I wondered what I was going to get when I started reading T.R. McCay’s Unlikely Stories. I was pleasantly surprised.
What you have here is a storyteller who is comfortable with tackling different genres; who knows just what is needed word-wise for description to capture a reader’s attention but doesn’t overdo it; who creates realistic characters with convincing dialogue – all the solid attributes expected in a well-written fiction piece – but who is also confident enough to take you into slightly surreal and disturbing situations and landscapes, treading the tightrope where balance is needed between conveying believability whilst also providing you, the reader, with something unique and memorable.
The Fast Plates is a story about a swindler who has been discovered as such. The irony though of his situation is that he uncovers something which is incredibly valuable both in terms of what it would mean to a collector but also in its intrinsic value as a piece of history. The story is a tour through America’s history trouble spots for instance, slavery and the Civil War but McCay leads us to an enlightening ending. What I especially liked about this story was the discovery of what is “on” the plates. It was like being an observer to someone opening a surprise present – that anticipation was captured perfectly by McCay.
The Salamander is something different again: the excitement of undiscovered country combined with a surreal, mystical experience. It is an unsettling tale, its strength lying in its slow build, and whilst good, not my favourite.
And then on to Gort’s Butt which I was concerned I wouldn’t like at all but was actually a tale that was a surprise too. A combination of high school high jinks placed alongside the threat of extermination from an external source threaded with humour, Gort’s Butt was a great way to end this book. I loved its quirkiness and the way that it seamlessly joined so much that probably shouldn’t have been put in the same story together and yet, it created a tale of mischief, futuristic vision and an understanding of humanity which will stay with me far beyond my reading of it.
I would thoroughly recommend these stories and look forward to reading more by T.R. McCay.
This review was first published on Reedsy Discovery where I was privileged to read it as an ARC.
Scuffed Granny 