Yes, it's true, I have three books on the go at the moment.

Irvine Welsh's Trainspotting is the modern classic which spawned the great film. It's written in Aberdeen dialect, so isn't over-easy on the eye, but is a grim insight into the minds of a collection of junkies, pimps and headcases. This is a collection of short stories and episodes mostly narrated by Mark Renton, Francis Begbie, Simon Williamson (AKA Sick Boy) and Danny Murphy (Spud). Together they leave you with an insight into the drugs and violence culture in modern Edinburgh, although you could quite easily find these people in any town around the world.

For me, the most fascinating characters are Renton and Spud. Theirs is a genuine friendship, with the hippy Spud and the world weary Renton genuinely caring for each other, as opposed to the acts of affection and solidarity Begbie bullies into his circle of friends and the jealous, usurious acquaintances that Sick Boy forms.

The book goes into every horror of Heroin addiction, pulling no punches when it comes to issues like overdosing, death, withdrawal, HIV, prostitution and mindless violence.

But despite all this, you're left with a strange sense of hope. As the film and book have both been around for about 10 years, it's no giveaway to say that Renton ends up by stealing thousands of pounds from his friends and leaving the country, and thoughout the book you have the recurring theme of Renton's attempts and desire to kick his habit and better his life. This is juxtaposed with his overpowering nihilism, but at the end of the day, when the opportunity presents itself, his ambition, his desire to escape and make something of his life beats everything. I find wonderful hope in this fact, and I think, especially given his continuing story in the sequel "Porno", Mark Renton has to be one of the bravest, most hopeful characters I've read about.

Spud is also a character full of hope, but his is a naive, frustrated, apathetic hope. One of the phrases you most associate with Spud is "But what can you do?". He accepts his role as junky and punchbag with philosophical apathy and resignedness and as such becomes a truly tragic character.

Irvine Welsh spins a wide web around these friends and associates and brings them to life in all of their glory. An incredibly well done crawl along the underbelly of Aberdeen's junky society.