The Business (2012)

In case you've forgotten that the world has become increasingly materialistic and corporate, this satirical novel — a best-seller in England — about a secretive, centuries-old "''ommercial cabal'' that has its capitalistic tentacles in everything from Cuban cigars to the U.N. is bent on reminding you. Unfortunately, despite its ruthless wit, Iain Banks's The Business already feels dated. The listless, straggling plot concerning a pretty senior executive's moral dilemma of whether to marry for love or make a strategic alliance never engages. It's hard to care about someone who's all business — especially someone who's not even evil enough to be amusing. C