Gary Fry’s The Abolisher of Roses is the second title from the UK chapbook publisher Spectral Press. Fry is known for his publishing and editing work (as a co-owner of Gray Friar Press) but also increasingly for his fiction, which includes the collection Sanity and Other Delusions and the novel The House of Canted Steps, both put out by PS Publishing. This 7000+ word story provides an up-close and personal look at the marriage of Peter and Patricia, a couple who’ve invested three decades into establishing their personal patterns and rhythms, but seemingly not put much time into the joint union of their marriage — especially in the case of Peter, a self-centered and self-indulgent man who has a mistress on the side and tends to view his wife as more of a accoutrement than a partner.
As the story begins, Peter is making a show of humoring his wife’s latest interest, namely that of the art world, where she’s not only developed an appreciation but also shown some skill of her own, garnering a spot in a special exhibition that’s to be held in a unique outdoor setting, along a forest path. As they’re setting up her part of the exhibit, when Peter is not busy belittling his wife’s efforts, he’s questioning the value and meaning of the work of other artists in the show. When a petulant Peter finally storms off into the woods, he expects his wife to follow close behind, replete with apologies. But when she doesn’t follow, he ventures deeper in the woods, where he stumbles across some of the other art exhibits — and they’re decidedly strange,and strangely personal, exhibits at that.
The tale is certainly well-written and ably demonstrates that Fry is capable of some very good work, but at the end of the day, the characters are not exactly likable, and the point of the story is not exactly clear. Those judgments actually sound harsher than I intend…but I was left feeling vaguely dissatisfied by this tale, even as it made me want to search out more of the author’s work.
- CROGIAN - August 17, 2013
- Dark Dreams, Pale Horses - November 25, 2012
- Black Horse and Other Strange Stories - August 13, 2012
- Sudden Death Overtime - August 13, 2012
- Pray to Stay Dead - August 13, 2012
- Acheron - August 13, 2012
- The Female of the Species - August 13, 2012
- Deadfall Hotel - April 17, 2012
- Terra Damnata - April 17, 2012
- Lest You Should Suffer Nightmares: A Biography of Herbert van Thal - November 9, 2011
