Weekly Question Mag 25 August 2013

Realms of Gold

REALMS OF GOLD

by greenleafT

Hallo again! My page has a new name that gives me more scope. I'm going to be looking at different categories of fiction.

This week - sci-fi.

NEXT WEEK: Children's books that have influenced us.  If there's a book or a series that you loved, please leave a message on the Mag page or my profile board, with a note telling me why you like that story.  This survey will continue until further notice.

Also next week: another young Fantasy writer.

Back to sci-fi.  First up, let me introduce lightninrod, who is writing a futuristic novel called 2084. I've read quite a few chapters of his book by now, and I'm very impressed. The characters are drawn strongly, there's an interesting plot and lots of technological inventiveness. For instance... Flying skateboards! Yes - whee, bump, aargh... CRASH!!!

Over to him, then...

Science fiction is about creating new worlds in which advanced science and technology are present or at least lurk in the background.

The world of Monica Talbot, a 25-year-old scientist and college teacher, consists of her smart apartment in London that responds to her moods with 3D images, a robot who keeps house and cooks for her and a jewel-sized Artificial Intelligence device, worn on her forehead, that connects her with a global net providing services that cater to her wants, as she lives her life in 2084.

Her infatuation with the charismatic spiritual teacher Jay, whom she encounters in holographic form at his holoshows in Hyde Park, spark fantasies of working with him and perhaps becoming his lover.

Yuke Corrigan, a wealthy 20-year-old student whose father has a financial squeeze on the college, is caught by Monica cheating on his coursework. He threatens to ruin her career if she fails him and harasses her, finally making a sexual misconduct accusation against her. He sends her professors holographic imagery as evidence.

Her world shattered, Monica abandons her London life and family, flying to Jay's Headquarters in Indonesia with her friend Nazreen to test out her fantasy.

The theme of this novel is 'the power of money versus the power of love in a world that confuses artifice with reality'.

Thanks so much! A great story!

Incidentally, if you know anyone who is thinking of self-publishing on Kindle or the other platforms, do tell them about lightninrod's advice book: 'My Self-Publishing Odyssey And How You Can Learn From It', which is full of useful tips and links.

Another sci-fi book I've been reading is by a lady with an amazing occupation. RebeccaKOConnor is a falconer!

Her book, 'We Were Wilder' is on Wattpad for a few more weeks, so check it out. A project to reintroduce animals like elephants and buffalo into the North American wilds goes wrong when a killer virus emerges and jumps from animals to humans. A great adventure, starring a feisty heroine, Imogen "Genny" Jones. 

Well, lightninrod was the only person to have a go at answering a quiz question. The home of Sir Thomas and Lady Bertram was Mansfield Park, and the play rehearsed there was 'Lovers' Vows' - and a whole lot of trouble it caused, too!

So - only one question this week: WHERE ARE THE PSAMMEAD'S EYES? (Clue: A Psammead is a sand fairy). PRIZE: an ad for one of your books. 'Bye for now!