Voices In The Sea by N.C. Brooke is a dark spin on a creature often found in folklore, but rarely found in horror. The author uses a few slight-of-hand details to keep readers guessing, which is pretty clever, considering the story begins in the present and then travels to the past. I thought I knew which characters would be safe, but I was fooled. By the time I realized what kind of monster the author conjured up, the story finished.
Brooke did such a great job twisting mythology into a nightmare, it seems a shame this is only a short story. I think there is a potential to turn this sailor's tale into a novella.
The first week of January appears to have a monster theme. I'm always amazed at the various sources authors use to inspire their writing. Some ideas come from news headlines, some stories are based on more personal experiences. Other authors take the fairy tales of our childhood and transform them into the nightmares that haunt us even as adults.
Nothing impresses me more than an author who can take something old and turn it into something new...always expanding the genres.
As always.
AstraDaemon
