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Tales of Weird Florida Short Stories #1
Hook, Line, and Slinker
High winds and storm warnings?
Not exactly the best time for Eugene Law to be out on the road, but when a message from an old friend lights up the cell phone of Tampa’s finest Magician, Tropical Storm Florence has to take a back seat. The Gloom is hungry, and it’s got a hankering for human flesh.
Umbralings, truculent spirits, and a very progressive pair of glasses take Gene Law to the brink in this short story from the Tales of Weird Florida.
Not exactly the best time for Eugene Law to be out on the road, but when a message from an old friend lights up the cell phone of Tampa’s finest Magician, Tropical Storm Florence has to take a back seat. The Gloom is hungry, and it’s got a hankering for human flesh.
Umbralings, truculent spirits, and a very progressive pair of glasses take Gene Law to the brink in this short story from the Tales of Weird Florida.
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Published October 25, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
December 25, 2019
I find the Tales of Weird Florida stories particularly appealing. The characters seem to be reality based and the writing is excellent. Gene Law is just your average magician fighting the creepy crawlies that the rest of us can't even see. He does it with good humor and a fair degree of aplomb while dealing with his wife, kids, and friends.
If you are looking for a quick read, you can't go wrong with any of the Tales of Weird Florida.
If you are looking for a quick read, you can't go wrong with any of the Tales of Weird Florida.
June 9, 2020
Everytime I finish a Weird Florida tale I tell myself it can’t get any better than what I’ve just read.
And I’m always wrong.
I loved this story from top to bottom. Martin Shannon writes with so much humor, and at the same time he makes sure the story stays exciting all the way to the end.
Highly recommended, both if you’re looking forward to finding out how awesome this series is, and also when you’ve read his magnificent novels and you’re ready for more fun with characters you know and love.
And I’m always wrong.
I loved this story from top to bottom. Martin Shannon writes with so much humor, and at the same time he makes sure the story stays exciting all the way to the end.
Highly recommended, both if you’re looking forward to finding out how awesome this series is, and also when you’ve read his magnificent novels and you’re ready for more fun with characters you know and love.
May 22, 2020
Hook, Line, and Slinker, Book 1,Weird Florida, Martin Shannon
A short story rather than a book. However, as short stories go, this one was pretty good.
A short story rather than a book. However, as short stories go, this one was pretty good.
December 5, 2019
Martin Shannon has just gotten me hooked on this story of a magic-user with the same kind of luck and situations as Harry Dresden and Alex Verus, which he writes with the snark and humour of Gail Z. Martin's Mark Wojcik. And unfortunately for Eugene Law, he just don't get no respect.
December 20, 2019
Love this book
Like it wasn't that long another one I didn't want to put down. If your like me and like to read books that can be read in one night this is the book for you
Like it wasn't that long another one I didn't want to put down. If your like me and like to read books that can be read in one night this is the book for you
September 7, 2020
For the creepy daydreamers
Since this review ended up long because I can't resist quoting pieces, I'll summarize: fast-paced while still building tension, imaginative freaky stuff, and Gene's wise-cracking don't-care-what-nobody-thinks unique brand of saving the day. I recommend it, and love this series for the short bites of action in each page-turning story.
As a former resident of Florida familiar with all its relentless weather and weird people, I am loving Martin's take on the place. This story starts out with driving in a tropical storm, and I can so relate to feeling as though the storm has a mind of its own, trapping you where you don't want to be. He says it perfectly through Gene's POV: "Florida seemed to exist at that geometric focal point of weird that made it ground zero for easy passage between here and the great beyond." Yes. True. That's why so many old people.
This one has a lot of neat objects for Gene to use, like a librarian's old glasses, a tiny shadow box lantern, and "the corsage of a young man who died in a car accident before he could deliver it to his prom date" (kind of). I love touches like that in a supernatural tale.
What I like most about these Weird Florida stories is how seamlessly magick is interwoven with reality. Martin gets the daydreamer vibe of "what if that's not what it seems…" extremely well. For example, this is the sort of thing that would cross my brain and here it is, in a book!: "Did you know the Blue Holes in the Bahamas doubled as a portal to a frightening plane of alien Magick?"
Each of his imaginings are unique. In this story it is "Umbralings", described as "supernatural ticks, big as golden retrievers with an appetite to match." Gene faces off against these vampiric creatures in an old folk's home (because, Florida). The action wraps up with a surprise characteristic of Martin's stories.
And of course, as always, the writing is witty with rim-shot lines that keep the spooky stuff from getting too heavy: "Seeing the Gloom was a neat trick, but visiting the Gloom was borderline crazy. Home to Deep Magick and forever-hungry creatures that would like nothing more than to chew on your face—a trip to the Gloom was sort of like visiting my wife’s family."
Since this review ended up long because I can't resist quoting pieces, I'll summarize: fast-paced while still building tension, imaginative freaky stuff, and Gene's wise-cracking don't-care-what-nobody-thinks unique brand of saving the day. I recommend it, and love this series for the short bites of action in each page-turning story.
As a former resident of Florida familiar with all its relentless weather and weird people, I am loving Martin's take on the place. This story starts out with driving in a tropical storm, and I can so relate to feeling as though the storm has a mind of its own, trapping you where you don't want to be. He says it perfectly through Gene's POV: "Florida seemed to exist at that geometric focal point of weird that made it ground zero for easy passage between here and the great beyond." Yes. True. That's why so many old people.
This one has a lot of neat objects for Gene to use, like a librarian's old glasses, a tiny shadow box lantern, and "the corsage of a young man who died in a car accident before he could deliver it to his prom date" (kind of). I love touches like that in a supernatural tale.
What I like most about these Weird Florida stories is how seamlessly magick is interwoven with reality. Martin gets the daydreamer vibe of "what if that's not what it seems…" extremely well. For example, this is the sort of thing that would cross my brain and here it is, in a book!: "Did you know the Blue Holes in the Bahamas doubled as a portal to a frightening plane of alien Magick?"
Each of his imaginings are unique. In this story it is "Umbralings", described as "supernatural ticks, big as golden retrievers with an appetite to match." Gene faces off against these vampiric creatures in an old folk's home (because, Florida). The action wraps up with a surprise characteristic of Martin's stories.
And of course, as always, the writing is witty with rim-shot lines that keep the spooky stuff from getting too heavy: "Seeing the Gloom was a neat trick, but visiting the Gloom was borderline crazy. Home to Deep Magick and forever-hungry creatures that would like nothing more than to chew on your face—a trip to the Gloom was sort of like visiting my wife’s family."
Read
August 2, 2020Very quick read. Not my "cup of tea" , this was my second work by this author, and will probably be the last. Fantasy a bit too far fetched.
August 27, 2020
Not scary!
Kinda a cute story! Read it in one go and am looking forward to the next. Gotta love the "picked on" magic man
Kinda a cute story! Read it in one go and am looking forward to the next. Gotta love the "picked on" magic man
June 1, 2021
Excellent combination of scary, horrifying and humorous! I love the creativity and the characters. I read this short story straight through and instantly wanted to read the rest of the series. I highly recommend it.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this ebook from the author and this is my honest and unsolicited opinion.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this ebook from the author and this is my honest and unsolicited opinion.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews