Animal Farm 2

DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to my family: Zoe, Tessa, Amani, Uly and Dorian, hoping that through my writing others will better respect, understand and conserve the World they will inherit, with more caring for living things, especially humans, animals and environments, through philosophies of freedom, voluntary responsibility, reason and science. I appreciate their support but opinions and any errors are my own.

REVIEWS

ANIMAL FARM 2 (2021)

Pre-publication review by Brad Ahern, Science Educator.

Following Orwell’s masterful satire, Animal Farm, Martin Knox continues the story in the aftermath of the Animal Revolution up to modern times, with an insightful account of the progress and difficulties of the Socialist Animal Collective. An action-packed story of farm animals seeking liberation. They mine coal and their work is restricted by bourgeois management and superpower influence. They discover and carefully explain a paradigm shift within climate science. Another prescient and engrossing cautionary fable satirising the threats posed by modern-day totalitarianism and globalism.

REVIEWS OF MARTIN KNOX’S PREVIOUS BOOKS

TIME IS GOLD (2020)

Readers’ Favorite 5-stars December 11 2020

Reviewed by Romuald Dzemo

Time is Gold by Martin Knox is a brilliantly plotted and well-written novel that centers on a strong and original concept. Maxi Fleet wants just one thing: to run faster than any female has ever run before. She is training to beat the world. Stan has offered a lot of support, supervising and guiding her as she trains to compete in a future marathon. Maxi is determined to push herself beyond the limits and achieve her dream, and there is a strong support system to help her as she pursues this dream. Jack Cram is a PhD student in physics who is working on a revolutionary concept of stretching time. In Maxi, he finds the best opportunity to experiment on his theory, and if he succeeds, it will be a breakthrough for him and the scientific community. Can his idea of extreme-flow improve Maxi’s performance and produce the desired results? 

This is a wonderful story with elaborately developed themes, including love, ambition, hard work and pain, the drive for success, performance, and friendship. Set in the future, it has strong psychological and scientific underpinnings. The story is told in an absorbing first-person narrative, a style the author uses with mastery and it establishes a real connection between readers and the characters. The story has a premise that got me hooked right off the bat and I loved the bold ideas developed in this novel, especially the concept of extreme-flow. This concept stipulates that anyone can perform better by getting into the flow that is extremely engaged. Hence marathon runners and others who embrace endurance with cognitive vigor can bolster their time, bit by bit, crossing finishing lines earlier, inserting additional accomplishment and staying younger. Time is Gold is a classic novel, speculative in style, hugely engaging, and featuring tight and excellent writing. While I loved the plot points, it was the depth with which the characters are written that had me turning the pages.

SHORT OF LOVE (2019)

Readers Favourite, August 5, 2019

Review by K.C. Finn Rating: 5 Stars

Short Of Love is a work of picaresque satirical fiction penned by author Martin Knox, which explores the notion of love and relationships, and how we treat other human beings when we view them as commodities for love rather than as individuals.

Author Martin Knox has created a fascinating parody of modern love and its effects on life, whilst also managing to stay true to the nature of many relationships where competition becomes a feature over compassion. Overall, Short of Love will interest any reader who enjoys dissecting relationships and the notion of romance itself.

Online Bookclub Review, January 15, 2020

Review by Stephanie Elizabeth

Short of Love by Martin Knox is a fascinating piece of satirical fiction. It explores love, relationships, and the moral impact of viewing people as commodities, rather than individuals. The story revolves around the exceedingly selfish Tom Archer, a student with his eyes fixated on a future as a successful engineer. But his focus wavers when he meets Vicki Hillstone. He becomes so wholly consumed by his desire for her, that he is driven to a whole new level of distraction.

Readers Favourite July 31, 2019

Reviewed by Vincent Dublado

Martin Knox’s Short of Love is an unconventional love story that spans decades dating back from the Jungian nightmare cycles of the 60s. First released under the title Love Straddle, this new and abridged version does not take away the essence and ambiance that make the story endearing. Every day we read a love story with a cookie-cutter leading man that sweeps readers (especially women) off their feet. But this novel offers something different with a misfit protagonist that we would find complicated except that his predicaments are downright understandable. Short of Love reads like a cross between a romantic story and an Idiot’s Guide reference on relationships--an insightful delving into balancing love and a career.

