Welcome to our annual Birthday Bash! Every November we celebrate DHR’s founding in November 2020 with a new theme. This year, we’re tackling Horror History. Historical Horror, history of horror, classic horror texts and more. Want to get involved? Just head over to our Substack and check out our call for submissions post!
Genre: Weird Fiction / Nautical Dark Fantasy
Age: Adult
Format: Novelette
I was immediately drawn in by the promise of nautical horror, as I love sea stories. The opening is a strong introduction to Bo, our protagonist, who is rescued from drowning by the crew of the Ayar, a ship which has preternatural luck.
I enjoyed getting to know Bo, who is a fully realised character with a strong arc within the confined situation of the plot, and the other crew members. Not all the crew stood out for me, but they all had their individual quirks. The Ayar itself felt like a character – the attention to the ship as a setting is key for me with seafaring stories – and functions like the haunted house of a Gothic/Weird tale. The ship is, after all, the site of secrets, and where those secrets are uncovered.
The foreshadowing was nicely done, and I enjoyed the journey to the reveal, but also how the psychological aspect of the story as this reveal unfolded. I don’t want to give too much away that isn’t in the description, as I think it’s the kind of story best experienced! For me, this was the strongest element – the way the crew interacted, their conflicts, and their debates, but also their ultimately self-destructive choices and the way these choices shape them.
It had very strong parallels with survival cannibalism stories, or at least, reminded me of these sorts of stories, even though that’s not what happens here; but the psychological aspects of it have a very similar feel.
Overall, this is a short read that packs a big punch. It’s well worth picking up.
Purchase at Itch.io
More from R.M. Sayan
Review by C. M. Rosens
Instagram, Threads, TikTok: @cm.rosens
Bluesky: @cmrosens.com
