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The Devil and the Deep
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Horror (2018)WINNER OF THE 2018 BRAM STOKER AWARD FOR BEST ANTHOLOGY
Stranded on a desert island, a young man yearns for objects from his past. A local from a small coastal town in England is found dead as the tide goes out. A Norwegian whaling ship is stranded in the Arctic, its crew threatened by mysterious forces. In the nineteenth century, a ship drifts in becalmed waters in the Indian Ocean, those on it haunted by their evil deeds. A surfer turned diver discovers there are things worse than drowning under the sea. Something from the sea is creating monsters on land.
In The Devil and the Deep, award-winning editor Ellen Datlow shares an all-original anthology of horror that covers the depths of the deep blue sea, with brand new stories from New York Times bestsellers and award-winning authors such as Seanan McGuire, Christopher Golden, Stephen Graham Jones, and more.
Stranded on a desert island, a young man yearns for objects from his past. A local from a small coastal town in England is found dead as the tide goes out. A Norwegian whaling ship is stranded in the Arctic, its crew threatened by mysterious forces. In the nineteenth century, a ship drifts in becalmed waters in the Indian Ocean, those on it haunted by their evil deeds. A surfer turned diver discovers there are things worse than drowning under the sea. Something from the sea is creating monsters on land.
In The Devil and the Deep, award-winning editor Ellen Datlow shares an all-original anthology of horror that covers the depths of the deep blue sea, with brand new stories from New York Times bestsellers and award-winning authors such as Seanan McGuire, Christopher Golden, Stephen Graham Jones, and more.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published March 20, 2018
247 people are currently reading
4169 people want to read
About the author
Ellen Datlow
278 books1,876 followersEllen Datlow has been editing science fiction, fantasy, and horror short fiction for forty years as fiction editor of OMNI Magazine and editor of Event Horizon and SCIFICTION. She currently acquires short stories and novellas for Tor.com. In addition, she has edited about one hundred science fiction, fantasy, and horror anthologies, including the annual The Best Horror of the Year series, The Doll Collection, Mad Hatters and March Hares, The Devil and the Deep: Horror Stories of the Sea, Echoes: The Saga Anthology of Ghost Stories, Edited By, and Final Cuts: New Tales of Hollywood Horror and Other Spectacles.
She's won multiple World Fantasy Awards, Locus Awards, Hugo Awards, Bram Stoker Awards, International Horror Guild Awards, Shirley Jackson Awards, and the 2012 Il Posto Nero Black Spot Award for Excellence as Best Foreign Editor. Datlow was named recipient of the 2007 Karl Edward Wagner Award, given at the British Fantasy Convention for "outstanding contribution to the genre," was honored with the Life Achievement Award by the Horror Writers Association, in acknowledgment of superior achievement over an entire career, and honored with the World Fantasy Life Achievement Award at the 2014 World Fantasy Convention.
She's won multiple World Fantasy Awards, Locus Awards, Hugo Awards, Bram Stoker Awards, International Horror Guild Awards, Shirley Jackson Awards, and the 2012 Il Posto Nero Black Spot Award for Excellence as Best Foreign Editor. Datlow was named recipient of the 2007 Karl Edward Wagner Award, given at the British Fantasy Convention for "outstanding contribution to the genre," was honored with the Life Achievement Award by the Horror Writers Association, in acknowledgment of superior achievement over an entire career, and honored with the World Fantasy Life Achievement Award at the 2014 World Fantasy Convention.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 149 reviews
March 23, 2018
An anthology built around the theme of the ocean? How could I say no to that? Not all of the stories resonated with me, but many did. And the ones that did- resonated deeply.
FODDER'S JIG by Lee Thomas. Sea monsters, a gay couple and a gold-digging relative. Every time I thought this tale was nothing special, something special happened. I need to read more Lee Thomas!
WHAT MY MOTHER LEFT ME by Alyssa Wong blew me away. Imaginative and bold, I already purchased another story from this author. This was my favorite tale in the book.
SISTER, DEAREST SISTER, LET ME SHOW YOU TO THE SEA by Seanan McGuire. I always wanted a sister. Now, I know I was better off alone.
SHIT HAPPENS by Michael Marshall Smith. I laughed my butt off. Then I became nauseated and then I laughed some more. This is one of the grossest and funniest stories I've ever read.
HE SINGS OF SALT AND WORMWOOD by Brian Hodge. Even though they weren't the main crux of the story, I never knew ship-worms existed and now I may never go into the ocean again.
A SHIP OF THE SOUTH WIND by Bradley Denton. This one wasn't about the sea as we know it, but instead, a sea that dried up long ago. It also features the coolest ship I've ever read about.
With a few more notable stories by Christopher Golden and Steve Rasnic Tem, I thoroughly enjoyed this anthology and can honestly say that I highly recommend it!
You can get your copy here: https://www.amazon.com/Devil-Deep-Hor...
*A big thank you to Marion Schwaner at Night Shade Books for the free ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. This is it!*
FODDER'S JIG by Lee Thomas. Sea monsters, a gay couple and a gold-digging relative. Every time I thought this tale was nothing special, something special happened. I need to read more Lee Thomas!
WHAT MY MOTHER LEFT ME by Alyssa Wong blew me away. Imaginative and bold, I already purchased another story from this author. This was my favorite tale in the book.
SISTER, DEAREST SISTER, LET ME SHOW YOU TO THE SEA by Seanan McGuire. I always wanted a sister. Now, I know I was better off alone.
SHIT HAPPENS by Michael Marshall Smith. I laughed my butt off. Then I became nauseated and then I laughed some more. This is one of the grossest and funniest stories I've ever read.
HE SINGS OF SALT AND WORMWOOD by Brian Hodge. Even though they weren't the main crux of the story, I never knew ship-worms existed and now I may never go into the ocean again.
A SHIP OF THE SOUTH WIND by Bradley Denton. This one wasn't about the sea as we know it, but instead, a sea that dried up long ago. It also features the coolest ship I've ever read about.
With a few more notable stories by Christopher Golden and Steve Rasnic Tem, I thoroughly enjoyed this anthology and can honestly say that I highly recommend it!
You can get your copy here: https://www.amazon.com/Devil-Deep-Hor...
*A big thank you to Marion Schwaner at Night Shade Books for the free ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. This is it!*
July 19, 2018
The sea coughed us up, but some day it’s going to reclaim us, and there’s precious little that we can do about it.
I have had a fear of deep water since I was a small child, so—as a horror lover who is not easily shaken—nautical horror is one of my favorite subgenres of both stories and film. When I learned that this sea-themed anthology was coming out, I knew I had to get my hands on it, especially after finding out that a few of my favorite anthology authors were featured in it (Seanan McGuire and Alyssa Wong). That said, most of these authors were new to me, so it was exciting to get a taste of fresh blood, so to speak.
Notably, the biggest stand-outs in the collection for me were What My Mother Left Me by Alyssa Wong, Sister, Dearest Sister, Let Me Show You to the Sea by Seanan McGuire, and A Moment Before Breaking by A.C. Wise, with honorable mentions going to He Sings of Salt and Wormwood by Brian Hodge, and Shit Happens by Michael Marshall Smith.
→ Deadwater – Simon Bestwick ★★★☆☆ ←
It’s the absences that get you, with any death. The gaps, the depths, the holes people leave behind: they’re what we mean by ghosts.
