Ben's journeys from mystery to science fiction
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BOOK REVIEW: Well known as the Caithness Courier's intrepid 'Out and About' columnist, Ben MacGregor turns his hand to fiction in a new collection of short stories set in the county
Whether he is trudging merrily across the moors, climbing a mountain or kayaking to isolated islands and through hidden geos, Ralph has consistently delighted readers of the Caithness Courier with his adventures in the great outdoors.
But as a writer he has more than one string to his bow (or perhaps that should be more than one paddle for his kayak) as he can also turn his hand to fiction.
Forsaking his pen name for his real moniker, Ben MacGregor, he has written and compiled a selection of short stories, all of them set in the county that has been his home for the past 40 or so years.
From Caithness to the Universe brings together a variety of tales spanning different genres – from mystery to science fiction – and the author is not afraid to weave his own opinion into some of the narratives.
The result is a series of often entertaining forays into MacGregor's imagination.
The book begins with the Adventures of Hernia Globule, and possible concern for the reader. Would his story about a grossly overweight woman be patronising, given that MacGregor himself is nothing if not fit?
But keep reading and you find it is about how an unexpected shaft of insight can sweep away entrenched self-delusion and replace it with a determination to succeed. In fact, the story celebrates the strength of character needed to achieve what initially seems impossible. And, given the discipline needed to complete the challenges MacGregor sets himself on a regular basis, that is something he does indeed understand.
MacGregor uses places the reader will recognise as settings for extraordinary events.
MacGregor has fun with his fiction, using places the reader will recognise as settings for extraordinary events, and real-life events as a springboard for imaginative new directions – such as the former Norfrost factory being taken over by a company producing sexbots!
There is a moral to the tales as well. In The Minister's Cat the manse moggie watches as the preacher and his wife settle into a comfortable and lazy worldliness that verges on the intolerant; that is until they are visited by a mysterious stranger who makes them examine what they have become.
In Wings, there's another encounter with something otherworldly when a hiker finds a woman trapped in a bog, her predicament caused by a wind farm. No prizes for guessing which side of the fence MacGregor stands on.
Dockans highlights the perils of complacency. The old adage, if a job's worth doing, it's worth doing well, applies in this tale of weeds gone wild.
And is there something lurking beneath Bruan Church? Kayakers exploring the nearby coastline in the wake of a tragedy discover a long-kept secret in The Spirit of Bruan.
Some stories work better than others. Request Stop is one that failed to entirely convince. The narrator is on the train travelling north when he is warned by the only other passenger to get off.
The story has all the makings of a good wee mystery up until the ending, at which point the reader realises that the foundations are a bit shaky, making the reveal seem contrived. Maybe an experienced book editor would have helped make more out of the interesting initial idea.
From Caithness to the Universe is a bit of a mixed bag, but one which hits more often than misses and there is much to enjoy.
It is always fun when places and things you recognise appear in fiction. To view the familiar through different eyes, to experience the twist of the everyday and just to see things from another perspective.
In the preface, MacGregor explains he wanted to move away from the cynical or pessimistic. "In my view stories should be fun and enjoyable. To read stories I like I often find I have to write them first. Maybe some others will like them too."
Maybe they will. From Caithness to the Universe isn't perfect but it is well worth a read.
KS
- From Caithness to the Universe is published by Curlew Cottage Books (£9.99, paperback). It is available from curlewcottage.com or from Amazon, as well as from Bews newsagent in Thurso, although when circumstances allow it will be distributed more widely.
