Stories by Rigby Taylor

Brief Bio

I live with my partner as naturally as possible in today's world, on several forested acres in sub-tropical Queensland.

My first twenty-four years on this planet are recorded in a light-hearted memoir, Dancing Bare, in which my doings in nineteen sixties London, Paris, Europe and North Africa are recalled.

Rough Justice

[A story in 28 chapters]

Sebastian

[A story in 15 chapters]

Sebastian is an intelligent look at alternative ways to live and love, presented as a thriller around the most horrific, and one of the most lucrative human enterprises. If you're you are open to difference and enjoy a fast-paced thriller, then this book is for you. Seventeen year-old Sebastian is an enigma. Everyone likes him, but no one knows anything about him. He wears clothes only under protest, but no one seems to mind. To say his home life is unusual is like saying the Amazon is a stream. Bizarre doesn't even begin to describe his upbringing. He doesn't know who his father was, he's used as a therapist for broken youths, and yet he's managed to remain a 'normal' and thoroughly 'nice guy'…in the opinion of all those who are not concerned by his penchant for nudity.

In this tale of criminal intrigue, porno rings, abductions and violence in tropical Australia, Sebastian and his boyfriend, Reginald, get accidentally caught up in the mayhem and have to fight for their lives against big-moneyed bad boys.

Jarek

[A story in 30 chapters]

The sexual molestation of a student by a teacher in an isolated tropical Australian town, triggers abductions and murder.

At a rainforest camp for adolescent youths Jarek introduces them to the joys of independence, freedom from irrational taboos, respect for nature and each other, and pride in their natural masculine instincts.

A gun-toting woman; a spurned wife and a man-hating teacher, cause Jarek to flee. But life becomes even more dangerous when he's followed by his small-town enemies, who join forces with the State President of Women's War International, a female practised in the art of ridding the world of non-compliant males.

Mortaumal

[A story in 29 chapters]

One would expect a young man whose single mother skipped town a couple of hours after his birth, to have a few problems, but Mortaumal [Mort] doesn't seem to, thanks to his grandfather. However, when that support is gone and foster parents fail, and there are nasty people demanding he do evil deeds...things begin to look pretty desperate.

From the age of ten to eighteen Mort lives with and meets an extraordinary variety of people, gets himself into and out of very hot water, sees rather too many people die, learns to defend himself both physically and mentally, and ends up unimpressed with humanity in general, while loving the few who come up to scratch.

This is a light-hearted, not too serious tale about death and dying, affection and callous indifference, independence and love somewhere in tropical Queensland. There's sentiment but not sentimentality, social criticism, excitement, fun and a bit of everything else in a fast paced yarn that suggests ways to live that are more interesting and natural than those we see on our screens.

Dome of Death

[A story in 13 chapters]

An exciting, romantic tale about two young men who'd love to be as cool as James Bond in the face of danger, but discover reality is not much like fiction.

Dome of Death is a thriller; shocking, funny, romantic and thought provoking. When the director of an Art Gallery in Queensland falls to his death from the central dome, his lover, Peter, unwillingly takes over the job. Murder, torture, cyclones, tidal surges, snuff porn shows – are but a few of the complications to be navigated in his search for justice, happiness and love.

Fidel

[A story in 23 chapters]

Fidel is fifteen when the story begins sometime in the very near future. He's running away from home to the big city where he falls into trouble, then miraculously falls out again, and grows into a sturdy, well-liked young man. Like most people he is too busy living to notice that a relatively quiet revolution is taking place, replacing the government with a coalition of religious fundamentalists who have strong ideas on how their subjects ought to live, and how to enforce compliance with their draconian laws.

Over the next few years he and his friends fall foul of the government and have to go into hiding. After a series of adventures, excitements and horrifying experiences, they find a safe haven – but only for a while. On the run again, they have a bit of luck and eventually arrive at the beginning of my penultimate novel, NumbaCruncha.

As the tale progresses we learn what happened to Robert, Bart, the horrible Lance, and pleasant Constable Jurgenz. We also revisit Peter and Jon, Sebastian and Jarek, and Mortaumal and Zadig

NumbaCruncha

[A story in 11 chapters]

NumbaCruncha begins with a chilling peek into the near future, then takes a thousand year leap to Oasis, a future city-state in which the human aptitude for duplicitous and unjust social schemes has reached its logical culmination in a flesh-crawlingly evil dystopia ruled by the most unpleasant gang of conmen and women you're ever likely to encounter. A couple of young scientists who have recently invented a new means of transport, decide to do something about it, despite the tremendous odds.

Meanwhile, out in the forest, the secret weapon designed by intelligent, decent men a thousand years previously, is patiently waiting.

Short Stories

Frankie Fey

[A story in 55 chapters]

Dancing Bare

[An autobiographical story in 37 chapters]

Explaining stuff:

I write the sort of books I like to read- stories that are reasonably fast-paced, with sufficient but minimal description that doesn't interrupt the unfolding plot, which is clear and about something more than just action. A bit if philosophising and the occasional polemic always please me. I reckon fictional characters should be believable, not 'supermen', just slightly larger than life. I want to be unaware I'm reading as I'm transported to a more interesting reality where there are at least a couple of people I can relate to. I don't mind reading about sexual activity if it's part of the plot and demonstrates character, but graphic sex bores me witless. I am disappointed that most so-called 'gay' novels seem to be mere excuses for empty erotica.

I can't see the point in having 'heroes' who are unable to escape the compromises, petty disagreements, hopes, disappointments, mistakes, regrets, and pointless 'pleasures' that make up most people's lives. We all know what that's like. My 'heroes' live in that world, but face their predicaments stoutly, inspiring us lesser mortals to follow their example and strive with a little more perseverance to attain our goals.

But what goals? I despair at otherwise excellent books in which everyone accepts the grossly wasteful consumerism of everyday life as not only normal but desirable. I like to read and write about people who genuinely understand that more than enough is too much. Who value what is truly valuable. I realise I'm sometimes guilty of a bit of tub-thumping, but I like that in other writers because without strong convictions a writer has little to offer apart from amusement.