I picked up Souls in the Great Machine by Sean McMullen the other day and I can highly recommend it. I bought it because the description on the back that described duelling librarians and a mysterious “call” that lures people to their death and the fact that it was set in Australia.
It is refreshing enough to see an Australian science fiction author, but one that actually sets the story in Australia is even better. (I can also suggest Greg Egan for quality Australian science fiction).
The story is set two thousand years after a nuclear winter has destroyed the civilisation of the twenty first century and is a fascinating combination of political intrigue, suspense, battles and computer science.