The Desolator

Join Hurm, Runt and Father Mephistophiles as they struggle to save the hamlet of Yendour from a marauding dragon.Originally published in Andromeda Spaceways #6.Another Throw of the Dice is the story of a group of individuals from different corners of the world who take a chance on a new life, as aid workers, on an un-named Pacific Island in the 1980s. Morganti skilfully unmasks them, as, pitted against the vicissitudes of island life, the forces of nature and the sinister nuclear presence in the region, they wrestle with the ghosts of lives past, bond together, embrace new lives, forge new relationships, part, depart and finally reunite at another time, in another place. It is a story of love, loss, hope, forgiveness and acceptance, told with humour, sensitivity and style..Mary Clare Morganti has a vast vocabulary and she is not afraid to use it, nor does she shy away from the complex sentence, so her writing is nuanced and fluid. She knows, too, when to hold back and when to give full reign to her talent for description. Her characters are clearly, but lightly, drawn and they speak for themselves while the bush, the sea, the island sunsets and the ravaging cyclone are boldly and lavishly painted.'Another Throw of the Dice transported me to another country, with a fascinating company of fellow travellers. It made me laugh and it made me cry. It’s a damn good read'. (Travelstripe.com)