Blog Archives
WHEN NEIGHBOURS COME TO STAY
250 years in the future, Australia’s small densely populated neighbouring country Bhakaria could cast envious eyes on large and sparsely populated Australia. Martin Knox has written a speculative fiction novel The Grass Is Always Browner.
Immigration is discouraged by Australia’s harsh climate and by strict border controls. Nevertheless, workers enter and a religion Yamism grows, with a majority of Australians becoming followers.
The nation has suffered severe droughts and famines, dispersing city populations for self-sufficiency. Low-lying areas are flooded by rising sea levels.
The story follows the epic rise of the Yabras, an indigenous family who become a dynasty ruling democratically with science.
Will Prime Minister Abajoe be able to limit immigration, end religious conflict, prevent civil war and maintain peaceful relations with Bhakaria? Siti, a feisty Bhakarian woman activist, becomes his partner.
The story continues through 50 years, with dystopian realism and rearrangement of the institutional furniture to accommodate future Australian society, trending now.
Abajoe leads his people to avert conflict, copying strategies that worked for historic statesmen: Chiang Kaishek, Mandela, Ghandi, De Valera and Parnell. Will he be able to create lasting peace?
The book is 462 pages of relevant content, delivered with page turning at a brisk pace.
Available: Amazon. See reviews: martinknox.com
A PARTY GAME IS OVER
Politics is supposed to bring people together and control their government. When independent politician Jane disappears from a hung parliament, the government is able to approve a casino development she opposes. Presumed Dead is a page-turner about how Phillip, a politician she loves and their friends, suspect foul play and search for her. They employ forensic techniques that reveal methodical corruption in bipartisan politics. In a final denouement, government leaders are exposed and the parliament is reconstituted.
This is a page-turning political whodunit, crime fiction demonstrating the workings of a Westminster System of democracy, in a fictional parliament and proposing non-partisan politics.
Available on Amazon. Reviews and excerpt martinknox.com
SIX NOVELS TO DINE OUT ON
TURKEY NOT BEES (2022) is the story of Megan who self-coaches, with the help of her boyfriend Chance, using Heidegger’s phenomenalism. Will they be able to passively resist De Bord’s spectacle, appearing as a takeover by the nanny state of health, sport, employment and individual performances?
ANIMAL FARM 2 (2021) is a satirical fiction sequel to George Orwell’s totalitarian expose’ of fascist totalitarianism. The story updates the pigs’ control of the farm animals, from the Cold War, during perestroika and in superpower climate manoeuvring. Will the pigs retain control?
TIME IS GOLD (2020) is the story of how Maxi will run in the 2032 Olympic marathon coached by her boyfriend Jack, a physics researcher who trains her to dilate time using Einstein’s Special relativity theory, in a psychological condition called flow. Will they succeed?
SHORT OF LOVE (2019) is a satirical fiction story of how when Vicki plays hard to get, Tom commodifies their love and arranges to delay closure with her until later when he will have more time for her. Will their unconventional relationship succeed?
PRESUMED DEAD (2018) is a crime fiction story in which Jane, a woman councillor, disappears from a hung parliament in which she is a lone independent with a decisive vote. Her councillor boyfriend Phillip conducts an unconventional forensic reconstruction, by a think tank which explores the roots of corruption. Will they find her and will she be alive?
THE GRASS IS ALWAYS BROWNER (2011) is speculative fiction about Australian society 250 years in the future, when the nation is a republic and indigenous Abajoe is Prime Minister. The population of Meannjin (Brisbane) has dispersed following famine, flooding and a religious civil war. Abajoe strives for national stability and trade with neighbouring Bhakaria. Will traditional Australian culture survive?
Available on Amazon. Reviews: martinknox.com
SIX NOVEL IDEAS
Below is a brief description of each of my 6 titles available on Amazon.
Turkeys Not Bees
Two young people oppose a nanny state takeover of sport and health.
Animal Farm 2
Orwell’s satire (1945) continues into modern times, with the farm under totalitarian control by pigs and threatened by superpower climate change alarm.
Time is Gold
A runner trains to run in flow and dilating time as predicted by Einstein, confounding her critics.
Short of Love
An engineer grows impatient with an undecided girlfriend and tries to delay closure with a commodity trade, until they will be better matched, with unexpected and satirical consequences.
Presumed Dead
A feisty woman politician holds the balance of power in a hung parliament. When she disappears, her partner leads a forensic reconstruction to find her.
The Grass is Always Browner
250 years in the future, Abajoe is the indigenous Prime Minister of Australia, with a gene for sharing with neighbours. He resolves religious conflict, eases immigration tension and brings peace to a nation transformed in many ways.
Reviews and excerpts are at: martinknox.com
