No Delight In Fools

by Damian Bouch

In the near future, the world has begun anew. After generations of economic exploitation, western civilization has collapsed under its own weight and haughtiness. The energy and communications grids have been wiped out in an unprecedented currency crash. Across the former United States, no activity is conducted in a greater radius than a day's ride on horseback. The Peril, a ten-year period of famine and chaos, has come to an end. Under the guidance of the sagely Mr. Chesterfield, the rural community of Nearfield has seen the resurrection of commerce, private property, economy, leadership, homes and families. Having experienced and studied the degradation and ultimate collapse of the "Old World" system, Mr. Chesterfield and his esteemed Elder Council ensure that simple principles and practices are observed, so as to prevent the "New World" from falling into the same traps. War, taxation, conscription, indoctrination, censorship and irrational belief are all denounced unanimously. However, after mysterious men appear from a very dangerous, very different kind of place, the residents of Nearfield are thrown into the path of imminent danger. Their illusion of safety shattered, convictions and beliefs are brought into question and fought about in the public forum. Some see their only preservation in revamped measures of security, others see the utter erasure of liberty and dignity. Swept up in the madness of their community are Cecil and Eva, the young couple with bright plans for their future, Auron, the conscientious objector wanting to escape from all forms of organized leadership, and Enoch, a condemned man from a neighboring town. Along with Mr. Chesterfield, they will fight for their beliefs in a world much more malleable than our modern day. As the political chaos unfolds and basic safety is jeopardized, they will search for answers, both in the world and within themselves. All will seek, not all will find... "No Delight In Fools is a fascinating and intriguing story of a post-apocalypse community that beautifully captures the fundamental tension between man's moral and material prospering under liberty and his destructive longing for security."
-Dr. Per L. Bylund, the John F. Baugh Center Research Professor in Entrepreneurship, Baylor University and mises.org contributor "An absolutely riveting story, Bouch reminds us all that the dangers of trading liberty for security will still be an incredibly significant issue to humanity in a post-collapse world."
-Ryan Brooks, The Sound of Freedom Radio "...but suffice to say, one can learn a lot about humanity in this book - or, at the least, it will force one to consider such topics."
-Andy Hoffman, MilesFranklin Blog "In his latest book, No Delight In Fools, Damian has written a fascinating and creative fictional account of everyday life in a post-fiat currency world."
-Jerry Robinson, author of "Bankruptcy of Our Nation"

461 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 2, 2014

Reviews

[Em Bouch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bouch gives a new twist to the popular post-apocalyptic genre. Instead of an all-powerful, corrupt government, he presents an intricate and believable stateless society with carefully constructed social, economic, and political components. The book explores the question, "Can humans live without or with a minimal governing body?" This book had me thinking about government and society in new and intriguing ways. The book questions what institutions are needed, what power does to the individual, and how government - and a lack of government - can destroy an individual and violate human rights.

The story follows the lives of Auron, the local government's executioner, and Cecil, a bright, young businessman, as they look to find a place in their society. Both discover that what appears on the surface is not the same as what lurks beneath.

One of the most unique components of the book is the history of how this stateless society came to be. The downfall of the past world was caused by uncomfortably familiar components and institutions that we take for granted in our present world.

With its dynamic, round characters, haunting conflicts, exciting plot line, and a twist ending that I never saw coming, this is a thought-provoking must-read for anyone interested in dystopia, post-apocalyptic, social justice, or human rights novels.

*As a self-published novel, it does have the occasional typo.