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Big Time
The most electrifying debut novel of 2024: Almost Famous meets Slaughterhouse-Five.
Big Time is set in a not-too-distant future Australia, where the eastern states have become the world's newest autocracy - a place where pop music is propaganda, science is the enemy, nationalism trumps all, and moral indecency is punishable by indefinite detention.
The novel opens as Julian Ferryman, bass player for the Acceptables, returns to Melbourne after a year overseas. He reconnects with his band as they prepare to record and tour their highly anticipated second album, and is given his first taste of a new designer drug, F, a powerful synthetic hallucinogen that gives users a glimpse of their own future. Rumour says, the more you take, the further you see - maybe even to the end of time.
Big Time is an anti-fascist ode to the power of pop music and a satire about art in the face of entropy, all wrapped up in an unforgettable road trip.
Big Time is set in a not-too-distant future Australia, where the eastern states have become the world's newest autocracy - a place where pop music is propaganda, science is the enemy, nationalism trumps all, and moral indecency is punishable by indefinite detention.
The novel opens as Julian Ferryman, bass player for the Acceptables, returns to Melbourne after a year overseas. He reconnects with his band as they prepare to record and tour their highly anticipated second album, and is given his first taste of a new designer drug, F, a powerful synthetic hallucinogen that gives users a glimpse of their own future. Rumour says, the more you take, the further you see - maybe even to the end of time.
Big Time is an anti-fascist ode to the power of pop music and a satire about art in the face of entropy, all wrapped up in an unforgettable road trip.
384 pages, Paperback
First published July 2, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews
September 29, 2025
Blending pop culture, a futuristic drug called F that lets people glimpse the future, and an authoritarian vision of eastern Australia, all tied together with a series of uncanny “time” coincidences makes Big Time by Jorden Pressor my favourite Australian sci-fi dystopian novel of the year, thanks to its sheer entertainment value and humour.
Actually, it’s my only Australian sci-fi dystopian novel of the year and it might be my only one for many a long year into the future. I doubt I will find F on the streets of Brisbane and get to see if I get to read another like it. Pity!
I have so enjoyed this audio book it is not funny (well, it was funny for the most part). It was the small throwaway lines that kept coming. It was the concept. It was the way the very bad songs were meant to be bad and the audio narrator made them crap. Your music is shit says one protagonist to another at one point!
A very small example of my sense of humour and how it was tickled; a bloke who had hung out with a member of the main protagonist band, The Acceptables, was told by his parents that they would cut off all funding if he did not get a “proper” job as his father needed cash for his retirement project and that was the writing a 9-volume bio of Alfred Deakin. I laughed out loud at that, and I laughed out loud at plenty more. Banning Phil Collins? No one knew why he was banned. The Peep Temple and others? Subversive as per the Department of Internal Decency.
The plot. Basically, the following is the plot, and please stick with me here.
When this drug called F begins circulating through a place called the Free Republic of Eastern Australia, a kind of North Korea for the way it has closed off to the rest of the world, but a more fascist/nationalistic/corporatist inward-looking kind of place that is part Nazi Germany, part Mussolini's Italy and some latter-day try-hards in this area, users discover F lets them glimpse their own futures with chaotic and sometimes with hilarious consequences. A group of F-users become entangled as time loops, coincidences, and government crackdowns start. Together, they must navigate whether to use their knowledge of the future to fight the system, save themselves, or risk breaking time altogether. This is all told via first person and second person chaos narration that I found breathtakingly enthralling.
Anyway, enough of my poor scribblings already. I thank GR friend Charles for bringing this to my attention, your best yet. I don’t particularly recommend it to anyone unless they are going to “get” some of the Australianisms. And this kind of convoluted mash up of a story some will not enjoy. I was, for the first time I recall, glad that I did this via audio as the narrator, voice over artist Amos Phillips, gave this the correct quantity of Strine, humour, yelling, etc., as was required. And his singing was rubbish, and it was meant to be. Well done Amos. I am going to give this another listen as I feel that a few of the events and nuances that I did not get on the way through will tie in.
