The Gate Theory by Kaaron Warren is the first release from a new publisher of dark fiction. Based in Autralia, Cohesion Press, is the brainchild of writer and recent president of the Australian Horror Writer's Association (AHWA), Geoff Brown.
The Gate Theory is a collection of five shorts from the imaginative mind of Kaaron Warren, a well-known, award winning, Australian author. All of these stories have appeared elsewhere, but are collected here for the first time.
All of the stories are all disturbing, even if I don't fully understand all of them.
"Purity" Takes the saying, "laughter is the best medicine" to new heights. But, like any medication, if not administered correctly, it could be dangerous.
"That Girl" I hear the title and I automatically think of Marlo Thomas. After all, I am an American of a certain age. I would be rather surprized if Kaaron Warren has even heard of the '60s sitcom and that's just as well. Her story, set in Fiji, as are many of her tales, is a bit esoteric for my taste, but I do become lost in the words and in the story. But, is it a ghost story, the story of a missing girl, or something else?
"Dead Sea Fruit" The story of the Ash Mouth Man. A woman dentist kisses all of her "clients to learn their nature from the taste of their mouths. Virgins are salty, alcoholics sweert. Addicts taste like fake orange juice, the stuff you spoon into a glass then add water."
"The History Thief" The perfect title and a wonderful opening line. "Three days Alvin lay on the floor of his dusty lounge room before he realized he was no longer anchored to his body." For me, this was my favorite of the five stories in the collection. Original, wonderfully told, with a clever twist at the end.
"The Gaze Dogs of Nine Waterfall" I will say this about Kaaron Warren, she certainly has an amazing imagination. All five stories take me to places I've never been before, places I've never even begun to imagine. Rosie McDonald specializes in aquiring hard to find dogs for her clients. This time it's the vampire dog, found only on the island of Viti Levu, in Fiji. The journey is dangerous and the task could prove deadly.
The Gate Theory is a fine introduction to Cohesion Press and, if you've not already discovered her writing, an excellent way to become familiar with Kaaron Warren. Currently available at Amazon.com and if you're a member of Amazon Prime, you can read it for FREE through the Kindle Lending Library.
Highly recommended.
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