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Vestigial Tales #2
The Fisherman's Net
Untold centuries ago, the Archipelago was ruled by the Alder—mysterious beings who vanished, leaving behind only scattered artefacts of unknown power, called Vestige. Sometimes, a person will be lucky or unlucky enough to discover that each piece of Vestige has its own tale to tell…
The Fisherman’s Net
A humble fisherman in a village of the coast of the island of Linde buys a trinket at the market, which he discovers is Vestige. The poor man soon becomes the best fisherman in the village and marvels at his newfound wealth. One day, he ensnares a most unusual catch: a Chimaera sea maiden that isn’t meant to exist. And he’s not sure if he can let her go.
Vestigial Tales are stories set in the world of the award-winning Micah Grey series. Step behind the circus ring from Pantomime, the theatre of Shadowplay, and more…
The Fisherman’s Net
A humble fisherman in a village of the coast of the island of Linde buys a trinket at the market, which he discovers is Vestige. The poor man soon becomes the best fisherman in the village and marvels at his newfound wealth. One day, he ensnares a most unusual catch: a Chimaera sea maiden that isn’t meant to exist. And he’s not sure if he can let her go.
Vestigial Tales are stories set in the world of the award-winning Micah Grey series. Step behind the circus ring from Pantomime, the theatre of Shadowplay, and more…
29 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 1, 2014
3 people are currently reading
172 people want to read
About the author
L.R. Lam
27 books1,522 followersOriginally from sunny California, L.R. Lam now lives in cloudy Scotland. Lam is a Sunday Times Bestselling author whose work includes epic fantasy romance Dragonfall (The Dragon Scales Trilogy), the near-future space thriller, Goldilocks, feminist space opera Seven Devils and Seven Mercies (co-written with Elizabeth May), BBC Radio 2 Book Club section False Hearts, the companion novel Shattered Minds, and the award-winning Micah Grey series: Pantomime, Shadowplay, and Masquerade.
Their short fiction and essays have appeared in anthologies such as Nasty Women, Solaris Rising 3, Cranky Ladies of History, Scotland in Space, and more. Their romance alter ego is Laura Ambrose. Lam lectures part-time at Edinburgh Napier University and is Programme Leader of the Creative Writing MA.
*Please note I don't read my GR mail*
Their short fiction and essays have appeared in anthologies such as Nasty Women, Solaris Rising 3, Cranky Ladies of History, Scotland in Space, and more. Their romance alter ego is Laura Ambrose. Lam lectures part-time at Edinburgh Napier University and is Programme Leader of the Creative Writing MA.
*Please note I don't read my GR mail*
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
March 1, 2020
This is the second of the stories in my Vestigial Tale series. The first one is "The Snake Charm," and is available now. They can be read in any order.
This one has no overlapping characters with the two books set in the same world: Pantomime & Shadowplay.
As ever, some pictoral hints...
It's set on the island of Linde, which is an island of jungles and beautiful beaches - a little different from the dreary, often-rainy land of Ellada.
A fisherman buys a net which turns out to be Vestige and soon he's the richest man in the village.
One day he catches something that shouldn't exist: A mermaid.
But instead of this:
She's more like this:
Thank you and I hope you enjoy this next Vestigial Tale.
This one has no overlapping characters with the two books set in the same world: Pantomime & Shadowplay.
As ever, some pictoral hints...
It's set on the island of Linde, which is an island of jungles and beautiful beaches - a little different from the dreary, often-rainy land of Ellada.
A fisherman buys a net which turns out to be Vestige and soon he's the richest man in the village.
One day he catches something that shouldn't exist: A mermaid.
But instead of this:
She's more like this:
Thank you and I hope you enjoy this next Vestigial Tale.
March 25, 2017
Laura Lam's Vestigial Tales are short stories set in the same world as her Micha Grey trilogy and give us some insight into some of the Vestige artefacts that were left behind when the Alder vanished. The Fisherman's Net doesn't feature any characters from the other series so works well as a standalone and can be read at any point wether you've read the Micha Grey books or not.
This was a much shorter story than The Snake Charm but as it's told more like an original fable the shorter length worked really well. The Fisherman's Net is the story of a man who finds a magic net that helps him become the wealthiest fisherman in his village. You'll have to read it for yourself to find out whether he puts that wealth to good use or if greed takes him down a dangerous path.
This is the kind of story that Micha and Dustin would have had read to them as children and I really enjoyed getting a further glimpse into their world.
Source: Received as part of a preorder giveaway from the author
This was a much shorter story than The Snake Charm but as it's told more like an original fable the shorter length worked really well. The Fisherman's Net is the story of a man who finds a magic net that helps him become the wealthiest fisherman in his village. You'll have to read it for yourself to find out whether he puts that wealth to good use or if greed takes him down a dangerous path.
This is the kind of story that Micha and Dustin would have had read to them as children and I really enjoyed getting a further glimpse into their world.
Source: Received as part of a preorder giveaway from the author
July 7, 2014
I saw on twitter that it was available and read it immediately!
