Buck

In the beginning… there is Buck, the first man on earth. He invents language and starts naming everything in his paradise. And while doing so he discovers himself. Inspired by the beauty of everything that surrounds him, he decides that there ought to be a creator, and so after man he also creates a god. Before long, when Buck concludes that he is the sole and most solitary man on earth, god becomes the target of his anger. Spurred on by hatred for his creator he invents fire, followed soon after by an anti-aircraft cannon and an atomic bomb. But just as he is about to destroy himself – and therefore god – he spots something that makes life worth living: woman. However, seemingly blind to his genius she turns him down, again and again. Having invented art as well as writing and money, the market economy and child labour, and having established a town and a religion… Buck still lacks what matters most.

‘Buck’ is the long-awaited debut by Frederik Van den Stock, who had already made a name for himself with short stories and cartoons. This absurd but very clever story of creation, full of acerbic wit, shows us a wonderfully anachronistic paradise filled with dazzling colours, in which Buck wanders like a blank page. The humour, the well-structured narrative and the awe-inspiring natural beauty make ‘Buck’ a very impressive debut indeed.