year. Or so the rumor goes.