5 big stars out of 5 big times for cheering me up.
Last but not least, I kinda of look forward to the great shopping centre in the sky.
Actually, it’s my only Australian sci-fi dystopian novel of the year and it might be my only one for many a long year into the future. I doubt I will find F on the streets of Brisbane and get to see if I get to read another like it. Pity!
I have so enjoyed this audio book it is not funny (well, it was funny for the most part). It was the small throwaway lines that kept coming. It was the concept. It was the way the very bad songs were meant to be bad and the audio narrator made them crap. Your music is shit says one protagonist to another at one point!
A very small example of my sense of humour and how it was tickled; a bloke who had hung out with a member of the main protagonist band, The Acceptables, was told by his parents that they would cut off all funding if he did not get a “proper” job as his father needed cash for his retirement project and that was the writing a 9-volume bio of Alfred Deakin. I laughed out loud at that, and I laughed out loud at plenty more. Banning Phil Collins? No one knew why he was banned. The Peep Temple and others? Subversive as per the Department of Internal Decency.
The plot. Basically, the following is the plot, and please stick with me here.
When this drug called F begins circulating through a place called the Free Republic of Eastern Australia, a kind of North Korea for the way it has closed off to the rest of the world, but a more fascist/nationalistic/corporatist inward-looking kind of place that is part Nazi Germany, part Mussolini's Italy and some latter-day try-hards in this area, users discover F lets them glimpse their own futures with chaotic and sometimes with hilarious consequences. A group of F-users become entangled as time loops, coincidences, and government crackdowns start. Together, they must navigate whether to use their knowledge of the future to fight the system, save themselves, or risk breaking time altogether. This is all told via first person and second person chaos narration that I found breathtakingly enthralling.
Anyway, enough of my poor scribblings already. I thank GR friend Charles for bringing this to my attention, your best yet. I don’t particularly recommend it to anyone unless they are going to “get” some of the Australianisms. And this kind of convoluted mash up of a story some will not enjoy. I was, for the first time I recall, glad that I did this via audio as the narrator, voice over artist Amos Phillips, gave this the correct quantity of Strine, humour, yelling, etc., as was required. And his singing was rubbish, and it was meant to be. Well done Amos. I am going to give this another listen as I feel that a few of the events and nuances that I did not get on the way through will tie in.
5 big stars out of 5 big times for cheering me up.
Last but not least, I kinda of look forward to the great shopping centre in the sky.
September 5, 2024
If I’d taken F and seen the author writing the epilogue I would have stopped him
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 7, 2024
Dystopian political satire is not a genre I frequent. And druggy rock musicians are not characters to whom I am easily endeared. But I was so impressed with this creative, smart and meticulously detailed debut from Jordan Prosser.
The central conceit is that a new drug (called F) is enabling humans to see into their immediate future (something I would never be bothered doing), amidst an all-too-believably split and censored Australia. For me, the linear narrative about the band felt like connecting tissue to the better parts of the book which moved in time to tell the bigger story. These chapters were stand alone incredible; the section about Eleuterio and the coincidental football game, the love story of Yumi and Ren, and Oriana’s backstory (which had me in tears - Lotto). They were brilliant.
The cover says ‘wickedly funny’ and the back says ‘insanely funny’, … I wouldn’t go that far. However, while it’s not laugh a minute ‘FUNNY’ the experience of reading this book IS fun. I really love how Prosser ends interactions with statements like; ‘it’d be the last thing she said to him in a long time’, or the ‘cough, which she thinks is from partying… is the first indicator of an aggressive carcinoma in her left lung’ and many many other examples of these little glimpses into the future, frequently giving the reader their own F-eyeball-spray experience. It’s just so clever and fun.
To me, ‘Big Time’ is giving Ishiguro, and Jasper Fford and Minority Report, while still being wildly original, intelligent and committed. I really enjoyed it and though I’ve only just finished it, I’m sure I will have many more thoughts about it in… the… future.
