The Devil and the Deep

The Devil and the Deep: Horror Stories of the Sea | Ellen Datlow

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Short story collections are so hard to review, but this anthology of horror stories of the sea was definitely more hits than misses for me. I picked it up mainly for SGJ‘s story, and I did love that trippy deserted island tale, but I also really enjoyed the stories by Alyssa Wong, Seanan McGuire, John Langan, and Michael Marshall Smith… the latter is a funny/weird/gross bananapants sort of zombie (?) story set on the docked Queen Mary.

⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

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Reggie

The Devil and the Deep: Horror Stories of the Sea | Ellen Datlow

A young man survives a plane crash and is washed upon shore. As time goes by and he gets hungry, certain items show up, like chocolate popsicles. Then he remembers a magazine competition he entered as a kid. He had to send a list of 10 items he would want if he ever got stranded on an island. It gets emotional here because he remembers his #9 is his mom who died of cancer when he was young and she shows up. And almost immediately it turns 👇🏼

Reggie frightening because he remembers how dumb he could be as a kid and he remembers he put werewolf as his #10. And guess who shows up. You wonder what is real and if this is hell and what‘s going on. Some short stories you have an entrance, a hallway and an exit. With SGJ, you get an entrance, a hallway that leads to an outdoor amphitheater and you‘re admiring the wondrous sky when someone turns the world on its head and you find yourself falling👇🏼 2y

Reggie into the cosmos. Fin 2y

Bookzombie If I didn‘t have this stacked already, I would stack it! 🙂 2y

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CarolynM Wow! Sounds like a wild ride😮🙂 (edited) 2y

Reggie @Bookzombie 🖤🖤🖤 2y

Reggie @CarolynM Yeah, SGJ is a great short story writer. Every time he is in an anthology I read, he‘s top 3. They‘re always memorable. 2y

sprainedbrain I‘m reading this now (for SGJ mainly). 😃 (edited) 2y

Reggie @sprainedbrain there are some anthologies where I think that‘s too many duds. But I honestly liked all of the stories in here. I hope you like it. 2y

sprainedbrain I‘m just starting the third one. So far, all good! 2y

Megabooks This sounds fantastic! 1y

Reggie @Megabooks SGJ is pretty great at short stories. Every time he pops up in something I read, I smile. 1y

Centique Okay I‘ve read SGJ before and loved him (Mongrels) so maybe I could handle his short horror stories? You reckon? 1y

Centique Also I have spent a big chunk of my life debating what 3 foods I would take to a desert island. And now I have a 12yo who will discuss all the pros and cons of these scenarios for HOURS. This is what having a 12yo is like… “Mum would you rather have the skin peeled off your hands or scizzors stabbed in your eye. You have to pick one.” 😱😱😱 1y

Reggie @Centique I think so. His After the People Lights Have Gone Off is good. But the ones that stick in my mind are the ones from the anthologies. I say give his short story collection a try. I didn‘t think they were gruesome. I mostly thought there was just a sense of not right mixed with people distress. You doing ok, Paula? Has Summer set in, yet? 1y

Reggie Lololol, yay for 12 year olds. Yikes!!! Making you think outside the box. 1y

Centique We‘re good thanks Reggie. Been super busy with work and kid stuff and His Elderliness (who is doing good, on anti depressants and it‘s really helped). Went out on the boat last weekend for the first time but still only about 18 degrees (64 for you). How are you doing? 1y

Centique I‘ll check some anthologies out for his stories as well as ATPLGO. Thanks for the recc. (edited) 1y

Reggie @Centique I‘m so happy to hear His Elderliness is doing good! We‘ve had a wet fall which hasn‘t happened in years and we needed it. We‘ve been so dry so it‘s been nice. I‘m doing good. My parents are good. Earlier this year I started intermittent fasting. I‘m down 30 lbs but it‘s a struggle to stay on it sometimes. Everyone around you is always eating and people are work are bringing bags of candy everyday. And we‘re heading into the holiday 👇🏼 1y

