Introduction to 'The Age of Aquarius'

Hello all – since I’m about to unleash a world of fetus crunching cannibal slaves to an unsuspecting public (I’ll up the link up here soon!), I thought I’d tell you a bit about my forthcoming novel, and the main themes in there…

First of all let me tell you a little bit about the general background setting of the novel...

  

The some other time, some other place world where we find ourselves at the beginning of the book, from where our protagonist Billy Stark emerges, is a world full of contradictions. The populace is increasingly ‘chipped’ for ‘security purposes’, ostensibly for ease of living, and voluntary indenture is becoming a popular solution for debt repayment. The world economy is tightly controlled by a small number of people and, although widespread debauchery is encouraged, real freedom is an illusion. 

Rather like the world of today, if you think hard enough about it.  

The spiritual vacuum left by the declining monolithic religions has been replaced by one ‘mega-religion’, which has many attractions for the put-upon populace. It encourages ‘living in the moment’ and escaping responsibility for one’s actions, in order to help the ruling cartel fully control the people. The implicit aim, unbeknown to the ignorant masses is to crush the spirit, not nurture it.

The last thorn in the side of the tiny international cabal who controls the system, are the ‘Freelanders’ who are a remnant of the old ways, believing in integrity, personal morality, and who actively fight against the enslavement of the human race. The media ridicules them as eccentric losers and outsiders and the group becomes increasingly marginalized as existence out in the open becomes impossible.

Ok, some more on this later… now perhaps lets explore the main characters…