Ned Beauman took us to 1930s England in his debut novel, BOXER, BEETLE, and then to the Weimar era of Berlin in THE TELEPORTATION ACCIDENT. His third book, GLOW, takes place in present-day London in an established setting of drug-fueled dance parties, raves, surreal dream cycles, and everyday gung-ho-style kidnappings by people in mysterious white vans.

The verbiage, diction, imagery and all-around setting are increased to new levels in what feels like a surreal and dark landscape that at times has an aura of danger and damp darkness, like some of the best dystopian novels. But, like a good drug, it's also alluring in its high points. Reading the book isn’t always easy, as there are long stretches that become convoluted, while new characters and backstories are created at a moment’s notice. For the reader, though, the payoff is fair.

The plot can be classified as some kind of off-the-wall achievement in its intricacies. If Beauman is guilty of anything here, it’s being overly ambitious. A new drug, Glow, has hit London. It is manufactured by a chemist named Win, who is from Myanmar and has a double set up in a fake warehouse full of extras. This is courtesy of a leading mining company called Lacebark, which is centered in Burma but is infiltrating London and needs to produce more of the substance in order to create a monopoly amidst the London drug culture.

"The plot can be classified as some kind of off-the-wall achievement in its intricacies.... GLOW may not be for everyone, but those who do stick with it and follow it closely will find plenty to become lost in."

The drug itself is manufactured straight from fox excrement because its plant, glo, is ineffective unless synthesized through foxes. The main character, Raf, suffers from a disability called 24-hour sleep/wake syndrome, causing him to slip an hour out of sync with the rest of the world each and every day. His best friend, Theo, is kidnapped by men in mysterious white vans, and his love interest, Cherish, remains mysterious, leaving readers to wonder what her true motives are.

The work itself is more convoluted than one can describe here. The whole novel spans two weeks, broken up into daily segments of time; within each segment, the reader is taken through a journey of backstory, character exposition, and some fine if overwrought language. Not all readers will hold on for the long stretches, and the narrative can be difficult to follow at times. Read closely and carefully, or one can be easily lost here. Still, those who love words will persevere, as will established fans of Beauman. So one is then left to wonder if words alone --- beautifully written here yet overwhelming at times --- are enough to carry a novel. It depends on the reader: some may be alienated, while others are sure to be enthralled.

GLOW has a plot and series of events so outlandish that one has to applaud Beauman’s imagination. However, I suspect that he is less a storyteller and more a poet. It’s his strong suit, and he follows it here. The words and long intricate stretches of exposition seem to overshadow the book's more suspenseful elements and occasional strong characterization, yet somehow it all seems to work here.

Brevity is the soul of wit, the best stories are the true ones, just stick to your story. These rules seem to have been established in strong prose long ago. Very few modern writers break them successfully. Beauman, though, is one of them. GLOW may not be for everyone, but those who stick with it and follow it closely will find plenty in which to become lost.