Setanta and The Lady by the Water : A Gripping Irish Myth You Can Devour in a Weekend

by J.M Lane

Setanta and the Lady by the Water
A mythic coming-of-age novella rooted in Irish folklore and shadowed grief.

If you loved Patrick Ness's A Monster Calls this ones for you

Setanta knows only his mother vanished, his father is a ghost of a man, and something ancient is following them. From haunted towns to forgotten hills, they chase the Lady by the Water, a banshee whose song marks the doomed. But when a cursed hound spares Setanta’s life, everything he thought he knew begins to unravel.

Trained in silence. Forged by loss. Marked by a name older than Ireland.

As his scar deepens and the veil between worlds thins, Setanta discovers a truth stranger than any bedtime he’s not just a boy. He’s a weapon. And the monsters remember his name.

Perfect for fans of Patrick Ness, Susan Cooper, or folkloric dark fantasy, this lyrical Irish novella blends myth, memory, and the weight of blood into a powerful modern legend.

Genres: Amazon

74 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 4, 2025

Reviews

[Kirsty Southwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written almost poetic. Irish folklore at its finest. Banshee, good versus evil and fae. I loved this and so will you, a true five stars from an author you need to watch out for. I want to read more!

[Ashley Mindykowski · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a nice entertaining novella. It had a fantasy like vibe to it but also had some mystery and suspense as well. It was straight to the point, no wild story building or unnecessary details. It was just quick and straight to the point and entertaining. It's perfect for a quick afternoon read or a nice bedtime palate cleanser read.

[Josh Rice - Author · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's something fascinating about Irish folklore and mythology and Setanta does a great job of showing Irelands magic.

At just over 100 pages this is a great palette cleanser. Keeping it spoiler free, we follow Setanta through a short period of his young life and he learns more about who and what he is.

Please give indie authors and stories like thos a go 👏

On a more negative note, the kindle version needs reformatting. The line breaks for dialogue aren't always in the right place meaning I'd have to read sections more than once to understand who said what, you have character A saying something, then character B in the same sentence saying something.

It takes you out of the story which is a shame as it's well written!

[Heather Shower · Rating 5 out of 5]

A compelling and atmospheric start to the series. Setanta’s journey, rooted in Irish folklore and driven by a steadily unfolding mystery, pulled me in from the first chapter. The blend of tension, heart, and myth kept me turning pages. A strong, engaging five-star beginning.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great Irish folklore fantasy tale with a cast of well rounded characters. I was surprised how fleshed out they were for such a short story. Bravo! Will be reading the next one in the series 😃

[Dr Martin McKee · Rating 5 out of 5]

A strained relationship between father and son is challenged when they a mythical curse.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first I was not to sure, but before I knew it I was actually in the story with the characters, I loved being a spectator and following along with their story. I cant wait to get my daughter to read it as she will love ❤️ this story.