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The Arthur Porges Fan Site Homepage | Checklist of Stories | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Collections News and Updates | Poetry | Plot Summaries | Mystery Fiction | Links and Oddments |
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Selected Plot Summaries On this page I have listed a number of plot outlines for various stories by Arthur Porges. They represent a broad cross-section of stories, each covering a different theme. The intention of this page is to provide an easy-to-read overview, for readers who are new to Porges, of the kind of ideas he explores in his fiction. These summations should also (it is hoped) serve as a concise representation of how versatile Porges is as a writer. By a Fluke A liver fluke relates details of its’ life-cycle in an original, offbeat piece. As it approaches death, it laments the fact that the life span of a fluke is so short. The narrator, a sentient creature with a gift for mathematics, emits thought waves in a final act of hope that someone, or something, will pick up the message and know the truth about the mental powers of the liver fluke species. An exceptional and strangely moving story that stands out as one of the finest science fiction works in the Porges canon. Circle in the Dust In my opinion, this story is the best of the series of locked-room mysteries featuring the character Dr. Joel Hoffman. Hoffman, pathologist and part-time sleuth in the service of the L.A.P.D, has to try and solve a baffling mystery involving the murder of an elderly woman in her home. The murder makes no sense as the victim appeared to have no enemies, and nothing of value was taken from the house in which she was killed. The only possible suspects all seem to have no motive for the crime. The "circle in the dust" is the vital clue that leads to the solving of the case. This is a thoughtful story by Porges, with a clever and unusual solution, a historical slant, and a nice touch of humour. The sharply drawn characters, witty dialogue, and inventive plot make this a pleasure to read. Dr. Blackadder’s Clients A comic fantasy full of unusual and bizarre ideas. Dr. Blackadder is an eccentric inventor whose business is to solve people’s problems by designing weird contraptions for the use of his clients. His devices, in turn, enable a hen-pecked man to be rid of his domineering wife, and for Blackadder himself to outwit a trio of gangsters. This story represents Porges at his most playful and self indulgent, and it’s a very funny and entertaining read. The dialogue is razor-sharp, and some of the observations on human nature are incisively accurate. The False Face (a.k.a. "The Reason") Porges has written some very moving stories down the years. This is one of them; a heartbreaking tale about the mystery of why a seemingly happy man should commit suicide. The father of the man hires an investigator to look into his son’s past to try and discover what prompted him to take his own life. An intriguing mystery with a horrific solution, this is a finely crafted, evenly paced story, written in a brisk and direct style. The Forerunner As ornithology is one of Porges' interests, it is no surprise that his knowledge of bird species occasionally crops up in his stories. This strange tale features a lone specimen of an unidentified species of bird, imagined by Porges for the purpose of telling this story. The bird in question behaves in a very peculiar manner, catching the attention of the story's narrator. What happens is very much up to the reader to interpret for himself. Where the creature hails from, and what exactly it prophesises is left to the imagination. An enigmatic piece, that lingers in the memory. Heat An unusually moody piece by Porges. The setting for this suspense story is that of a small town where a young girl has gone missing during a heatwave. There is a typically ingenious solution to the mystery element of this story, but the overall mood throughout is dark and brooding. This provocative tale is rich in atmosphere, and has an undercurrent of menace. The Most Dangerous Animal in the World Here we have a recollection of a childhood experience, in a clever tale about a group of children who visit an old man in a house crammed full of amazing artefacts, treasures, and miscellaneous oddities. The man claims to have, hidden behind a locked door, a specimen of the most dangerous species of animal in the world. This story is about the attempts made by the children to guess just what the animal could be. There are some delightful touches to this story, such as its overall sense of wonder, the mystery element, and the engaging interplay between the characters. This is one of Porges’ strongest stories in terms of an original premise. The subject matter is approached in a simple and sensitive manner. Movie Show A gentle story that provides the reader with an unerring glimpse into the past. A reel of film is discovered among the belongings of a recently deceased inventor. Upon viewing, the poor quality images reveal what appears to be a fake depiction of a court scene dating back to the 1800’s, featuring a young lawyer named Abraham Lincoln. Upon closer inspection, certain authentic details in the film remind us of things that have gone forever from the world. This is a beautifully written, understated piece. Puddle I once received an email about this story, from a fan whose fondness for it was so great he felt compelled to write about it. In his words: "There was something about the imagery of that story that absolutely fascinated me…" This is indeed a striking piece, an offbeat combination of a detective and a fantasy story. It is an account of a man’s recollection of a peculiar incident from his childhood. As a young boy, the narrator had a profound fear of puddles and the way they reflected the sky, giving the illusion that one was looking down into an endlessly deep space. The irrational fear of falling through and hurtling forever downwards overwhelms him as a child, and a local bully plays on his dread of puddles. A moody, evocative little story. The Rescuer This story is presented in the form of a special court hearing held in secret by the U.S government, sometime in the near future. Two scientists stand accused of destroying a recently invented time machine, thus sabotaging years of expensive research. The defendants offer a compelling and controversial explanation for the extremity of their action. During the hearing they explain that a lone man, armed with a repeat-action rifle, had somehow gained access to the time machine, intending to use it to travel 2000 years back in time to prevent the crucifixion. The paradoxical issues raised by the concept of altering the past are intelligently discussed in this story. This is a thought-provoking piece that gained some notoriety when it was published. Two Lunchdates With Destiny Fate, and how it influences people’s lives, is a recurring theme in Porges’ fiction. This story, from late in his career, appeared in AHMM but can be classed quite neatly as a work of fantasy. It is a quirky tale about two opposing, extremely trivial decisions, and how each of them have a profound effect on one man's life. Porges is reflecting on the concept of destiny in this story, and how it can be an inexorable force, overriding personal free will.
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Copyright © 2008 Richard Simms |