His confession taught me that people are not always what we assume them to be; that we form our views on what we see, not necessarily on what we understand.
It’s early 1941, twelve months before the Fall of Singapore, when Australian infantrymen Clarence Roberts and Alexander Campbell disembark to join an imagined heroic campaign to defend British Malaya against the anticipated Japanese invasion.
Following the inglorious capitulation of the Allied forces, the men find themselves struggling for their survival, sanity and humanity – first in Changi prison, then in Outram Road gaol.
As shameful secrets from their former lives are progressively revealed, the line between right and wrong becomes increasingly blurred. Can disclosure of their past conduct withstand society’s enduring condemnation – or will posterity look upon their behaviour differently?
Set against the wilting moral fibre of the British Empire’s colonial beneficiaries in the Far East, Blight is a poignant story of malevolence, revenge, endemic racism and incremental decay, as well as a compelling meditation on the complex and elusive nature of forgiveness.
Historical, Inspired by Family History, Fall of Singapore, Changi Prison, PTSD, Legacy, Father-Son Relationship
About The Author
Edward Johnson is a first-time novelist who lives in Melbourne. He is married and has two adult children.
Ed has practised as a barrister specialising in workplace relations law and spent several years as an industrial officer and tribunal advocate, representing members of a large, public sector trade union in Victoria.
Earlier in life, he was a teacher in Surrey, England, and in Montpellier, France, where he conducted English conversation classes at the Lycée Joffre. Returning to Australia, he taught French and Japanese at Brisbane Boys’ College as their first head of modern languages.
The son of a World War II veteran who spent nearly five years in Changi prison following the Fall of Singapore, Ed is passionate about military history and is well-read on the decline of colonial rule in South-East Asia.
These interests and career background culminated in his debut novel, Blight, which explores Australia’s military presence in Singapore before and after its occupation by the Imperial Japanese army. A faithful reimagining of historic events, Blight is a human-centric account of the changing fortunes and psychological damage experienced by a socially diverse range of characters.
Equally passionate about rugby union football and depleting his wine cellar, Ed’s love of French wines earned him the coveted Vin de Champagne Award in Australia.
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