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A werewolf Halfling travels Oz (Australia) to a Wizard of Oz theme, with stories created out of real places viewed on Google Maps.
Aussie folk such as Bon Scott (AC/DC singer), Elle McPherson (model), Angry Anderson (Rose Tattoo singer) and Cathy Freeman (athlete) join it on the Ozyssey; while the good witch part is given to mildly monotheistic musician, Moby, and instead of bad witches trying to scupper the quest it is monotonous monotheists.
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The Werewolf of Oz is over 40,000 words long; including more than eighty individual humorous poems that help propel the pace on the epic Ozyssey. The chapters are split between standalone episodes and extended stories.
The longest story; a rock music themed time-travel through Kerang-Kerrang; is over 4000 words long. The book follows a Wizard of Oz theme, with courage, brain and heart replaced by body (Elle McPherson), mind (Angry Anderson) and spirit (Cathy Freeman). One of the author’s biggest heroes, the late great Bon Scott (Bonzo Scottie) takes the place of Toto; and Barry Humphries’s Dame Edna Everage is the Wizard. Monotonous monotheists take the place of bad witches, while a mild monotheist (the musician, Moby) takes over from the good witch.
The book is available world-wide to a diverse readership, so notes are included at the bottom of each chapter to help follow the comedy and narrative.
The hundreds of cultural references include dozens of celebrities and music titles, as well as influential media titles such as South Park, Lord of the Rings, Alice in Wonderland, Beavis and Butthead, Scooby Doo, Fawlty Towers, Skippy, Life of Brian, Crocodile Dundee, The Simpsons and Tazzy.
Some paragraphs are written through a combination of song and album titles by bands such as AC/DC, Rose Tattoo, Rolling Stones, Beatles, Doors, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Ozzy Osbourne and Pink Floyd.
The book aims to combine thoughtful writing in the style of Lord of the Rings and Alice in Wonderland; the motivational messages of the Wizard of Oz and Wombles; and the anarchic irony of Monty Python and South Park. The book being a parody doesn’t mean the writer dislikes the works referenced, or does not value positive media messages.
The story was written by virtually travelling around Australia using Google maps for nearly two years, and creating characters and stories from interesting names along the way. Therefore, place names are generally real, and characters fictional. There are exceptions, with some fictional places and real people, but these are usually made obvious or referenced in the notes. If a real place appears as something else it is also referenced.
Excerpt
The Tale of the
Duck-Billed Platypus Tail
Angry showed some sign of life;
feeling his head, he murmured
‘Strewth, what strife!’
He looked over to us
with the eyes of a bruiser
and asked what occurred
in the Duck and Drake boozer.
Bonzo looked at him
with knowing eyes
and a dog-eared smile.
‘Do you remember the platypus?’
Bonzo enquired,
as if already knowing the answer.
‘No,’ replied Angry
with a worried look
taking over his face.
‘And the duck and drake?’
furthered Bonzo,
now certain of Angry’s response.
‘Not at all,’
was Angry’s
predictable reply,
‘I only remember entering.’
‘Can somebody or something
please tell me what the heck
occurred last night,’ Angry said angrily.
‘Well,’ said Bonzo,
‘there was a platypus in the pub
last night, just enjoying a drink.’
Bonzo took a breath, and a sip of water,
taking his time to remember and recount the tale,
as I think he wanted to get it right the first time.
‘And there was a duck working behind the bar.
They seemed to know each other,
and were getting along fine, until,
the duck gave the platypus its bill.’
‘But what’s that got to do with me?’
Angry exclaimed, sounding more
impatient than angry.
‘Well,’ continued Bonzo,
‘The platypus went berserk
and started raging at the duck
that it must be quackers
if it thought all that had been drunk.’
‘The platypus took a swing
with one of its otter feet
and when you saw that
you dived in and shouted ‘duck’
to the duck. The platypus missed.’
‘But the platypus steadied itself
before brandishing its beaver’s tail
and before you had time to inhale
your head received the full flail.’
Angry looked astonished, and
asked Bonzo what happened next.
Bonzo paused, as if searching deep
into his mind.
Then he shrugged, and said
‘Dunno mate, the drake
chucked me out.’
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