Reggie season. You know how it goes. Lol 1y

Centique @Reggie well done you! You‘re doing amazing! I sort of do a light IF because I don‘t eat in the morning. It‘s not as hard for me because I‘m not in a busy workplace seeing food! My fail point is home baking. 😬 it‘s hard to say no to my friends amazing cakes and scones. Oh well gotta have some fun too xxx 1y

Rissreads Wow Reggie! Well done you! 👏🏻 1y

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Reggie

The Devil and the Deep: Horror Stories of the Sea | Ellen Datlow

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This was the only book I read in the month of April. Just an anthology of short stories about all things scary connected to the ocean. The gems were Fodder‘s Jig by Lee Thomas, What My Mother Left Me by Alyssa Wong, Broken Record by Stephen Graham Jones, Shit Happens (this was heeeelarious!!) by Michael Marshall Smith and He Sings of Salt and Wormwood by Brian Hodge. They were really good at juxtaposing the human condition with the ‘what the 👇🏼

Reggie hell is happening!!!!!!‘ A total pick! 4y

CarolynM 👋Hello there! Great to see you back, we've missed you🤗 4y

Cinfhen Hi!!!!!! Sorry your reading was off but I‘m glad to see you back ♥️missed those reviews 4y

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Tanisha_A Eee! Good to see you posting again. 😃 4y

Reggie @CarolynM @Cinfhen @Tanisha_A Hi ladies, good to be back and see all of you again. 4y

Jas16 Welcome back Reggie! Seeing your posts has definitely brightened my Monday morning. 4y

sprainedbrain Reggie!! Hiiiiii! 😃 4y

Reggie @Jas16 @sprainedbrain Hi!!! 😊 4y

TheWintergarden 💛Wow have missed you!💛 4y

Reggie @TheWintergarden Thanks, the instability and unknowability of the future brought on by the virus kind of put a jam into the reading part of my brain. But it‘s good to be back! 4y

Suet624 I‘m so glad to see you here again. ❤️ 4y

Reggie @Suet624 😊❤️ 4y

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kammartinez

The Devil and the Deep: Horror Stories of the Sea | Ellen Datlow

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Full review here: https://wp.me/p21txV-GB

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ of 5 ⭐️s

1 like

BeckyLeJ

The Devil and the Deep: Horror Stories of the Sea | Ellen Datlow

My tiny is sleeping late so I‘m squeezing in some short story reading time. I love Ellen Datlow‘s anthologies and especially loved nautical-based horror!

Happy Fourth!

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WhatWouldJaneDo

The Devil and the Deep: Horror Stories of the Sea | Ellen Datlow

pick

Enjoyed this collection; nothing that I found super scary but some interesting takes on the theme. I loved Bradley Denton's Western tale set in a dry inland seabed, and Stephen Graham Jones had a darkly playful take on desert islands that reminded me a bit of one of the novellas in Joe Hill's Strange Weather. There are several new-to-me authors from this I'd like to check out more.

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WhatWouldJaneDo

The Devil and the Deep: Horror Stories of the Sea | Ellen Datlow

Polly has finally relaxed and snuggled up on my lap. The storms and thunder were making her jumpy this morning! She still flinches occasionally when we get a big rumble but hopefully the cuddles make her feel better. #catsoflitsy

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WhatWouldJaneDo

The Devil and the Deep: Horror Stories of the Sea | Ellen Datlow

It keeps being beautiful app week while I'm at work and then storming on the weekend. Just had a few huge thunder claps and the cats are spooked. I guess it's a good atmosphere to curl up with an anthology of nautical horror stories at least.

What's your reading atmosphere like today #littens?

Beatlefan129 Woke up to a couple of inches of snow this morning. It‘s a good day to cuddle up with a cup of tea and a book 📚 5y

WhatWouldJaneDo @Beatlefan129 OMG! It's a little chilly here but no where near cold enough for that, thank goodness. Hope you have a cozy day! 5y

mcctrish The sun is shining 🎉and it‘s going to 13 C so I might drag a chair out on the deck and read there #londonontario 5y

WhatWouldJaneDo @mcctrish temp's about the same here, so I'm jealous of your sun! I need some vitamin D over here... 5y

mcctrish I hope it comes out soon for you ( we just finished 2 days of rain ) 5y

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