The Hunting of the Gods

The people on Earth know their place. They've all learnt that their planet was just a barren rock until the gods arrived 500 years ago and brought with them life, technology, and prosperity for the blessed few. Under the gods, all racial differences have long merged into homogeneity; gender discrimination is unheard of; the elite prosper and live long; the rest die much sooner. There is nothing beyond the grasp of the gods except how to make peace with each other. From the beginning, the two immortal rivals have divided the world into interminably warring realms. Their subjects on both sides are brought up to despise their enemy, and routinely embark on mutual slaughter - until rumours start to circulate that it may not only be possible, but necessary, to abandon the rule of the gods. Amidst the revolutionary intrigues stands a resurrected man whose past has long been forgotten by everyone. He is the one who can uncover the secret of the gods, and how their regimes are to be displaced by a new commonwealth. Rebels seek him for help, but his second coming may soon end. *** 'The Hunting of the Gods' is the third novel in Henry Tam's dystopian series, Synetopia Quest. While each novel has its own stand-alone story, some of the characters appear in more than one of the books. Praises for his previous novels have included: On 'Kuan's Wonderland': "Dark, twisted, sardonic, ... an unmissable page-turner." President, the Independent Publishers Guild. "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. "It is fast-paced while containing beautifully written and memorable passages. And the ending is tense, unexpected and powerful." Ben Chu, 'The Independent' newspaper. "... simply a tour de force." Ann Walker, Director for Education, WEA. "A didactic novel that doesn't hesitate to entertain the reader." Kate Pickett, Director, the Equality Trust. On 'Whitehall through the Looking Glass': "... a timely reminder of the dangers of the rapidly-accelerating corporatisation of our political and economic life." Frances O'Grady, General Secretary, TUC (Trades Union Congress). "Beautifully, deftly written, ... dark and compelling reading." Dame Jane Roberts, Chair, New Local Government Network. "Forget 'Yes, Minister' and 'The Thick of It'; if you want a sharp satirical look at life inside the corridors of power, read Whitehall through the Looking Glass." Sonny Leong, Chief Executive, Civil Service College. "Half asleep, the UK is becoming an ever more elitist society ... What we need is Henry Tam's absurdist vision of Whitehall to help wake us all up." Dr. Simon Duffy, Director, Centre for Welfare Reform. "It's a cautionary tale and a call to action, but also a gripping read." Peter Bradley, Director, Speakers' Corner Trust.