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Saturday 9 July 2016

SYNOPSIS: The Grand Oligarchs, by Thomas Hoskyns Leonard

  
         



                                                    THE GRAND OLIGARCHS


SYNOPSIS: This novel satirises the desperate social, economic, and political situation that has been created by our world-wide Austerity and Eugenics programs; it is largely set in a parallel universe during the early twenty-fifth century. Various practical difficulties are highlighted in a situation where revolutionary forces attempt to replace an oligarchy-controlled, capitalist society with a people's 'grass roots' democracy.

      Our psychiatrists are, by implication, taken to task for their harsh methods, which currently include physically damaging medications, electro-convulsive therapy, and various surgical alternatives to lobotomy. The C.I.A. are castigated from the future for the various attempts by MK Ultra to brutalise thousands of children and adults during their mind control programs, which began during the mid-twentieth century, and our religious institutions are parodied for the way some deceive and influence their congregations.

      The decadence of our oligarchs is satirised by the outrageous behaviour of the younger members of the royal family on the Planet Qinsatorix, who manipulate and exploit everybody around them. The Crown Princess Natasha is referred to as the 'Great Whore of Trivoli'.

      A generation after leading a popular revolution against the British colonialists, the Emperor Fleance and Empress Susan of Qinsatorix are confined, demented and in steel straightjackets, to the Convent of St. Drusilla, while their three cantankerous children vie for power. The princess and her brothers are members of the Council of Grand Oligarchs which controls Qinsatorix, and indirectly the Planets Earth and Remus Gamma, while orchestrating a barbaric Eugenics program around the three planets. The grand oligarchs also include several exploitative 'pillars of the population' who epitomize the evils of Capitalism, and Admiral Sporus McSporran of the Imperial Battle-Fleet.

      The Anglo-Icarian Prince Infante, Adam of Eden, who suffers from highly desperate ADHD, enters into a 'Cupidian' marriage with the sugary blue, mouse-like Trinkon slaves Akira and her brother Osamu (with the Empress Susan, the truly good people in the story). However, the happy trio are seduced during by Saint Naomi Magdalene, a divine Izon from the Space Station Castellos.

      Princess Natasha's obnoxious twin brother Prince Caleb is sent through the Wittgenstein Wormhole with the Imperial Icarian Army to attack and decimate Britain. He usurps the British crown, and brutally enslaves the children and the relatively few adults who survive the genocide.

      Meanwhile, Prince Adam combines forces with Hamlet, the highly devious prince consort, who is regularly whipped like a dog by his sadistic, cannibalistic wife Natasha. Hamlet and Adam orchestrate a people's revolution on Qinsatorix, though Hamlet plans to become Emperor himself. Natasha is overthrown, after eating Akira, and killed by locusts with scorpion-like tails, and a fragile 'Karpovian' democracy is achieved. The talking thraxhund Antoinette becomes Speaker of the Assembly of Delegates, followed later by the imp-like Roddy Alpha-Beta-Gamma.

      A total of fifteen grand oligarchs are gruesomely murdered, one by one. Hamlet is assassinated when he attempts to restore Capitalism, and Lord Trithagoras, a camp, cat-like felixian, is slain by his erstwhile paramour Osamu after rising to the rank of Great Dictator.

      The Imperial Icarian commander-in-chief General Spunk Spitfire invades Qinsatorix from Planet Earth on behalf of Prince Caleb, but is killed in battle by Adam. Access through the wormhole is blocked by the scheming Izon leader Tacitus on behalf of the divine entities on Castellos. The King Emperor Fleance is persuaded to abdicate, and Adam is invited to restore the monarchy. However, Fleance decapitates Adam with the coronation sword in a fit of insanity.

      Saint Naomi's daughter Lizzie-Jane is born on Castellos. As Lizzie-Jane's father is Adam's 'brotherly wife' Osamu, she is the next in line to the throne according to an ancient tradition known as 'Post Auto'. Osamu is appointed King Regent of Qinsatorix on an interim basis, Adam and Akira are made saints, and the deities on Castellos subsequently attempt to control the so-called 'grass roots democracy' from above. As Dowager Queen Empress, Susan moves in with Osamu in Beowulf Hall.


      In Britain, the Icarians and freed British slaves create a potentially highly successful grass roots democracy, largely because most of the capitalist politicians are already stone cold dead. King Caleb of the Britons, the last of the Grand Oligarchs of Qinsatorix, is apprehended in Berwick while attempting to flee to Scotland. He is confined to an abandoned psychiatric ward in Kelso with an excellent view of the Tweed, and survives to tell his story.


                                                   ABOUT THE AUTHOR

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