Book Review by Waheed Rabbani
After the Flood By Shane Joseph
The good, the bad, and the ugly in the new world, after the Flood.
Shane Joseph’s futuristic novel is indeed something original, and a refreshing read, when compared to other similar novels wherein the world, predictably, following a cataclysmic event is a dystopian place with a bleak future. Shane’s characters lead normal lives, much like in their earlier world, unlike the survivors in the other stories, where they have to survive in—hard to believe and imagine—shattered buildings, bleak landscapes, and face not only food shortages but genetically mutated antagonists! Herein lays the charm of Shane’s novel. The characters are real, whom we can relate with, and are drawn into their new world with all its former characteristics and inhabitants’ good, bad and ugly wishes. As noted in the Synopsis “… the human ability to create havoc through the weakness of desire is still alive and well …” This setting provides a unique opportunity to bring out the strengths and frailties of mankind, which Shane has delivered in an absorbing novel that will make us ponder our own lives for some time after closing the book.
In selecting the time period of his story, Shane, appears to have taken a page out of an ancient Mayan almanac that had ended its calendar in 2012. Hence, quite believably due to ecological changes, the flood occurs that year to cut off parts of North America from the rest of the world. Shane’s characters, through diligent hard work—typical after a disaster—have rebuilt their former city—possibly Toronto—into a city-state and named it, “Tolemac.” The choice of that name tells a lot about the story itself and is a pleasant surprise when its reason is revealed.
Characteristically, the new world also gets divided into factions of have and have-nots and those with capitalist and socialist—called Humanitarian—values. The story takes on a bit of the charming “Peyton Place” style, when strangers arrive in town. The desires and wills of the residents are tested. Some remain resolute while some succumb to temptation, which leads even to a murder. Following an absorbing trial with a satisfying conclusion, where possibly Grisham might have ended his novel, Shane’s story continues (much like a Bollywood movie) into a thrilling fourth act.
The writing and dialogue use is superb. Some of the discussions and speeches made by the contenders during the election campaign in Tolemac will remind us of our North American politicians. Shane has employed wonderful techniques and props to bring that age of the new world alive from the pages into our mind’s eye. For instance the information and communication device used by those people is called a “Communicator,” which appears to be a combined, radio, TV, PC, telephone etc, device. Could it be a future version of the latest iPad?
Shane Joseph’s novel is aptly subtitled: “A dystopian novel of hope.” To those of us who are concerned about the prospects of our World, and with the year 2012 in our minds, it will hearten us to realize that indeed there is hope for a tranquil future.
Review by Waheed Rabbani (http://tiny.cc/wrabbani)
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