Our first story takes us to a quiet coastal town, in which a sudden death has left the police force thinking “suicide”, and our narrator thinking “murder”. This was less horror and more mild suspense, so it wasn’t exactly what I was expecting from the beginning of the anthology, but I did truly enjoy the writing and found myself invested in the mystery. My main complaint was that there was a lot of cryptic nodding towards the main character’s own troubled past, but we never got any sort of explanation for most of it, which left me feeling like the story wasn’t quite finished.
TW: frequent mentions of suicide and self-harm
→ Fodder’s Jig – Lee Thomas ★★★★☆ ←
For many of the afflicted, dancing was the first symptom.
This tale comes in two parts—the present, and the past—as our narrator regales the story of what happened to his deceased partner after the man contracted a bizarre infection, sprung from masses of bizarre and grotesque flesh washed up on the shoreline. This was probably the single most unique and creative infection story I’ve ever read, and it explains just enough to satisfy, while leaving quite a lot to the imagination. Alongside the description of the ailment, there’s a bit of a commentary on aging, love and loss, and being a homosexual senior in a small town, all of which made the narrator incredibly endearing.
TW: ableism
→ The Curious Allure of the Sea – Christopher Golden ★★☆☆☆ ←
Even heaven could become hell if you were a prisoner there.
When a woman’s father’s boat turns up empty, his body nowhere to be found, she comes across a stone with a bizarre marking on it. As an attempt to find closure, she tattoos the marking upon her forearm, but things suddenly become very strange in her life. While I enjoyed the writing itself, I can’t say I was a big fan of the story—I felt like I was being set up at great lengths for what was ultimately an incredibly disappointing ending.
→ The Tryal Attract – Terry Dowling ★★★☆☆ ←
The sole condition Will Stevens set for letting me spend the night in the room with the skull was telling him everything it said.
After dreaming about the skull from the attic window, a man spends the evening at his neighbor’s home, sleeping in the room with the skull in hopes of hearing its infamous nightly whispers. This was definitely the first genuinely creepy story in the collection, which I appreciated tremendously, as some of the imagery was downright unsettling. Unfortunately, the explanation for the plot felt lackluster and I found myself disappointed with the ending.
→ The Whalers Song – Ray Cluley ★★★★☆ ←
It’s not just whales we’re chasing, Sebjørn realises. It has never just been whales.
This was such a bizarre, haunting, beautifully sad story about a group of whalers who find themselves stranded and falling victim to a very peculiar and unexplainable set of circumstances. It does contain a bit of imagery that’s really tough to stomach—especially if you, like myself, have a weak spot for aquatic creatures—but the scenery that Ray Cluley’s writing paints is so vivid that you can nearly feel the chill of the bitter wind and the bite of the freezing waters the Norwegians travel.
TW: explicit animal violence/death
→ A Ship of the South Wind – Bradley Denton ★★☆☆☆ ←
“We are what we are. What we are is good enough.”
Despite being a western, this story certainly struck me with stereotypical “horror” feelings; unfortunately, though, it wasn’t much of a pleasant read. Our two protagonists are a man and a boy, both half-Native, half-white, who have been essentially taken hostage by a few thieving white men. I’m going to be honest: not only did I strongly dislike the writing style behind this story (with its stilted phrasing and short, cut-off sentences), but I feel that it doesn’t fit the collection in the slightest. Its ties to the sea were slim and questionable, and left open-ended in the most unsatisfying way.
TW: slurs, racism
→ What My Mother Left Me – Alyssa Wong ★★★★★ ←
Maybe she’s calling my name. But so is something beneath the waves, that dark and lovely expanse that neither light nor human beings can touch.
A young woman takes her new girlfriend to her family beach home in hopes of finding some closure after her mother’s passing, but what she finds is much larger and more terrifying than anything she could have expected. I love Alyssa Wong’s writing so much, and as a bisexual woman, I was ecstatic enough to see a bi protagonist in this collection (because, let’s be honest, we’ve gotta get more diversity in horror!). I honestly feel like I could write a full review about this one story, because it is so flawless, and gorgeous, and devastatingly sad.
→ Broken Record – Stephen Graham Jones ★★☆☆☆ ←
Maybe a century ago you could get marooned for months or years or ever, but not in the modern world, right?
I struggled to rate or review this one, because it was so bizarre that I’m still not totally sure what to make of it. It tells the story of a man who washes up from a wreck and finds himself on a tiny desert island, where magical items slowly start appearing for him—items that he wished for as a child, in a game. The most horrific aspect of this story is the thought of actually being stranded on a desert island, all alone, with no shade or way to get home, but the novelty wears off before the installment ends, sadly.
→ Saudade – Steve Rasnic Tem ★★☆☆☆ ←
“You were in a story which worked for you for a very long time. But that story has ended, and yet you find you are still alive, and now you are in a different story you do not yet understand.”
A senior is sent on a cruise by his daughters, in a last attempt to convince him to seek companionship elsewhere after his wife has passed away, but he wants nothing to do with any of the other “cruisers”—except one. Much like several of the other stories in this collection, my frustration comes from the fact that it’s an incredibly nautical-themed tale, but very little in the way of “horror”. Besides the brief moment—a few paragraphs, truly—towards the end that featured a bit of oddity, this was just a really boring, sad recollection of an old man’s trip on a boat.
→ A Moment Before Breaking – A. C. Wise ★★★★★ ←
Maybe it’s a monster, but maybe she is, too. And all they have is each other.
A little girl and her mother are on a ship, sailing to America in hopes of a better life, when the child is taken by priests who use terrible works to trap the spirit of the Sea Prince within her body. While their intentions were to nullify the Prince by keeping him bound as such, an unlikely bond forms between the two spirits, and they set out on a path of survival and finding home. This was such a gorgeous, haunting story, full of lore and heartache and some really disturbing sea creature imagery that I loved to death. This was easily one of my most preferred stories in the anthology, and was enough to make me very curious about A.C. Wise’s other work.
→ Sister, Dearest Sister, Let Me Show You to the Sea – Seanan McGuire ★★★★★ ←
The tide goes out, leaving things like me lying stranded on the beach. It always comes back to collect us.
When a young girl’s little sister tries to murder her by leaving her to drown in the ocean, a quartet of eels make her an offer: another chance at life, for a price. Full disclosure: Seanan McGuire is one of my absolute favorite authors, and I love her work so much that I skipped past this story and saved it for last because I knew it would be my favorite, and I was right. This is the darkest, creepiest, and most fantastical story in the collection, if you ask me—and it is also gorgeous and sad and whimsical, in all the best ways. ♥
→ The Deep Sea Swell – John Langan ★★★☆☆ ←
In an odd sort of way, Susan has thought, the trip has been all about the ocean.
Susan and her husband Alan go on a winter vacation to Shetland, and take a ferry across the ocean for a leg of the trip, but when Susan is kept awake by her seasickness and anxiety, a little late night exploring leads her to meet up with a very old—and terrifying—entity in the ship. This is a bit of odd writing, as it switches tenses between past and present, but somehow, that only added to the anxiety-inducing nature of the story. While the threat itself wasn’t scary in theory, something about this story puts you right into Susan’s shoes (or fuzzy socks, I should say), and was really enjoyable, if not altogether incredibly memorable.
→ He Sings of Salt and Wormwood – Brian Hodge ★★★★★ ←
As a rule, ignorance was no virtue, but if you gave too much thought to the sea, and everything with teeth that called it home, you’d never venture out to meet it.
