Review of “Master of Fallen Years” by Vincent O’Sullivan: Halloween Countdown

Plot:

Augustus Barber works in a paper-box manufacturing business in London. The narrator is at pains to tell the reader how ordinary, if commonplace, Augustus is. He doesn’t read anything outside of newspapers and shows no interest in anything spiritual or metaphysical.

After falling ill to the point that he was expected not to recover, Barber changes. He no longer laughs quite so quickly. He has fits of violence and begins to behave inappropriately in other ways. For example, once when the narrator is out with Barber and some friends, Barber “offered some freedom to a lady.” Her gentleman companion, who happens to be a member of Parliament, objects and raises his fist. Something makes him hesitate; it is not fear of Barber, who is a much smaller man. Something encompasses Barber, but then it is gone, and Barber gets decked before his friends can pull him away.

As the behavior grows more outrageous, the ability of the something to influence people increases. Barber frequently falls ill after an episode of angry or offensive conduct. Barber is aware of it and calls it the Other, but cannot control it.

Thoughts:

Poor Barber. The narrator (understandably) doesn’t want to have anything to do with Barber. Once an inoffensive if awkward guy—perhaps reminding the reader of an acquaintance who laughs too loudly at dinner—he becomes an outrageous guy who makes you want to run for fear of seeing flashing lights pull up out front.

The episodes appear to the modern reader like bouts of mental illness, especially because they are often followed by physical illness. Yet, O’Sullivan adds an element of the supernatural. During an episode, he seems to be able to influence people. At first, this is only to not interfere with what he’s doing, as if a toddler has managed to enchant those around him to let him continue with his antics. However, the antics become increasingly dangerous, and their influence grows. What began as annoying (at worst) becomes sinister and perhaps deadly.

This is a weird, sad little story.





Bio: Vincent O’Sullivan (1868-1940) was an American poet, critic, and writer of weird fiction, most notably in the turn-of-the-century Decadent* movement. He spent most of his life in Europe, living quite comfortably until the family coffee business went bust.


This story can be read here:


I could not immediately find an audio version of this story.



*The Encyclopedia of Fantasy describes the Decadent movement thus: “Decadent writers were interested in all things abnormal, artificial, morbid, perverse, and exotic and were much given to symbolism; they were inevitably drawn to fantastic themes and bizarre stylistic embellishments, and their best work dramatically expanded the range, the bizarrerie, and the grandiloquence of fantasy.”

Title: “Master of Fallen Years”
Author: Vincent O’Sullivan (1868-1940)
First published: The Smart Set, 1921
Length: short story