Dark Waters

by Rhonda Parrish (Editor), Rose Chisnall (Contributor), Rob E. Boley (Contributor)

Water doesn’t need to be deep to be dark.

A remote lake where the locals wear iron anklets for protection, a ghost ship, a goddess, a pearl diver who finds much more than she’s looking for, the true story about a familiar fairy tale and more all lurk within these pages.

Featuring dark fantasy and horror by Chris Black, Rob E. Boley, Rose Chisnall, Megan M. Davies-Ostrom, Sharmon Gazaway, Rowena McGowan, Derek Newman-Stille, Thomas Vaughn and Lex Vranick, Dark Waters explores the darker side of water and the creatures that inhabit it. The horrors both above and below.

Proceed with caution.

Genres: Horror, Fantasy, Anthologies, Short Stories

132 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 14, 2021

About the author

Rhonda Parrish has the attention span of a magpie. Not only can she not focus on a single project at a time, but she also fails at sticking to one genre or even one type of writing (she does manage to stay true to one hockey team, though – Let’s go Oilers!). Perhaps best known for her work as an anthology editor – the Ottawa Review of Books called her “Canada’s best-known and most prolific speculative fiction anthologist” – Rhonda also works as a short story writer, novelist, game writer and a poet. She has been honoured to be included in a handful of ‘Best of’ anthologies, earn a coveted starred review from Publisher’s Weekly and be shortlisted for several awards including the Rhysling Award, the Aurora Award, the Dwarf Stars Award and Alberta Book Publishing Awards.

Most of her work falls under the speculative fiction umbrella but she has also penned paranormal non-fiction and non-speculative work.

In an effort to impose some order in her chaos, these days most of her short fiction and poetry is published directly through her Patreon https://www.patreon.com/c/RhondaParrish .

More information about her, updates and calls for submission are posted on her website http://www.rhondaparrish.com/home/.

Reviews

[Don Gerstein · Rating 4 out of 5]

These are tales of the things that would go bump in the night if they weren’t hidden under the waves and blending in with the seaweed.

The stories, written by various authors and edited by Rhonda Parrish, each carry the stylistic horror that is penned into them. Though I found all the selections to have their own devilish charm, there were a few that caught my imagination more than the others.

“Drowned,” a tale by Derek Newman-Stille, slowly moves through a woman’s life and leads up to a quick and horrific climax. Chris Black’s “The Black Oyster of Wisher’s Bay” twists and turns, making it difficult to guess the end.

If I had to choose a favorite, it would be the tale of “Jenny.” This is a backwoods story with a mythical feel, reminiscent of the legends you heard when you were a kid, of the demons that frequent the dark and scary places near our own homes. One can see where Megan M. Davies-Ostrom is taking us, but the retelling style makes the story something special.

“Dark Waters” is an enjoyable yet very dark collection of horror stories. Wait for the evening to come, and turn the lights low. Four stars.

My thanks to the editor for a complimentary electronic copy of this book.

[Megan Fennell · Rating 4 out of 5]

With such a variety of tones, atmospheres, and genres, there will be something for everyone to enjoy in this collection of stories about the darker things that live in water. Overall, this was an easy read to dip in and out of at my leisure.

A few of my particular favourites, omitting any spoilers, since the element of surprise is wonderfully strong in a lot of these :

I love, love, loved Megan M. Davies-Ostrom's 'Jenny', which dove in with an immediately excellent narrative voice and contains my very fave conceit, a story told within the telling of a story. Terrific descriptions and phrasing. I would absolutely seek out more work by this author and would like this narrator to tell me tales all day, though preferably in a location of my choosing.

I also adored Lex Vranick's skin-crawlingly visceral 'The Body', which somehow managed to evoke some of the nastier gore in this anthology with the most heart-warmingly believable character relationships. They also hit the sweet-spot of a blend between present experiences and memory, so that a ton of story was packed in while maintaining urgency and interest. Another author I'd be thrilled to read more from.