The central conceit is that a new drug (called F) is enabling humans to see into their immediate future (something I would never be bothered doing), amidst an all-too-believably split and censored Australia. For me, the linear narrative about the band felt like connecting tissue to the better parts of the book which moved in time to tell the bigger story. These chapters were stand alone incredible; the section about Eleuterio and the coincidental football game, the love story of Yumi and Ren, and Oriana’s backstory (which had me in tears - Lotto). They were brilliant.
The cover says ‘wickedly funny’ and the back says ‘insanely funny’, … I wouldn’t go that far. However, while it’s not laugh a minute ‘FUNNY’ the experience of reading this book IS fun. I really love how Prosser ends interactions with statements like; ‘it’d be the last thing she said to him in a long time’, or the ‘cough, which she thinks is from partying… is the first indicator of an aggressive carcinoma in her left lung’ and many many other examples of these little glimpses into the future, frequently giving the reader their own F-eyeball-spray experience. It’s just so clever and fun.
To me, ‘Big Time’ is giving Ishiguro, and Jasper Fford and Minority Report, while still being wildly original, intelligent and committed. I really enjoyed it and though I’ve only just finished it, I’m sure I will have many more thoughts about it in… the… future.
August 5, 2024
Look, any book that honours Western Australia's deep rooted desire to secede from the rest of Australia gets a pass in my book.
It's then great news that the rest of Big Time is an utter treat of modern scifi, comedy, drama fiction. All those words shouldn't work together, but this story of a future Australia where a drug called F allows users to see into the future positively bursts off the page.
It's a huge delight and enjoyable read that is easy to lose yourself in. Highly recommended.
It's then great news that the rest of Big Time is an utter treat of modern scifi, comedy, drama fiction. All those words shouldn't work together, but this story of a future Australia where a drug called F allows users to see into the future positively bursts off the page.
It's a huge delight and enjoyable read that is easy to lose yourself in. Highly recommended.
September 5, 2025
4.5 stars woah!!!
January 11, 2025
давно не переводили мы австралийских рокенролльных романов - после "Роковых девчонок из открытого космоса" Линды Джейвин. но тему с хронофеноменологией, правда, давно разработал Джек Уомэк и кто не, так что тут ничего необычного.
рокенролльная составляющая, правда, явно сочинена человеком, которые не играл в рок-группе в совецком союзе и кому не винтили концерты посредством перерубания провода топором и не проверяли документы при переезде из одного района в другой. про Министерство внутренней пристойности, конечно, забавно только то, что автор помещает его в Австралию. как будто, например, в россии этого и так не происходит сейчас в реальном времени. равно как и Министерство семьи и пропаганды. так что и антиутопическая составляющая несамостоятельна и ничуть не футурологична. жизнь уже давно опережает мечту, а искусство по-прежнему, как известно, в большом долгу.
но на самом деле просто неглупой интеллигентной жанровой фантастики я давно не читал - чтоб она еще и разум не оскорбляла, хотя общими чертами сильно напоминает вообще все сценарии социальных революций. но прицел здесь опять настолько ближний, но фантастикой или антиутопией она и не кажется, это практически соцреализм. поэтому когда в середине романа возникает реальность текущей войны в Украине, этому даже не успеваешь особо удивиться. было бы странно, если бы этого не случилось. а вообще книжка не только о времени (и Тимбукту), но главным образом - об эмиграции, как внутренней, так и наружной.
рокенролльная составляющая, правда, явно сочинена человеком, которые не играл в рок-группе в совецком союзе и кому не винтили концерты посредством перерубания провода топором и не проверяли документы при переезде из одного района в другой. про Министерство внутренней пристойности, конечно, забавно только то, что автор помещает его в Австралию. как будто, например, в россии этого и так не происходит сейчас в реальном времени. равно как и Министерство семьи и пропаганды. так что и антиутопическая составляющая несамостоятельна и ничуть не футурологична. жизнь уже давно опережает мечту, а искусство по-прежнему, как известно, в большом долгу.
