The Fossilarchy – The Truth they Tried to Silence
Daring to walk an extreme line that could become a frightening reality if we don’t change our ways soon, the action scenes were cinematically penned against the stark backdrop of the coal industry. ~ K.C. Finn
full review below
The world faces climate meltdown after denial and inaction driven by the fossil fuel industry for decades. A Swiss businessman decides the only chance to avoid climate catastrophe is to sabotage the global industry and break its power. He and others finance an attack. The global attacks are planned for Christmas Day, C-Day. A key target is Australia, a leading producer and climate laggard.
Alex Burns, ex SAS, is hired to lead the Australian mission to take out coal ports in the east and gas plants in the west. How can the objectives be achieved while he protects his team and the global project from detection?
Sean Mallon’s son is killed by police at a climate protest in Brisbane. Distraught and angry he plots revenge on the coal industry. He bombs Queensland’s coal railways, destroying the export trade. Losing money, the coal industry hires assassins to kill him. He is found and they close in. As Burns and Mallon are linked by their past, Burns provides sanctuary on his boat. Will doing so and mounting early diversionary attacks risk the mission?
Saudi Arabia is also crucial to the global attack. When a sandstorm erupts, should Burns press on with his mission or cancel?
Can they complete the mission and escape before the police, assassins and security forces catch up with them?
“Engrossing…. the tension ebbs and flows throughout…… descriptions of the Australian landscape and surrounding waters are picture-perfect……. a gripping and timely environmental tale with a combustible mix of deadly elements
~ Kirkus Book Reviews.
5 Star Readers Favourite Full Review:
The Fossilarchy is a work of fiction in the thriller, action, and environmental subgenres. It is intended for the general adult reading audience and was penned by author Tom Clark. This actionpacked and politically-charged thriller novel sees two rebellious forces come together to tackle the planet’s climate emergency by any means necessary, no matter how drastic. As fossil fuels become the central target for destruction, an old legend is revived, and the scene is laid for battle in Australia as a key target for taking down the titular Fossilarchy, a lynchpin that will begin the collapse of everything that threatens our future world.
As a huge fan of the upswell in modern climate fiction, it was exciting to see the action-thriller genre taking up the mantle in this excellent work by author Tom Clark. One of the features that I especially enjoyed was the sense of urgency in the plot and surrounding context, and the build-up of frustration as characters are both wronged by the sinister fossil fuel industry and ignored despite their very legitimate concerns. Daring to walk an extreme line that could become a frightening reality if we don’t change our ways soon, the action scenes were cinematically penned against the stark backdrop of the coal industry. The political elements were intelligently considered, and then a selection of well-developed,
tough, and determined characters carry us confidently through the narrative. Overall, I would highly recommend The Fossilarchy for thriller fans seeking something original and bang up to date to get their teeth into.
K.C. Finn
Author Bio
Tom Clark
Born in the UK, Tom was at school during the 1960s youth revolution. Like many others, he was inspired by Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring to join the then new environmental movement. He has been involved in campaigning for environmental protection ever since and for climate action since 1988. As chair of the British Association of Nature Conservationists, he helped organise the first international conference on the impacts of climate change on biodiversity. He has a degree in engineering, an MBA, an MSc in environmental technology from Imperial College, is a Chartered Environmentalist and registered greenhouse gas and energy auditor.
Since 1990 he has been a consultant in environment, sustainability and climate change, advising governments, many companies and other organisations on many issues. At last count he had worked in 28 countries.
Tom has many interests. His father’s front line World War Two experience, as well as his travels, led to an interest in modern history. The turbulent 60s and 70s, and being an exchange student in the US during Watergate, led to an interest in politics; his travels, studies and work to an interest in human behaviour.
His special loves stem from his childhood in the 1950s. As the Jesuites say ‘give me the boy and I’ll give you the man’. His much older brother John introduced him to early rock n’ roll even before the amazing music explosion of the 1960s reinforced his love. His father slipped some beer into his lemonade and he became a lifelong craft beer tragic (now without the lemonade). Growing up in Swindon, once a great railway town, and seeing express trains screaming through like fiery dragons, in the last days of steam, turned him into an incurable trainspotter.
John’s LP of Walt Disney’s Fantasia introduced him to classical music. Tom joined a local choir and has been a choral singer ever since. Including, during 1982-2000, over 200 performances with the London Philharmonic, London Symphony and other orchestras under many of the world’s greatest conductors. John’s recordings of the Goon shows triggered a lifetime love of comedy.
Since 1999 he has lived in Western Australia where he settled and raised a family. He has travelled and worked throughout Australia, appreciating its beauty and diversity. Among the campaigns he has been involved in have been ending logging the ancient forests of the south west and ending whaling in the Antarctic. He has observed Australian climate politics with a mix of amusement and horror. You couldn’t make it up. This and the world’s crisis situation moved him to write this book to help relieve the anxiety a bit while conveying the need for change in an entertaining way.
This is his first solo novel. His first, The Seventh Boat, was co-authored with David Ashbridge, is about whaling in the Southern Ocean and is an Amazon ebook.
The Fossilarchy, Tom’s latest book, is an action-packed political thriller about the power of the ogliarchy and climate change.
You can read more about Tom and his book on his website: https://tomsclarkauthor.com