Danny Yukimura, a washed-up surfing pro, is practicing his free diving out in the deeps when he comes across a sunken yacht full of sea worms. Back on land, strange, carved pieces of driftwood begin washing up on shore, with faces that slowly become more and more familiar to him. I absolutely adored this story and was sad to see it end. The diving parts are so atmospheric and well described that, as someone who is afraid of being in deep water myself, I was downright claustrophobic. The slow build of dread is anxiety-inducing in the best way, and the ending is flawlessly executed.
→ Shit Happens – Michael Marshall Smith ★★★★★ ←
“I never realized the end times would smell this bad.”
Rick boards a ship planning to have a weekend of work conferencing, networking, and lots of booze—he never expected the apocalypse to happen while he was out on the water, though, and he definitely never expected it to come in such a disgusting form. This story is gross, cringe-y, hilarious, and downright amazing. It was easily the most fun story in the anthology, and it definitely reminded me of a horror-comedy film like Shaun of the Dead (especially with the goofy banter between Rick and Peter-from-London towards the end of the installment). Plus, there are a couple of political and work-related quips in the story that had me grinning from ear to ear. 10/10, would laugh (and cringe) again.
→ Haunt – Siobhan Carroll ★★★☆☆ ←
This is not the same as justice. But it has its own meaning.
The finale first reads like a simple ghost story of sailors trying to outrun spirits in the late 1700s, but with the name-dropping of massacres and accidents of the 18th century, becomes evident—and is then proven by the author’s note—that this story is less horror and more historical fiction about the sailors of this time period that joined the abolitionist movement against slavery. I love the idea behind the story and think it’s a fantastic meaning to offer, and the writing itself is lovely and fits the era very well, as far as I know. My only complaint was that it read a bit slowly and repetitive. All in all, though, it’s not a bad way to close the collection.
FINAL AVERAGE RATING: 3.53/5
Thank you to Night Shade Books for providing me with a review copy in exchange for my honest review!
September 2, 2018
Ellen Datlow is like the late Peter Haining she finds stories by other authors that fit a theme then puts them into a collection this The sea horror collection she has huge amount of collections from Alien sex, Lovecraft, Dolls, (which I have read), Mad Hatters, Vampires, Science fiction, fantasy, well over 90 books. But unlike Haining she also writes stories too.
This has Christopher Golden of Buffy fame, Michael Marshall Smith & lot more bit unlike many collections she also at the back with all important blank page I hate when there is no blank page & you see end of last story is the biography of each author which is great if want read more books by them & is useful if names are odd so Know of it's a man or woman how can You tell if just A.E.? something.
This been a complete disappointment unlike The Doll collection this has lot of dull stories or just plain shit.
But doesn't matter as my cat Snowball had to be put to sleep on 30th of August 18 so it has spoilt this book as I am depressed & sad.
I did like Fodder's Jig the gay dance, The Whalers Song a Modern Moby Dick & A ship of the south wind.
Congratulations award winning book of 2018
by me THE BULLSHIT AWARD 2018 for worst book of the year load of rubbish glad so glad got this from Darlington Libuary.
This has Christopher Golden of Buffy fame, Michael Marshall Smith & lot more bit unlike many collections she also at the back with all important blank page I hate when there is no blank page & you see end of last story is the biography of each author which is great if want read more books by them & is useful if names are odd so Know of it's a man or woman how can You tell if just A.E.? something.
This been a complete disappointment unlike The Doll collection this has lot of dull stories or just plain shit.
But doesn't matter as my cat Snowball had to be put to sleep on 30th of August 18 so it has spoilt this book as I am depressed & sad.
I did like Fodder's Jig the gay dance, The Whalers Song a Modern Moby Dick & A ship of the south wind.
Congratulations award winning book of 2018
by me THE BULLSHIT AWARD 2018 for worst book of the year load of rubbish glad so glad got this from Darlington Libuary.
July 25, 2018
I did not finish this book. the stories I read were 3 stars at best.
July 27, 2018
My favorites of the stories include
Deadwater by Simon Bestwick
Fodder's Jig by Lee Thomas
What my mother left me by Alyssa Wong
A moment before breaking by A.C. Wise
Sister, Dearest Sister, Let me show to you the sea by Seanan McGuire
He Sings of salt and wormwood by Brian Hodge
The rest were various stages of slight dislike/not for me to I enjoyed it. I didn't hate any of the stories.
Overall average is 3.37
Really did enjoy it over all :)
Deadwater by Simon Bestwick
Fodder's Jig by Lee Thomas
What my mother left me by Alyssa Wong
A moment before breaking by A.C. Wise
Sister, Dearest Sister, Let me show to you the sea by Seanan McGuire
He Sings of salt and wormwood by Brian Hodge
The rest were various stages of slight dislike/not for me to I enjoyed it. I didn't hate any of the stories.
Overall average is 3.37
Really did enjoy it over all :)
November 22, 2025
This is a wonderful collection. It's not huge - a little over 300 pages - but I read it in one sitting because I had to keep reading. Ellen Datlow is an editorial genius and I can't wait to read another of her collections.
4 stars. Read this if you haven't. I highly recommend it. Ocean creepies! Awesome. Very well written and absorbing, for the vast majority. Definitely a winner.
August 2, 2018
What My Mother Left Me by Alyssa Wong ★★★★★
“I’m monstrous, beautiful.
For the first time in my life, I feel whole.”
This was painful but good. I’m still choking back rage filled adrenaline over the levels of betrayal. It’s one of those man vs wild stories that let you see who are the real monsters.
Normally selkie stories are of misogyny, ultimate power over your wife. This was modern and brutal.
But it ended well so I’ll forgive Alyssa Wong my palpitations.
A Moment Before Breaking by A.C. Wise ★★★★★
“Once upon a time, a child went under the waves and did not drown. Once upon a time, a child rose, a dripping, monstrous thing, climbing up from the waves again.”
Amazing! Lovecraft never wrote so well! Fairytales, the Deep Ones, cults, glowing tattoos, friendship, and bloody vengeance!
This page turner had it all.
This was the story I was waiting for. Consider me pleased.
Sister, Dearest Sister, Let Me Show To You the Sea by Seanan McGuire ★★★★½
Another winner! Brutal versions of fairytales, those closer to the original pre Hans Christian Anderson versions, are something I love.
Somewhere between The Little Mermaid, Cinderella, and Puppetmaster Seanan McGuire has found a way to make you scream!
Unforgettable.
Deadwater by Simon Bestwick ★★★★☆
“I told you: you do whatever it takes to protect the safety you’ve found.”
Quietly violent story of damaged people finding each other.
Saudade by Steve Rasnic Tem ★★★★☆
“Loneliness is terrible. Loneliness deadens the spirit. A man who has lost his wife knows much about loneliness, I think.”
This an adult version of the tale of La Llorona. It was sad but well done.
He Sings of Salt and Wormwood by Brian Hodge ★★★★☆
I rather liked this story of two people who love the ocean separately, and completely... almost as much as they love each other.
Haunt by Siobhan Carroll ★★★★☆
“You have no idea how much even a sick child can fight you when she knows you are dragging her to her death.”
A ghastly reminder that you don’t need to create monsters for horror stories: humans are the original and reigning evil.
Fodder’s Jig by Lee Thomas ★★★☆☆
“I screamed. I think everyone who wasn’t infected screamed.”
Rather unpleasant sad story about a man who endured a monstrous family to find happiness... only to then face real monsters.
