Mind of the Trade

Monday morning I’m stuck deep within the confines of On Writing Well by William Zinsser, finding my thought process winding into non-fiction gear as I prepare for work. My mind suffers from professional-author-talk syndrome and my writing follows suit. Therefore’s and however’s creep into my speech. Professionalism at its finest.

Monday afternoon I’m reading Moxyland by Lauren Beukes, an African dystopian novel chockful of colloquialism and slang, written as the language is spoken, with a myriad of colourful characters each unique in their speech. I’ve switched to calling people “babes” or “chief”, embracing the local lingo like I’m still traversing Bree Street, and hoping to fit into my “culture”.

Monday evening The Mammoth Book of Steampunk Adventures has reduced me to a 19th century philosopher, admonishing my nephew on his incorrect use of the Queen’s language while envisioning a world free of technological advancements as we experience them. And an occasional dabble in alchemy.

It fascinates (and sometimes frightens) me how easily my mind can shift between influences and so quickly too. How pliable is my mind? How much of it is mine and how much of it is Stephen King or Warren Hately or H.G. Wells. Is the Nthato speaking to you now J.F. Penn or Ernest Cline?  Is it an amalgamation of them all? Nthato Barker-Lovecraft-Morgensten-C.Clarke-Pratchett Morakabi?

If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot. ~ Stephen King

Having a pool of inspirational sources is part of having a mind for the trade. It makes my days cramming the inspirational relevance of Rococo, Pop Art, Renaissance, Expressionism, Realism etc during my History of Art lessons make so much sense. Through understanding others in the craft and their influence, I grow in the craft. Does it matter that I become pseudo-Shakespeare after reading Othello? Perhaps if you happen to be around me, but this pliable mind absorbing the different styles and techniques of various authors is what will help sharpen my writing. Inspiration is synonymous with influence after all. The Oxford Thesaurus said so.

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Wednesday Book Review: Moxyland

Title: Moxyland

Author: Lauren Beukes

Genre: Dystopian

Book procurement: Bought on Takealot.com.

Synopsis:

A frighteningly persuasive, high-tech fable, this novel follows the lives of four narrators living in an alternative futuristic Cape Town, South Africa. Kendra, an art-school dropout, brands herself for a nanotech marketing program; Lerato, an ambitious AIDS baby, plots to defect from her corporate employers; Tendeka, a hot-headed activist, is becoming increasingly rabid; and Toby, a roguish blogger, discovers that the video games he plays for cash are much more than they seem. On a collision course that will rewire their lives, this story crackles with bold and infectious ideas, connecting a ruthless corporate-apartheid government with video games, biotech attack dogs, slippery online identities, a township soccer school, shocking cell phones, addictive branding, and genetically modified art. Taking hedonistic trends in society to their ultimate conclusions, this tale paints anything but a forecasted utopia, satirically undermining the reified idea of progress as society’s white knight.

Review:

Well that was embarrassing (Thanks Rache!)

Ahem so… Moxyland was a fascinating book by Lauren Beukes, the second novel I have read by a talented local (South African) author and her debut novel which won the Authur C. Clarke award and I can see why.

Set in a future South African context where everyone needs a pass to access almost everything and cellphones are more than just a device for making phone calls, messaging people and checking social media platforms, four characters intermingle in the biggest conspiracy ever! Told from each of their perspectives, we sink into a world of corporate espionage, underground activists, immersive gaming and an alarming prospect of technological advancement.

It took a while to get into the book, only because I was reading The Time Traveler before this, and the change in tone, narrative and culture was a bit of a shock. My favourite character was Toby, who took his blogging to a whole new level, which was exacerbated by his cockiness and  satirical nonchalance to the world around him.

The interweaving stories around the four characters and how they were connected in some way was imaginative and fun. The world-building was exceptional; it took the historical and cultural aspects of our third world country and intermingled them with Umbrella Corporation style institutions, for an ominous “nothing-is-as-it-seems” macrocosm.

The cliff-hanger ending gives me a semblance of hope that Lauren Beukes will perhaps dabble with a Moxyland sequel (please!).

Rating: A twisted 4 out of 5

Monday Book Recommendation: Moxyland

A frighteningly persuasive, high-tech fable, this novel follows the lives of four narrators living in an alternative futuristic Cape Town, South Africa. Kendra, an art-school dropout, brands herself for a nanotech marketing program; Lerato, an ambitious AIDS baby, plots to defect from her corporate employers; Tendeka, a hot-headed activist, is becoming increasingly rabid; and Toby, a roguish blogger, discovers that the video games he plays for cash are much more than they seem. On a collision course that will rewire their lives, this story crackles with bold and infectious ideas, connecting a ruthless corporate-apartheid government with video games, biotech attack dogs, slippery online identities, a township soccer school, shocking cell phones, addictive branding, and genetically modified art. Taking hedonistic trends in society to their ultimate conclusions, this tale paints anything but a forecasted utopia, satirically undermining the reified idea of progress as society’s white knight.

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I will be doing the Wednesday Book review on this Arthur C Clarke award winning author, who also happens to be a local (South African) author. Turned out be a really great book.

Monday Book Recommendation: Moxyland

A frighteningly persuasive, high-tech fable, this novel follows the lives of four narrators living in an alternative futuristic Cape Town, South Africa. Kendra, an art-school dropout, brands herself for a nanotech marketing program; Lerato, an ambitious AIDS baby, plots to defect from her corporate employers; Tendeka, a hot-headed activist, is becoming increasingly rabid; and Toby, a roguish blogger, discovers that the video games he plays for cash are much more than they seem. On a collision course that will rewire their lives, this story crackles with bold and infectious ideas, connecting a ruthless corporate-apartheid government with video games, biotech attack dogs, slippery online identities, a township soccer school, shocking cell phones, addictive branding, and genetically modified art. Taking hedonistic trends in society to their ultimate conclusions, this tale paints anything but a forecasted utopia, satirically undermining the reified idea of progress as society’s white knight.

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Well not necessarily Steampunk but did you read that blurb? Definitely on my list of To Reads.