Book launch address. September 15, 2019

Editor Vesna McMaster

Short of Love is a complete re-working of an earlier work, Love Straddle. This predecessor was presented as a first-person narrative and was almost twice as long. One of the outcomes of this reduction in volume is that the pace of the novel is relentless. You won’t be falling asleep over this one: it’s been distilled to 100 proof.

Which takes me to the question of the novel’s genre and place among literary works. I’m assuming most of you haven’t read it yet. I’d describe it as a combination of Tom Jones, Catcher in the Rye, and St Augustine’s Confessions, with a Beatles soundtrack. Tom Jones for the rapscallion, picaresque aspect, and endless parade of jaw-dropping events. Catcher in the Rye for the unabashed use of raw unacceptability, dragging unsavoury things out of the shadows and into common view for scrutiny. And the Confessions for the overall aim (I think) of creating a malleability and a weakness in the reader, via the abasement and frankness of the creator, towards a consideration of acceptance and reconciliation.

I’d encourage you to take a punt on it, and be in on that first wave that gets to respond to a text before all the other critics with fat weight behind their names come in on the game. You get first pick. So if you haven’t already done so, go and buy the book.

Thanks very much for listening.

PRESUMED DEAD (2018)

Readers’ Favourite January 6, 2019

Reviewed by Grant Leishman; Review Rating: 4 Stars

Presumed Dead is a classic whodunit and author Martin Knox does a very credible job of describing in detail the investigative techniques of crime scene analysis that the character had developed in his years as a police forensic scientist. The story is well constructed, with possible red herrings thrown in at appropriate points.

The two principal characters of Jane and Phillip are well drawn and easy to relate to and empathize with. It is interesting that, as in real life, Knox has sought to bring two people with polar opposite personalities together in a romantic relationship. Jane, the firebrand extrovert with a passion for politics, and Phillip, the quiet, methodical, introvert who struggles to relate to people on a personal level.

I particularly enjoyed the political undertones of the story and the ideals of what truly constitutes democracy. The idea of scrapping political parties and independent politicians voting on their conscience every time has been floated often and I think even trialled occasionally. It brings a real modern-day relevance to the story – one only needs to look at the political turmoil in the US at present to see the dangers of partisanship and party politics. All in all, a very satisfying read and one I can recommend.

OnlineBookClub May 21, 2020

Reviewed by Abacus; 4/4 Stars

The pace of the book is sedate, allowing for time to experience all the investigative techniques and the political power plays – so like politics today. Another intriguing aspect was Phillip’s ability to understand Jane’s mind by the movement and appearance of her left or right eye. The author was able to describe for us the conflicting emotions experienced by someone who suffers from post-traumatic distress syndrome (PTSD). The love story between Phillip and Jane also progresses during the chaos of fighting the council. We need a Jane and a Phillip now to solve the partisan American swamp politics.‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

I rate Presumed Dead 4 out of 4 stars, for creativity, its focus on science, and the investigative techniques. It was a joy to read – educational and humorous. There are some detailed descriptions of an autopsy which may be too much for some readers.‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

I recommend this book to lovers of science, politics, crime investigation, love stories, authentic characters, and people who love a unique approach to a crime thriller.‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

Warm Witty Words, November 12, 2018

Reviewed by Donna Munro

I’ve read all Martin Knox novels, and Presumed Dead is a standout. Though I’m not a political person, I felt what it was like to be amid councillors, throwing words in heated discussions on public concerns, bouncing them across the floor like ping pong balls.

It’s impossible to tell which politicians are lying and who abducted Jane. The story twists and turns, particularly after part 4. The reader will be right alongside Phillip as he tries to solve the crimes and his faithful bunch of friends, give us some hope that honourable, devoted politicians actually care about their community and the greater good. Anyone who has an interest in politics will love this masterful story."

Pre-publication review September 8, 2017

Reviewed by Phil Heywood, former Associate Professor and Head of Urban and Regional Planning, Queensland University of Technology.

