Cossack Bear
A journey to the Wormwood Star
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Saturday April 26th, 1986, 1.23am. On the outskirts of a forest in northern Ukraine (formerly the Soviet Union), reactor No. 4 of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant explodes. The results are catastrophic.
When the citizens of nearby Pripyat awake the following morning, they are unaware that their lives are about to be turned upside-down forever. Reality begins to dawn soon enough, as a city-wide evacuation is ordered. Demyan Baranets, sixteen years and one day old and the son of a firefighter at the plant, has a decision to make…
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Cossack Bear is the surreal, humorous, dramatic and touching story of Demyan’s journey through the tragedy, as he attempts to help his family and some remarkable new friends chart a course through the nuclear fallout to find a new definition of home.
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It’s a journey of self-discovery, friendship, and love. And ultimately, it’s a journey of hope.
Cossack Bear
About the author
Neil Foxley-Johnson is a recently retired Deputy Head teacher. His interest in Chernobyl dates back to the time of the explosion, when he happened to be visiting Kyiv whilst studying for a degree in Russian and Soviet Studies.
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Neil now lives in Nottinghamshire with his wife, Ann, and their extraordinarily fluffy black cat , Jinx.
As well as writing, he enjoys walking, tidying his shed, red wine, and anything associated with Eastern Europe.
Cossack Bear is his first novel. Neil is currently writing his next novel, so watch this space!
