Clean Indie Read: Political Fantasy

http://cleanindiereads.blogspot.ca/2014/05/the-four-kings.html

THE FOUR KINGS

by Scott Spotson Urban Fantasy, Political

Today's world - skyscrapers, Internet cafes, and all - is in great turmoil. Economic doldrums have seized the entire world in the last several years, and powerful nations such as Pakistan and India are just about to unleash nuclear might upon each other. These troubled times have been labeled The Great Blight.

In response to the perceived failure of humanity to get its act together, powerful wizards have taken over the planet. In North America, four arrogant young wizards have set up a zone of governance for that continent. They unleash a harsh regime of "bread and circuses," vowing to drag Earth forward "kicking and screaming" in order to advance progress by "a hundred years," while at the same time thrilling the populace with their wizard games - the ultimate reality TV. Their appointed liaison to the humans, Amanda Fullerton, must soon decide which side of history she must support - or suffer the consequences. In addition, her predicament is compounded when she falls in love with one of the governing wizards.

"I truly enjoyed this novel which sought to answer the question can power be used to help without abuse and control of those it seeks to protect."~Amazon reviewer "Scott Spotson blends fantasy and political drama in his novel The Four Kings, creating a present time sci-fi/fantasy universe unlike anything I've read before."~Amazon reviewer "This is a great work of biting social and political commentary only masquerading as fantasy."~Amazon reviewer Available on Amazon CIR: What inspired you to write this "social commentary/political drama" (as per reviewer comments) in urban fantasy form? SPOTSON: I always wondered how our world could be governed if we had the power to make changes. That unlimited power, for lack of a better term, without resort to complete mind control, would constitute magic. I also was curious what would happen if all nations, all cultures were governed by one world government; in other words, a United Nations that actually had raw, enforceable power. Imagine India, China, and the United States ruled over by one king!

CIR: What themes do you address in this book?

SPOTSON: I address the themes of the governing versus the governed. For example, an inmate on death row pleads with the wizards for clemency. They debate capital punishment and ultimately decide on his sentence. It's a fascinating example of how power flows down to the citizen and affects his daily life.

CIR: What do you hope your readers will take away from reading this book? SPOTSON: I hope it will make them think about the kind of world we live in and how we can make it a better place. Also, that having unlimited power to install a "new world order" is neither practical nor desirable. I trust they will enjoy the incredible displays of imagination in this book, especially when the wizards thrive on their adrenalin-pumping games.

CIR: You've got four wizards in this story, but also a female protagonist. Can you tell us about her? SPOTSON: Amanda Fullerton, 22, becomes the wizard's Supreme Liaison for North America. A student at the University of California at Berkeley, she's devoted to the study of politics and has the desire to make the world a much better place. Thus, when the wizards seize power, she does not see the takeover as frightening, but rather as an opportunity. As we see in the book, she is more than capable of standing up even to powerful wizards. I love the exchanges between her and the arrogant, vain young wizard named Demus.

CIR: What makes this story unique? SPOTSON: As far as I know, there is no other book like it. Also, this book discusses, in part, a financial revolution throughout the world initiated by creating a bitcoin (electronic money) currency. Suddenly, every economical transaction throughout the world, whether it be in Canada, Russia, or Andorra, is computed by the second.