2028
By Ken Saunders
Allen & Unwin, 2018
$29.99
This satirical novel is set in Australia’s near future and revolves around an accident-prone Liberal Prime Minister running a hopeless election campaign.
The setting is near enough to be uncomfortably recognisable but allows Ken Saunders to stretch out today’s neo-liberal realities to the point of absurdity.
For example, in the world of 2028, Australia Post delivers all articles by drone. As a sideline, the drones do filming for the major TV news services — thus eliminating all human camera teams.
In fact, in 2028 the only news outlet still publishing a newspaper is Green Left Weekly!
The book’s cover features rave reviews from some of Australia’s leading comics praising it. Compared to those extravagant claims, I found it rather tame. It is gently humorous and politically, saccharine-liberal.
2028 is a light read, good enough to while away the time if you are on holiday with a few laughs.