This Other Eden

Ben Elton's 1993 satirical novel imagines a near future where environmental collapse is so advanced that most people have sealed themselves into 'claustrospheres' — hermetic domes that let them keep consuming rather than changing. The claustrosphere as a metaphor for wilful denial is genuinely brilliant, and Elton's skewering of Hollywood marketing culture lands with consistent wit. The ecological alarm underneath the comedy is real, and the novel captures how activists grow exhausted watching society choose comfortable illusion over uncomfortable truth. The honest caveat is that character development takes a back seat to satirical point-scoring, and some targets — advertising, celebrity culture — feel well-worn even for 1993. Adult language and sexual humour make this a sixteen-plus read. Fans of sharp British satire with a green conscience will find it rewarding.