An entertaining Aussie rock ‘n’ roll dystopic vision of a future with a time travel twist.
Feature image credit: UQP
To steal (and then bastardise) a line from Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy: “It’s Australia, Jim, but not as we know it.” Or maybe, and somewhat uncomfortably, perhaps it is.
In a near future, the nation is divided between the FREA (Free Republic of Eastern Australia) and Western Australia, which has chosen to separate itself from the oppressive attitudes and behaviours of the Department of Internal Decency (DiD). The DiD is so hardline they have banned Phil Collins’ debut solo album Face Value – something some may openly be willing to embrace without government instruction.
We are introduced to Julian Ferryman, a newly returned Aussie muso who reconnects with his bandmates from The Acceptables to deliver on their second album. It’s an album which, due to the lyrical content, is liable and likely to see them interred in one of the Republic’s gulags.
Into the mix comes a new drug, simply referred to as “F” – a liquid applied equally to the eyes that allows people to see into the future. This drug’s development, delivery system, and the outcomes all serve to drive the narrative forward — at times quite a way forward with hysterical results.
Big Time is Jordan Prosser’s debut novel, and it certainly lives up to the title, as far as the double-meaning goes. Time is, as we know, big! So, what do you do when you are given access to it, particularly when it comes to seeing the future? As is so often the case with such situations, the question raised is: If the future isn’t fixed, but you see it, can it be changed? This book poses that question and answers with a wry humour and wit.
The only issue that this reviewer had with Big Time was the narrative structure, which varies between the first person to the standard third person, while also shifting between locations and timeframes. It can be a distraction but doesn’t completely overshadow the craft.
Spend some time, uncomfortably, in Prosser’s Australia and, if you can, get hold of some “F” without incurring the wrath of the DiD; you might know how much you’ve enjoyed it before you even pick it up.
Reviewed by Glen Christie
The views expressed in this review belong to the author and not Glam Adelaide, its affiliates, or employees.
Distributed by: UQP
Released: July 2024
RRP: $34.99
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