но на самом деле просто неглупой интеллигентной жанровой фантастики я давно не читал - чтоб она еще и разум не оскорбляла, хотя общими чертами сильно напоминает вообще все сценарии социальных революций. но прицел здесь опять настолько ближний, но фантастикой или антиутопией она и не кажется, это практически соцреализм. поэтому когда в середине романа возникает реальность текущей войны в Украине, этому даже не успеваешь особо удивиться. было бы странно, если бы этого не случилось. а вообще книжка не только о времени (и Тимбукту), но главным образом - об эмиграции, как внутренней, так и наружной.
September 2, 2024
Bites off a lot and chews most of it
4.5 stars
4.5 stars
August 26, 2025
I've read quite a few Australian novels but nothing that has quite captivated me like this one. Big Time is an ambitious take down of the fascist future that Prosser imagines for the country, it critiques surveillance, censorship and the policing of transgressive art.
Julian is a member of a punk band who are touring following their latest album. As they hop from venue to venue, listening to banned Dead Kennedy's and Amyl and the Sniffers albums and arguing with venues about how rowdy their gigs have been getting, they are all also hooked on a drug called F. This drug lets you see moments into the future, a luxury in a world where the future of everyone seems to be so tightly controlled and inevitably doomed.
The relationship between Julian and Oriana is what I was obsessed with the most. Entering the novel as disastrous on-again-off-again lovers, they morph into the faces of the rebellion against the tyrannical government. The mix between music, drug culture and politics in this book was absolutely fascinating and I genuinely couldn't put this down. I was addicted to following the band, their crew and their groupies as they
I would recommend it for fans of Jennifer Egan or Philip K Dick - this is a science fiction book which speaks to the real dangers posed to us in a world where fascism is rearing its ugly head. On finishing the book I just wanted to turn right back to the beginning to experience it again, it being so saturated with pop culture, imagery and luxurious writing. This is a book I'd love to see be made into a tv show as I can just imagine how much they could do with the cast of characters.
Julian is a member of a punk band who are touring following their latest album. As they hop from venue to venue, listening to banned Dead Kennedy's and Amyl and the Sniffers albums and arguing with venues about how rowdy their gigs have been getting, they are all also hooked on a drug called F. This drug lets you see moments into the future, a luxury in a world where the future of everyone seems to be so tightly controlled and inevitably doomed.
The relationship between Julian and Oriana is what I was obsessed with the most. Entering the novel as disastrous on-again-off-again lovers, they morph into the faces of the rebellion against the tyrannical government. The mix between music, drug culture and politics in this book was absolutely fascinating and I genuinely couldn't put this down. I was addicted to following the band, their crew and their groupies as they
I would recommend it for fans of Jennifer Egan or Philip K Dick - this is a science fiction book which speaks to the real dangers posed to us in a world where fascism is rearing its ugly head. On finishing the book I just wanted to turn right back to the beginning to experience it again, it being so saturated with pop culture, imagery and luxurious writing. This is a book I'd love to see be made into a tv show as I can just imagine how much they could do with the cast of characters.
April 25, 2025
I quite enjoyed this book. I loved the idea that WA had finally seceded from the Eastern States and it was the South Korea to the Eastern States’ North Korea. The general belief amongst most from the Eastern States is it would be the other way around due to WA’s inherent conservatism. I’m just pointing this out as an observation, not as a statement of fact. It had me giggling and makes a lie of that adage that WA actually stands for ‘wait awhile’.
It also riffs off our (human beings’) tendency to draw connections when there are none. We are wired to see patterns and connections everywhere. This story looks at what happens when we give into this uncritically.
It was a really interesting exploration of autocracies, oppressive societies, music and media. It won’t be to everyone’s taste; being a dystopian novel it is replete with certain scientific inaccuracies, but I think that is the point, trying to draw out the perils of disinformation and misinformation.
The funniest part is the ending. It reminded me of that plot in Dallas where Bobby has an accident and he is in a coma and dreams one whole season, which I think from memory included JR Ewing being shot. The only difference is the character doing the dreaming in Prosser’s story doesn’t wake up. It was a bit of fun and ‘head-fuqery’ that underlined how apt we are to think illogically and uncritically and get carried away with our own assumptions. But I do appreciate that some readers may not appreciate this last twist.
