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Nullscape |
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Nullscape began as a more or less hyperkinetic idea about a man exploring a strange world in some foreign dimension; this basic setup has more or less been kept as it all unfolded but instead of something dark and gloomy it is much more of a life affirming tale. Stylistically the work wanders between stream-of-consciousness and Magical Realism, has much more innocence than my usual work and as a result it is much 'lighter'. The entire work is an allegory of enlightenment and aims at a total experience rather than a sudden quick realization. Nullscape sets sail from a simple premise, a man who boards a train to an unknown place with the exotic name of Sudoxe; at this stage there is an obvious resemblance to Kafka as the alienation is immediately taken for granted and plays of realistically, the sense of wonder is however more magical and does not really have any of Kafka's darkness. The story continues as our hero (who is deliberately kept nameless) strolls through Sudoxe, visits different places, recalls events from his own memory and meets different people all of them who bring about a certain awakening. Besides the nameless hero, the only other figure central to Nullscape is the enigmatic Doctor Oriman, a resident of Sudoxe who is both psychiatrist and mystic (and the full meaning of which should become obvious to the reader). Through a quasi Masonic kind of ritual he helps the hero to enter to higher realms which brings about the turning point of the novel and thus we have a beautiful intermezzo which ironically is also the darkest part of the novel. The madness however is not sustained and thus the hero manages to ascend further but of course this 'meaning' is something which can only experienced in the reading of Nullscape and to allow its mystique to work its magic. |