Obernewtyn- Sci Fi with a Fantasy Twist
Isobelle Camody's Obernewtyn is set up like a traditional fantasy would be. There is a certain quest in which the main character, Elspeth must fulfill, there are villains, mysterious powers and a land which can be cruel. Under this fantasy guise however is a science fiction tale which addresses the now popular issue of the mutant. After a nuclear holocaust the face of the earth has been completely transformed and so have a number of people. The rest of the world does not like this, however and orders such mutants be killed or sent away to a place called Obernewtyn where they are supposedly searching for a cure. Using the fantasy guise gives this tale about mutants an almost magical flavour. Mutants have been addressed many times in futuristic science fiction in films such as X-Men however Obernewtyn takes on a fresh angle with its post-holocaust setting. As well as addressing mutants the book also takes a thoughtful look at where technology (particularly nuclear technology) is taking us. The earth was destroyed by man's technology and the survivors look to the past with fear. Anything referring to the past is banned. The Obernewyn series argues however, that while the people of the past made a huge mistake it is best to learn from the past rather than disregard it. Overall Obernewtyn is an interesting and different futuristic vision. Rather than a technologically advanced vision for the future Isobelle Carmody has given us a bleak yet possibly prophetic look into the future.Your text goes here