To me, Prosser is telling us we cannot and should not ever know the future, we should just live it.
It also riffs off our (human beings’) tendency to draw connections when there are none. We are wired to see patterns and connections everywhere. This story looks at what happens when we give into this uncritically.
It was a really interesting exploration of autocracies, oppressive societies, music and media. It won’t be to everyone’s taste; being a dystopian novel it is replete with certain scientific inaccuracies, but I think that is the point, trying to draw out the perils of disinformation and misinformation.
The funniest part is the ending. It reminded me of that plot in Dallas where Bobby has an accident and he is in a coma and dreams one whole season, which I think from memory included JR Ewing being shot. The only difference is the character doing the dreaming in Prosser’s story doesn’t wake up. It was a bit of fun and ‘head-fuqery’ that underlined how apt we are to think illogically and uncritically and get carried away with our own assumptions. But I do appreciate that some readers may not appreciate this last twist.
To me, Prosser is telling us we cannot and should not ever know the future, we should just live it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
August 16, 2024DNF
Like taking drugs with bogans
Like taking drugs with bogans
October 23, 2025
loved the vibes of the world and characters , and the little side stories that expand the world. wanted it to be longer!
July 27, 2024
This was a wild ride. From the outset, Big Time sweeps you up on a trippy journey, whisking you through a wild, drug and alcohol-fuelled road trip as we follow Julian Ferryman’s life story, from the moment he tries out a new drug on a flight, to… well, that would be telling.
If you’re after a whacky, eco, sharp-as-a-tack, hilarious yet uncomfortable dystopian set in the not too distant future, this is for you.
I’d like to thank Netgalley and Wavesound at W F Howes for the chance to listen to the audio of Jordan Prosser‘s newest release, expertly narrated by Amos Phillips.
It’s similar in nature and attitude to Kirsten McDougall’s She’s a Killer, which I listened to earlier this year and loved. In an Instagram post earlier this week, I christened this genre: ‘Antipodean eco-punk dystopia.’ It’s completely off-the-wall and very entertaining.
Five stars from me.
Big Time is out now.
If you’re after a whacky, eco, sharp-as-a-tack, hilarious yet uncomfortable dystopian set in the not too distant future, this is for you.
I’d like to thank Netgalley and Wavesound at W F Howes for the chance to listen to the audio of Jordan Prosser‘s newest release, expertly narrated by Amos Phillips.
It’s similar in nature and attitude to Kirsten McDougall’s She’s a Killer, which I listened to earlier this year and loved. In an Instagram post earlier this week, I christened this genre: ‘Antipodean eco-punk dystopia.’ It’s completely off-the-wall and very entertaining.
Five stars from me.
Big Time is out now.
September 12, 2024
A difficult book to finish, even more so in audiobook format.
Really great concepts and ideas that didn’t feel fully realised. I personally didn’t like the narration style, it didn’t work for me switching between first person and third person narration but the concept was interesting and held my attention for the first third of the book. The pacing was good and I warmed to the characters but it quite suddenly started to feel as though it was trying to hard to be profound or prophetic, in the end it just didn’t work for me.
A caution for the audiobook, the narrator repeatedly sung the verses, it may do it for you - it didn’t do it for me. Featured a lot of over dramatisation and haphazard accents, I almost DNF’d because I could tell the narration wasn’t going to gel but I stayed for the intrigue.
Really great concepts and ideas that didn’t feel fully realised. I personally didn’t like the narration style, it didn’t work for me switching between first person and third person narration but the concept was interesting and held my attention for the first third of the book. The pacing was good and I warmed to the characters but it quite suddenly started to feel as though it was trying to hard to be profound or prophetic, in the end it just didn’t work for me.
A caution for the audiobook, the narrator repeatedly sung the verses, it may do it for you - it didn’t do it for me. Featured a lot of over dramatisation and haphazard accents, I almost DNF’d because I could tell the narration wasn’t going to gel but I stayed for the intrigue.
