Proud, a tale of rampant ludicrousness By Alastair Carthew

Proud, a Tale of Rampant Ludicrisnous, the first novel by New Zealand author Alastair Carthew is a satirical, weird commentary on New Zealand customs, politics and culture. Anything involving rugby, sheep, gumboot throwing, paddocks, politics, crazy journalists and a French woman named Berdine Bardotcom makes for compelling reading. Like Divine’s Choice, Proud twists and turns to an unexpected climax.

The Plot

The kid has been raised by gorillas and adopted by a gun-toting, swashbuckling female mercenary from Proud, formerly New Zealand. Proud, beautiful and pristine, is withering under a prolonged, climate change-induced drought.

The PM is Proud’s cocaine sniffing, power-crazed female prime minister ignoring the crisis while Proud burns. Ram, Kid’s trusty sheep companion, can communicate with him telepathically.  The duo and a weird band plot the prime minister’s downfall.

Berdine Bardotcom is a busty Frenchwoman who wins the world gumboot throwing competition. Ronnie, an 85-year-old scientist, pumped up on his own magic serum, single-handedly beats up a violent gang.

Offshore, Jonah, a vengeful rocket scientist, has Proud’s capital, Hubris, in his sights. In Australia, a power-crazed Prime Minister is bent on mischief at Proud’s expense.  Manu, an old Maori man, steeped in Maori mythology and a mysterious native tui bird with psychic powers, collude with devastating results.

Proud’s MMP political system results in a unique political stalemate to solving the crisis. Kid hits on an elegant and uniquely Proud (NZ) solution. From the near carnage, a presumed dead superstar is resurrected. Past and present celebrities hold the nation’s future in their hands.

An unlikely hero emerges.

Proud is an eclectic mixture of satire, LOL New Zealand humour, shrewd commentary, unexpected and weird turns, mythology, science and venal, corrupt politics. A historical treatise of Machiavellian intrigue in “Land of the Long White Cloud” set against the blazing reality of climate change and the undeniable truth of nuclear power.