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Strange Fish
In the small fishing village of the Baai, somewhere on the west coast of Africa, a boy's line cuts through the water. With scissoring strokes he hauls a creature from the deep. It kicks, and bucks, an animal he does not know. Intently he watches as it rises...
Jono is a lonely fisherman who must work hard to pay the debt he owes. Uncle Mike is a factory owner trying desperately to stay above water. The Baai is a tiny town, peopled with those who have fished the same way for generations. And now there are no fish.
When a race of foreigners arrive with ships that stagger the ways of the Baai's simple folk, it seems the village will be washed away by the tide of the turning world. But for one boy with an uncommon he can hear the thoughts of fishes.
For in the deep a secret lies buried, and through Jono’s line it must come tumbling out.
"Riveting, gut ripping, and utterly, utterly beautiful. A magnificently crafted tale from the mind of a creative giant." - Rod Burn
“Like the ocean’s tides this book pulses rhythmically, washing up unexpected treasures. A strange, beautiful tale.” - Toast Coetzer, Go! Magazine, The Buckfever Underground.
Author Milton Schorr was born in 1981 in Cape Town, South Africa. He attended the University of Cape Town as a student of theatre, thereafter creating theatre works across South Africa. As a writer and actor he has received the Imbewu Scriptwriting award for his play The Heroin Diaries , and both the ‘iDidTht Best of Reel for Direction Craft’ and ‘Vimeo Staff Pick’ award for the short film Surrender , and has appeared in blockbuster Hollywood productions such as Resident The Final Chapter , Outlander , Tomb Raider , and Redeeming Love . He is a renowned travel and sports writer, with credits in many of South Africa's major publications. Strange Fish is his first novel.
Jono is a lonely fisherman who must work hard to pay the debt he owes. Uncle Mike is a factory owner trying desperately to stay above water. The Baai is a tiny town, peopled with those who have fished the same way for generations. And now there are no fish.
When a race of foreigners arrive with ships that stagger the ways of the Baai's simple folk, it seems the village will be washed away by the tide of the turning world. But for one boy with an uncommon he can hear the thoughts of fishes.
For in the deep a secret lies buried, and through Jono’s line it must come tumbling out.
"Riveting, gut ripping, and utterly, utterly beautiful. A magnificently crafted tale from the mind of a creative giant." - Rod Burn
“Like the ocean’s tides this book pulses rhythmically, washing up unexpected treasures. A strange, beautiful tale.” - Toast Coetzer, Go! Magazine, The Buckfever Underground.
Author Milton Schorr was born in 1981 in Cape Town, South Africa. He attended the University of Cape Town as a student of theatre, thereafter creating theatre works across South Africa. As a writer and actor he has received the Imbewu Scriptwriting award for his play The Heroin Diaries , and both the ‘iDidTht Best of Reel for Direction Craft’ and ‘Vimeo Staff Pick’ award for the short film Surrender , and has appeared in blockbuster Hollywood productions such as Resident The Final Chapter , Outlander , Tomb Raider , and Redeeming Love . He is a renowned travel and sports writer, with credits in many of South Africa's major publications. Strange Fish is his first novel.
208 pages, Paperback
Published July 6, 2021
About the author
Milton Schorr
6 books3 followersActor (Tomb Raider, Resident Evil, Redeeming Love) and author, who's first novel Strange Fish is out now via Pilgrim's Press Books at www.pilgrimspressbooks.com.
Schorr has worked extensively with the MMA promotion EFC worldwide, directing and producing their monthly ‘Countdown’ documentary series, as well as directing their recent reality television show ‘The Fighter’ Season 2.
As a writer and actor he has received the Imbewu Scriptwriting award for his play ‘The Heroin Diaries’, and both the ‘iDidTht Best of Reel for Direction Craft’ and ‘Vimeo Staff Pick’ award for his short film ‘Surrender’ (Actor/Writer) along with director Porteus Xandau, and has appeared in various international film and television productions, such as Paul WS Anderson’s Resident Evil: The Final Chapter, Black Sails, various international TV series, and Tomb Raider (March 2018).
He has co-founded two theatre companies, authored six plays, directing and producing them and others in venues all throughout South Africa, and starred in numerous others.
The desire to inspire others is the vein that runs through all of his work, an aim achieved by sharing stories straight from the heart.
Schorr has worked extensively with the MMA promotion EFC worldwide, directing and producing their monthly ‘Countdown’ documentary series, as well as directing their recent reality television show ‘The Fighter’ Season 2.
As a writer and actor he has received the Imbewu Scriptwriting award for his play ‘The Heroin Diaries’, and both the ‘iDidTht Best of Reel for Direction Craft’ and ‘Vimeo Staff Pick’ award for his short film ‘Surrender’ (Actor/Writer) along with director Porteus Xandau, and has appeared in various international film and television productions, such as Paul WS Anderson’s Resident Evil: The Final Chapter, Black Sails, various international TV series, and Tomb Raider (March 2018).