The Curious Allure of the Sea by Christopher Golden ★★★☆☆
"Sometimes she would trace the three spirals with her fingertip. It relaxed her completely, made her feel as if she might float away."
This felt like the beginning of a great mythological tale, something spooky, ancient, and possibly evil. Then it just hung up the phone.
The Tryal Attract by Terry Dowling ★★★☆☆
"It truly took moments to realize that I was the one yelling, mine the only skull screaming!"
This started out well with a mysterious old skull passed down over five generations that whispered to its keepers.
The middle gave me a moment of true heart clenching fright. I gasped and shuddered, the audio for this story was well done.
The conclusion, and historical/familial ties, felt discordant. It was rushed and lacked punch.
A Ship of the South Wind by Bradley Denton ★★★☆☆
“At least we aren’t crazy,” he said.
Uncle JoJim shrugged yet again, and his empty sleeve flapped. “Not yet.”
Two Native Americans coming home from a hunting trip are accosted by three nefarious roughnecks from Missouri.
It’s an ugly story that ended well while reminding you most of them didn’t.
The Deep Sea Swell by John Langan ★★★☆☆
“What remained is his anger, his rage... in the suit, his fury, burning...”
An angry ghost of a diver killed by a sea monster returns for no apparent reason.
It has backstory, and avid description, but still feels random.
Shit Happens by Michael Marshall Smith ★★★☆☆
“Then both of us were laughing as we ran faster and faster, over the bridge and toward a city on fire.”
Crazy, funny, gross paranormal disaster movie story told from the oddly believable POV of businessmen. Enjoyable but not memorable.
Broken Record by Stephen Graham Jones ★★☆☆☆
That was weird. Not SGJs normal well thought out horror with depth. At best you could say it was whimsical.
The Whalers Song by Ray Cluley DNF
I’m skipping this because reading about whaling will just upset me. I’d be blind to the story’s merits.
3.6 average for the 14 out of 15 stories I read.
June 26, 2019
I approach themed anthologies with caution. In too many instances, the central idea begins to wear thin after multiple stories with the same approach. However, with Ellen Datlow behind the ship’s wheel as editor, I decided to read this one. I trust her story judgment. It was also the winner of The Bram Stoker 2018 Award for Best Anthology Of The Year.
It’s not hard to see why. None of these stories were lukewarm in temperature. Everything met my expectations. Out of fifteen stories ten were above average (hot!), and three exceeded all expectations (scalding!) which makes them worthy of pedestal placement.
The three five-star stories were:
“Fodders Jig” by Lee Thomas is the name for a disease birthed by the sea. The story includes a horrific monster scene that is truly disturbing. What makes this tale even more important is how it deals with broken relationships and preserving what’s important.
“Broken Record” by Stephen Graham Jones is the highly imaginative tale of a desert island castaway who sees his desert island wish list manifest in strange and wondrous ways.
“He Signs Of Salt And Wormwood” by Brian Hodge concerns free diving, driftwood statues and the call of the sea. At its’ core is a heartwarming story about relationships.
The entertaining above-average four star tales include:
Simon Bestwick’s “Deadwater” which is more of a crime novel with a clever amateur sleuth and a disturbing motive. The only horror element in the tale is a very ghastly method of murder.
“Curious Allure Of The Sea” by Christopher Golden details an example of the power of tattoos and talismans to attract and bring up all manner of things from the sea.
“A Ship Of The South Wind” by Bradley Denton is a fast-paced story set within a steampunk apocalypse on an inland sea.
In the creepy “What My Mother Left Me” by Alyssa Wong family ties run deep, even when separated by the land and sea.
Steve Rasnic Tem’s “Saudade” sees a recently windowed elderly man embark on a strange and creepy senior matchmaking ocean cruise.
In “Sister, Dearest Sister, Let Me Show You To The Sea”, Seanan McGuire shows how nobody can be meaner than one sister to another. Rivalry can be brutal.
A.C. Wise’s “A Moment Before Breaking” is an unsettling boat journey by refugees.
A haunted diving suit creates chaos in “The Deep Sea Swell” by John Langan
The very funny and entertaining “Shit Happens” by Michael Marshall Smith uses the sea as catalyst for a zombie infection that begins in the gastro-intestinal tract. I almost gave this a five-star rating but it ends too abruptly with no resolution offered or hinted at.
In “Haunt”, a story told in a much earlier style (like Moby Dick and other sea tales) Siobhan Carroll writes of a monstrous sea crash that results in a sinking ship as past misdeeds return across the waters to punish specific sailors. It shivered my timbers.
Because the above stories were so strong and of such high quality, it hurt the impression of the two selections I rated only three stars:
An old skull in a lofty room yearns for a sea view and does its’ best to communicate those desires in “The Tryall Attract” by Terry Dowling.
Norwegian whalers run into spooky trouble in “Whalers’ Song” by Ray Cluley.
This is a superior collection, more than worthy of the awards it earned and was nominated for.
It’s not hard to see why. None of these stories were lukewarm in temperature. Everything met my expectations. Out of fifteen stories ten were above average (hot!), and three exceeded all expectations (scalding!) which makes them worthy of pedestal placement.
The three five-star stories were:
“Fodders Jig” by Lee Thomas is the name for a disease birthed by the sea. The story includes a horrific monster scene that is truly disturbing. What makes this tale even more important is how it deals with broken relationships and preserving what’s important.
“Broken Record” by Stephen Graham Jones is the highly imaginative tale of a desert island castaway who sees his desert island wish list manifest in strange and wondrous ways.
“He Signs Of Salt And Wormwood” by Brian Hodge concerns free diving, driftwood statues and the call of the sea. At its’ core is a heartwarming story about relationships.
The entertaining above-average four star tales include:
Simon Bestwick’s “Deadwater” which is more of a crime novel with a clever amateur sleuth and a disturbing motive. The only horror element in the tale is a very ghastly method of murder.
“Curious Allure Of The Sea” by Christopher Golden details an example of the power of tattoos and talismans to attract and bring up all manner of things from the sea.
“A Ship Of The South Wind” by Bradley Denton is a fast-paced story set within a steampunk apocalypse on an inland sea.
In the creepy “What My Mother Left Me” by Alyssa Wong family ties run deep, even when separated by the land and sea.
Steve Rasnic Tem’s “Saudade” sees a recently windowed elderly man embark on a strange and creepy senior matchmaking ocean cruise.
In “Sister, Dearest Sister, Let Me Show You To The Sea”, Seanan McGuire shows how nobody can be meaner than one sister to another. Rivalry can be brutal.
A.C. Wise’s “A Moment Before Breaking” is an unsettling boat journey by refugees.
A haunted diving suit creates chaos in “The Deep Sea Swell” by John Langan
The very funny and entertaining “Shit Happens” by Michael Marshall Smith uses the sea as catalyst for a zombie infection that begins in the gastro-intestinal tract. I almost gave this a five-star rating but it ends too abruptly with no resolution offered or hinted at.
In “Haunt”, a story told in a much earlier style (like Moby Dick and other sea tales) Siobhan Carroll writes of a monstrous sea crash that results in a sinking ship as past misdeeds return across the waters to punish specific sailors. It shivered my timbers.
Because the above stories were so strong and of such high quality, it hurt the impression of the two selections I rated only three stars:
An old skull in a lofty room yearns for a sea view and does its’ best to communicate those desires in “The Tryall Attract” by Terry Dowling.
Norwegian whalers run into spooky trouble in “Whalers’ Song” by Ray Cluley.
