What do you think?
Rate this book
Aegir: And Other Short Stories
From walking through the woods to the tune of a mysterious thundering to soldiers continuing the bloody cycle of death. From a monster from the depths to a figure in a cave. Aegir and Other Short Stories is a compilation that provides seven tales of Aegir, The Jinwe, Writings of the Light, Figure, and more. What being awaits at the bottom of an underwater research facility? What is the light that drives a man to near insanity? What lurks in a cave beneath Indiana? Find out in Aegir and Other Short Stories. A Play included as a bonus.
170 pages, Paperback
Published June 10, 2021
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
March 2, 2023
The Jinwe and Figure were the ones I liked best.
I believe the author has potential, but the dialogue felt stiff on some parts, couldn't help but laugh near the end of the first story. It may have been intentionally silly.
I believe the author has potential, but the dialogue felt stiff on some parts, couldn't help but laugh near the end of the first story. It may have been intentionally silly.
July 6, 2025
Aegir and Other Short Stories is one of those rare collections that manages to be unsettling, thought-provoking, and deeply atmospheric all at once. Each story feels like stepping into a shadow familiar at first, but quickly revealing something strange and haunting.
The titular story, “Aegir,” was a standout for me. The way the tension builds inside the underwater research facility is masterful. It’s not just about what’s lurking in the depths it’s about the psychological unraveling that comes with isolation and fear. The sense of claustrophobia was real; I kept glancing over my shoulder while reading it at night.
Another favorite was “Writings of the Light.” This one lingered with me the most. The descent into obsession was written so vividly that I almost felt the character’s spiraling thoughts bleeding into my own. It asks big questions in subtle ways what is light, really? Hope? Madness?
“Figure” was eerie in a completely different way. The setting a cave beneath Indiana feels almost mythic, and the story toys with the reader’s expectations right up to the last line. There’s a Lovecraftian edge here, but it’s more grounded, more personal somehow.
The collection doesn’t just stick to one kind of horror or tension. There's psychological dread, speculative mystery, and even moments of beauty and quiet grief. The bonus play at the end was a surprising inclusion, but it fit thematically and added another layer to the author’s range.
Overall, this is a tightly written, inventive, and chilling collection. Each story feels like it belongs in the same world even if they're wildly different in style or subject and that gives the book a strange, dreamlike cohesion. If you like fiction that makes you think and squirm in equal measure, you won’t regret picking this up.
The titular story, “Aegir,” was a standout for me. The way the tension builds inside the underwater research facility is masterful. It’s not just about what’s lurking in the depths it’s about the psychological unraveling that comes with isolation and fear. The sense of claustrophobia was real; I kept glancing over my shoulder while reading it at night.
Another favorite was “Writings of the Light.” This one lingered with me the most. The descent into obsession was written so vividly that I almost felt the character’s spiraling thoughts bleeding into my own. It asks big questions in subtle ways what is light, really? Hope? Madness?
“Figure” was eerie in a completely different way. The setting a cave beneath Indiana feels almost mythic, and the story toys with the reader’s expectations right up to the last line. There’s a Lovecraftian edge here, but it’s more grounded, more personal somehow.
The collection doesn’t just stick to one kind of horror or tension. There's psychological dread, speculative mystery, and even moments of beauty and quiet grief. The bonus play at the end was a surprising inclusion, but it fit thematically and added another layer to the author’s range.
Overall, this is a tightly written, inventive, and chilling collection. Each story feels like it belongs in the same world even if they're wildly different in style or subject and that gives the book a strange, dreamlike cohesion. If you like fiction that makes you think and squirm in equal measure, you won’t regret picking this up.
July 29, 2025
Chilling, Creative, and Completely Unsettling (in the best way possible)
This collection had no business being this good. Each story pulls you into its own eerie world, whether it’s the unnerving silence of an underwater facility, a mind unraveling under the weight of mysterious light, or something ancient lurking where it shouldn’t be. Dylan Bursley doesn't just write horror, he creeps it under your skin, lingers in your thoughts, and leaves you side-eyeing every dark corner.
"Aegir" was a standout for me, tense, atmospheric, and deeply cinematic. "The Jinwe" and "Figure" also had me doing that thing where you pretend you're fine but you're definitely checking your locks before bed.
Short stories can be hit or miss, but every single piece in this book brought something fresh. Smart pacing, vivid imagery, and a clear love for the genre shine through every page.
If you like your horror thoughtful, chilling, and occasionally mind-bending—Aegir and Other Short Stories is the fix you didn’t know you needed.
Looking forward to more from this twisted, brilliant mind.
This collection had no business being this good. Each story pulls you into its own eerie world, whether it’s the unnerving silence of an underwater facility, a mind unraveling under the weight of mysterious light, or something ancient lurking where it shouldn’t be. Dylan Bursley doesn't just write horror, he creeps it under your skin, lingers in your thoughts, and leaves you side-eyeing every dark corner.
"Aegir" was a standout for me, tense, atmospheric, and deeply cinematic. "The Jinwe" and "Figure" also had me doing that thing where you pretend you're fine but you're definitely checking your locks before bed.
Short stories can be hit or miss, but every single piece in this book brought something fresh. Smart pacing, vivid imagery, and a clear love for the genre shine through every page.
If you like your horror thoughtful, chilling, and occasionally mind-bending—Aegir and Other Short Stories is the fix you didn’t know you needed.
Looking forward to more from this twisted, brilliant mind.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews