Book Review: Dead Water and Other Weird Tales by David a. Sutton

Dead Water and Other Weird Tales by David A. Sutton
Publisher Website (Book Page) Amazon (UK) Amazon.com I was given a free copy by the publisher in exchange for a review. The Alchemy Press (ebook), 2015
252 Pages

BLURB
Whatever it was, the object was too large for a bird, too slim for a boat, too streamlined for flotsam ... She pressed her face closer to the glass, fascinated and terrified at the same time ... My eyes could not block out the sight of the shapes, flopping, wading, barking as they inexorably massed in my direction ... the texture of their skins bore the suggestion of the final stages of gangrenous flesh ... The sound of battle clamoured through my brain. The field of Arderydd, soaked in blood; Liddel Water running with blood; Gwenddolau's fortress splattered with blood ... Perhaps it was not Myrddin's great age that sapped him of his powers. Perhaps it was the Romans and their priests ... The texture of Mars, the texture of its red facade, the subliminal texture of its history and mythology and the baggage of the many fictions. Mars was larger than itself ... and more ... eighteen stories of horror, fantasy and science fiction from award-winning editor and writer David A. Sutton.

OPENING SENTENCE
When Stephanie first saw him, his eyes were wild yet unfocused (THE FISHERMAN)

REVIEW
Dead Water and Other Weird Tales is a great collection of horror stories. From the title and cover, I expected the stories to be heavily influenced by HP Lovecraft. I like Lovecraft but I'm not a massive fan. I was pleasantly surprised to discover I was wrong. Lovecraft breathes life into some tales, especially the excellent stories Innsmouth Gold and Dark Water but only a little. Every story in this collection of sinister tales is excellent. My personal favourites are The Fisherman, Midwinter, Zulu's War, Mind-Forged Manacles, Innsmouth Gold and Dark Water. The other stories are great but these tales stood out just a smidgen more. These are the kind of horror stories I love and that are so easy to get wrong. The tales in this collection are creepy, atmospheric, unsettling and disturbing, the kind of tales to keep you awake at night, huddled under the covers and clutching a brightly lit torch for dear life while something slivers in the shadows. I'd highly recommend this collection.

Stories included:

• The Fisherman
• Midwinter
• Zulu's War
• The Transmigration
• Under The Glamour
• Corruption
• The Fetch
• Mind-Forged Manacles
• Pot De Tete
• Return To The Runes
• Gifts
• A Night At The Hippo
• Innsmouth Gold
• Night Soil Man
• Dead Water
• The Pre-Raphaelite Picture
• Waking
• Landfall On Elysium Planitia