This is a superior collection, more than worthy of the awards it earned and was nominated for.
July 28, 2018
THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP: Horror Stories of the Sea, is a collection of 15 sea-themed stories edited by Ellen Datlow.
Most of these stories hit between two and four stars with me, but there were some that I found exceptional or "unique". Personal favorites of mine included:
"He Sings of Salt and Wormwood", by Brian Hodge: I honestly don't believe that I've read a story by Brian Hodge that I haven't loved, to some degree. His language evokes the most impressive images and moods, and his tales always seem to have a hint of that "otherworldliness" in them that make you think such a thing might just be possible . . . ". . . if you gave too much thought to the sea, and everything with teeth that called it home, you'd never venture out to meet it."
"It loves you. But it's love on a whole different wave length." This one has to be my number one favorite--I simply loved everything about it.
"Sister, Dearest Sister, Let Me Show You to the Sea", by Seanan McGuire: A jealous younger sister thinks she finally has the upper hand... "But sometimes damage is done, and it can't be repaired . . . " This one was so remarkable in the characters, and the mindsets of the them--especially the oldest. It had one of those endings that couldn't have been more perfect and fitting to the story.
"What My Mother Left Me", by Alyssa Wong": Powerful story of dominance, sorrow, redemption and discovery. And of course, the sea.
The Curious Allure of the Sea", by Christopher Golden: A Father lost at sea leaves behind a symbol that his daughter feels holds the key to his disappearance. ". . . Pale things, drawn back by an allure they'd never understood".
"Deadwater", by Simon Bestwick. This one deals with "damaged" people, and how they have their own ways of coping. Not as much a "sea story", but a remarkable tale, in general. "It's the absences that get you, with any death. The gaps, the depths, the holes people leave behind: . . . "
Overall, a very mixed bag of stories. I'm honestly surprised at some selections that made it in here to begin with. However, most of them had something "good" to pick out.
Most of these stories hit between two and four stars with me, but there were some that I found exceptional or "unique". Personal favorites of mine included:
"He Sings of Salt and Wormwood", by Brian Hodge: I honestly don't believe that I've read a story by Brian Hodge that I haven't loved, to some degree. His language evokes the most impressive images and moods, and his tales always seem to have a hint of that "otherworldliness" in them that make you think such a thing might just be possible . . . ". . . if you gave too much thought to the sea, and everything with teeth that called it home, you'd never venture out to meet it."
"It loves you. But it's love on a whole different wave length." This one has to be my number one favorite--I simply loved everything about it.
"Sister, Dearest Sister, Let Me Show You to the Sea", by Seanan McGuire: A jealous younger sister thinks she finally has the upper hand... "But sometimes damage is done, and it can't be repaired . . . " This one was so remarkable in the characters, and the mindsets of the them--especially the oldest. It had one of those endings that couldn't have been more perfect and fitting to the story.
"What My Mother Left Me", by Alyssa Wong": Powerful story of dominance, sorrow, redemption and discovery. And of course, the sea.
The Curious Allure of the Sea", by Christopher Golden: A Father lost at sea leaves behind a symbol that his daughter feels holds the key to his disappearance. ". . . Pale things, drawn back by an allure they'd never understood".
"Deadwater", by Simon Bestwick. This one deals with "damaged" people, and how they have their own ways of coping. Not as much a "sea story", but a remarkable tale, in general. "It's the absences that get you, with any death. The gaps, the depths, the holes people leave behind: . . . "
Overall, a very mixed bag of stories. I'm honestly surprised at some selections that made it in here to begin with. However, most of them had something "good" to pick out.
March 21, 2018
Another great collection from Ellen Datlow - short and satisfying horror set around the theme of the sea. Full review to come.
December 17, 2022
I kinda like 4 stories here, and the Michael Marshall Smith one I read it, for the first time, somewhere else. SO, YES, a big let down!
Even Langan didn`t have an interesting text! I don`t understand why some of them were very long texts, and also, mostly, with a very small payout in the end. If there was one to be talked about, in the first place!
Nooo, you`re not loosing anything not reading this peculiar Anthology!
Even Langan didn`t have an interesting text! I don`t understand why some of them were very long texts, and also, mostly, with a very small payout in the end. If there was one to be talked about, in the first place!
Nooo, you`re not loosing anything not reading this peculiar Anthology!
February 26, 2018
More misses than hits inside this one. My review can be read here ----> https://wp.me/p5t5Tf-1r0
Read
July 6, 2021Picked this up from my library so I could read the two stories from Seanan McGuire and Stephen Graham Jones. Both were absolutely fantastic.
The sea/water stories aren’t really for me, so I did not get through the other stories…. No full review over here.
If you’re a fan of either of those authors though, pick this up sometime—CHILLS.
The sea/water stories aren’t really for me, so I did not get through the other stories…. No full review over here.
If you’re a fan of either of those authors though, pick this up sometime—CHILLS.
April 11, 2018
Listen to Ellen Datlow talk about this book on my podcast This new nautical themed anthology edited by Ellen Datlow really blew me away. It is perfectly executed, diverse, and bold in a way that I have come to expect from her work. It contains 15 all original short stories, all of which are solidly written and engaging. The edition starts with "Deadwater" by Simon Bestwick, which is remarkably well done and really hooks you in. It is the kind of tale that you expect to be in an anthology like this and has broad enough appeal that it will speak to most readers. The other big highlights for me were Michael Mashall Smith’s "Sh*t Happens" and Siobhan Carroll's "Haunt." Michael Marshall Smith’s was the funniest short fiction I have read in a long time and Siobhan's was easily the most powerful short horror I have read in years. This one demands the attention of short horror fans! Read my full review at Signal Horizon
July 29, 2023
Many of the stories in this collection lean towards fantasy rather than horror. There were a couple of highlights, including stories by John Langan and Stephen Graham Jones, but I usually find more consistent enjoyment and creepiness in anthologies curated by Ellen Datlow than I did in The Devil and the Deep.
October 8, 2020
I am a big fan of sea stories, even though I refuse to go into the ocean after seeing Jaws as a kid. I won't rate each story in the collection because there was only one I wasn't a fan of and a couple I thought were only OK. The rest are amazing, and there are so many varied plots and ideas in this collection. If you're into horror and what lies under the surface, this is a definite anthology to read.
June 18, 2023
Thoroughly enjoyed it.
March 28, 2019
Overall, 4 stars. There were a few really poor stories here, most of them placed right up front for some reason. Still, I trudged on, wanting to give each story a shot for its own merit. Doing so was a great pay off, for the last half of the book was especially good.
I wanted to give each story its own rating, since each from a different write. Besides, the only fair way to review an anthology is to review each individual story. So, here it goes.
Deadwater: A female protagonist uses her best skill (sex, of course) to manipulate men and find a killer. Not what I think of when I think horror story. 2 stars
Fodder’s Jig: I really wanted to see what was happening here, because there was something interesting happening with the dancing people along that shore; but I couldn’t see anything going on story-wise beside the overwhelming, in-your-face sex. Gave up when I encountered talk of “his sticky cock.” 1 star, because I just couldn’t finish it.
The Curios Allure of the Sea: Really cool tale. A woman gets a couple tattoos. Seagulls are after her. The tattoos burn. People look at her strangely. It’s a like a Lovecraftian story (with a talisman!) and written well. 5 stars.
The Tryal Attract: A good ghost story, with an artifact (an attract). 4 stars.
