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Described by the "Guardian" as 'rollicking Ottoman steampunk,' Mumcu's debut charts the trajectory of an erotic writer's quest beyond Istanbul and out across Europe investigating the mystery of a reputed mind control machine set to end all wars.
About the author
Özgür Mumcu is a Turkish author, free speech activist and journalist working for the Cumhuriyet newspaper in Turkey. In 2016 he accepted a Right Livelihood award on the newspaper's behalf for its "fearless investigative journalism and commitment to freedom of expression in the face of oppression, censorship, imprisonment and death threats". The Peace Machine is his first novel.
Summary
A thrilling historical adventure story from Turkey's most daring young voice
We'll create a machine. A peace machine that will put an end to all wars.
As the twentieth century dawns the world stands on the brink of yet another bloody war. But what if conflict were not inevitable? What if a machine could exploit the latest developments in electromagnetic science to influence people's minds? And what if such a machine could put an end to violence for ever?
The search for the answer to these questions will lead our hero Celal away from his unassuming life as an Istanbul-based writer of erotic fiction, and on a quest across a continent stumbling headlong towards disaster, from Istanbul to Paris and Belgrade, as he struggles to uncover the mystery of The Peace Machine before time runs out for humanity.
Additional text
'A rollicking Ottoman steampunk adventure - full of wit, tongue-twisters and roguish escapism.' --Guardian
'A darkly funny absurdist romp.' -- SFX
'Özgür Mumcu is one of the most essential voices writing in Turkey today and his novel, The Peace Machine, is a literary achievement as stunning as the very invention in its title.' -- Elliot Ackerman, National Book Award Finalist and author of Dark at the Crossing
'A splendid Jules Verne-esque novel.' -- Hurriyet
