Antagonist
A thrilling exploration of betrayal and identity in a covert war
Jean-Pierre Attal author K E Gormley translator
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Dalkey Archive Press
Published:18th Jan '24
£10.99
Supplier delay - available to order, but may take longer than usual.
A gripping tale of intrigue and betrayal unfolds in Antagonist, featuring a cast of complex characters entangled in a covert war.
In Antagonist, a covert war unfolds, pitting two adversaries of the current regime against a double agent, Karl Résa. The narrative introduces a cast of compelling characters, including the enigmatic Athena Sansadarc, Inspector Loriot, his second-in-command Hector, and Pierre, who seeks revenge for the murder of his childhood friend, Salomon. The screenplay-novel intricately weaves their fates together in a world where alliances shift and motivations are deeply buried, creating an atmosphere of suspense and intrigue.
The structure of Antagonist resembles a classical tragedy, marked by its internal complexity rather than a rigid division into acts. The story defies traditional unities of time and space, often blurring the lines of identity. Characters grapple with their pasts, and the echoes of their words resonate with a haunting familiarity. This sense of déjà vu permeates the narrative, as each new event seems to be a reflection of something that has come before, leaving readers questioning the nature of reality itself.
Beneath its fast-paced surface, Antagonist offers a brilliant recombination of literary classics, making it a standout hybrid in contemporary literature. This surreal thriller captivates with its freshness and inventive storytelling, ensuring that it remains a significant work that challenges the conventions of its genre.
"As much poetry as fiction . . . The really keen reader of The Antagonist could spend happy weeks elucidating all its disguises and transitions, but even read once it has great charm and comic elegance." --The Times Literary Supplement, 1967 "We find ourselves in the presence of a secret, always manifest but never revealed for the entire length of this screenplay, [which is] as riveting as Jules Verne, as disturbing as Melville."--Yvon Belaval "By dint of its rigorous economy, the imagination of its formal structure, and the interplay of languages at its heart (which beats as that of the most novelistic of novels cannot), The Antagonist, pure fiction, critical fiction, is unquestionably one of the most fascinating fables—in any case, the most richly enigmatic—available today."--Henri Ronce
ISBN: 9781628973747
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: unknown
240 pages