20 OCTOBER 1984, page 31

Shanghaied

Harriet Waugh Empire of the Sun J. G. Ballard (Gollancz £8.95) T his is the first time the Booker short- list has thrown up a novel that should appeal as greatly to children as......

Young Scumbag

A. N. Wilson Money Martin Amis (Cape £8.95) T his book has received extravagant praise from Martin Amis's more fawn- ing or soft-brained admirers. Equally (as the narrator of......