He has co-founded two theatre companies, authored six plays, directing and producing them and others in venues all throughout South Africa, and starred in numerous others.
The desire to inspire others is the vein that runs through all of his work, an aim achieved by sharing stories straight from the heart.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
August 9, 2021
This is my son Milton's first novel. This is what I wrote to him:
'I've read hundreds of books, but this is a first. What next? And I turn the page.'
Son: 'Is that good? It's a page turner?'
Me: 'Delightfully different ...'
'I've read hundreds of books, but this is a first. What next? And I turn the page.'
Son: 'Is that good? It's a page turner?'
Me: 'Delightfully different ...'
December 16, 2022
Disclaimer: Pilgrim Press and the author of this novel, Milton Schorr, kindly sent me a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
This is the story of a young fisherman named Jono who lives a quiet and unassuming life. He lives in a shack on the beach and spends most of his time fishing from his little motorboat. Jono takes his daily catch to the local fabriek (factory) where it is processed and then sold. Sometimes he makes a little money, usually just enough to put petrol in his boat's engine, but usually, Jono walks away with nothing because he owes the fabriek owner money.
Mike Morkel 'Uncle Mike' owns the Hansbaai Fishing Consortium, and he has always been tough on Jono, and especially lately when the boy has been bringing in very few fish. Uncle Mike can't blame Jono though- the whole of the 'Baai' has been struggling to catch fish, and as the work becomes less and less, the people are becoming more and more desperate. Morale is low, and the magic of Hansbaai has all but faded.
When Jono is out fishing again one morning he catches a fish the color of a rainbow. There is something very special about this particular fish because Jono can communicate with it. Man and fish begin to speak, and it is then that Jono's world changes. Though he realizes there is something magical about the fish, there may just be something even more special within himself.
"Why are you always alone? The others are always in twos."
"I work better by myself. The others have different ways."
"They don't hear like you do."
"No."
"Why can only you hear us?"
"I don't know...I cannot explain the sea."
When Jono discovers another strange creature in the ocean - one with the face and torso of a woman, and the body of a fish, he knows that he will need to keep its existence a secret. What he doesn't know though is that they will develop a great love for one another, and that love will transcend everything he was taught to understand on land.
In the meantime, the people of the Baai, and especially the factory owners, have heard that a fleet of foreign ships has marked their waters, and they won't stop until they have caught every last fish. Mr. Yoguchi is the fleet's leader, and he wants to get the locals on his side - and he does this by promising all of the main factory owners a chance to work together, and essentially share in the ocean's bounty.
"The boy breathes with gills as he sits at the wheel; he shimmers with scales. He follows the fish in his mind's eye..."
As the community considers going into business with Yoguchi, Jono reveals a new and unbelievable ability to find where all the fish are. He then suddenly goes missing, and the strange creature he left hidden behind in his shack mourns his absence. Soon enough Uncle Mike comes across the creature and is fascinated by her. The creature reminds him of the wife and daughter he once cherished, and whose loss he feels very deeply.
As the creature begins to search for Jono - her lost love - Uncle Mike is saddened by the people of the Baai's decision to join with Yoguchi. He feels disconnected, regrets the way he treated Jono, and dreams of the days and nights when his family was still alive.
Just as the strange creature from the bottom of the ocean is an outsider, and the fleet of foreign ships are considered intruders, so are Jono and Mike considered outsiders in the seaside town. Mike is originally from the mountains, and even though he has spent more time in the Baai the locals will always see him as not quite one of them. As for Jono, his presence in the Baai is tolerated, and so he lives off the land and completely on his own - on the very edge if you will. They may all be outsiders, but the seaside community is starting to realize they may just need some help, but that doesn't mean that all is well and that Yoguchi is the right man to help them.
Strange Fish is magical realism, folklore, a story of environmental significance, and a tale that lovingly reveals the bonds of family and community. Milton Schorr is an impeccable writer with a clear love for the land and the sea, and the magic of imagination. With lyrical prose and heartwarming characters, Big Fish is a triumph!
This is the story of a young fisherman named Jono who lives a quiet and unassuming life. He lives in a shack on the beach and spends most of his time fishing from his little motorboat. Jono takes his daily catch to the local fabriek (factory) where it is processed and then sold. Sometimes he makes a little money, usually just enough to put petrol in his boat's engine, but usually, Jono walks away with nothing because he owes the fabriek owner money.
Mike Morkel 'Uncle Mike' owns the Hansbaai Fishing Consortium, and he has always been tough on Jono, and especially lately when the boy has been bringing in very few fish. Uncle Mike can't blame Jono though- the whole of the 'Baai' has been struggling to catch fish, and as the work becomes less and less, the people are becoming more and more desperate. Morale is low, and the magic of Hansbaai has all but faded.