The Whalers Song: A crew of Whaler’s get shipwrecked. We watch through the eyes of our narrator as things get eerie and frightening. Also, cool talk of whales and whaling. (Also, this was the first story that took place on the water AND was a horror story.) 5 stars.
A Ship of the South Wind: Played like a weird western, where the white men hated mixed-blood “Injuns.” A ship in a desert that used to be sea. Kind of weird, which I like, but it lost me toward the end and I didn’t care about any of the characters. 3 stars.
What My Mother Left Me: Meh. I started it. Went two pages. Did not intrigue me. Did not care about the college girls biting each other’s ears, blowing into each other’s ears. I got the impression that they were coming to clean out a dead mom’s house, and apparently it was such a devasting situation like we needed to see flirting instead of mourning. I’m really over this teeny-bopper mindset that sex and flirtation and sexual tension is of the utmost importance and I need to see it in every story. 1 star.
Note to writers: There are more important things to show the reader than things related to sex. Go ahead, search for other feelings. They’re there. In fact, if you feel you need to show me sex, don’t. Write the story without it. It will be better. I promise. Do like Elmore Leonard: leave out the stuff people skip over.
Broken Record: I liked this story. It was an interesting take on an old writing prompt: what 10 things would you have on a desert island? Some of it was funny, some sad. But I’d call this fantasy more than horror, even though a monster does make an appearance. 4 stars.
Saudade: I’ve read a few things buy Steve Rasnic Tem and I’ve really like them all so far. This was an interesting that took a widower on a single’s cruise that turned into something like ghost story…kind of. That’s what great about Tem’s work: though it is certainly of the horror genre, it is otherwise tough to put in a box. 5 stars.
**Best story of the Anthology**
A Moment Before Breaking: A true horror story, and it took place in the sea, and it was about the sea. This story delivers on all the promises in the title of this book. There are monsters in the deep, an artifact, magic, a cult, a human sacrifice of an uncommon variety, and interesting characters. That’s a lot to jam into a short story, but A.C. Wise managed to do it, and with style. It was worth drudging through some of the earlier stuff to find this gem. It is incredibly well-written, perhaps the most skillfully-crafted story in this anthology. 5 stars +.
Sister, Dearest Sister, Let Me Show to You the Sea: This story does not take long to become creepy. It’s a revenge tale twice told, each sister wanting to punish the other. Throw in some ocean-related horror, a couple monster, and you’ve got a good story. 4 stars.
The Deep Sea Swell: A ghost story at sea. A lot happens in this story, too much to go into here; but it was a good read, with stories layered within a story. I always enjoy that. Well-written. 4 stars.
He Sings of Salt and Wormwood: This story led me astray, starting off with talk of diving and surfing. I wasn’t interested at first…then the worms showed up. Then there was talk of a 52 Hertz whale voice (that’s loud). Then weird carven statues started washing up on shore. Then I was hooked. This is among the best stories found in this collection. It renewed my fear of the deep. 5 stars.
Shit Happens: This manages to be face-paced, intriguing, disgusting, frightening, humorous, and mysteriously unsettling all at once. This is the style and craft many of us long for in our writing, but few manage to pull off. A great story; a quick read. 5 stars.
Haunt: Great story about a ship’s crew during the period of the Slave Trade. Slavery, and the atrocities related to, and derived from it, play a prominent role, especially in the mind of the character called Swift. The ghost ship that stalks the Minerva feels as real as the rest of the story. This tale is spooky on many levels and worth the read. 5 stars.
I wanted to give each story its own rating, since each from a different write. Besides, the only fair way to review an anthology is to review each individual story. So, here it goes.
Deadwater: A female protagonist uses her best skill (sex, of course) to manipulate men and find a killer. Not what I think of when I think horror story. 2 stars
Fodder’s Jig: I really wanted to see what was happening here, because there was something interesting happening with the dancing people along that shore; but I couldn’t see anything going on story-wise beside the overwhelming, in-your-face sex. Gave up when I encountered talk of “his sticky cock.” 1 star, because I just couldn’t finish it.
The Curios Allure of the Sea: Really cool tale. A woman gets a couple tattoos. Seagulls are after her. The tattoos burn. People look at her strangely. It’s a like a Lovecraftian story (with a talisman!) and written well. 5 stars.
The Tryal Attract: A good ghost story, with an artifact (an attract). 4 stars.
The Whalers Song: A crew of Whaler’s get shipwrecked. We watch through the eyes of our narrator as things get eerie and frightening. Also, cool talk of whales and whaling. (Also, this was the first story that took place on the water AND was a horror story.) 5 stars.
A Ship of the South Wind: Played like a weird western, where the white men hated mixed-blood “Injuns.” A ship in a desert that used to be sea. Kind of weird, which I like, but it lost me toward the end and I didn’t care about any of the characters. 3 stars.
What My Mother Left Me: Meh. I started it. Went two pages. Did not intrigue me. Did not care about the college girls biting each other’s ears, blowing into each other’s ears. I got the impression that they were coming to clean out a dead mom’s house, and apparently it was such a devasting situation like we needed to see flirting instead of mourning. I’m really over this teeny-bopper mindset that sex and flirtation and sexual tension is of the utmost importance and I need to see it in every story. 1 star.
Note to writers: There are more important things to show the reader than things related to sex. Go ahead, search for other feelings. They’re there. In fact, if you feel you need to show me sex, don’t. Write the story without it. It will be better. I promise. Do like Elmore Leonard: leave out the stuff people skip over.
Broken Record: I liked this story. It was an interesting take on an old writing prompt: what 10 things would you have on a desert island? Some of it was funny, some sad. But I’d call this fantasy more than horror, even though a monster does make an appearance. 4 stars.
Saudade: I’ve read a few things buy Steve Rasnic Tem and I’ve really like them all so far. This was an interesting that took a widower on a single’s cruise that turned into something like ghost story…kind of. That’s what great about Tem’s work: though it is certainly of the horror genre, it is otherwise tough to put in a box. 5 stars.
**Best story of the Anthology**
A Moment Before Breaking: A true horror story, and it took place in the sea, and it was about the sea. This story delivers on all the promises in the title of this book. There are monsters in the deep, an artifact, magic, a cult, a human sacrifice of an uncommon variety, and interesting characters. That’s a lot to jam into a short story, but A.C. Wise managed to do it, and with style. It was worth drudging through some of the earlier stuff to find this gem. It is incredibly well-written, perhaps the most skillfully-crafted story in this anthology. 5 stars +.
Sister, Dearest Sister, Let Me Show to You the Sea: This story does not take long to become creepy. It’s a revenge tale twice told, each sister wanting to punish the other. Throw in some ocean-related horror, a couple monster, and you’ve got a good story. 4 stars.
The Deep Sea Swell: A ghost story at sea. A lot happens in this story, too much to go into here; but it was a good read, with stories layered within a story. I always enjoy that. Well-written. 4 stars.
He Sings of Salt and Wormwood: This story led me astray, starting off with talk of diving and surfing. I wasn’t interested at first…then the worms showed up. Then there was talk of a 52 Hertz whale voice (that’s loud). Then weird carven statues started washing up on shore. Then I was hooked. This is among the best stories found in this collection. It renewed my fear of the deep. 5 stars.
Shit Happens: This manages to be face-paced, intriguing, disgusting, frightening, humorous, and mysteriously unsettling all at once. This is the style and craft many of us long for in our writing, but few manage to pull off. A great story; a quick read. 5 stars.
