Warwick Smith/Stuff
Riley Chance, otherwise known as Roger McEwan, at the launch of his second book The Democracy Game at the Palmerston North City Library on Thursday night.
With a general election only months away author Riley Chance believes his new book is a timely reminder that democracy is more fragile than people think.
Chance has just released a new book called The Democracy Game, which he launched at an event at the Palmerston North City Library on Thursday night, where he also revealed his true identity as Roger McEwan. Chance is his nom de plume.
“Several fringe elements targeted the recent local body elections to try and make New Zealand ungovernable,” Chance said.
“They did that because they saw cracks in our democracy that they thought could be exploited.”
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A sequel to Surveillance and set in Wellington and Manawatū, the book again follows intrepid journalist Grace Marks and her investigations, this time into the alt-right and a new political party, ProtectNZ.
“Despite events of the past five years, I think New Zealand society has an attitude of ‘it couldn’t happen here’.
“I asked myself, if a populist movement backed with enough money wanted to try and become a major player in New Zealand politics, what might that look like?”
Under the appealing slogan of “Protecting the lives of ordinary New Zealanders”, ProtectNZ rapidly gains in popularity.
Marks, determined to uncover the whole story, becomes a target who needs to be kept quiet.
Chance said he used a 1938 George Orwell quote at the start of the book as it summed up how he saw society.
“It is not possible for any thinking person to live in such a society as our own without wanting to change it.
“I write to entertain readers, that is a must. But my real purpose is to get more people thinking about the society around them.
“It was the course I taught at university, Tū Tira Mai, which was focused on how citizens can change society that started me down this path.
“Society needs to work for everyone, not just the wealthy 1% who know how to dodge paying tax.”
Chance hasn’t finished writing and was close to finishing two more books.
“The unnamed one I’m publishing on Subs tack sees Grace Marks trying to chase down who is responsible for stealing the tax records of wealthy New Zealanders.
“I wrote that three years ago, not in response to latest report from Inland Revenue. A fourth novel in the series focuses on domestic violence and access to the justice system.”
The book was published by Copy Press Books from Nelson.
For more information and where to buy the book visit Chance’s website rileychance.com. The book is also available at Bruce McKenzie Booksellers in Palmerston North.