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Alex Conway’s The Race of Our Times is a captivating and heart-wrenching story of survival, hope, and the quest for a better life. Set against the backdrop of a harsh, lawless land, this novel introduces readers to Isra and Amiin, two orphaned siblings navigating a treacherous journey across an unforgiving, parched landscape.
The setting itself is almost a character in this book – a land with food and water shortages, oppressive heat, and the constant threat of bandits. Conway’s masterful descriptions bring the barren world to life, with every grain of sand, every twisted acacia tree, and every scorching breeze vividly rendered on the page. Isra and Amiin’s bond is as strong as the land is harsh, and their resilience and determination make this story deeply moving.
What truly sets The Race of Our Times apart is the mysterious figure of Mauricio, a foreigner from Italia who introduces a spark of intrigue with his cryptic proclamation, "La corsa dei nostril tempi" – the race of our times. Is it an omen of good fortune or something more sinister? The siblings’ journey becomes more than just a fight for survival; it becomes a race against time itself, raising questions about fate, perseverance, and the lengths we’ll go to in search of a better life.
Conway weaves these elements together in a narrative that keeps readers on edge, flipping through pages with bated breath to see if Isra and Amiin can overcome the forces stacked against them. The novel’s balance of gripping tension and heartfelt emotion makes it an unforgettable read.
📚 Ready to join Isra and Amiin on their perilous journey and discover if they’ll win The Race of Our Times? Order your copy today and immerse yourself in a story of survival, hope, and the human spirit! 📚
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Alex Conway
I grew up in Luton, a Bedfordshire (UK) town close to Luton Airport. I spent my childhood in Luton until I was eighteen, when I decided to join the British Army. I was based in Paderborn, Germany, for three years. During tours of the Balkans, I discovered the works of DH Lawrence amongst the ubiquitous Andy McNab SAS stories. My first novel, Destiny: 0422, was loosely based on my experiences in the British Army. I have lived in London for the last twenty years, working in brand licensing when I'm not typing words down trying to make some plot work! Reading and writing has been a passion for some time.
I love books about the future, especially dystopian futures. Books that draw you into a world nobody has a clue will exist as we envision it. The Road by Cormac McCarthy is a big inspiration as I see parallels with The Race of Our Times. I was also looking at news articles about failed states and then got inspired to write a story about everyday people who are left with nothing once the blanket of the state evaporates. My vision was a world devoid of governance and all the simple things that make our lives so easy. Almost a back-to-basics, nomadic existence once the earth's resources had run dry. Much like our hunter-gather ancestors who sprung out of this part of Africa. At the heart of the story are Amiin and Isra, two orphans navigating a deserted pocket of land in Africa the best they can, surviving day-to-day, week-to-week. Their will to survive is tested to the maximum as bandits and foreign powers hover over a land that may have resources to dig out of the ground.
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Where did you get the inspiration for your book’s cover?
I wanted the focus to be Isra and Amiin looking out from the beach, their relative safe haven. The red flares in the sky are significant as they picture something more sinister suddenly invading their space. I liked the covers of the Dune series and the minimalist desert styles. For The Race of Our Times, I wanted a bit more contrast, with the characters deliberately looking away.
I was influenced by the works of John Updike, Ernest Hemingway, and Dostoevsky when I first started writing. I liked the character-driven focus and the struggles of everyday life. Lately, I have been drawing inspiration from Frank Herbert and Tolkien. And, of course, I have to mention Cormac McCarthy - I fell in love with The Road the first time I picked it up. I would say my prose is more in line with the literary fiction writers of the 20th century (well, I aim for those lofty heights anyway!).
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Time. The book's genesis was about ten years ago. Slowly, I wrote out the body of the story and then began the ever-long edit. The manuscript sat on my laptop for a few years before I decided to publish it.
Essentially, it is a story of love between a brother and a sister and the sacrifices they will make to ensure their survival. But they realize one day on their quiet beach that they are not alone. More sinister forces are hunting the land for new resources in the ground. On the journey, they come encounter some interesting lots of interesting characters, both good and sinister. Mauricio washes up on the African shore, a mysterious figure from the land called Italia. Mauricio claims "La corsa dei nostril tempi" (The Race of our Times) to be the omen of good fortune. The Race involves picking a desert ant and seeing which will cross the line first. There were no horses to race at this time!
This book's target audience includes dystopian and survival fiction readers, young adults and adults who appreciate culturally rich narratives, and those interested in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean themes. I would say readers prefer emotionally intense, character-driven stories that explore themes of resilience and hope in challenging environments.
My three children.
My unique way of looking into the future is imagining a fascinating yet somewhat realistic world. What will happen to the human race? I find the ultimate question endlessly fascinating.
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