Haunt: Great story about a ship’s crew during the period of the Slave Trade. Slavery, and the atrocities related to, and derived from it, play a prominent role, especially in the mind of the character called Swift. The ghost ship that stalks the Minerva feels as real as the rest of the story. This tale is spooky on many levels and worth the read. 5 stars.
April 4, 2019
I'd heard a lot about this anthology before I read it, and was unsurprised to find it on the Stoker ballot. I think it deserves to be there. The stories are diverse in tone, subject, mood and voice. More than one had an ending I didn't see coming at all but which totally made sense when it did, and there are several I would happily read again.
August 31, 2022
Very enjoyable and solid collection! I only skipped 2 stories because they weren't to my taste but they were still well written. Ellen Datlow always delivers the goods on another collection with a nice variety of horrors.
May 31, 2025
What my mother left me - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Shit Happens - ⭐️⭐️⭐️.✨
Sister,Dearest Sister,Let me Show to you the Sea- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Shit Happens - ⭐️⭐️⭐️.✨
Sister,Dearest Sister,Let me Show to you the Sea- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
July 14, 2021
Not all the stories in the collection were amazing, but some of them really hit the mark:
- "Deadwater" - more of a thriller than a sea horror story, but with a fascinating first character
- "Fodder's Jig" - an innovative concept, with good characters and a satisfying ending
- "What My Mother Left Me" - the story didn't impress me much, but the characters stuck
- "Broken Record" - another inventive story, revolving around an interesting concept
- "Sister. Dearest Sister, Let Me Show You The Sea" - I swear, Seanan McGuire writes the most horrific stuff sometimes
- "He Sings of Salt and Wormwood" - another innovative concept creating a mystifying story
- "Shit Happens" - this was... hilarious in the extreme and definitely a story I wouldn't have been expecting to find in this horror collection. Nobody expects the end of the world to be so... shitty
- "Deadwater" - more of a thriller than a sea horror story, but with a fascinating first character
- "Fodder's Jig" - an innovative concept, with good characters and a satisfying ending
- "What My Mother Left Me" - the story didn't impress me much, but the characters stuck
- "Broken Record" - another inventive story, revolving around an interesting concept
- "Sister. Dearest Sister, Let Me Show You The Sea" - I swear, Seanan McGuire writes the most horrific stuff sometimes
- "He Sings of Salt and Wormwood" - another innovative concept creating a mystifying story
- "Shit Happens" - this was... hilarious in the extreme and definitely a story I wouldn't have been expecting to find in this horror collection. Nobody expects the end of the world to be so... shitty
March 29, 2021
Datlow's anthologies are generally better than the average ones, and while I wouldn't call this one of the best, it was still a very solid one. For a change I didn't dislike any of the tales; there were a couple I didn't care for nearly as much as the others, and a couple started off really strong but had total non-endings that gave the impression the authors couldn't figure out how to appropriately end the story so they just didn't, they just left it hanging.
It was nice to see three authors I'm very familiar with, Brian Hodge, John Langan and Michael Marshall Smith, all at the end of the book. I wouldn't call most of their contributions to be that spectacular, but they were still solid reads and in the top half of the stories.
It was nice to see three authors I'm very familiar with, Brian Hodge, John Langan and Michael Marshall Smith, all at the end of the book. I wouldn't call most of their contributions to be that spectacular, but they were still solid reads and in the top half of the stories.
December 22, 2019
Another good anthology by Ellen Datlow - with all the stories having some connection to the sea. All stories copyrighted in 2018.
As with all anthologies, not all stories appealed to me. Carroll's "Haunt" - which tells the tale of a a ghostly ship haunting the survivors of an earlier slave massacre....was perhaps too historical for my tastes, but a good story nonetheless.
I especially enjoyed Bestwick's "Deadwater", and an ocean inspired zombie apocalypse, Smith's "Shit Happens". "What My Mother Left Me", a tale of a monstrous metamorphosis, is also quite good.
Read it.
As with all anthologies, not all stories appealed to me. Carroll's "Haunt" - which tells the tale of a a ghostly ship haunting the survivors of an earlier slave massacre....was perhaps too historical for my tastes, but a good story nonetheless.
I especially enjoyed Bestwick's "Deadwater", and an ocean inspired zombie apocalypse, Smith's "Shit Happens". "What My Mother Left Me", a tale of a monstrous metamorphosis, is also quite good.
Read it.
August 8, 2018
A very good collection overall. Some of the more memorable ones include "Fodder's Jig," "The Whaler's Song," "Sister, Dearest Sister, Let Me Show You to the Sea," "Broken Record," "He Sings of Salt and Wormwood," and "Shit Happens." But my favorite was "Haunt" by Siobhan Carrol. Just a tremendous short story.
July 8, 2025
Excellent anthology of horror stories connected to the sea, edited by Ellen Datlow. My second anthology of hers, I read in 2017 the excellent _Haunted Nights_ anthology of Halloween themed stories. Like in _Haunted Nights_, the stories in _The Devil and the Deep_ were well written, often very emotional, and at times could be more about loss and grief than horror (though many in the anthology were most definitely horror).
The fifteen stories are all original and copyright 2018. “Deadwater” by Simon Bestwick was a strange opening to the book and while horrifying, was more crime fiction. The main character Emily clearly has a dark past. Good use of the English coast. “Fodder’s Jig” by Lee Thomas was one of the best of the book, involving Lovecraftian monsters and a disease from the sea itself, has a very gory, scary, and memorable scene as well as some twists. Good development and use of the characters' personal lives too. “The Curious Allure of the Sea” by Christoper Golden was a story of the power of strange symbols and the folly of using them without understanding them, a gripping tale. “The Tryal Attract” by Terry Dowling was one set in Australia that started out as a haunted house story but ended up with a maritime connection. Great opening line! “The Whalers Song” by Ray Cluley was a somber, dark tale of vengeance of the sea on whalers, set in Norway and the Arctic. “A Ship of the South Wind” by Bradly Denton was set in 1860s Kansas! It’s a Western but also a horror story about the sea. Cool use of Native American characters. “What My Mother Left Me” by Alyssa Wong was a haunting story on the North Carolina coast involving loss and a connection to the sea torn away from a mother and denied the daughter. Well written with a dark ending. “Broken Record” by Stephen Graham Jones is a story about a man named Jaden going insane on a desert island, increasingly losing touch with reality and descending into madness and delirium. Fun at first then gets dark with a surreal ending. “Saudade” by Steven Rasnic Tem is set on a cruise ship for single seniors and has connections to both Brazil and horrors of the sea. “A Moment Before Breaking” by A.C. Wise is a dark fantasy/horror story about refugees, both humans from human conflicts and deep-sea creatures from the court of the King Under the Waves. “Sister, Dearest Sister, Let Me Show You the Sea” by Seanan McGuire is a dark horror story of revenge and is also a very modern retelling of a famous fairytale. Gripping. “The Deep Sea Swell” by John Langan is a very well written ghost story involving the deep, set on a ferry making its way through tumultuous seas, the two hundred nautical miles between northeast Scotland and the Shetlands. “He Sings of Salt and Wormwood” by Brian Hodge was my favorite of the book, an excellent tale centering on Danny Yukimura, professional surfer turning free diver, who makes a dark discovery on a free dive. Just so well written, a tale of what the sea gives and what the sea takes away. “Shit Happens” by Michael Marshall Smith was the funniest story of the book but it is also an apocalyptic story in addition to being about the ocean. Set almost entirely on the _Queen Mary_ in Long Beach, it starts out as a fun tale centering on a boozy work conference and ends up being about the end of the world. Very good. “Haunt” by Siobhan Carroll was a dark, grim, grisly tale involving shipwrecked sailors and slave ships. Very graphic.
