Deadwater by Simon Bestwick-This was a great story to start with. A woman's lover is found dead, handcuffed to a post by the sea and drowned. It's ruled as a suicide but she's not so sure. This is a straightforward story, rooted in reality and it was great to read because of that. It also had a compelling main character which is very impressive in a short story.
Fodder's Jig by Lee Thomas-This was about a disease that comes from the sea, starts with people dancing uncontrollably and ends with them committing suicide by walking into the water. It was an interesting concept if a little mishmash. I would have liked more focus on the cause behind the disease and the dancing element didn't make much sense really/felt out of place with the overall theme.
The Curious Allure of the Sea by Christopher Golden-A woman's father dies at sea and she finds a strange amulet on his boat. The amulet gets stolen but she is compelled to get a tattoo of it on her arm and this tattoo calls things to her. This was a really unique story and I loved how it fit in with the collection's theme. It built up well and had this subtle sinister tone to the whole thing which made it really enjoyable.
The Tryal Attract by Terry Dowling-There is a skull coated in silver and it talks to people, although no one can ever make out the words. Our protagonist goes to check it out and becomes the first person to understand it. This was a hard story for me to get into and just when it got going, it ended. I felt the climax was too abrupt and I didn't 100% follow what was going on since I couldn't engage with it. Maybe with different pacing I could have really enjoyed this.
The Whaler's Song by Ray Cluley-A group of whalers maybe get attacked by whales? This started off so well and I think would have benefited from a more simple execution of the core concept. There was a weird mystical element and something surreal going on and it muddied the horror of the story for me. Good characterisation and certainly one of the stories that most strongly follows the anthology theme.
A Ship of the South Wind by Bradley Denton-This is a cowboy and 'indjuns' story about two mixed race Native Americans who encounter an unfriendly cowboy and his son. This wasn't a bad story but it had absolutely nothing to do with the sea, apart from a harpoon being involved. I enjoyed it but it has zero to do with the anthology concept in my opinion.
What My Mother Left Me by Alyssa Wong-God, I don't even know where to begin with this story. Our main character's mother dies and leaves her a cottage by the sea. When she gets to the cottage, a very disturbing part of her mother is still there. This might be the weirdest story of all in a pretty weird collection and I hated it at first, then it kind of grew on me. I understood what it was trying to do mythology-wise which I think helped, even if it went about it in a very unusual way. Still, points for creativity.
Broken Record by Stephen Graham Jones-A guy washes up on a desert island and strange items start washing up one by one. This has such a cool premise and the beginning was really enjoyable. It was well written but I think ultimately the idea could have been used to much greater strength. Near the end it lost the potential it had earlier on and while I still liked it a lot overall, it took a weird turn which I sadly could have done without. Still one of the strongest in the collection.
Saudade by Steve Rasnic Tem-While on a cruise for lonely singles, a man encounters a strange woman at night. Early on I thought I knew where this story was going and I was very glad when I was wrong. However, it's another one that ended weaker than it started off. It had some good moments and it wasn't forgettable but it wasn't one of my favourites either.
A Moment Before Breaking by A. C. Wise-Sadly I didn't really 'get' this story. It's about a girl being transported somewhere by boat I think but beyond that, I couldn't really say what was going on. There's a storytelling mechanic which I think is meant to explain what is going on but it doesn't work for me. One of the weakest in my eyes.
Sister, Dearest Sister, Let Me Show You to the Sea by Seanan McGuire-I am always LIVING for Seanan McGuire's contributions to these anthologies and this is no different. A girl wakes up to find herself being drowned by her sister, only to be offered an opportunity to survive...at a price. This had a fantastic atmosphere, intriguing characters and it packed so much good stuff into such a short amount. I would read a whole book with this concept and I loved it.
The Deep Sea Swell by John Langan-I forgot this story when writing this review which is never a good sign. It's about a couple who go on a boat trip and end up in the worst accommodation when they insult a staff member. As is becoming a theme with this anthology, it started off well and then just became incoherent and hard to follow. A poor execution of a good idea.
He Sings of Salt and Wormwood by Brian Hodge-This one deserves kudos for having a very surreal and unusual premise and actually executing it well. A surfer guy is dating a woman who regularly receives presents from the sea that wash up on the shore. Things soon take an unsettling note however and he begins to worry about what the presents mean. I was utterly drawn into this story and I had no idea where it was going which is always good. I am getting the ending of it a little confused with another story in this collection but I really liked it overall.
Shit Happens by Michael Marshall Smith-This story has the weirdest premise and it shouldn't work but it does? While on a business trip taking place on a cruise ship, a mysterious affliction strikes people who are close to the sea. This is one of those short stories I could see being expanded into a whole book and it would make a great comedy horror one. It worked extremely well as a short story in my eyes but I did kinda want more from the world and the characters. One of the strongest in the anthology.
Haunt by Siobhan Carroll-I possibly didn't give this story the chance it deserved because I was sort of done with the anthology by the time I reached it. It has the strong general premise of a ghost ship relating to slaves being drowned but the execution just wasn't there. It had some good moments but overall it wasn't enough to keep my attention or leave a lasting impact.
Overall, this anthology falls into the usual 'mixed bag' category. I did find myself loving many of the stories and I was pleased that most of them managed to stick to the theme so strongly. A major running problem for me was that many of the stories had strong concepts but executed them in bizarre or muddled ways. Maybe it comes down to personal taste but I do enjoy short stories that are simple but effective, and that doesn't describe many of the ones found here. However, I would still recommend this anthology and it definitely has some real belters.
Overall Rating:
.5
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