The Absentee

A young man wakes up in a college dormitory with no idea who he is, where he is or how he got there. Soon he discovers a secret within himself that marks him as an outcast and places him in danger. He tries to solve the riddle of his nature – and whether it means he has a special purpose for good or ill. After the loss of the one person he loves, cryptic clues steer him toward a quest to the ends of the Earth, from Peru to Kyrgyzstan to Tasmania. A time is coming when he will be called on to summon what courage he has for the sake of the humans.
Inspirations: Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi and Definitely Maybe by Arkady and Boris Strugastsky.
Tone: Darkly humorous outsider fiction.
Ideal for whom? Introverts. The hero is not by nature a man of action – his fate was thrust upon him. He is insular, observant and barely social. He feels the pull of the humans yet flees them as a mortal peril.

Praise from early readers:
“Packed with piercing wit exploring what it is to be both human and a hero from a character who believes he is neither, the story introduces us to the curious case and unforgettable creation of Sawyer as he attempts to negotiate a world where he knows he does not belong. From an incredibly evocative start, this is a voyage of discovery full of intrigue, dark humor and intellect. And it’s enriching to see male friendship represented in such a moving, funny and vulnerable way. What a compelling and unexpected book this is.”
-Jackie Copleton, author of A Dictionary of Mutual Understanding, a Richard & Judy Book Club winner and longlisted for the Women’s Prize

“I loved The Absentee. McKenzie balances humor and surprise beautifully, keeping us intrigued the whole time. He creates a wonderfully detailed world, establishing not just his protagonist, but his supporting cast as well. The Absentee is a page-turner and worth your time.”
-Andy Milder, actor with credits including Weeds and Frost/Nixon

“Fast-paced and tightly written, The Absentee is an unusual, challenging, thought-provoking delight.”
-Joan Barfoot, author of the Booker-longlisted novel Critical Injuries

“In The Absentee, Rob McKenzie has fashioned an original, energetic and enjoyable sci-fi mystery, with action and offbeat existential observations stirred together in nearly equal parts.”
-Luke Jerod Kummer, author of The Blue Period and creator of Takers Mad

“The naïve observer at odds with the surrounding world throws light on ourselves. There is a travel writer’s eye in much of the description, notably the scene with the porcupine. And the ending is rather wonderful.”
-Stephen Cox, author of Our Child of the Stars