Excellent anthology overall, no bad ones and several by authors I will try to read more of, notably Brian Hodge.
The fifteen stories are all original and copyright 2018. “Deadwater” by Simon Bestwick was a strange opening to the book and while horrifying, was more crime fiction. The main character Emily clearly has a dark past. Good use of the English coast. “Fodder’s Jig” by Lee Thomas was one of the best of the book, involving Lovecraftian monsters and a disease from the sea itself, has a very gory, scary, and memorable scene as well as some twists. Good development and use of the characters' personal lives too. “The Curious Allure of the Sea” by Christoper Golden was a story of the power of strange symbols and the folly of using them without understanding them, a gripping tale. “The Tryal Attract” by Terry Dowling was one set in Australia that started out as a haunted house story but ended up with a maritime connection. Great opening line! “The Whalers Song” by Ray Cluley was a somber, dark tale of vengeance of the sea on whalers, set in Norway and the Arctic. “A Ship of the South Wind” by Bradly Denton was set in 1860s Kansas! It’s a Western but also a horror story about the sea. Cool use of Native American characters. “What My Mother Left Me” by Alyssa Wong was a haunting story on the North Carolina coast involving loss and a connection to the sea torn away from a mother and denied the daughter. Well written with a dark ending. “Broken Record” by Stephen Graham Jones is a story about a man named Jaden going insane on a desert island, increasingly losing touch with reality and descending into madness and delirium. Fun at first then gets dark with a surreal ending. “Saudade” by Steven Rasnic Tem is set on a cruise ship for single seniors and has connections to both Brazil and horrors of the sea. “A Moment Before Breaking” by A.C. Wise is a dark fantasy/horror story about refugees, both humans from human conflicts and deep-sea creatures from the court of the King Under the Waves. “Sister, Dearest Sister, Let Me Show You the Sea” by Seanan McGuire is a dark horror story of revenge and is also a very modern retelling of a famous fairytale. Gripping. “The Deep Sea Swell” by John Langan is a very well written ghost story involving the deep, set on a ferry making its way through tumultuous seas, the two hundred nautical miles between northeast Scotland and the Shetlands. “He Sings of Salt and Wormwood” by Brian Hodge was my favorite of the book, an excellent tale centering on Danny Yukimura, professional surfer turning free diver, who makes a dark discovery on a free dive. Just so well written, a tale of what the sea gives and what the sea takes away. “Shit Happens” by Michael Marshall Smith was the funniest story of the book but it is also an apocalyptic story in addition to being about the ocean. Set almost entirely on the _Queen Mary_ in Long Beach, it starts out as a fun tale centering on a boozy work conference and ends up being about the end of the world. Very good. “Haunt” by Siobhan Carroll was a dark, grim, grisly tale involving shipwrecked sailors and slave ships. Very graphic.
Excellent anthology overall, no bad ones and several by authors I will try to read more of, notably Brian Hodge.
April 23, 2019
I mentioned in my last post about Ellen Datlow how I planned to read more collections edited by her, and The Devil and the Deep is the next one I chose. I have always enjoyed stories about the sea and I was excited by the idea of reading horror stories all themed around the ocean. Sadly I didn't quite get what I wanted but I enjoyed this collection nevertheless. As per usual, I'll be going through the stories one by one.
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: 3.5/5
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: 3.5/5
August 1, 2025
A decent collection of original horror short stories with a maritime flare. As all original anthologies that I've encountered, there is a mix of good and bad here, but the average story was enjoyable.
Some of the best stories are as follows:
'The Whaler's Song" by Ray Cluely - A surreal and melancholic trip on a Scandinavian whaling vessel.
"What My Mother Left Me" by Alyssa Wong - Although I felt the pacing was a bit too quick, this was an interesting twist on the classic selkie myth.
"Broken Record" by Stephen Graham Jones - A genuinely clever story about a man marooned on a desert island.
"He Sings of Salt and Wormwood" by Brian Hodge - An effective, moody story with a some Lovecraftian undertones
"Haunt" by Siobhan Carroll - Easily the best story of the collection, a supernatural haunting inspired by real world history told through the usage of antiquated prose and genuine maritime jargon that create a sense of dark verisimilitude. Reminiscent of William Hope Hodgson and traditional ghost ship stories.
Some of the best stories are as follows:
'The Whaler's Song" by Ray Cluely - A surreal and melancholic trip on a Scandinavian whaling vessel.
"What My Mother Left Me" by Alyssa Wong - Although I felt the pacing was a bit too quick, this was an interesting twist on the classic selkie myth.
"Broken Record" by Stephen Graham Jones - A genuinely clever story about a man marooned on a desert island.
"He Sings of Salt and Wormwood" by Brian Hodge - An effective, moody story with a some Lovecraftian undertones
"Haunt" by Siobhan Carroll - Easily the best story of the collection, a supernatural haunting inspired by real world history told through the usage of antiquated prose and genuine maritime jargon that create a sense of dark verisimilitude. Reminiscent of William Hope Hodgson and traditional ghost ship stories.
January 1, 2021
2020 Popsugar Reading Challenge
11. An anthology
In under the wire with 45 minutes left in the year!
In the way of anthologies, this is a mixed bag. Mostly they were fine with a couple of standouts on either side of the bell curve.
On the praise-worthy side, my favorites were Stephen Graham Jones's wonderfully surreal "Broken Record", Brian Hodge's "He Sings of Salt and Wormwood", and my MOST favorite, A. C. Wise's "A Moment Before Breaking".
(Anyone who knows me will not be surprised by that being my favorite as it involves Lovecraftian deep sea monstrosities, Symbiote-style sharing a body, and people becoming monsters.)
(After bailing on Into the Drowning Deep and reading Seanan McGuire's story in this collection I'm gonna go ahead and mark her down as firmly "Not For Me". Sorry.)
11. An anthology
In under the wire with 45 minutes left in the year!
In the way of anthologies, this is a mixed bag. Mostly they were fine with a couple of standouts on either side of the bell curve.
On the praise-worthy side, my favorites were Stephen Graham Jones's wonderfully surreal "Broken Record", Brian Hodge's "He Sings of Salt and Wormwood", and my MOST favorite, A. C. Wise's "A Moment Before Breaking".
(Anyone who knows me will not be surprised by that being my favorite as it involves Lovecraftian deep sea monstrosities, Symbiote-style sharing a body, and people becoming monsters.)
(After bailing on Into the Drowning Deep and reading Seanan McGuire's story in this collection I'm gonna go ahead and mark her down as firmly "Not For Me". Sorry.)
September 3, 2024
Anthologies are always difficult to rate, because naturally some authors/stories are better, or are liked better by the reader, than others. This curious and unique collection is no exception. I enjoyed it, mostly because I love the sea and long for the water; I chose to read this book because of that and enjoyed it for that reason. I am not sure I would recommend this book to anyone I know, but in my case it had its purpose. Some of the stories really were good and enjoyable, but many, if not most of them, were not very memorable; not terrible, just not good either.
Top 3 stories (I think)
Deep Sea Swell
He Sings of Salt and Wormwood
Haunt
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Top 3 stories (I think)
Deep Sea Swell
He Sings of Salt and Wormwood
Haunt
-
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