“Rant: An Oral Biography of Buster Casey” by Chuck Palahniuk

Grade: A- | “Like most people, I didn’t meet Rant Casey until after he was dead. That’s how it works for most celebrities: After they croak, their circle of close friends just explodes.”

Such begins the latest novel by Chuck Palahniuk, best known as the author of books like “Choke,” “Stranger Than Fiction” and “Fight Club.” His latest, “Rant: An Oral Biography of Buster Casey” is a collection of sometimes-contradictory accounts of acquaintances of the late Buster “Rant” Casey, rumored murderer and the sole cause for the crippling outbreak of rabies gripping the nation.

What’s the catch? The crippling outbreak of rabies isn’t real. Neither is Buster Casey. The interviews? Pure fiction. But it’s presented in such a way that it’s easy to forget.

Palahniuk may have one of the firmest grasps on the English language of any modern author. His ability to switch between dozens of different voices, each with varying degrees of literacy and eloquence, each utterly distinct from the rest, is mind-boggling.

Rant is a troubled youth who initially seeks fulfillment by being bitten by various insects and small animals. As a result, he launches a rabies epidemic when he reaches sexual maturity and moves to the city. As if that weren’t enough, once relocated, he joins the cult of “Party Crashers,” who dress in various attires (wedding party-goers, soccer moms, student drivers, etc.), and crash their vehicles into each other. It is one of these crashes that kills Rant before the novel even begins, sparking a mass eulogy from friends, family and complete strangers. Palahniuk’s caustic wit is ever-present, making Casey seem more like James Dean than Typhoid Mary, perfectly skewering the “teen-martyr” stereotype. As more and more details are uncovered about Rant’s death, the story builds to an ending so twisted only a mind like Palahniuk’s could have conceived of it.

“Rant” is arguably Palahniuk’s most ambitious piece yet, a lofty title given the man’s impressive resume. But the often-confusing, endlessly-complex format of an oral biography would be a challenging enough task on its own; having to invent the story as well as the storytellers makes the task seem nearly insurmountable.

Fortunately, Palahniuk is able to surmount it brilliantly.