‘. . . a convincing and interesting story line on topics of currently seething public interest, including over-development of coastlines, political corruption and the roles of individuals and the media within contemporary society’

LOVE STRADDLE (2014)

Reviewed by Ian Lipke, October 4, 2014.

Editor of Media-Culture Reviews at Queensland University of Technology; author.

This novel by Martin P. Knox is vast in scope, scintillating in the brilliance of its conception and staggering in the creation of its hero. This is the work of a major talent

The concept is a straddle, a manipulation of the market in commodity futures:

‘…an investor in commodity futures wants to spread the risk between commodities that are substitutes for each other… when the price of one goes down, the other goes down as well.’

Selwyn then applies such a concept to women and their affections to comical effect. It is in the teasing out of this idea into human behaviours that the originality of Knox’s writing appears.

The last words in this review have to be delivered by the irrepressible Selwyn. Vicki has given him his marching orders and he has taken up with Helen.

‘Vicki knows what I’m like. Her place in my straddle allows her full freedom. If it becomes possible, I still want to close out my short on her and exchange my love for hers, at my best price.

Until then, I also have a long position and am invulnerable.’

What a hoot! This book is recommended very highly. Get hold of a copy from Amazon. You’ll enjoy it as much as I did.

THE GRASS IS ALWAYS BROWNER (2011)

Reviewed by Venero Armanno, December 10, 2011.

Lecturer Creative Writing, University of Queensland; author of 9 best-selling novels.

‘Martin Knox is the type of writer who knows how to tell a wonderful story and pose thought-provoking questions about life and the future. In his book The Grass Is Always Browner, Knox has managed to craft a political thriller, a romance and an allegorical tale of one man’s prophetic journey towards enlightenment, all within the umbrella of a deeply satisfying work of speculative fiction. This is a novel to savour and Martin Knox is a writer to watch.’

AUTHOR BIO

Martin Knox grew up on a farm in Somerset, UK and graduated as a chemical engineer from Birmingham University. He worked in the petroleum industry in Canada. He researched alternative systems of government at Imperial College, London and emigrated to Australia where he worked in planning mine development projects. At age 40, he became a high school science teacher and wrote textbooks published by the Queensland Department of Education.

He has been writing fiction novels full time since 2013, with findings from his research of government, politics, crime, endurance running, democracy and satires about love and climate science. He has proposed an underground railway for Brisbane. He meets with groups to discuss writing, current issues and philosophy readings. He writes letters, zooms, plays the guitar, sings badly, plays chess and does outdoor gym.

He is divorced with children and grandchildren.

CONTACTS

[email protected]

Blog: https://martinknox.com

Contents

DEDICATION

REVIEWS

AUTHOR BIO

CHARACTERS

ACRONYMS

PROLOGUE

CHAPTER 1 NIKOS

CHAPTER 2 IDEOLOGY

CHAPTER 3 BOARDOM

CHAPTER 4 FARMWORK

CHAPTER 5 ANIMAL LEARNING

CHAPTER 6 INAUGURATION

CHAPTER 7 MAXIMIN

CHAPTER 8 ROW CROP TERROR

CHAPTER 9 CONFIDENT OF UNCERTAINTY

CHAPTER 10 STAND OFF

CHAPTER 11 LEONARD

CHAPTER 12 SUCCESSION

CHAPTER 13 FOSSIL FIND

CHAPTER 14 POWERHOUSE

CHAPTER 15 MIGUEL

CHAPTER 16 OPENNESS

CHAPTER 17 CALF TERROR

CHAPTER 18 SENTIENCE

CHAPTER 19 BORAT

CHAPTER 20 RAVENOUS

CHAPTER 21 CHANGE IS RELATIVE

CHAPTER 22 HONEST BIASES

CHAPTER 23 STAB IN THE DARK

CHAPTER 24 TRAPPING HEAT

CHAPTER 25 AN HYPOTHESIS

CHAPTER 26 A TEST

CHAPTER 27 BENIGN EMISSION

CHAPTER 28 HAY MAKING

CHAPTER 29 WHEN EFFECT IS THE CAUSE

CHAPTER 30 THERMAL POLLUTION

CHAPTER 31 TOTALITARIANISM

CHAPTER 32 GLOBAL EFFECTS

CHAPTER 33 ARE ANIMAL SPECIES EQUAL

CHAPTER 34 HOW MUCH WARMING IS TOO MUCH?

