Ciao - for people with opinions

Latest reviews Latest questions
Write a review Latest videos
Special offers
Home > Books > Fiction > Modern Fiction Books > C Modern Fiction Books > Chart Throb - Ben Elton
Available from £1.71 Compare 7 prices
User rating
User rating User rating
14 Reviews

Community Quote

Chart Throb presents itself as the ultimate pop quest - successor to X-factor, Pop Idol and all the other search-for-a-star type programmes. But as the producer and senior panel judge, Calvin Simms... more

Compare prices

for Chart Throb - Ben Elton

User Reviews

for Chart Throb - Ben Elton

Rating Summary based on 14 reviews

  • 5 Stars
    		4
  • 4 Stars
    		5
  • 3 Stars
    		3
  • 2 Stars
    		2
  • 1 Star
    		0

Detailed rating

  • Characters
  • How does it compare to other works by the same author?
  • How does it compare to similar books?
  • Readability
  • Story
  		• 3.6
  		• 2.7
  		• 3.0
  		• 3.8
  		• 3.6
  • 36 of 36 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of hollywoodmum

    hollywoodmum

    4 Stars Chart Throb 31/10/2007
    User recommends the product

    Advantages Advantages Great characters, amusing

    Disadvantages Disadvantages not hard to put down

    The Blurb Chart Throb. The ultimate pop quest. Ninety five thousand hopefuls. Three Judges. Just one winner. And that's Calvin Simms, the genius behind the show. Calvin always wins because Calvin writes the rules. But this year, as he sits in judgement upon Mingers, Clingers and Blingers whom he has pre-selected in his carefully scripted 'search' for a star, he has no idea that the rules are changing. The real is about to be put back into 'reality' televison and Calvin and his fellow judges are about to become ex-factors themselves. ben Elton, author of Popcorn and Dead Famous, returns to ... more
  • 40 of 40 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of markd_uk

    markd_uk

    3 Stars Annoyingly Entertaining 25/03/2007
    User recommends the product

    Advantages Advantages Great research, well written

    Disadvantages Disadvantages Frustrating characters, annoying topic

    Reality TV rules our lives these days, with viewers of all ages and demographics sitting down to waste their precious prime-time TV viewing hours watching cheaply made programmes such as "Celebrity Sandwich Maker" and "I'm A Celebrity, Let Me Shag You" coupled with "Your Wife Sucks" and "Square Dance Queen". Even worse, these same viewers then spend the contents of their entire wage packet and their generous overdraft sending in text votes to keep in or vote off the unwitting contestant who thought they would be made a star by sitting in front of cameras all day long looking dim-witted. You ... more
  • 58 of 58 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of kirkytracy

    Level 5 kirkytracy

    Member since 17/02/2007

    Reviews written: 65

    3 Stars Laugh out loud? A quiet chuckle more like! - Chart Throb 19/02/2009
    User doesn't recommend the product

    Advantages Advantages Easy to pick up and put down

    Disadvantages Disadvantages Weak characters, weak ending

    Chart Throb I have never been the greatest fan of Ben Elton as such but do like the sitcoms he was involved in writing such as Blackadder and The Young Ones. After reading a few positive reviews I decided to give one of his books ago and the one I chose was Chart Throb. Eltons 11th novel, Chart Throb is about a reality TV show to find the next big Pop Star. Basically its a mickey take of such programmes as The X Factor, Pop Idol, Fame Academy etc etc etc. The story is set when the X Factor is no longer and Chart Throb is the biggest reality show on TV. The judges on this show are Calvin Simms ... more
  • 75 of 75 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of alleycat01

    alleycat01

    4 Stars A Clinger, Minger or Blinger? You decide! Review with images 04/01/2007
    User recommends the product

    Advantages Advantages Compelling read, very funny.

    Disadvantages Disadvantages Seems to lose momentum at the end.

    I love Ben Elton's books, and whenever a new one comes out - usually just before Christmas by some strange co-incidence, I always have a quiet word with the bearded fella in the dodgy red suit. He usually comes up trumps, and this year was no different - there it was in my Christmas stocking all nicely wrapped in shiny gold paper - "Chart Throb - The Ultimate Pop Quest". The story follows the reality TV programme, Chart Throb, which starts with ninety five thousand entrants to the hottest show on TV. Of course there can only be one winner - and that's where the three celebrity judges come in ... more
  • 49 of 49 Ciao users found the following review helpful
    Picture of kingfisher111

    Level 9 kingfisher111

    Member since 05/02/2006

    Reviews written: 1056

    5 Stars What's real about reality? 13/01/2008
    User recommends the product

    Advantages Advantages thought provoking and funny

    Disadvantages Disadvantages none

    I have just finished reading 'Chart Throb' which was written by Ben Elton and which I would have to describe as a very cynical view of all the reality talent shows that we find on television these days. It is a very entertaining read but also really makes you think about the morality of such TV shows. Chart Throb is actually the name of a TV talent show. As you read the book, you cannot help but be reminded of X Factor all the way through (this is even though Ben Elton mentions X Factor as one of Chart Throb's predecessors, and even mentions Simon, Sharon and Louis in their roles of judges in ... more

Product information

for Chart Throb - Ben Elton

Product Details

Type Fiction
Genre Modern Fiction
Title Chart Throb
Author Ben Elton
ISBN 055277376X; 0552773778; 059305749X; 0593057503

See more Information

Other Ciao users found the following items interesting

Related Tags

for Chart Throb - Ben Elton