I'll also give a shout-out to the opening piece, Rose Chisnall's 'Siren Song', which felt almost like the prose version of ancient epic poetry. Terrific start to the anthology, sad and powerful with beautifully lush descriptions throughout.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Cat Bowser · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

This collection of stories is wonderfully dark. All too often the stories on mermaids or other sea faring creatures go for the whimsical. I’m so happy to report that is not the case here!

These stories dive into the dark origins of quote a few of these creatures as well as the dark side of humans that is brought out by fear and superstition. The words weave realistic characters and they react much like a normal person would.

I certainly have my favorites in this collection. But there’s not really one I dislike. Even the short ones, with their references to mythology and references to the dark unknown and power if the sea…

Give me more!

[Melanie S · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 chilling dark stars

Remember the old rhyme: 'Mother may I go out to swim? Yes, my darling daughter. But hang your clothes on a hickory limb, And don't go near the water!' That silly old bit of doggerel gains a whole different meaning after reading Rhonda Parrish's aptly titled Dark Waters anthology. Turns out Mother knew her stuff, as demonstrated by these strangely thrilling but ultimately frightening tales. Hidden depths that no sun can warm nor light illuminate hold monsters and mythical beings. Soaked in curses, drowning in tragedy, forever held fast by the deep, mere humans inevitably succumb to the dark waters. This voluntary and independent ARC review comes with a warning: Reader, beware!

[Barbara Harrison · Rating 4 out of 5]

This set of seven stories and two poems, varying in their level of horror, can be read in an afternoon.

Siren Song by Rose Chisnall: Calypso listens to the siren's song. PG 1/2 hour 5*

The Unethical Treatment of Flying Horses by Sharmon Gazaway: a one-minute poem

Drowned by Derek Newman-Stille: The story of a lake nymph. about 20 minutes

Jenny by Megan M. Davies-Ostrom: The story of the Marshall family at Green's Lake in Muskoka and Jenny Greenteeth. about 30 minutes.

The Body by Lex Vranick: an eerie half-hour read.

Mankiller by Thomas Vaughn: This one is on Lake Mankiller in Oklahoma in July and takes about half an hour.

Her Relentless Current by Rob E. Boley: is a very strange poem.

Prices by Rowena McGowan: a half an hour tale of different mermaids.

The Black Oyster of Wisher's Bay by Chris Black: yet another mermaid tale, this one taking about 45 minutes.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Danielle Palmer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Calypso ⭐️ ⭐️ - I did not completely understand this story. A young woman is the only healthy one left when her village is hit by a plague and she is therefore sacrificed. There was more, about her dad going missing and his empty ship repeatedly washing back up to their village.

Flying horses ⭐️⭐️ and 1/2 - Triton steals Pegasus for underwater battle.

Drowned ⭐️⭐️ A water spirit turns into a human for a man, man is displeased with her after awhile. She tries to go back to being a water spirit, but instead is a semi human translucent monster who lures men to death. Almost stopped reading the book at this point, with the first three stories being just ok.

Jenny ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - I liked this one a lot! A modern day retelling of Jenny green teeth

The body ⭐️⭐️⭐️ - The taken life of a siren requires a life in exchange, no matter how many years it has been

Mankiller - ⭐️⭐️⭐️ and 1/2 - strange! I liked it because it was completely different and left you wondering a bit at the end

Her relentless current - ⭐️ - mermaid mother mourning the loss of her infant forces a sailor to become her baby

Prices ⭐️⭐️⭐️ - the little mermaid story, from her vengeful sister’s point of view

The black oyster ⭐️⭐️ - I did not completely understand this one. Semi lesbian romance, a young woman pearl dives at night to appease her abusive father but accidentally becomes part sea demon (her hand) and she has no control over that part of her body now (it does it’s own violent things). She finds out her mother was a siren, she swallows her mothers pearl and starts falling through the water. 🤷‍♀️

