Friday, September 19, 2014

The Omega Children – The Return of the Marauders


 “I was immediately struck by the unique setting and the original storyline.  The characters are believable ....... and I was captivated by the authentic use of character voice.  As Head of Department for English in an innovative and progressive school, this will capture the imaginations of my students. I will be buying a class set for my department and using it to explore themes of coping with adversity and using imagination to solve problems.  I would thoroughly recommend this text to teenagers who enjoy the fantasy genre and to teachers who want to explore a complex text by a local writer.”
Vanessa Scott, Head of English Department, Pakuranga College

Shane A. Mason is an Auckland based writer whose debut novel “The Omega Children – The Return of the Marauders,” has started gathering a following. Set in a land hidden between New Zealand and the Antarctic, it pits four teenage cousins, two guys, Ari and Quixote, and two girls, Melaleuca and Lexington against a 1600 year old civilisation that uses brutal methods to instil discipline in its citizens – the very opposite of the cousins’ upbringing. Imagination, expressing one’s self fully, and a love of discovery are the qualities the cousins live by.
When they learn of a room full of costumes dating back thousands of years they start wearing them, and discover the costumes give them the abilities beyond what they have. Events conspire quickly to challenge their values and they are forced to use the costumes to fight back. In doing so they risk overturning all they have been taught, rendering any victory hollow. They must find a way to fight without diluting the values that sets them apart from oppression.
“The plot is novel and unconventional and feels like a breath of fresh air.” NJKinney’s World of Books.

The Omega Children – The Return of the Marauders
by Shane A. Mason
RRP: $35.41 NZD via Amazon Print
          $7.23 NZD via Amazon eBook
Pages: 466
Released: 2011

Imprint: Lulu.com

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