The Age of Aquarius

So finally my first novel is out in the open...

You can buy it here in USA, and here for the UK - But most importantly, check out the website and competition which will launch today in here (see competition)

And thanks for everyone who bought it already, whoever you are (mum)

Cannibalism - The Last Taboo? (warning, dodgy photos!)

I’ve always been interested in things and subjects where people say ‘Alan, you CANT say that!’ Anything you can’t say or do must, by default, be interesting surely? So, heroin, crack and crystal meths aside, I’ve thus always had a weird fascination with ‘outsider’ subjects, hence the themes in my forthcoming novel. I’ll start today by looking a bit more at cannibalism…

We're all Cannibals, really

There’s a big difference between the classic idea of cannibals, black native guys with bones through their noses, putting khaki clad explorers in big black cooking pots on the fire, and the real, scary idea of people who are basically messed up enough to meet you in a bar, invite you back to their house, and kill and eat you.

Classic C'bals at Work

I think I first became interested in the subject when I got my hands on a copy of ‘Cannibal Holocaust’ on a street in St Petersburg. Actually it was totally accidental, I bought about 20 random dvd’s for about $10 but when I googled it I realized how it had been banned everywhere. It’s not a film for the faint hearted, but I am glad to say, ‘Hostel’ director is Eli Roth is also on my wavelength here with his forthcoming film  ‘The Green Inferno’ (which looks amazing I must say) – set in Peru, about a bunch of not particularly likeable American deforestation activists, who end up as dinner. Which is basically the same story as cannibal holocaust.

But eating another human being. Even the thought of it makes most people queasy. Why? There is of course the why factor. What would go through a rational mans mind to consciously do such a thing?

I'm not actually sure this is real but...what the hell???

In ‘The Age of Aquarius’, cannibalism takes a number of basic forms (I wont tell you about them all here, just some examples.)

 

Beautiful romantic scene from Cannibal holocaust, which basically got it banned all round the world.

Firstly, slaves are eaten, simply as a show of complete subjugation over another human being. ‘I’m so rich, I can afford to buy this persons whole existence’ is the message. So, to fill market demand, slaves are bred from birth, to want to be eaten. This is the pinnacle of their very lives. Powerful (and sociopathic) people, want to invite their friends to dinner parties, and show off how rich they are, by feeding them corn fed humans, who are eager and willing to be eaten alive.

The second form is of course through ignorance. This isn’t rocket science. Do you actually know what is in your ‘all beef hot dog?’ Does that look like beef to you? It’s basically the same with all ‘reformed’ meat. It could be anything. Including your cousin.  

Aye right, of course it's 'chicken'

Later on in the book, as civilization breaks down, the weak are hunted like dogs. As in the movie ‘alive’ where the plan crash survivors eat their dead because they’d die otherwise, this is merely survival and, unlike veganism, quite possibly within the bounds of rational human behavior. 

In short, cannibalism is most probably a potentially natural thing to do. It's the murder that precludes it thats weird.

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…

Cannibalism in Nicaragua

A mini version of Hell, yesterday

So I found myself in a strange ritual the other night in Magnific Rock, Popoyo. I come home from a hard day at the beach and a bunch of guys from new zealand have dug a hole, made a fire, and were drinking heavily.

A large thing had been killed and put into a box for the flames. At first i thought it could have been some child sacrifice, but then I realised that this was a new zealand thing, so there must be sheep involved instead somewhere.

and lo and behold, I was right. Instead of a little fat Nicaraguan boy, who probably tasted of Tortilla and cookies, it was a goat, butchered in the absence of the sacred sheep, and ritualistically lowered into the pit of fire, for our future eating, once drunk.

Chopped up Nicaraguan little boy for sacrifice

Actually it was pretty tasty, and, to further celebrate the guys birthday, everyone got more drunk, and joined the local kids in their favourite pastime - beating up animals.

Local kids, blindfolded and attacking a pink dinosaur (no wonder they are extinct)

Well, as the birthday drinks flowed, it got to that great and friendly stage, where the different nationalities couldn't be distinguished apart (except for the American, who could be easily distinguished by her puking on the floor when she thought no one was looking)

I think the only Americans who actually drink all live in Buffalo- the only city I know where you get pulled over for sober driving...

However I digress, I'm glad to now be back in good old cold Britain again, the sun is shining, the birds are singing, there are no ants in my bed, and I have no need of an air conditioner as it never gets over 20 degrees (it's the Scottish maximum allowed temperature, our thermometers don't even go to 25)

More on that later, in between perhaps a few guest posts and bizzareness of blighty....