When Jono is out fishing again one morning he catches a fish the color of a rainbow. There is something very special about this particular fish because Jono can communicate with it. Man and fish begin to speak, and it is then that Jono's world changes. Though he realizes there is something magical about the fish, there may just be something even more special within himself.
"Why are you always alone? The others are always in twos."
"I work better by myself. The others have different ways."
"They don't hear like you do."
"No."
"Why can only you hear us?"
"I don't know...I cannot explain the sea."
When Jono discovers another strange creature in the ocean - one with the face and torso of a woman, and the body of a fish, he knows that he will need to keep its existence a secret. What he doesn't know though is that they will develop a great love for one another, and that love will transcend everything he was taught to understand on land.
In the meantime, the people of the Baai, and especially the factory owners, have heard that a fleet of foreign ships has marked their waters, and they won't stop until they have caught every last fish. Mr. Yoguchi is the fleet's leader, and he wants to get the locals on his side - and he does this by promising all of the main factory owners a chance to work together, and essentially share in the ocean's bounty.
"The boy breathes with gills as he sits at the wheel; he shimmers with scales. He follows the fish in his mind's eye..."
As the community considers going into business with Yoguchi, Jono reveals a new and unbelievable ability to find where all the fish are. He then suddenly goes missing, and the strange creature he left hidden behind in his shack mourns his absence. Soon enough Uncle Mike comes across the creature and is fascinated by her. The creature reminds him of the wife and daughter he once cherished, and whose loss he feels very deeply.
As the creature begins to search for Jono - her lost love - Uncle Mike is saddened by the people of the Baai's decision to join with Yoguchi. He feels disconnected, regrets the way he treated Jono, and dreams of the days and nights when his family was still alive.
Just as the strange creature from the bottom of the ocean is an outsider, and the fleet of foreign ships are considered intruders, so are Jono and Mike considered outsiders in the seaside town. Mike is originally from the mountains, and even though he has spent more time in the Baai the locals will always see him as not quite one of them. As for Jono, his presence in the Baai is tolerated, and so he lives off the land and completely on his own - on the very edge if you will. They may all be outsiders, but the seaside community is starting to realize they may just need some help, but that doesn't mean that all is well and that Yoguchi is the right man to help them.
Strange Fish is magical realism, folklore, a story of environmental significance, and a tale that lovingly reveals the bonds of family and community. Milton Schorr is an impeccable writer with a clear love for the land and the sea, and the magic of imagination. With lyrical prose and heartwarming characters, Big Fish is a triumph!
October 18, 2021
Truly captivating story with real characters that take you to the unknown and back again - In terms of poetry, underlying meanings and life lessons ... Milton's writing makes me think Paulo Coelho ... same stratosphere different continent.
November 15, 2021
I loved this book from start to finish. Beautifully woven tale that had me in the “real” world of the rugged South African West Coast one minute, with characters all too familiar, then whisked me away into an utterly surreal “non human” world! The story spoke to my heart and soul. Inspiring. Intriguing. But most of all heartwarming and heart opening. Thank you Milton for sharing your great storytelling gift with us all!
November 20, 2025
I received this book as a gift from my aunt. She was at a book launch in McGregor and there’s a note from the author on the first page which is pretty cool. The style of writing is something I don’t think I have experienced before, it’s so descriptive. Schorr is able to paint a picture in your head down to the very small details. With this being said it can be a blessing and a curse, at times I felt myself saying get on with the story and being quite frustrated with how descriptive the story became. I also found myself lost at times within the book, especially between pages 100-150 I had to re read many pages to try figure out what was going on. I don’t do any fishing so a lot of the terms and references I did not understand, but that shouldn’t affect the rating. Some positives I found in this story was the local context, it’s a story situated in South Africa and I appreciate the different use of language. I got a bit lost with the time that the story takes place, at times it felt like a modern context and other parts it felt as if it was taking place 10-20 years ago. Overall it’s a book that didn’t really connect with me but I can appreciate the writing and see how other enjoy it.
June 7, 2022
Thank you! Thank you ! As Jono might say...
Really enjoyed disappearing into " Strange Fish" .
It is very beautiful how compassionate and gentle Milton Schorr painted images of the human shadow side in his book. The dance between conscious and unconscious knowing.
The very thin line and connection between love, fear, anger and grief.
The blame shame game, humans play out
Eat: the one core need every BEing has...
Definitely recommend reading.
Hope Part 2 will show up very soon in the book stores
Really enjoyed disappearing into " Strange Fish" .
It is very beautiful how compassionate and gentle Milton Schorr painted images of the human shadow side in his book. The dance between conscious and unconscious knowing.
The very thin line and connection between love, fear, anger and grief.
The blame shame game, humans play out
Eat: the one core need every BEing has...
Definitely recommend reading.
Hope Part 2 will show up very soon in the book stores
May 16, 2022
Basically The Old Man and the Sea set in a small coastal town in South Africa, and better written. Fantastic reading.
December 5, 2023
Excellent read on so many levels. Can highly recommend!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews