SYNOPSIS Stitcher is a fictional novel of approximately 120 000 words, with South African historical background. The book is not easily classified, perhaps simply unusual literature. Stitcher consists of three independent but related parts. The first two parts are intertwined into a work called Straight Line of Flycatcher, and the third part is called Terroristrap. Flycatcher is the contemporary narrative of a freak (nicknamed Stitcher) born with a physical deformity, essentially consisting of Siamese twins with two separate heads and upper part of the body, but joined at the waist into a single abdomen and pair of legs. The first twin (Shiva) is the author of a historical novel, set at the time of the Anglo-Boer war, and written in conventional style. The second twin (Vanessa) is writing a diary, which reflects her everyday environment in an extravagant stream-of-consciousness style, in which names, phrases and verses are expressed in the peculiar fashion of a person of mixed Anglo-Afrikaner origin. Flycatcher thus presents the writings of the two twins alternating in the chapters, distinctly interacting as they unfold. Surrounding these writings are the notes (in Red Ink) of a psychiatrist, Doctor Rotkod, who is in the process of treating the freak creature as his patient (whom he calls Rat King), wanting to confirm the choice he has made in the treatment. From Doctor Rotkod"s perspective, in his hands lies the fate of the most unusual individual he has ever come across. The interaction of the three sets of writing reflects the long psychological war between doctor and patient. The third part of the book, Terroristrap, is a psychological thriller, the short autobiography of Doctor Rotkod"s son. It is structured as the monologue of a hijacker, who shares the memories of his life and his views with an imaginary listener on board an airliner hijacked a-la-September-11. The protagonist is a mathematician, a philosopher, a rapper, a fist-fighter and finally, terrorist. He is trying to comprehend the structural principles of the World from the standpoint of his complex, multifaceted personality. It was the erroneous decision of his father, Doctor Rotkod, in treating the patient Stitcher, which produced in the protagonist his leanings towards terrorism. This story may be viewed as the psychological vengeance upon the doctor treating Stitcher, who until the last moments of his notebook does not grasp the essence of this Stitcher-universe. But what is the Stitcher-universe? "Imagine yourself to be an individual with your own physical reality together with a transcendental life of dreams and illusions, to whom is stitched another individual with his own physical reality. This is an imposition. But because of the physical attachment, imposed upon you is the transcendental life of the second individual. That is an accidental obligation. An accident which, by the way, is mirrored in the other person. This is the World: Imposition plus Accident - the accidental obligation to witness the dreams of others." The idea of the book is to reflect the history, philosophy, physical and metaphysical aspects of this world as a possible result of the interference of one subjective being with itself. The supernatural dimensions of the book are implicit, rather than explicitly expressed.
