In Trump Presidency, Life Mirrors Satirical Art
Readers note striking similarities between Donald Trump and villain in 2015 cult novel.
LOS ANGELES, CA, March 30, 2017 (Newswire.com) - A billionaire casino owner, whose dubious relationship with the truth leads him to the height of power in Washington, guts environmental protections and hobbles the EPA in the name of big business... What some might mistake for a biography of the 45th President of the United States is, in fact, a description of Charles C. Stevens, the chief antagonist in Thomas London’s 2015 cult novel, “Splintered: A Political Fairy Tale.”
Though published months before Donald Trump even announced his candidacy, as the election heated up, readers of the political satire began to notice eerie similarities between the headlines and the events of the novel. “Splintered,” a quirky pseudo-sequel to Carlo Collodi’s classic, “The Adventures of Pinocchio,” follows the titular puppet as he begins a career in modern-day Washington politics. As he rises through the ranks to become Washington’s top lobbyist, Pinocchio unwavering honesty puts him in the cross-hairs of Stevens, an aging, wealthy casino owner, who has a long-standing grudge against the environment, and will stop at nothing to end the EPA’s job-killing regulations.
"I conceived of the character [of the billionaire politician] as a caricature, somebody so outrageous that the reader would cheer for an underdog, which in this case, happens to be a puppet. I never in a million years would have imagined that the underdog we needed to cheer for would be the people of the United States."
Thomas London, Author, Splintered: A Political Fairy Tale
While London’s book focuses primarily on the role of truth in politics, (a topic that has itself dominated the national conversation), when Donald Trump signed Tuesday’s Executive Order reversing climate change protections, the parallel came full circle, leading many to take a second look at the novel. For his part, author Thomas London insists the work was not meant to be prophetic, but rather a whimsical glimpse at what many once considered an impossibility – politics in a “post-truth” era. “I conceived of the character as a caricature,” said the author, “somebody so outrageous that the reader would cheer for an underdog, which in this case, happens to be a puppet. I never in a million years would have imagined that the underdog we needed to cheer for would be the people of the United States.”
Author Info: “Splintered: A Political Fairy Tale” is the debut novel of playwright and award-winning screenwriter Thomas London. Mr. London is a veteran of the Armed Services, holds an M.A. in Entertainment Business, and is an avid automobile and motorbike enthusiast. He currently resides in Los Angeles, California.
Book Info: “Splintered: A Political Fairy Tale” is a whimsical look at politics in the post-truth era, as seen through the eyes of the last honest man in Washington, the puppet-turned-politician Pinocchio. “Splintered: A Political Fairy Tale” is available at thomaslondonbooks.com
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Source: Splintered: A Political Fairy Tale