Platform is a novel by French writer Michel Houellebecq . It has received both great praise and great criticism, most notably for the novel's apparent condoning of sex tourism and anti-Muslim feelings. The author was charged for inciting racial and religious hatred after describing Islam as "stupid", but saw charges dismissed. A play in Spanish based on the book, adapted and directed by Calixto Bieito, premiered at the 2006 Edinburgh International Festival. The story is the first-person narrative of a fictional character named Michel Renault.