CHAPTER 35 ANIMALS HAVE RIGHTS

CHAPTER 36 CONVERGENCE ALARM

CHAPTER 37 ENDING LIVES

CHAPTER 38 HOCKEY STICK FRAUD

CHAPTER 39 MODELLING

CHAPTER 40 REGENERATION

CHAPTER 41 RENEWABLE ENERGY DEAL

CHAPTER 42 SUPERPOWERS

CHAPTER 43 THRESHOLD EXCEEDED

CHAPTER 44 ADDING SOLAR HEAT

CHAPTER 45 ANIMAL LIBERATION

CHAPTER 46 CONFIRMATION BIAS

CHAPTER 47 SAVING YOUR ENERGY

CHAPTER 48 UNETHICAL AMBIGUITY

CHAPTER 49 BULLFIGHT

CHAPTER 50 ARMAGEDDON

CHAPTER 51 UPRISING

CHAPTER 52 FREEDOM

BIBLIOGRAPHY AND REFERENCES

CHARACTERS

Names in order of first appearance.

ACRONYMS

EGHE:       Enhanced Green House Effect

GHG :       Green House Gas

SR:       Social Republic

DU:       Democratic Union

ICBM:       Intercontinental Ballistic Missile

UV:       Ultraviolet

IR:       Infrared

IPCC:       International Policy Committee for Climates

RED:       Renewable Energy Deal

ENSO:       El Niño–Southern Oscillation

CO2:       carbon dioxide

H2O:       water

CH4:       methane

N2:       nitrogen

O2:       oxygen

BSE:       bovine spongiform encephalopathy

AI:       Artificial Insemination

pv:       photovoltaic

PC:       politically correct

PROLOGUE

When the worker animals had first peeped in at the pigs’ party in the farmhouse seized from Farmer Jones, the hosts stood on two legs, mingling with their guests, with pigs and men indistinguishable. The pigs were celebrating with neighbours the success of the animals' revolution. They heard voices raised and saw a melee of carousing, with swilling of tankards of ale, pigs and men pushing, surging, yelling and falling about. Dismayed, the animal workers crept away from the window, wondering what would befall them next.

Seeing the pigs in human roles had made the worker animals uneasy. Their rebellion had been against human ownership, but although they had ousted Farmer Jones and proclaimed ‘Animal Farm’ theirs, the living conditions were no better now than before. They had to work at the limits of their endurance, received insufficient food and slept in damp, cold and draughty buildings.

Animal Farm could have been one of many farms on Caruba, an island near the equator, 1000 kilometres long and 200 kilometres wide. Caruba was 400 kilometres from the coast of the Democratic Union (DU), a superpower having 250 million, operating under economic precepts of capitalism espoused by Adam Smith, John Stuart Mill and others. It had political ties with the distant Social Republic (SR), a superpower also with 250 million, operating under socialism based on later philosophies of Karl Marx and Vladimir Lenin.

The human population of Caruba was 10 million. Half the island was hilly or mountainous, with the remainder under tea and coffee, with grazing for livestock. Businesses congregated in Salton, the capital, with a population of 1.2 million. The Caruba Government was led by President Felix Younucko. Despite the DU’s resentment at Caruba’s alignment with the SR, it supplied the island with diesel oil, manufactured goods and tourists.

Old Major, an obese crusty North Caucasian boar, had announced before the revolution on Caruba that animals would overthrow humanity. When the muddling drunken owner of Manor Farm on Caruba neglected his animals’ food and living conditions, they had revolted and run amok over the farm. Farmer Jones had fled to a neighbouring farm, where he led other farmers in retaliatory attacks to recover his property. They had made two forays but were repelled by animals wielding farm tools as weapons. Several humans were injured and a few of the rebel animals were killed. Humans had attempted to repossess Jones’ farm and when they failed, it became known as ‘Animal Farm’, operated by livestock animals. Neighbouring farmers viewed it with foreboding, in case animals tried to take over their own properties. 

