'When undercover narcotics agents Michael O'Neill and sidekick Baby Johnson are sent from Sydney to the Northern Rivers of New South Wales to bust a heroin dealer so big everyone up there calls him God, they fall in love with the area and decide to drop out. Johnson is pursuing his interest in Star, another urban fugitive, on the run from a violent marriage to Wayne, God's local dealer. O'Neill, still suffering post-traumatic stress as a result of his experiences in the Vietnam War, hopes to live a quiet life in the bush with long-time girlfriend Azure. Although they arrive with high hopes and meet many colourful characters, their dream of a life in the country does not turn out to be as idyllic as they'd imagined.'
Source: Publisher's blurb.
A series of interlinked short stories.
Multiple short stories from this collection were previously published elsewhere, including as standalone ebooks.
Contents indexed selectively.
'Undercover narcotics agents Michael O'Neill and buddy Baby Johnson, still suffering PTSD from the Vietnam War, decide to quit their jobs in the Australian Bureau of Narcotics and move to the far north coast of New South Wales. Johnson hopes to renew his relationship with Star, whom he met when tracking down the notorious heroin dealer, God, while O'Neill thinks settling down with long-time girlfriend Azure might be the solution to his problems. But that remains to be seen.'
Source: Publisher's blurb.
'Sydney-based undercover agent Michael O'Neill is fighting back the years - pumping iron, practising karate with the best, running miles every day so that he can stay in the field. It's a losing battle. With longtime Vietnam buddy Baby Johnson he's sent to the north coast of New South Wales, Australia, to bust a heroin dealer so big everyone up there calls him God.'
Source: Publisher's blurb.
'O'Neill moves to Brisbane and opens a karate studio. Suffering from insomnia when Azure leaves him, he seeks help from a psychiatrist, expecting to meet "some old git who looks like Sigmund Freud". Dr West turns out to be young and beautiful. Bit by bit, O'Neill begins to transfer his affections to her. By the time Azure returns, he's become obsessed with Dr West.'
Source: Publisher's blurb.
'Unhappily married, Bob Johnson has taken a night job working on the inner-city circle of StateRail, Sydney. He is a man who has always sought escape from reality in sword and sorcery magazines. His great favourite is the writer, Robert E Howard, ill fated author of the Conan novels. One night Johnson finds a pewter bracelet on the railway tracks. He decides to keep it, regarding as a lucky talisman—an amulet. A few nights later, while at work, he is hit by a train. In the last seven minutes of his life, before his brain shuts down, he imagines that, through the magic power of the amulet, he has been transported to the mythical kingdom of Parthenia, a romantic world full of broadswords, intrigue and glamorous women.'
Source: Publisher's blurb.
'Michael 64, a winged cyborg, is hired by Thurston, Director-General of Genetic Engineering, to guard Azuria 27, a famous cyborg dancer, changed at her request into human form - an illegal procedure in 2175. Azuria thinks she is changing for love, but Thurston has other plans. When she becomes pregnant, she and Michael unwittingly find themselves part of Thurston's plot for cyborg supremacy.'
Source: Publisher's blurb ('The Cyborg's Story, reprint).
