Peter Stevens Releases HAVEN THE FOREST

In his chilling tale of the near future, Peter Stevens reconstructs philosophical, moral and environmental dilemmas in the social realities of a future programme of population control. The world government is obsessed with conservation-this has evolved into a determined effort to stamp out humanity's procreative instincts with the help of a brutal executive ministry called EarthWatch. A small rebel group, born out of one man's outrage over the secret government program, opposes them, and struggles to create a new society that gives people the right to have babies again. Stevens' "Haven" is a gripping, thought-provoking novel.

It is 2050. With global pollution and exploitation of the planet at intolerable levels, a summit of world leaders had forged the final solution to protect Earth-no human reproduction for 50 years. Halfway through humanity's challenge to deny birth, Jacob Harrower discovers the awful truth about EarthWatch-and decides to fight it. A former EarthWatch Commissioner at the young age of 23, Jacob is the natural leader for the rebellion against EarthWatch, establishing the first real concerted effort to bring it down. For this, he found Haven, where he and a nucleus of strong, independent characters begin their own society deep in the southern forests of Australia. Jacob's love for Lillian Jenner is tainted by the fact that her father is Prentiss Jenner, the EarthWatch chairman. Will Jacob and his band succeed against natural disasters, betrayal, and the might of EarthWatch?

The pro-life, pro-choice debate rages in almost every nation. Conservation, fertility rates, human reproduction and population growth/control are key topics. "Haven" is the successful means for Peter Stevens to weigh in on these issues, ones upon which human survival from the 21st century onwards is dependent. Additionally, readers may enjoy the romantic, action-packed struggle of Jacob's band. Theirs is a seemingly lost cause which influences readers to think deeply about the concept of creating an idyllic new world, free from persecution, sexual violence and government interference. Stevens' vision of a dehumanized, stripped down earth is a now familiar refrain in literature, but he goes further to engender hope by creating characters who throw off the current heavy baggage of civilisation that binds them. Jacob's compassionate embrace of humanity is the very probable first step for revolutinary change in the human search for progress:

"As he ran, Jacob thought deeply about the circumstances now facing him...The EarthWatch Commission had been here (in this abandoned town) rarely since that decision for (humanity's final solution)...twenty-five years ago. It was now 2050. Timber production had died years ago with the housing industry, and the small milling villages were ghost towns, visited only by packs of wild dogs. Except for Haven."

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About the Author
Peter Stevens grew up in the lower south-east of South Australia, son of a forest supervisor. He obtained scholarships to attend Scotch College in Adelaide, before returning to work in sawmilling. He and his family later moved to Melbourne where he is involved in advocacy to government.

Haven * by Peter Stevens
The Forest
Publication Date: August 1, 2013
Trade Paperback; AU$29.99; 328 pages; 978-1-4836-7725-5
Trade Hardback; AU$49.99; 328 pages; 978-1-4836-7726-2
eBook; AU$3.99; 978-1-4836-7727-9

Members of the media who wish to review this book may request a complimentary paperback copy by contacting the publisher at 1-800-455-039. To purchase copies of the book for resale, please fax Xlibris at (02) 8088 6078 or call 1-800-455-039. Xlibris books can be purchased at Xlibris bookstore. For more information, contact Xlibris at 1-800-455-039 or on the web at http://www.Xlibris.com.au.

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