Cogento

...or what nasty things would you do with a superpower?

Who hasn't dreamed of possessing special abilities in order to change the world? For Vaughan Macrae, this became a surprising reality when he discovered that he might have been given the most useful gift of all. But would he actually know how to use it meaningfully?

From the everyday life of an unassuming superhero who starts off on the wrong track, subsequently recognizes the full extent of his power, matures with it and finally leads a non-violent all-round blow against everything that is wrong in our world.

This humanistic adventure novel doesn't need any simple-minded super villains, because real opponents like climate change and commercial greed prove to be much more challenging than they could ever be. Cogento takes the reader into a world that differs from our own only by a single small fantasy - but nevertheless develops in a genuinely unexpected manner.

"A fascinating thought experiment and a cool introduction to philosophy and world politics for young people"

Superhero Youth Novel as introduction to world politics, philosophy & climate crisis.

How do you motivate young people about topics like humanism or politics? In Cogento, the adventures of a young man with extraordinary abilities also leads the reader into philosophical and political realms as this inadvertent superhero tries to improve the world. This gives young people a book to hand that not only serves as entertainment, but also conveys important values. Furthermore, Professor Richard Dawkins has his first official appearance as a literary figure in Cogento.
(Recommended reading age from approx. 16 years)

Thü was art director of Macworld magazine, illustrator and freelance editor of Macwelt. Born in 1969 and raised in Switzerland, he later lived in South America for many years, where he mainly practiced and teached music. He currently works as an illustrator, graphic artist and web designer in Switzerland. Earlier publications include the specialist book Firmen Design & Identität, the cartoon series Fermi's View, the audio books by B.O.X. Bureau of the Unexplained, which were created in collaboration with his children, numerous computer science articles and reviews of recordings of classical musical works. Cogento is his first great novel.