My book, “THE COST OF PARADISE” is about freedom. Many people consider our
modern political system of Democracy and our economic system of Capitalism as to
be the perfect marriage of freedom and standard of living. However, what if our
political and economic system actually threatens our souls, our bodies, our species and our planet?
In the near future, a factory worker is fired from his job for a minor infractions of the rules.
Without a job, he is homeless and is forced to the streets. While walking, he comes across
a group of people living in a forest. They are refugees from the modern world and they have
united themselves into a group they call, the community. This community challenges the
modern assumptions about the role between the individual and society. One method the community
uses is by asking questions such as, who are you?
The former factory worker gets a retail job to learn more about the modern world.
Here he learns a truth, no one is free because we are all held hostage by our pursuit of profits.
This negation of human values means we live in a nihilistic world but how do we escape this
nihilism?
Part 2: What is the path from nihilism to freedom? The ex factory worker explores
two possibilities, the religious path and the philosophical path. He explores each path
by asking such questions as, what is the meaning of life? Is there a god? What is freedom?
Where do we go from here?
Part 3: The forest where the community lives is overrun by forces wanting the forest and the land.
The community becomes displaced. This displacement creates new questions for the community as in,
is the community worth fighting for, worth dying for? After debate, the community decides to
challenge the modern world. The challenge is to find a new path, a new way of living, a new
paradigm of life that is about freedom, real freedom for everyone.
I’m a writer so I understand that a summary will never do a novel justice, even when trying to sell it.
A few things said above do apply. I totally understand the numbered identity, but you have to consider that a reader will just pass over it, because it’s difficult to catch on to. Your intentions are true to the name, but he must start calling himself something else quickly, in revolt.
Another book that is similar to this is Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk. I suggest you read it, then ask yourself is your book better than his. It, too, deals with Identity, Community, and Capitalism.
Much of your book deals with inner struggle. I identify with this and think a book captures the minds of characters better than other forms of entertainment. However, I am in the minority on this. A majority of readers need something concrete to happen. Now, I dont just mean explosions, but events that plot out. He can’t just go into the woods, and “do some thinking.” Think of how that would sound to an agent. What are the specific thoughts (in your pitch), and how do they involve action. (more important)
I dont see an agent thinking they can make money from this. Trust me, I hate that aspect, too.
Look into publishing this yourself on amazon. Many self published books are now on the best seller list. Pay an editor to proof read your manuscript.Good luck. At the very least, this last book is practice for a better book.
Also make sure there’s a Kindle version, otherwise I’ll never get to read it, and most probably cry myself to sleep on a semi-frequent basis, possibly over a number of months.
And good luck with the whole publishing thing btw.
With a nod to SIATD, if I ever get my butt into gear and write something of suitable length, it’s straight to e-book format for me. Print is dead.
after hearing from people, it seems that my best best is
amazon or kindle or whatever. I have to figure out how to make
that work and finish editing and all that good stuff.
Thank you for all your help.