Abortion Issues Mythologized for Teen and Young Adult Readers.

"Shaturanga: The Story of Onus," a debut science fiction/fantasy novel that deals with sharing the burden of pregnancy and more.

New York (PRWEB) June 17, 2004 -- Shaturanga: The Story of Onus, a genre-bending science fiction/fantasy novel by author Brian Snelson, aims for a seat next to the great storytellers of our time.

In this intriguing literary tale that tackles serious issues with a touch of irreverence, Snelson satisfies the longings within us all such as the desire for freedom of choice, while confirming certain inherent values such as the value of life. With a storytelling acuity seen rarely in modern times, Snelson demonstrates a deep understanding of ancient mythological and religious tenets, and how they must be carried forward into the new millennium in a way that is entertaining, objective, and meaningful to the audiences of today

The story is set far in the future after the earth has succumbed to a new ice age. The oceans are gone, wiped out by an ancient cataclysm of unknown origin, leaving mankind to start over from scratch. New and unusual civilizations have risen as Assha, a pregnant 17-year-old slave girl, sets out against insurmountable odds to bring her unborn child to the throne of a mysterious domed-city empire known as Shaturanga.

Snelson, a divorced, immature, former U.S. Marine sergeant from Illinois, draws his passion for the story from personal experience at a young age (he ran away from his pregnant girlfriend). He is troubled to this day by the social and political battles surrounding the subject of abortion, single parenthood, and of coping with the weight of tremendous responsibility.

During completion of the book, Snelson began studying ancient myth scholar, Joseph Campbell's "The Hero with a Thousand Faces," and discovered that Campbells work directly influenced the creators of two of his favorite movies, George Lucas (Star Wars) and George Miller (The Road Warrior). He knew he had some big shoes to fill.

What storybook heroes have always tried to do is teach us not to save the world, but to save ourselves," Snelson says, and that by doing so we indeed save the world."

Snelson is new and improved: now interested in finding the universal truths that cross the boundaries of history and culture, writing to reveal our greater potential and to inspire our youth to strive toward it-a welcome alternative to the news headlines of today.

Snelson considers his novel to be a maverick of the science fiction and fantasy genre, for rather than going where no one has gone before, Shaturanga takes us back to our misty origins. And rather than asking what if, Shaturanga illustrates what really is, has always been, and continues to be.

Available through Ingram Book Group, Baker & Taylor, and iUniverse Inc. ISBN: 0-595-29569-X $16.95

Contact: Brian Snelson 714-675-0680
Press Kit available on website: www.shaturanga.com