March 1, 2025
I really enjoyed this ambitious, quirky novel. Very much a ‘just one more chapter’ read. Can’t say I agree with the blurb that it is “insanely funny” though - for me it was more wryly amusing with a disturbing undercurrent (like all good dystopian novels). 4.5⭐️
August 19, 2024
Can’t believe that I finished it. What a load of tosh!
July 13, 2024
A fascinating concept that is brilliantly executed into an original novel.
A new street drug, "F" has hit Australia, enabling users a glimpse into their future. Is it their certain future, or the current path and that which can change, depending on the actions taken by themselves or others?
This isn't my go-to genre, but the moral questions surrounding F made this a must-read. Would you, or wouldn't you? I certainly would, but the well written and developed characters in this story reveal there is a lot more than that simple question at stake.
My personal favourite was Yumi and Ren's story; that one really tugged at the heart strings and gave a solid example of how this type of drug could be used to help someone in a difficult and heartbreaking situation.
I listened to the audiobook, which was well narrated by Amos Phillips
4 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Jordan Prosser and W. F. Howes for an ARC in return for an honest review.
A new street drug, "F" has hit Australia, enabling users a glimpse into their future. Is it their certain future, or the current path and that which can change, depending on the actions taken by themselves or others?
This isn't my go-to genre, but the moral questions surrounding F made this a must-read. Would you, or wouldn't you? I certainly would, but the well written and developed characters in this story reveal there is a lot more than that simple question at stake.
My personal favourite was Yumi and Ren's story; that one really tugged at the heart strings and gave a solid example of how this type of drug could be used to help someone in a difficult and heartbreaking situation.
I listened to the audiobook, which was well narrated by Amos Phillips
4 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Jordan Prosser and W. F. Howes for an ARC in return for an honest review.
November 18, 2024
On paper, Daisy Jones & the Six meets Southland Tales sounds fun but this is truly the most pretentious dreck I’ve ever read. Should be a lot more entertaining for a novel about genre-bending rock with dystopian Australian cities and a precognition drug. There’s hints of something really great, but it proves that sometimes not every idea should be thrown at a wall. The penultimate chapter almost made me throw this across my room.
November 22, 2024
It’s a conflicted book. The ideas and humour in it as well as the sub plots are wonderful but the world and character building are unconvincing.
June 1, 2025
It took me a while to get into this book, but around the 40% mark onwards I was hooked. 'Big Time' follows a Melbourne-based band called The Acceptables as they embark on the launch of their second album in an alternate future where Australia has been divided into two countries - West and East. The eastern states have become a nationalist autocracy, where a new designer drug called F allows users to see into the future.
There are chapters throughout the book following other characters as well, revealing a bigger picture of the world as a whole. I enjoyed these chapters more than the ones directly following The Acceptables, though inevitably they all link back to the main narrative. As someone who likes stories that deal with time, I particularly enjoyed the conversations around how we perceive time and coincidence. As an Australian, I liked being able to picture and follow the places described in the book. The description of how East Australia became an autocratic state in the book was eerily similar to events happening in parts of the world today.
The epilogue made me so frustrated that I actually slammed the book shut when I finished it. In my opinion, this book ends at Chapter 30. Still, this is a wild ride that I think is worth a read if you enjoy speculative fiction. I look forward to seeing what Jordan Prosser writes next.
There are chapters throughout the book following other characters as well, revealing a bigger picture of the world as a whole. I enjoyed these chapters more than the ones directly following The Acceptables, though inevitably they all link back to the main narrative. As someone who likes stories that deal with time, I particularly enjoyed the conversations around how we perceive time and coincidence. As an Australian, I liked being able to picture and follow the places described in the book. The description of how East Australia became an autocratic state in the book was eerily similar to events happening in parts of the world today.
The epilogue made me so frustrated that I actually slammed the book shut when I finished it. In my opinion, this book ends at Chapter 30. Still, this is a wild ride that I think is worth a read if you enjoy speculative fiction. I look forward to seeing what Jordan Prosser writes next.