After the revolution, two pigs, Napoleon and Snowball, imposed central authority, enslaving the other animals, denying them rights and forbidding them to express wants.

Napoleon in Orwell’s book was a huge Berkshire boar, black with white legs, white face, white tail and pink skin. His heavy body was deep-sided with a strong, arching back, a muscular firm build and blocky legs. Seen from the side, his face had a dish-shape, an upturned nose, a large jowl, short snout, short neck and erect ears. He had boisterous charm. His revolution had succeeded in destroying the old order, but issues of trust prevented creation of a new one. He suppressed opposition by surveillance and punishment. His planning was disastrous.

His rival Snowball was a boar of a different type: a Large White, large-framed, with light shoulders, a stretched appearance, deep sides, long legs and small hams.

Napoleon ousted Snowball and gained absolute power, managing Animal Farm for the benefit of the pigs alone, elevating them to a ruling class and enabling them to live a life of luxury. Among the animals there was whispered conjecture regarding the whereabouts of Snowball, but anyone mentioning his name was punished, so he was soon forgotten.

Napoleon had appointed himself Lord of Animal Farm. He aligned with the Caruban and Social Republican governments, wanting pigs to be the future rulers of the world. He monopolised information and personally interpreted world events, pretending he had high level connections with superpower leaders that enabled him to serve the animals’ interests. He ensured his leadership was obeyed and exalted, ruling brutally over the other animals.

Lord Napoleon had ousted Snowball and gained power, managing Animal Farm for the pigs’ benefit, enabling them to live a life of luxury. He led the Animal Party for nearly 40 years, first as secretary, then as treasurer and then as absolute leader of Animal Farm.

Central planning determined every aspect of life. All the animals, except for the pigs, worked long hours under harsh conditions and without reward. The workers were too fearful and ignorant to complain. The only machinery on the farm was a tractor and a windmill. Most tasks were done manually.

‘Your conditions are not ideal but you must put up with them,’ Lord Napoleon had said to the animals. ‘They expect us to fail. You must ensure that we succeed. When they see our success, belief in Animalism will spread to neighbouring farms and outwards to bring the whole World under our control.’

The animals grew food for Caruba’s markets. The Farm became known for high quality farm producte.

Lord Napoleon had surrounded himself with a pig oligarchy, with advisers, sycophants and informers, including an optimistic dog, Keep Me; a pessimistic cat, Asshole; and Patriarch, leader of a treachery of ravens who controlled the other animals’ socialisation, information sources and expression of opinion. The structures of farm life that had enabled animals to cope under Jones collapsed. No social groups existed and the workers were unable to discuss their bad conditions.

From before the Revolution, the Ravens had opposed animal learning.

‘You have no need for knowledge about how to lead your lives on the Farm,’ Patriarch said. ‘That has been the role of we Ravens to advise, since time immemorial. Our information is the best. We fly to distant places, meet Ravens there, find out about human and animal living conditions and bring back what we have learned to present in sermons at our services. It is most important that every animal comes to our services. You won’t need to worry about ideas that are still being worked out, like science, technology and economics. We Ravens understand them and will provide all the advice you need.’

Lord Napoleon’s secret police and militia had induced terror that transformed the Farm into a totalitarian state. Older worker animals realised Lord Napoleon had imported totalitarianism from the Social Republic. His regime imposed communism and tyranny, suppressing individualism, democracy, market capitalism and liberalism. Every worker animal felt isolated and expendable.

The commandment: ‘ALL ANIMALS ARE EQUAL’ had been written large on the barn wall after the revolution, but it had been changed mysteriously with words added: ‘BUT SOME ANIMALS ARE MORE EQUAL THAN OTHERS.’ The pigs distinguished between the various animal species for their compliance and utility, with pigs rated highest, horses next and goats lowest. The pigs maintained control by practicing terror frequently and arbitrarily.

