Post-post-apocalyptic society can be fun.
In the 23rd century, as Gaia’s Curse starts to lift, Canberra is divided. Leaders of local communities revel in grandiosity in a political landscape pervaded by lust, betrayal and power struggles.
The nefarious Baron von Belco and his Coalition of the Largely Unwilling attempt to conquer North Canberra, resulting in the most embarrassing battle in military history. The Governor of Gungahlin just wants a quiet life, despite the machinations of his power-hungry Secretary. The demented Mud People of EPIC go on an epic journey to find the earthly paradise of Wagga Bay.
The Weston Union attempts to secede from the domains of the Warlord of Woden. Meanwhile the temptress Jezebel, Begum of Jerra, conspires to overthrow dear old Queen Doris of Queanbeyan. The Peoples Soviet Republic of Tuggeranong tries to liberate the peasants held in feudal servitude to the aristocratic Count of Condor, who is under siege by chicken rustlers. South Canberra remains as confusing as its street layout.
Yet Canberra is pervaded by the far-sighted legacy of a man long gone – a legacy and a prophecy.
Inhoudsopgave
Part One – Crispin Spalding 1
1. The Snows of Yesteryear 3
2. Prophecy 10
Part Two – Crispin VII 17
3. The President’s Dilemma 21
4. The Flight of the Improbable 27
5. Embankment 33
6. The Battle of Belcoway 39
7. Kidnapped 45
8. Rescue 52
9. Ill Met by Goonlight 59
10. Bogans and Bogongs 66
11. The Governor of Gungahlin 71
12. The Battle of O’Connor Ridge 77
13. The Mud People 85
14. New Ideas 91
15. The Laird of Lyons 98
16. Blasphemy 105
17. A Taste of Coq au Vin 111
18. The Cooma Confederacy 117
19. The Brindabella Brigands 123
20. The Battle of Greenway 129
21. Convocation 138
Part Three – Crispin IX 145
22. Crispin Spalding’s Legacy 147
About the Author 153
Over de auteur
Robert Phillips grew up in Adelaide, where he first started writing for theatre. His full-length science fiction play Technocraton was published by Heinemann in 1976.
Moving to Canberra, he became an aviation risk analyst with the Civil Aviation Safety Authority and its predecessors. This inspired him to write A Risky Life (Halstead Press, 2014), which describes the risks in life that people are likely to encounter. He has written several books, plays both long and short, articles, and short stories. His numerous technical papers, which often contained algebra, caused him to be accused of practicing black magic.
Canberraesque was originally written in random order as a series of short stories for a writers’ group that met at the ACT Writers Centre, of which he was Secretary for several years. He is also a member of the Canberra Speculative Fiction Guild, which hasn’t banned him yet despite his penchant for puns.
A former Convenor of the Downer Community Association, he now lives in retirement with a Burmese cat in the Grand Duchy of North Lyneham.
The author may be contacted via his website: www.robertphillips.com.au
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