March 8, 2025
It had moments of genius but the characters annoyed me.
October 30, 2025
I'm still processing...had a feeling it would end this way...You told us this could happen. But I fell into the misdirection.
November 8, 2025
what a literal trip, easily one of the most unique books I’ve read in a while. but the epilogue? I don’t know her
November 12, 2025
Yessssssssss this was so good!!! Stayed-up-late-and-woke-up-early-to-keep-reading kind of book! Such a great concept with really smart subplots :) highly recommend
November 17, 2025
Unlike anything Ive ever read I LOVED this
October 22, 2024
Cool concepts explored through flawed and interesting characters. I found it a bit of a slow start but the middle section was gripping.
I did snort out loud at points but overall I wouldn’t characterise it as a ‘funny’ book.
I did snort out loud at points but overall I wouldn’t characterise it as a ‘funny’ book.
August 13, 2024
This made me feel like it was a YA version of Ready Player One style of writing but not as successful. There are too many problems with the central premise of the time travelling drug F that kept nagging at me that stopped me giving it the benefit of the doubt to get on board with it. If characters can see so far into the future, why don’t they change their actions or warn others of impending problems? For example there’s a scene where the band all take F on a bus and the driver hits a cow in the road, which apparently the band sees in advance but are too slow to let the driver know. Seems silly but it really annoyed me. And then there’s the divided Australia angle that is not explored for a large chunk of the book, except that it’s difficult to get F in and out of…is it like a North Korean state now? Why? And would they tolerate a drug fuelled rock band tripping around the country on a bus?
So it wasn’t for me. I do like seeing an Australian author set sci fi in Australia though.
So it wasn’t for me. I do like seeing an Australian author set sci fi in Australia though.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 29, 2025
For a debut, I've got to give it credit where credit is due. The writing was fabulous. The subplots were my favourite part, Prosser can definitely get you invested in a side narrative, but I did struggle with the main story.
We follow bassist Julian of the band The Acceptables as they embark on their second album, amongst the throws of a new drug called F, that allows you to see the future.
The broken time and anomalys that briefly come up throughout the narrative had me wanting to leave the band behind and go on to more fascinating tangents. Unfortunately, this doesn't happen. We are forced to endure these very unlikeable people, as they make very cringey music. The book then ends in a fizzle rather than a bang, and the epilogue leaves you wondering what the point of the whole thing was. Live in the now perhaps? Life is meaningless if you know how it will all pan out, the good and the bad? I think the author could have played with this more, gone harder with the concept, and made it a bit more of a fever dream.
That being said, I think Prosser could bring out an absolutely cracking sci-fi short story collection. Big Time feels like it tries to do too much, but also doesn't do enough, but it is worth the read for the beautiful short narratives scattered throughout.
We follow bassist Julian of the band The Acceptables as they embark on their second album, amongst the throws of a new drug called F, that allows you to see the future.
The broken time and anomalys that briefly come up throughout the narrative had me wanting to leave the band behind and go on to more fascinating tangents. Unfortunately, this doesn't happen. We are forced to endure these very unlikeable people, as they make very cringey music. The book then ends in a fizzle rather than a bang, and the epilogue leaves you wondering what the point of the whole thing was. Live in the now perhaps? Life is meaningless if you know how it will all pan out, the good and the bad? I think the author could have played with this more, gone harder with the concept, and made it a bit more of a fever dream.
That being said, I think Prosser could bring out an absolutely cracking sci-fi short story collection. Big Time feels like it tries to do too much, but also doesn't do enough, but it is worth the read for the beautiful short narratives scattered throughout.
August 15, 2025
A Sci-Fi and Spec-Fi combination with time travel being the major sci-fi theme, and an Aussie political authoritarian fascist spec-fi setting. Along with the classic time travel tropes many of the companion concepts such as fate, karma, destiny, chance, luck, causality are all along for the ride. Mix in drug-use, counter-culture, the entertainment industry, paranoia, persecution complexes and outrageous conspiracies. Nothing plays out like it seems. Quite bleak in places, but the narrative kept my interest up.
September 29, 2024
3.5 Stars
In a world of fake news and alternate realities, why shouldn't we have our very own timelines where anything and everything is both possible and deserved. This seems to be the implication deep within Jordan Prosser's engaging story of 'The Acceptables', a rock'n'roll band kicking hard against the Jams of a distopian Australia.
All this is made possible by the rare and inexplicably ubiquitous new wonder drug 'F'. A pharmaceutical phantasmogoria which enables users to experience the 'future' on their trips. Just use cautiously and make sure the dose in 'just right' and perfectly balanced across both of ones eyeballs.
The tale is told through the POV of the band's bass player Justin Ferryman, later known as Justin F, unreliable narrator, beginning with his return to the Federated Republic of East Australia (think an amalgam of Bjelke-Petersen's Queensland and Arthur Rylah's Victoria mixed with the police state of the DPRK and Jim Crow/Joe Macarthy America to get the flavour-the worst features of each). Justin is fleeing the consequences of his inattention (unfortunately dead Irish tourist) in Bogota and rejoins (having his first encounter with 'F' on the flight home) the bandmates he left abruptly after the massive success of their first record.
In his absence, things have changed. His former muse Oriana is now lead singer Ash Huang's significant other. Ash has taken over leader of the band status and is the driving force behind the new and radical direction the band is taking with its music. Lead guitarist Xander's brother Pony has his eyes on Justin's place in the band. The drummer of course, remains the same, as does the shifty manager.
In the course of the long and arduous task af recording the new album, Justin's diminished importance to the band is ameliorated by his affinity to 'F' and his increaded ability to see into the future and return to tell the tale. The further you go, the less there is to see.
Then it is time to tour the new record. But the fans wnat the old hits, the government wants to bust them for drug use and the tour ends with tragedy and flight, political intrigue and scientific investigations.
The way this all ends was an impressive twist in the tail, though perhaps I should have seen it coming since the protagonist after all is the bass player. The diversionary chapters, telling the backstory of other minor characters are also very enjoyable as we take a break from the rock star lifestyle.
In a world of fake news and alternate realities, why shouldn't we have our very own timelines where anything and everything is both possible and deserved. This seems to be the implication deep within Jordan Prosser's engaging story of 'The Acceptables', a rock'n'roll band kicking hard against the Jams of a distopian Australia.
All this is made possible by the rare and inexplicably ubiquitous new wonder drug 'F'. A pharmaceutical phantasmogoria which enables users to experience the 'future' on their trips. Just use cautiously and make sure the dose in 'just right' and perfectly balanced across both of ones eyeballs.
The tale is told through the POV of the band's bass player Justin Ferryman, later known as Justin F, unreliable narrator, beginning with his return to the Federated Republic of East Australia (think an amalgam of Bjelke-Petersen's Queensland and Arthur Rylah's Victoria mixed with the police state of the DPRK and Jim Crow/Joe Macarthy America to get the flavour-the worst features of each). Justin is fleeing the consequences of his inattention (unfortunately dead Irish tourist) in Bogota and rejoins (having his first encounter with 'F' on the flight home) the bandmates he left abruptly after the massive success of their first record.
In his absence, things have changed. His former muse Oriana is now lead singer Ash Huang's significant other. Ash has taken over leader of the band status and is the driving force behind the new and radical direction the band is taking with its music. Lead guitarist Xander's brother Pony has his eyes on Justin's place in the band. The drummer of course, remains the same, as does the shifty manager.
In the course of the long and arduous task af recording the new album, Justin's diminished importance to the band is ameliorated by his affinity to 'F' and his increaded ability to see into the future and return to tell the tale. The further you go, the less there is to see.
Then it is time to tour the new record. But the fans wnat the old hits, the government wants to bust them for drug use and the tour ends with tragedy and flight, political intrigue and scientific investigations.
The way this all ends was an impressive twist in the tail, though perhaps I should have seen it coming since the protagonist after all is the bass player. The diversionary chapters, telling the backstory of other minor characters are also very enjoyable as we take a break from the rock star lifestyle.
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