Short, but packs a bitter, sharp punch that is satisfying - I'm glad the short ended this way, otherwise it could have been so much sadder.
The piece of vestige we get to see is described so delicately, and you can visualise how it looks and moves perfectly.
The Mer is instantly a character in her own right. I loved her power and quiet determination, keeping a level head head. I just really loved her attitude!
Beautiful writing, emotive and only makes you yearn for more of Lam's writing.
Short, but packs a bitter, sharp punch that is satisfying - I'm glad the short ended this way, otherwise it could have been so much sadder.
The piece of vestige we get to see is described so delicately, and you can visualise how it looks and moves perfectly.
The Mer is instantly a character in her own right. I loved her power and quiet determination, keeping a level head head. I just really loved her attitude!
Beautiful writing, emotive and only makes you yearn for more of Lam's writing.
September 7, 2023
A short and sweet fable, this story adds a little something extra to the world-building of the series.
This was my least favourite of the 5 stories, and the least connected to the series itself. It just felt too short to really give me any strong feelings about it either way.
This was my least favourite of the 5 stories, and the least connected to the series itself. It just felt too short to really give me any strong feelings about it either way.
November 3, 2014
Short but also the perfect length for a short story that packs quite an emotional punch. Love these Vestigial Tales!
March 17, 2015
Review Taken From The Pewter Wolf
The Fisherman's Net is a fable set in the world of Laura Lam's Pantomime. In this fable, a fisherman buys a trinket in the market. It is only several days later that he realises its true wealth and soon, he becomes a wealth fisherman. One day, he catches something that shouldn't exist. Something that begs to be released. Something he's not sure he can let go...
Ok, I love Laura Lam's Pantomime and I have every intention to read Shadowplay (which is sitting angrily on my kindle) so reading the second short within the Vestigial Tales, I knew, was more for world building.
And this was world building short. It is a fable parents tell their children. Even though, at the start of the story, it warns us that every person that reads it comes away with a different morale, which I found huge intriguing. If anyone else read this, could you let me know what you thought the story's morale was. I would love to compare.
It is short, which is ok. It is a fable (notice that this word is being repeated a lot in the post) so they should be short. But for some reason, I wish it was a tad longer (yet I have seen reviews that say it was the perfect length). I think it's because quite close to the end, it introduces a character that intrigues me greatly. Maybe if I ask nicely, Laura might write something about this character/creature on her blog...
While this isn't necessary story to read with the Micah Gray series, it's was a nice addition, which you guys could probably read within 10 minutes (I took longer - reading slump). I think this has got me a little more excited over reading Shadowplay and the Vestigial Tale that is on my kindle, The Card Sharp: A Vestigial Tale (don't own the third story, The Tarot Reader: A Vestigial Tale, as this has a character that is introduced within Shadowplay and I don't want to read that till after Shadowplay).
PS - sorry if this review isn't as helpful compared to my others, my reading slump has kinda knocked my reading/reviewing out of me. Which sucks. But I will get back into the swing of things. Just you watch me...!
The Fisherman's Net is a fable set in the world of Laura Lam's Pantomime. In this fable, a fisherman buys a trinket in the market. It is only several days later that he realises its true wealth and soon, he becomes a wealth fisherman. One day, he catches something that shouldn't exist. Something that begs to be released. Something he's not sure he can let go...
Ok, I love Laura Lam's Pantomime and I have every intention to read Shadowplay (which is sitting angrily on my kindle) so reading the second short within the Vestigial Tales, I knew, was more for world building.
And this was world building short. It is a fable parents tell their children. Even though, at the start of the story, it warns us that every person that reads it comes away with a different morale, which I found huge intriguing. If anyone else read this, could you let me know what you thought the story's morale was. I would love to compare.
It is short, which is ok. It is a fable (notice that this word is being repeated a lot in the post) so they should be short. But for some reason, I wish it was a tad longer (yet I have seen reviews that say it was the perfect length). I think it's because quite close to the end, it introduces a character that intrigues me greatly. Maybe if I ask nicely, Laura might write something about this character/creature on her blog...
While this isn't necessary story to read with the Micah Gray series, it's was a nice addition, which you guys could probably read within 10 minutes (I took longer - reading slump). I think this has got me a little more excited over reading Shadowplay and the Vestigial Tale that is on my kindle, The Card Sharp: A Vestigial Tale (don't own the third story, The Tarot Reader: A Vestigial Tale, as this has a character that is introduced within Shadowplay and I don't want to read that till after Shadowplay).
PS - sorry if this review isn't as helpful compared to my others, my reading slump has kinda knocked my reading/reviewing out of me. Which sucks. But I will get back into the swing of things. Just you watch me...!
