Just read this piece of short fantasy/horror fiction. A nicely crafted tale and just long enough. The author's obvious familiarity with the historical period and nautical terminology comes through strongly. It lends a sense of historical authenticity that pervades the story. This helps give an overall sense of verisimilitude to the setting.
Having done a limited amount of sailing in my youth, I could clearly visualize the action and events. The story achieves what any author hopes for, it gives the reader all five of the senses and therefore places them at the heart of the events.
It also blends two genres very well with some unexpected results; historical fantasy and eldritch horror. For fans of the pulps, all of the essentials are here; a stalwart hero facing seafaring danger and desperate, bloody hand to hand combat in an unforgiving environment as likely to kill as the enemy. Here too you get a mythos style melding of Greek lore and Lovecraft.
This is a great piece of debut short fiction from Clint Staples. Let's hope we see more in future.
Buy and enjoy!
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