Bryan Murphy

Set in the future, Bryan Murphy’s short story, Linehan’s Trip is an experience in the seedy underbelly of sports, both professional international league and those smaller who wish to be a part of the main stream. Murphy’s short tale is a precursor to his novel Goodbye Padania. The story is both an eyewitness account of racism gone to the extreme, and a main character with enough power in the right places to make or break another’s dreams of international play utilizing his own judgment.

At the fringes of it all is a stark reality of governmental control and media manipulation. The plot is original and leaves readers wishing to grasp the illusive knowledge that resides just under the surface, but is not visible to those searching. The main character of the piece, Sean Linehan, comes off as a self-absorbed womanizer who orders women like one would order lunch. He is, in many respects, unlikeable; and being so, places the motivation of even his few well-meaning actions into question.

This is a story of use, and abuse in many ways, pulling in stereotypical behavior to exemplify the themes of over indulgence and corruption. My greatest hope is that Murphy puts forth energy that is more descriptive in the upcoming novel this tale is based on. The house he has created has good bones, I would like to see him breathe life into it and create a real home for his characters and his topics.… (more)