Idea War: Volume 1 by Abi Godsell launching today

Jet-packs and socio-political sci-fi set in a future Johannesburg, South Africa. That and more is what awaits readers of the first instalment in the series Idea War, released today by Wordsmack Publishers.

Author and Johannesburg-cheerleader Abi Godsell uses her city of birth as the setting for her dystopian coming-of-age series. 

“It’s why I write the way I do, locating stories in very specific places. At least, this love of city, and wanting to share that love is one of the reasons,” says Godsell.

“I hope that someone reading Idea War, would take a look at the map and recognise a landmark in the text and suddenly say ‘Hey! But that’s my street! I drive that street to the veggie shop every Saturday,’” says Godsell.

About Idea War: Volume 1:

Sixteen-year-old Callie Baxter refuses to just sit tight and accept the invaders who have occupied her city. Underneath the new Government’s façade of order and fairness lies the ugly reason for its being here, and it’s up to Callie’s group of underground rebels to expose its brutal objective.

She’s worked hard to keep her fledgling group of passionate rebels alive, but as the Government’s hit squads narrow in on them, she realises she has only just begun to understand the pain of loss, and the true cost of growing up.

Idea War: Volume 1 is the first installment in a thrilling new urban series which outlines the story behind the fight for the soul of a future Johannesburg.

The city represents a shining example of recovery to the outside world, but can a small group of determined teenagers overcome the decay that has taken root at its core? 

Buy Idea War: Volume 1 here.

You can read more from Abi at these two blog posts:
Joburg as the perfect setting: 
http://violininavoid.wordpress.com/2013/11/19/writing-joburg-a-guest-post-by-abi-godsell/
Strong female characters in science fiction: 
http://feministssa.com/2013/11/04/gender-roles-story-stereotypes-and-strong-female-characters-in-speculative-fiction/

Be sure to enter our competition 

Follow Abi on Twitter @cyanseagull and read her blog here http://cyanseagulls.wordpress.com 

Speculative fiction we recently splurged on

I went to the Bloody Parchment event at Book Lounge in Cape Town and spent way too much money on books. I think it was worth it though. I got the following:

The Sandman Volume 1



Neil Gaiman's The Sandman series has got to be the definitive graphic novel series of all time. I have only (embarrassingly) recently gotten into them, but I would recommend them to any adventurous reader who likes to be challenged (and who doesn't mind a few scary dreams).

Something Wicked Volume 2



Acclaimed as South Africa's best speculative science fiction and horror anthology, this book contains some incredible stories by some big names in South Africa - including our own Abi Godsell. If you'd like to see an author's career take off, buy this book and be there at the beginning.

The Root Cellar and Other Stories



The Bloody Parchment competition is going from strength to strength every year and this anthology combines the best of the most recent horror short stories coming out of South Africa. Go read it if you want to be creeped out of your socks.