The Big Dry by Tony Davis

JUDGES' COMMENTS 

The generic suburban setting in The Big Dry would be a familiar to many readers, except for one crucial factor: there hasn’t been rain there for a very long time. The impact of this absence of rain is that sirens regularly announce choking, blinding dust storms called ‘blasters’, intermittent supplies of tap water are cloudy with silt, the severe heat is unrelenting, visibility is poor and food as scarce as charity or trust. This once ordinary world has rapidly become physically hostile and psychologically menacing. Amid all this, 13-year-old George has given up waiting for his dad to return from a routine trip. People are regularly disappearing now. His attention must turn to survival for himself and his little brother. It is unclear if anyone is in charge now. Lawless, opportunistic ‘wanderers’ roam the streets. Nowhere, not even home, seems safe.

An achievement of this impactful book is that it renders this potential future with such detail and dimensionality that the reader does not need to imagine what it would be like trying to live in it. The reading experience is harrowing and parching. The story gains much of its power from the writing, which is taut, honest and dispassionate. All that transpires is true to the premise. The Big Dry by Tony Davis is a timely story. And like much good art, it offers a vision. The vision is confronting. It challenges us to think new thoughts. And new thoughts can challenge us to change