Striking Back from Down Under: 26 short stories where the underdog prevails

De: Bob Rich

Narrado por: Virtual Voice

A common theme runs though this otherwise very varied bouquet of short stories: a sympathy for the victim. Contemporary crime, science fiction, fantasy, historical adventure, all of them can be found here. A kaleidoscope of villains and heroes follow each other, waiting to entertain you. Mrs Jones leads her Takamaka Freedom Fighters to rescue thousands of prisoners from the ‘Happy Hen Poultry Farm’; an artist trapped in a twisted body finds a unique revenge when the beautiful blonde treats him with scorn; and Cynthia saves the Earth from invasion by an organism that wants to give pleasure to every human being. Bob Rich is an Australian, and many of his stories are colored by this unique and fascinating land. In another place, Cecil Tripp might manufacture bombs. Down Under, he lights a bushfire. Only in Australia could Tim O’Liam be punished in just the way described in ‘Let the Punishment Fit the Crime’. And Sarah and Andrew find out about their different world-views in the beautiful Australian bush. Other stories could be set anyplace where one person preys upon another. The difference from the norm is that, in these stories, the victims show how to strike back, how the powerful and arrogant can be made to lose. Having been on the receiving end himself, Bob’s sympathies are always with the victim. Stories are meant to entertain, and these stories do just that. "All twenty-two stories are presented in a straightforward manner, sometimes brutal, sometimes stingingly witty, sometimes gently humorous. The writing is economical, the characters vivid, the approach sympathetic but unsentimental. Dr. Rich shows us victims who become villains, villains who believe they are heroes, and heroes whose greatest achievement is helping other people learn to respect themselves" --Ilene Sirocca,singer/songwriter