July 9, 2014
The Fisherman's Net is the second in Laura Lam's Vestigial Tales project, short ebooks that give readers a deeper look into the characters and world of Lam's Pantomime series. Unlike The Snake Charm, which involves characters from Pantomime, The Fisherman's Net is a fairy tale of sorts, involving a mermaid and one greedy fisherman. While I enjoyed The Fisherman's Net it didn't grab me quite as much as The Snake Charm, which had the benefit of being about a character I was already invested in. Also, the story doesn't do anything particularly new or interesting, meaning the resolution is robbed of much of its punch. At the same time, I think The Fisherman's Net completely succeed when it comes to expanding the Pantomime universe by giving us a glimpse into its folklore. There's just something really nice about getting to read a story that little Micah or Drystan probably heard as children. Also, unlike many real-life popular fairy tales, there is nothing weak or foolish about the female characters presented here.
The Fisherman's Net is certainly worth its 99 cent price tag. While I didn't like it as much as The Snake Charm, I still enjoyed reading it and look forward to future stories in this project.
The Fisherman's Net is certainly worth its 99 cent price tag. While I didn't like it as much as The Snake Charm, I still enjoyed reading it and look forward to future stories in this project.
July 14, 2014
The second of Laura Lam’s Vestigial Tales short stories is considerably shorter than the first (The Snake Charm), but is just as well-told.
The story itself is pretty simple, and is as the blurb says – but what impressed me were the aspects it leaves out. The style of the story, for one – it’s written very much like a classic fable, which alone makes it stand apart from its predecessor. It’s a nice touch that doesn’t attempt to milk too much out of a story that’s better left as short and punchy as it is.
Another thing I loved was Laura’s description of the Chimaera sea maiden that the fisherman catches. No sweet and pretty Disney mermaids here; this is a creature that’s clearly enthralling to humans, but has that edge of something dangerous that makes it a better idea to leave them the hell alone. You know, if one is smart enough to take the hint…
Also, I’m really enjoying the exploration of various types of Vestige to be found in this fictional world from the Pantomime novels. These magical gadgets have fascinated me from the start, so having this as the common element, if you will, in these short stories is pretty pleasing to me.
Bring on the next one – and, hopefully one day, a print collection… *Goes off into a bookworm daydream*
The story itself is pretty simple, and is as the blurb says – but what impressed me were the aspects it leaves out. The style of the story, for one – it’s written very much like a classic fable, which alone makes it stand apart from its predecessor. It’s a nice touch that doesn’t attempt to milk too much out of a story that’s better left as short and punchy as it is.
Another thing I loved was Laura’s description of the Chimaera sea maiden that the fisherman catches. No sweet and pretty Disney mermaids here; this is a creature that’s clearly enthralling to humans, but has that edge of something dangerous that makes it a better idea to leave them the hell alone. You know, if one is smart enough to take the hint…
Also, I’m really enjoying the exploration of various types of Vestige to be found in this fictional world from the Pantomime novels. These magical gadgets have fascinated me from the start, so having this as the common element, if you will, in these short stories is pretty pleasing to me.
Bring on the next one – and, hopefully one day, a print collection… *Goes off into a bookworm daydream*
January 13, 2017
If you liked this story, you might also enjoy:
✱ Men Who Wish to Drown
✱ The Iron Wolf and Other Stories UK / Unbroken Web: Stories and Fables US
✱ Men Who Wish to Drown
✱ The Iron Wolf and Other Stories UK / Unbroken Web: Stories and Fables US
June 6, 2017
Again, I wish this had been longer! But mermaids are real in the world of this series & that makes me happy ♥️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 30, 2014
I admit it, I'm a folktale/fairytale fanatic. I have collections of folktales from all over the world on my bookshelves. I just love them. So when I saw that Laura had written some tales based on her "Pantomime" world, I knew I had to get a copy.
"The Fisherman's Net" reminds me of the classic folk tales, so it was right up my alley. A man gets his hands on something magical, but whether it will be a curse or a blessing totally depends on the nature of the man. In this short work, as in her novels, Lam has creating relatable characters in a unique setting. I almost didn't know who to root for at the end because I sympathized with both characters. Definitely a world worth visiting.
"The Fisherman's Net" reminds me of the classic folk tales, so it was right up my alley. A man gets his hands on something magical, but whether it will be a curse or a blessing totally depends on the nature of the man. In this short work, as in her novels, Lam has creating relatable characters in a unique setting. I almost didn't know who to root for at the end because I sympathized with both characters. Definitely a world worth visiting.
September 5, 2014
An interesting, short moral tale from the author of Pantomime and Shadowplay. This novella made for the perfect fable with its balance between doing what's right and wrong. I'm really enjoying finding out about the powers of the Vestige. Laura Lam continues the use of her magical and captivating language as she threads a tale of the dangers of greed.
The Fisherman's Net is a standalone novella despite being situated in the world of the Pantomime series. I love that each of these tales add a little something extra to the series and I can't wait to read more!
The Fisherman's Net is a standalone novella despite being situated in the world of the Pantomime series. I love that each of these tales add a little something extra to the series and I can't wait to read more!
August 4, 2014
A short fable about greed set in the same world as Pantomime but separate to those characters.
August 31, 2015
Another quick read. Very good and a good lesson in the end to live by.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews