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Parallax
Danny Anderson lives in Sulphide, a copper mining town in the outback of Australia. Taking refuge from a gang of bullies who tortures animals, he and his two friends Jennifer and Gustave discover a parallel universe through a cave. In this universe, bullies are eaten by the animals they torture, Animal Police arrest people for the crime of cannibalism (eating meat), and pain inflicted on others is felt by the perpetrators.
But far from being the Eden they first envision, it is a frightening world where justice is harsh. They escape into a series of worlds, but each parallel universe is worse than the previous one, until they discover a perfect utopia, where—it seems—everything they wanted the world to be is true: animal suffering is abolished, humans live in harmony with nature, and justice is done—but not all is as perfect as it appears.
But far from being the Eden they first envision, it is a frightening world where justice is harsh. They escape into a series of worlds, but each parallel universe is worse than the previous one, until they discover a perfect utopia, where—it seems—everything they wanted the world to be is true: animal suffering is abolished, humans live in harmony with nature, and justice is done—but not all is as perfect as it appears.
238 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2014
36 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
December 14, 2014
From its cover, Parallax looks like a quirky little adventure book aimed at children or pre-teens, and it actually starts out down a happy trail in that direction. The main characters are a trio of 11-year-old rascals with above-average intelligence battling their own bullies and living day to day with their conquer-the-world mentalities. Granted, the not-so-subtle prods and pokes that the human race might be better if everyone was vegan and self-proclaimed tree-huggers (the book’s observation, not mine) are pretty strong at first, but soon what starts as an innocent-enough romp through the halls of an Everytown, USA school and its bordering forest takes a whacky turn.
I’ll admit, the book churns along at a slow burn for a little while, but once a strange portal-type cave is introduced we’re plunged into a pretty epic little adventure of parallel universes, future lost worlds, intriguing Planet of the Apes-style influences, and even a bit of a biblical backdrop. I wasn’t expecting a leap into such strange and outlandish territory, and the whirlwind that followed was one I was pleasantly swept up in.
Parallax felt like a flighty, fun mix of something like Goosebumps, The Chronicles of Narnia, and oddly enough even Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse Five with a dash of Captain Planet on steroids thrown in for flavor. It’s a story about finding your own Eden and learning that the world isn’t a perfect place, and it reminded me of an edgier book fair-style pickup I’d get excited about when I was around 11 or 12. Again, something I was not expecting, and a bit grating to begin with, but pretty soon the crazy pendulum started swinging and I was hooked.
I’ll admit, the book churns along at a slow burn for a little while, but once a strange portal-type cave is introduced we’re plunged into a pretty epic little adventure of parallel universes, future lost worlds, intriguing Planet of the Apes-style influences, and even a bit of a biblical backdrop. I wasn’t expecting a leap into such strange and outlandish territory, and the whirlwind that followed was one I was pleasantly swept up in.
Parallax felt like a flighty, fun mix of something like Goosebumps, The Chronicles of Narnia, and oddly enough even Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse Five with a dash of Captain Planet on steroids thrown in for flavor. It’s a story about finding your own Eden and learning that the world isn’t a perfect place, and it reminded me of an edgier book fair-style pickup I’d get excited about when I was around 11 or 12. Again, something I was not expecting, and a bit grating to begin with, but pretty soon the crazy pendulum started swinging and I was hooked.
November 30, 2015
What’s that smell? It smells like rotten meat. Parallax by Paul Williams is a children’s adventure book that features the Animal Police (AP) Unit: Danny sees himself as the Clark Kent alter ego of Superman; Jennifer is the defender of truth; and Gustave is the brains behind the vision. The job of the AP Unit is to defend the animals and insects, from a kangaroo and a fox to an ant. How could anyone eat meat? Danny asks. There are times that someone eating a steak is reported to the AP Unit. The AP Unit’s job is to protect and record all cruelty and injustices to these creatures. The AP Unit is always on the job. Whenever a report comes in, they are on the scene, writing up reports and taking photos. The AP Unit envisions a world of peace and justice for all. The AP was truly making a difference until one day everything changed.
Parallax is a great children’s story because it’s not only about adventure; it's about justice. It’s about righting the wrongs. Children learn by example. What children see, hear or read translates into their minds and transforms into change. As the AP Unit is going about their day, there are three baddies - Hank, Barry and Arthur - wreaking havoc all around them. Isn’t life just like that? There are always a few that just stir up the pot so much that it makes it hard to focus. If you have a child that loves a great adventure, get them a copy of Parallax by Paul Williams.Parallax
Parallax is a great children’s story because it’s not only about adventure; it's about justice. It’s about righting the wrongs. Children learn by example. What children see, hear or read translates into their minds and transforms into change. As the AP Unit is going about their day, there are three baddies - Hank, Barry and Arthur - wreaking havoc all around them. Isn’t life just like that? There are always a few that just stir up the pot so much that it makes it hard to focus. If you have a child that loves a great adventure, get them a copy of Parallax by Paul Williams.Parallax
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews