The Island by R J Price

The Island

R J Price

This short novel is like a silent scream. A father caught up in his own personal inner turmoil, takes his young daughter for a day out, oblivious to a major national crisis, which slowly develops and threatens everything around him. On the last page I was left with a cliff hanger and I wanted to know more. It is rare that I ever come across a story that I wished was much longer and had more detail.

Extract
He was surprised that the danger of collision concerned him more than being caught by the authorities (or the car's owner himself). Being in the car, even in a glorified chassis like this cabriolet, seemed to insulate him against the merely metaphysical worry of judgement. The material venerability of the car itself, the fragility of its current occupants, were more pressing anxieties: the tailgates of lorries could easily decapitate him if he misjudged the breaking distance.
Parallels
  • Tales of the Unexpected by Roald Dahl
  • The Scream - the painting by Edvard Munch by -
  • Some New Ambush by Carys Davis