[Alexandra Campolongo Street · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this anthology at a meet up in my community. The author of “The Body” was signing copies so I thought I’d give it a go and support local authors. This was my first venture into horror, and it just isn’t for me (surprise surprise). The story follows a girl in a small beach town (why I decided to read a horror story that takes place in a little beach town after moving to one IS BEYOND ME????) who encounters sirens, not the, I found a shiny spoon and I’m adding it to my collection sirens, the I have shark teeth for a mouth, sirens. I have an appreciation for all genres but I think I’ll stay on the romance side of the island from here on out. Staying out of the ocean from now until quite literally eternity, goodbye

*goodreads don’t you dare start recommending horror books to me

[Cat Jenkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was gifted an ARC copy of DARK WATERS in exchange for an honest review.

I live on an inlet of the Pacific Ocean, so the peculiar attraction of the sea is part and parcel of my soul. I know tides and storms and the creatures that care to show themselves. The ocean is strange, seductive; both calming and terrifying. That's the feeling I got from DARK WATERS.
Not every story of the nine included in this anthology spoke to me, nor did I find every one completely original, but every one was written as though there was some salt water in the writer's veins. So...let's go one on one with this work.

SIREN SONG is the lead-in to your voyage. A tale of vengeance and loss; eternal themes written in a style that had the rolling feel of the sea. As poetic and delicate as seafoam, but with the ugliness of rotten things hidden beneath the surface. Ultimately, it was an homage to Calypso.

THE UNETHICAL TREATMENT OF FLYING HORSES was my favorite. Touchingly lovely, with imagery that made me catch my breath. My only criticism is that it ended. I would have loved to see it go into greater depth, but that might have reduced its power. I will re-read this particular poem a few times.

DROWNED is a take on the mermaid/ondine becoming mortal for love and curiosity. It's an old story, but with a tragic twist that raises it above the common legends. In the end, I found it an interesting comment on the mortal condition.

JENNY is a riff on another classic legend. I was raised with the tale of Meg Mucklebone. Here, it's Jenny Greenteeth. Nothing surprised me in the plot, but the pleasure in reading was to be found in the atmospheric dialogue and imagery.

THE BODY qualifies as true horror. Rich descriptions are the star of a talented rendition of how the call of the sea sometimes wins. This was my second favorite among the nine.

MANKILLER ranks as my third favorite with perhaps the most original twist blending etymology with the classic story of the alluring creatures that can emerge from the water and trap us.

HER RELENTLESS CURRENT is the second poetry offering with enough power to make it my fourth favorite. I will never look at the phenomenon of rip tides the same way...

PRICES is an intriguing combo of fairy tales. The appearance of iron shoes heated to blistering effect is often used in classic stories like the original Snow White. And, again, we have the age-old mermaid who adopts human mortality at great price for the sake of love. But it's also a tribute to sisterhood which trips it over into horror quite nicely. Beautifully written.

THE BLACK OYSTER OF WISHER'S BAY is the story that does the most world-building. It's not your usual paradigm of abused-child-makes-good, although at first I thought it would travel that road. I won't spoil it by telling you the different route it takes. I will say that I, personally, found the ending a little dissatisfying. I would have liked to know more.

But overall, DARK WATERS is very satisfying. My familiarity with the ocean has given me my favorites. The book is a reflection of the danger and beauty that really do lurk just below the surface. Or maybe in the deepest, coldest depths

[Isabella Hodson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The concept for “Dark Waters” really intrigued me: there’s just so much possibility here. From water-dwelling creatures and spirits, mystery, mythology and folklore, and the many layers of darkness that can be explored. There’s always been a special place in my heart for elemental stories, as well as contemporary work that explores magical creatures, mythology, and fairy tales, and Rhonda Parrish’s curated anthologies usually deliver. This anthology had been on my radar for a while, and I’m so glad that I finally found the time to dive into it (pun intended)!

