Kuan's Wonderland

A political fable for the 21st century. A tale of power, deceit, and defiance, revolving around an abducted child's struggle to escape from a surreal world where nothing is quite what it seems. Vonnegut meets Orwell in a dark wonderland. "Dark, twisted, sardonic - 'Kuan's Wonderland' is an unmissable page-turner." - President, the Independent Publishers Guild (UK) "It is fast-paced while containing beautifully written and memorable passages. And the ending is tense, unexpected and powerful." - Ben Chu, 'The Independent' newspaper "'Kuan's Wonderland' is simply a tour de force. It is powerfully imaginative, with a cinematic feel sustained by strong imagery throughout. It is also full of plot surprises and layers of deeper meaning." - Ann Walker, Director for Education, WEA "... a mesmerizing novel. It makes the imagination spring to life with amazing visions of strange beings and places." - Nicolette Burford, Director, Documentary Film-Makers Cooperative "The fast-moving adventure in a new world sparkles with visually captivating creatures and imaginative technology ... [The ending is] astonishing." - Trish Burns, Fantasy Book Review "A didactic novel that doesn't hesitate to entertain the reader." - Kate Pickett, Director, the Equality Trust "We highly recommend it." - Julie Thorpe, Head of School & Youth Programmes, the Cooperative College ****** The mystery begins when Kuan is taken by force to the curious world of Shiyan. Although the ten-year old has flashes of exceptional intelligence, he hasn't a clue why he is being held captive. Kuan hopes his reclusive father will come to his rescue, not suspecting that both father and son may be the target of a nefarious conspiracy. It transpires that the secret he is supposed to be harbouring is liable to put him at the centre of a deadly conflict between those in control of Shiyan and their sworn enemies. In his attempt to escape from this bizarre realm, where the lower order routinely pledge to give more of their time to do the bidding of the ruling elite, Kuan encounters a kaleidoscope of enigmatic characters, from the menacing Curator to sphinx-like Dr Erica Lee, to whom the motherless boy develops a deep attachment. Eventually, Kuan is persuaded to take charge of his own fortune by seeking to rise through the Circles of Challenge. It may offer him his last chance to reunite with his father, or so he believes. Yet the more trials he endures, the more he learns the real reason why he was snatched from his home. What Kuan does next will determine not only the future of Shiyan, but his own world. In the end he has to face up to a painful secret from his past and fight for more than just his life. But can he survive uncovering the truth about his father?