The Purloined Boy

The Purloined Boy, Mortimus Clay, Finster Press, 2009

This is the tale of Trevor, a young boy who becomes one of those children who end up on milk cartons under the word Missing.

Trevor is living in a dark and dreary town called Superbia, along with many other children. Think of an orphanage from Victorian England. They are not allowed to say words like "parents" or "home." If they do, the boogeymen who run Superbia (and who kidnapped the children from their beds), will send them away for behavior modification, or send them to the Pantry, to be fattened up and eaten by the boogeymen. Becoming a meal for the boogeymen is the eventual fate of all the children.

After a very vivid dream about his parents, Trevor asks about going home, and is sent away for behavior modification. Around this time, he meets Maggie, a fellow orphan who also has memories of life before Superbia. She tells Trevor that she is part of a secret society whose aim is to help all the children who want to return home to actually do it. He also meets Epictetus, a one-eyed slave who is a leader in the "underground," and Zephyr, a very unique talking mouse. Trevor also learns about Trothward, a very nice place outside Superbia. He also learns about the long-term war going on between the Guild, who runs Trothward, and Lucian, the leader of the boogeymen. This leads Trevor to one adventure, and narrow escape, after another, while he is traversing many dank and dreary passageways beneath Superbia.

This is a young adult book that was made to be read aloud to older children, say between 10-13 years old. It may be a little too much for younger children. There are a number of dark and spooky bits in this story, and, being first in a series, there is not a "happily ever after" ending. The author does an excellent job with this tale from beginning to end, and it is very much worth the time.

Zollocco: A Novel of Another Universe

Zollocco: A Novel of Another Universe, Cynthia Joyce Clay, Oestara Publishing, 2000

This story is about a woman who, having escaped from a dying Earth, lands on a planet governed by sentient forests in the solar system Imenkapur. At first, the forest, called Zollocco, doesn't want her there, but slowly changes its "mind" after realizing that the woman is at least trying to live in harmony with the forest.

She is captured by, and made the property of, the Toelakhan, an interstellar corporation not in agreement with the forests' stewardship of the planets. She escapes, and runs from planet to planet, meeting other civilizations living in tune with the forests. She is made a priestess of the forests, but the Toelakhan is always one step behind her, wanting their property back.

Included in the book are vignettes about life on an Earth that has become an environmental disaster area. Through some new version of Eminent Domain, houses are flattened and parking lots are torn up to create space to plant trees, because breathing masks are required at all times when one is outside. The ozone layer, even over America, has become very thin. Faneuil Hall in Boston is now on the waterfront, because of global warming. An expedition is made to the flooded, and evacuated, Boston Financial District to gather up all the house plants in all those offices and keep them alive to produce much needed oxygen.

This one is very good. It has a rather strong social message, but it also has an interesting story that will get the reader thinking. It is well worth the time.

Believers in Love

Believers in Love, Alan Clay, Artmedia Publishing, 2001

Sax is a divorced man with custody of daughter Sarah. They have become a father-daughter sand castle sculpture team, and are invited to participate in an arts festival in Auckland, New Zealand. Along the way, Zoe, a chalk artist, joins the group. Sax and Zoe put out a hat for donations, and agree to split the proceeds.

Adam, the organizer of the Auckland festival, is dismissed from his job after making too many enemies in the city government. He becomes the trio's manager when they are invited to do their thing inside a shopping mall in Adelaide, Australia. As Sax and Zoe become close, things get difficult as politics rears its head and the various relationships are tested: Sax and Zoe, Sax and Sarah and Zoe and Sarah. Throughout much of this emotional journey, Sarah is accompanied by Firefly, her angel.

This one is excellent. Interspersed with some unique, almost Zen vignettes, this is quite a story of love and emotions and relationships. In lyrical, almost poetic, writing, the author does a fine job with this tale of life itself. It is well worth the reader's time.

Dance Sisters

Dance Sisters, Alan Clay, ArtMedia, 1997

The Dance Sisters are a female singing and dancing duo, recently expanded into a trio. They are in the running for an Australasian Song Award, and are practicing hard for their performance on awards night. But Pearl, the leader, has ended a relationship with Moana, the other original member, and has become involved with a cult that deals in things like astrology, group sex and virtual dreaming. Pearl begins to attach more importance to the cult than to the Dance Sisters, very much threatening their chances at the Song Awards. The pressures on the trio are explored from the point of view of Eva, the third member, as possibly the biggest night in their careers comes ever closer.

This is quite an enjoyable read. It's convincingly written, and the characters are real people, too. It's a story of friendship and camaraderie, but also a story of the impact of technology on society and is well worth reading.