Episode-1220- Dan Haight on the Dystopian Novel Flotilla
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Daniel Haight is an emerging science fiction novelist with many published short stories. A native of the San Francisco Bay Area, he is equal parts ‘geek’ and ‘blue collar’ with a love for science fiction, emerging technology and working with his hands.
Haight has been writing stories since he was 12, but began writing professionally after he ‘gave it a try’ and found that people enjoyed his work. As a single parent, he works as a lowly IT guy during the day and writes in his off-hours.
Flotilla is an apocalyptic science-fiction story in which Jim, a slacker teen alcoholic is thrown into the ocean, literally and figuratively, to become both a survivor and a hero. He leaves rehab to start life aboard a floating city filled with strange and dangerous characters who work at farming edible fish and other enterprises. Jim sees this as an opportunity to re-connect with his estranged father, Rick, but he quickly finds out that second chances can come with strings attached.
Daily adventures and brushes with death give Jim the chance to grow up and screw up. His new home serves as both the classroom and crucible he needs to put his past behind him. At the same time, the Colony is also a dangerous ecosystem. Drug-dealing, human trafficking and gambling create fortunes that people will lie, cheat and kill to protect.
The tension explodes when a terrorist attack hits nearby Los Angeles. Jim and his sister are safe for the moment aboard the Colony but Rick is drafted and taken ashore. Now the kids are left helpless to deal with angry drug pirates and crooked cops. Will Jim be able save himself and his sister? Is doing the right thing always the right choice?
This is a whirlwind adventure over two summers that paints a vivid picture of adventure and hardship. It is also a deeply moving look at the impact of sustainable technology on some hilariously dysfunctional, flawed characters. Readers are finding Flotilla to be a stirring coming-of-age tale that brings together fathers and sons and conquers loss through courage and inner strength.
Resources for today’s show…
- The Year 1220
- Join Our Forum
- 13Skills.com
- Join Our Forum
- Walking To Freedom
- Shop for TSP Silver
- TSP Gear
- PermaEthos.com
- Bulk Ammo – (sponsor of the day)
- Safecastle Royal – (sponsor of the day)
- FlotillaOnline.com – Dan’s Website
- Flotilla Media Kit
- Dan on Tumblr
- Dan on Facebook
- Dan on Twitter
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Finally listened to this and sounds pretty cool. Btw Iron Mountain sounds like my neck in the woods 🙂
Not understanding why 20 dislikes tho but will read it when it comes out……
Picked up the book today on Amazon. Looking forward to reading it.
Good show. I liked the sound of the book. May keep an eye out.
Also, Jack, did you install these (dis)like buttons or are they just one of WordPress’s latest automatic updates? Just curious.
I may wind up sending a separate “comment to Jack” email on this but I want to strongly recommend Margaret Atwood’s MaddAddam trilogy. It’s not just dystopian fiction – it’s literature. The first book in the series is titled Oryx & Crake.
I won’t get into the plot except to say that it takes many of the themes Jack talks about (fascism, gmos, class warfare, survivalism) and explores them and the characters reactions to them deeply.
I was moderately surprised by several pro gun sentiments like the following:
(this character is wondering how dangerous some opponents might be)
…who might have a knife. Unlikely a handgun any more because it was around that time that the CorpSeCorps was confiscating those, having raised the spurious banner of civic safety and thus effectively securing a monopoly for themselves on killing at a distance. Some guys hid their Glocks and other name brands, dug them in under stones in case of dire need, but for the same reason they were unlikely to be carrying.
Why was I surprised? I just wasn’t expecting that from a highly intellectual, “liberal,” Canadian woman. Then again, people don’t expect it from me, an intellectual, “liberal,” American woman!