Periodic purges eliminated victim groups judged to be incongruent with Lord Napoleon’s world-mastery plan. Sent to the abattoir were: incurably sick; insane; critics; dissenters; animals tied by family marriage or friendship to critics of the regime; social misfits such as strays; nomads; refugees; asylum seekers; foreigners; followers of foreign religions and animals unfit for labour on the farm, due to disability, illness or inherited predisposition. Piggish ill treatment crushed the worker animals’ psyches, even without violence and torture. The persecution was so brutal it could not be opposed. When there was resistance or rebellion by one animal, the pigs would retaliate viciously against the entire group. The worker animals were crushed into an obedient mass of conformity.

When the pigs took over, Lord Napoleon stereotyped and reviled the goats, victimising and persecuting them.

An aggressive farmer nearby had started invading his neighbours, trying to expand his domain to dominate his locality on Caruba island. His fighters were human mercenaries and animal conscripts. Farms in the district joined forces to fight back and Animal Farm suffered heavy losses in the fighting. By the time the invader was turned back, Animal Farm had swallowed several neighbouring farms and become a powerful agricultural conglomerate. There were tensions between the allies as they eyed each other’s territories jealously and prepared to defend their borders.

The story continues a decade after Orwell’s book, Animal Farm, ended in 1944. The pigs had resided in luxury in the farmhouse formerly Manor Farm and consolidated control over neighbouring farms.

‘Leadership is demanding and we pigs share the work,’ Lord Napoleon said. ‘That is why title to the farm’s lands has now been transferred into the pigs’ names jointly.’

About this time, Old Napoleon chose his deputy, Nikos, to succeed him when he retired.

‘Citizens of Animal Farm, under my leadership as your president, you have survived and enjoyed good lives,’ he said. ‘In the near future, Lord Nikos will succeed me. He will follow the traditions of Animalism, aligned with communism in the SR.’

When Old Napoleon died peacefully in his sleep, the workers felt his oppression lift off them. They hoped that Lord Nikos would improve their abject conditions.

CHAPTER 1 NIKOS

The animals were waiting in the farmyard for Lord Nikos to speak to them for the first time as Farm president. He was a British Saddleback boar with a large, black deep body and a white saddle over his shoulders and forelegs. He was the preeminent animal present, reclining on a chaise longue, on a makeshift platform left by Farmer Jones when he fled. He gazed over his audience confidently. The animals either sat on the ground, or lay with their legs folded under them.

He was from peasant stock, a rough-living pig who frequently swore foully and was out of his depth in ruling over bourgeois pigs and a proletariat of livestock species. They would enjoy seeing him humiliated.

Gertrude was Lord Nikos’ favourite sow. She had tip-toed through the farmyard mud in high heels and made a sensational appearance. She had a red shoe fetish and had taken to wearing clothing items she had found in Mrs Jones’ wardrobe. Today she wore a flowery skirt at mid-thigh, her belly swollen with piglets.

She ensconced herself in a bed of straw to one side of Nikos’ platform.

‘The turnout this afternoon is good,’ she said to him.

‘They don’t have any choice,’ he said.

The farmhouse had a telex machine and Lord Nikos had earlier sent messages notifying the SR high command of his accession, to ingratiate himself with them.

He had a commanding view of the animals and scowled from his jowls at the disarray in the audience before him.  At his side was Keep Me, his faithful Border Collie, dangling her pink tongue. She was black with white shoulders and a white stripe down the centre of her face. Lord Nikos rested a languid trotter on his black cat, Asshole, stretched out like a panther along the armrest of the longue. Half Siamese, he was glossy black with green eyes and a white tuft on his chest. Crouched growling beside Lord Nikos were four Rottweilers, his bodyguard and death squad. They were large strong dogs, with black bodies, their muzzles, throats and lower legs brindle.

At the front of the audience a row of corpulent pigs reposed, side by side. Behind them were crouched poultry and geese. In the next rows were lambs, then sheep and calves and a large red kangaroo. Behind was a row of cattle, a donkey and a mule, with horses at the back. On one side, intentionally shunned and shamed by separation, were goats. Small wild animals, rabbits, rats, mice, frogs and lizards, peered out from openings between hay bales. 

The excitement of the crowd was taken up by the