Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *
Many famous authors have delved into the art of the short story. The discipline needed can be seen as greater in many ways than sitting and writing a novel, by no means an easy task either. It has its restrictions, the conciseness of the story needs make an impact on the reader’s attention immediately, the characters need to be cared about much quicker as there is no time for them to grow upon the reader, they need to stand out more in order for anyone picking up the book to be grabbed and understood. In Royston Cole’s short story The Spider, all these conditions are met in such a manner that the story flows so well that in no time at all 105 pages are easily digested and enjoyed.
The Spider sees the master of the Stratocaster, Clifford Williams, dealing with his life after a near triumph in the rock world, his marriage to the love of his life Suzie, whose insanity and sexual health problems have driven a wedge between them and the moment when Freddie Mercury and a young woman full of ambition and a devastating sly sense of humour comes between them.
The story is simple but extremely imaginative and well told, Mr. Cole’s art is such that the three main characters feel so very real, people that could be living next door to you as you digest the Clifford’s indiscretion, according to his wife and the fateful way in which three strands of a life suddenly come together and the anarchy that commences when they meet in a fit of jealousy and rage.
One of the best short story writers to have come out of Liverpool for many years, the book may not have had the fan-fare afforded other writers but that shouldn’t detract from what is a very pleasant way to while away an hour or so. Even the disturbing nature of the wife’s breakdown is handled with calmness and authority, a rare ability to get over in a short story with time and word constraints against the author.
Royston Cole is a name to savour, certainly one for the future.
The Spider is available to purchase from Amazon.