Weird Tales of the Great Lakes

by Aleco Julius

An archeology student has an aquatic encounter with an ancient deity. One woman's shipwrecked fate is mysteriously avenged. Friends on a fishing trip catch something far stranger than they could have imagined. A man becomes obsessed with collecting seashells before realizing the dread significance of their patterns.

 

Each story in this collection is inspired by the legendary lore of the Great Lakes. These inland seas are home to a mythos of tragedy and beauty, where glaciers have carved out the contours of the land in ages past, and enigmas hide beneath the troubled waves.

183 pages, Paperback

Published June 5, 2024

Reviews

[Katie Roz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book on vacation as I circled Lake Michigan, from Chicago, to cross Death's Door to Washington Island in Door County, Wisconsin, then south and back north across the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, then alongside the lake in the forests of northern Michigan before finishing the circle to return home. Delightfully creepy and eldritch, each story made me pause and just stare at the Great Lake for a while as I processed the eons and the lives and deaths that the lake has seen. Julius's writing is so captivating and convincing that I was looking things up to see if they were rooted in truth and if any of these characters, vessels, and artifacts were based in truth.

[Books For Decaying Millennials · Rating 5 out of 5]

Notes from a Decaying Millennial:
My Paperback copy of this book was provided by the generosity of the author, in exchange I am providing feedback.
This is not a Paid Review
-

Growing up I loved reading books that covered the Strange and Unexplained. Mysterious Deaths, Strange creatures, hauntings you name it. Part of this interest branched off and developed into an interest in History, Myth and Folklore. A similar passion can be seen in Aleco Julius collection Weird Tales of the Great Lakes . The author makes it every clear that the stories included in this collection are (with the exception of the final piece), works of fiction. That said, these are stories all grown from the fertile soil of the History, Myth and legends of the Great Lakes region. Stories oscillate on the Weird Fiction / Horror Spectrum, some have interconnecting stories, but each has a unique voice and yarn to spin.
The Waters of the Great Lakes are wide and deep, the communities that line the shores are rich in history, and haunted by the past. Let Aleco Julius guide you to the edge of the inland sea, each story will take you further into its depths. Will you survive, very likely, but you will return changed.
Weird Tales of the Great Lakes deserves a place of note on the shelf, next to the writings of C.F. Page and Lovecraft.

[Kevin L · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit hit and miss as most collections are. Julius is clearly an author to keep an eye on, he has a good head for weird fiction.

My favorite story by far was Where the Straight Road was lost. Excellent storytelling in this one.

Next faves were Tell Me Where You Goin’ and The Call of the November Witch.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I spent the first half of my life living near Lake Erie and the second half near Lake Michigan. So I was very intrigued when I saw this book. The author has blurred the line between fact and fiction by taking folk tales from the region and adding cosmic horror à la Lovecraft and Chambers. The result is a wonderfully creepy little book. My only complaint is that I wish it was longer.

[Savannah Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a Door County resident, I felt like it was my civic duty to read this book when I came across it in my local library! (wink-wink) The stories were interesting to read, I wish I knew more of the lore associated with them.
The one that gave me the most unsettling feeling was: Where the Straight Road Was Lost. I actually felt my heart quickening!

[Brian Pinkerton · Rating 5 out of 5]

An imaginative dive into the darkest depths of the Great Lakes told through a stylish collection of short stories blending fact, myth and fiction.