First off, Dark Waters is a very accessible anthology, with seven stories and two poems. The length is not intimidating. While there is some murder, light gore, creepy creatures, unexplained happenings, vengeance, and death, none of it will give you nightmares. As per usual, Parrish does a top-notch job of putting together a wide diversity of voices and narrative styles, from colloquial first-person narration to quasi detective mystery to dark and haunting. Each story is genuinely unique in its own way, and each piece is well placed within the larger body of work. I particularly appreciated the different styles of tale in the anthology. Yes, there are several stories about sirens set by the ocean, but there are also many other refreshingly different characters set in different types of bodies of water: lake monsters, mermaids, spirits, and other water-dwelling creatures. I was not familiar with the work of any of the authors featured in this anthology, but I’m keen to seek out what other stories each of them has written, as there are some powerful voices represented here.

The anthology begins with “Siren Song” by Rose Chisnall, a richly imaginative story of a woman favoured by the sea goddess, who tries to give herself to the sea but is rescued by a young man who becomes her husband. The story explores the eerie traditions of the seaside village and tells the tale of an empty ship that comes aground there, bringing with it a plague, and of the price the villagers demand to set things right. There’s a pulse beneath the writing that pulls the reader along in this dark, poetic, and alluring story, with lovely phrasings and descriptions, all the way to its end, where vengeance hangs ripe in the sea wind, ready for the taking.

The poems, “The Unethical Treatment of Flying Horses” by Sharmon Gazaway and “Her Relentless Current” by Rob E. Boley, offer short takes on the dark waters theme. Gazaway offers rich images and fragments of a story, while Boley gives the reader dark and magical renderings, the lushly worded poem about a mermaid who takes a swimmer as her baby / lover full of meanings and undercurrents.

Two particular stories stand out to me in Dark Waters. First is “Mankiller” by Thomas Vaughn, which fuses entomology into the plot as a critical part of the storyline. The work has the feel of a police detective story, but plays with the trope of the siren in such an unexpected way. I so appreciate that the monster in the story is unconventional. She’s an older woman, and she is educated: a professor of entomology who is studying the invertebrates in the lake. She is setting traps for the mayflies that swell around the water, while also setting a trap for her prey, the police detective. She’s more than just a monster, though; she’s a smart, intelligent, cunning woman, ancient yet matter-of-fact, appealing with her disarming charm, her mature sexuality alluring. The story is rich with parallels: love and death, feces and decay versus mating and life, the brevity of a mayfly’s life contrasted with the ancient spirit of the water. The descriptions and actions are unusually wonderful, too: flies spill from their lips as the detective and the monster kiss, and the mayfly nymphs burrow into the brain. The originality of the story is truly breathtaking. I absolutely loved it.

Megan M. Davies-Ostrom’s “Jenny” is equally terrific. A chatty first-person narrator tells us the story of Jenny Greenteeth, a monster that lives in a Muskoka lake. The neighbourly narrator drops plenty of foreboding hints in her telling of the story, but it still winds deliciously toward its resolution. We discover that the townspeople are complicit in the crimes that take place in and immediately around peaceful, serene Green’s Lake; they even take turns disposing of dead people’s vehicles, cleaning up after the monster, all in an effort to maintain the serenity of their slice of heaven. Davies-Ostrom turns Ontario’s familiar cottage country into the fantastical, and makes it infinitely more interesting with this captivating tall tale. The ambiguous end leaves readers wondering just how intimately the narrator knows Jenny.

Lex Vranick’s “The Body” offers a moody tale about a body that washes up on the shore of a coastal tourist town, and of the creature that emerges from it. The story tells of family ties and the bonds between people while also exploring the call of the water and what it means to be marked by the siren. Vranick’s story is atmospheric and well told, and I like that the siren in the story is both ugly and unappealing.

