Publisher's Synopsis
THE NOVEL HAS AN INTRIGUING GENTLENESS. WITH A DOG'S EYE VIEW OF THE WORLD. PONDERING ON THE NATURE OF POWER, ARCHIMEDES BEGINS WITH A POLITICAL VIEW POINT - & GRIEVANCE,INSISTING DOGS ARE PEOPLE TOO. WITH RIGHTS. BUT THE FRAGMENTATION OF THEIR SOCIETY LEAVES THEM POWERLESS IN THE HUMAN TYRANNY. HE CONCEIVES LANGUAGE AND KNOWLEDGE AS POLITICAL IMPLEMENTS,THE FULCRUM AND LEVER TO MOVE THE WORLD. ARCHIMEDES' PERCEPTIONS SWIFT AND CHANGE THROUGH THE NOVEL AS IT TRACES HIS POLITICAL IDEALS,HIS PHILOSOPHICAL QUESTIONING,HIS TROUBLED AWARENESS OF LANGUAGE AS BOTH LIBERATING AND IMPRISONING CONSCIENCE AND ABOVE ALL,HIS GENEROUS AND INNOCENT DELIGHT IN THE KALEIDOSCOPIC WORLD AROUND HIM IN IRELAND'S FAMILIAR SYDNEY STREETS. AS ARCHIMEDES' PERCEPTIOSN SHIFT TOWARDS A SENSE OF UNIVERSAL ORDER,IRELAND PLAYS WITH IMAGES OF LIGHT AND THE CONTESTANT DARK,WITH THE LIGHT LYING DARKLY OVER THE DARK.
