Solar Eclipse

Solar Eclipse is a multi-narrative semi-autobiographical tale of the highs and lows of a group of schoolboys during their two years of 6th form education at an all-boys Grammar School in England, during the mid-90s ‘Cool Britannia’ era. This is book-one, chronicling their first year and their untamed unruly youth, with a second book to follow charting their second year and their impending transition and downfall into the outside adult world.

 

The novel begins in 1995, during the notorious singles-chart battle between Oasis and Blur for the top spot, and progresses through various other infamous incidents that took place during the period – from Jarvis Cocker causing a scene at the Brit Awards, Tony Blair leading the Labour Party in an attempt to become Prime Minister, to the joys and heartache of the EURO 96 football-tournament hosted by England...

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"...No energy, life - the entire complex. Like the dead end of space reached. The final frontier. The whole spot, in fact, as though an opened wound in the earth. An ulcer, on the Earth. A leftover crater, from a meteorite, a nuclear-explosion - everything, its mile-radius, 'dead'. A location nuked from orbit. (Can't believe I'm saying this, but I'd rather be back at school!) A place for grown-ups. Solely.

"...Shifting, crossing the corner of the car-park (checking my new Cassio G-Shock watch), I pull myself up onto the tall metal guard-rail, a cattle-rancher observing the steered livestock (defo). And remove my Game Boy. From my bumbag... Fitting in another game cartridge (Double Dragon II)... And start playing. Ignoring all around. (Unable to block the cars still speeding on the motorway - however. Nonstop. Incessant. Unrelenting.)"

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