There are a couple of stories in Dark Waters that play with the familiar Disney version of The Little Mermaid. One such story is “Drowned” by Derek Newman-Stille, which gives us the jaded ex-mermaid’s tale. The bitter, now-dead woman traded her magic to the sea witch to become human, and was then mistreated and abused, only to bring death upon cruel men in her watery form, breathing water into their lungs. The story offers some interesting descriptions of the acts of walking, speaking, and breathing as told from a former mermaid’s perspective, and ventures far, far away from the Disney version of the tale. Rowena McGowan’s “Prices” is a juicy morsel of a story bleeding on a plate. It starts off with gorgeous descriptions of the beginnings of a mermaid’s life, as told by the eldest of twelve sisters. She tells of how she and her sisters were born, what they ate, and their interactions with sailors, and it is utterly fascinating. But then the story strays a little too close to the Disney version of the tale, with the prince, the sea witch, the youngest sister’s trading her voice for legs, et cetera. After such a strong beginning, rich with description and imagination, I was a little disappointed to return to the too-familiar movie version of the story. The tale does get back on track, though, and turns into a dark, cruel story of vengeance for the loss of two sisters from the sea – one dead and one now human – and of the horrors that the sisters exact on the callous prince.

Lastly, “The Black Oyster of Wisher’s Bay” offers an adventure story of a woman who has grown up with violence at her side, who is half siren but doesn’t know it, and who begins her transformation into a superhumanly strong and fast-moving creature of the water. Although there is some ambiguity and unanswered questions at the end, the storytelling is solid and the tale altogether fascinating. It’s a good story to end on for this anthology.

I really enjoyed my venture into the depths with this book. It’s refreshingly different from what one might expect with this theme. The sheer variety of dark creatures is amazing, and is a testament to the many talented writers whose imaginations run wild in the tales featured in the collection. If you’re seeking a quick, compelling read that you can dive into for either one story at a time or for a good long read, Dark Waters delivers. I highly recommend it.

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up to read while staying in a cabin by the lake, and it definitely fit the mood perfectly. Reading these stories underneath mermaid and beach decor, having just come from the water myself, really enhanced the dark fantasy atmosphere. When your own skin is still cold, your own hair still wet, the horrors of the deep from these stories are brought to life in a visceral way.

There are no weak-link stories. All flow together well, as water tales should. Even the one I initially found most off-putting, Her Relentless Current, disturbed me into a second reading, which lent me a new appreciation for it. Mankiller, Jenny, and The Unethical Treatment of Flying Horses are standouts.

If you don't happen to be near an ominous body of water, I definitely recommend this for a bathtub read!

[Kat M · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was another wonderful anthology edited by Ms. Parrish, each story was well done and flowed together with each other. I look forward to more anthologies from Ms. Parrish.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Janice Drake · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the stories and poems. The darkness of the stories really kept me enthralled, each had its own bit of horror. I don't know that I could pick a favorite, some are about women getting revenge or being swept up by water demons; but all are related to water and women. I enjoyed it.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Mary T · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good.
This collection of stories is very different, All are related to water but in ways you would not expect. Reading this was a great change of pace.
I received this book as an ARC.

[Cleocutie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good set of stories that have a common theme, but very different feels. That is one of the reasons I like anthologies and this one is a great example of it.

[M.L.D. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This anthology is a quick read and, as the title promises, a dark one. My fave story was "Jenny" by Megan M. Davies-Ostrom. It has a distinctive voice, a lovely tale-within-a-tale premise, and reminds me of Shirley Jackson, who wrote a lot of stories about horrific assholes in small towns. Jenny may have the appearance of arrogant city slickers but underneath, if we can take that anthology title further, are the Jacksonian tones of insular small town horror.

[Brittlynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

In all honesty this took me a while to get to I was so hesitant to try out a new author after so many flops now I'm standing here with 'pie' on my face this book was fantastic and would've put me out of my misery I am definitely a fan and can't wait for the next book, hopefully s lot of books, from this author

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

An anthology of horror with water as the common denominator. With stories set underwater and above, it will make you think twice when you are near a body of water. Some stories are gorier than others, but I can tell you that they will definitely stay with you long after you've finished reading the last one.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Hanna Belle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I highly enjoyed this spooky collection of stories, especially as they all take place in the water. Very creepy and a quick read!

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jess Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW! This collection was so freaking good!

There were two short poems? Flash fictions? That i didn't care to much for but the rest was amazing and 3 of them i wanted full on stories for .