Like almost everybody belonging to my generation (and the previous one as well, I guess) my horrified fascination with sharks had begun the day (actually the night, since I had seen it in the 21-30 hrs. show, with my parents) I saw “Jaws”. Even now, during the super-rare visits to seaside destinations with family, when anybody talks about going for a swim after the daylight has paved way for blue-black, an image of a triangular shape churning through dark waters hits me like a pile of bricks, and I hastily try to put as much distance between myself and the deep blue as possible. Later I have read a lot about sharks, seen several documentaries about them, have started realising that mankind has been far more cruel to its environment than sharks. But still, that fin and the teeth…. Anyway, this book is a celebration of our collective fear & fascination, as well as a portrayal of sharks that live inside many of us. Like all anthologies, this one had several hits, a lot of readable stuff, and a few duds. My story-wise thoughts are: -
(*) Introduction by Jonathan Green: A concise & crisp piece that summarises the thoughts that had gone into the making of this anthology.
1. “Peter and the Invisible Shark” by Jonathan Oliver: Meh, I’m afraid. (2/5)
2. “Blood in the Water” by Dan Patrick: A grim, taut and killer story, in all sense. (4/5)
3. “The Lickspittle Leviathan” by David Lee Stone: Very good story that infuses horror, dark comedy, and sensuousness in equal measures. (4/5)
4. “Sharkadalic” by Ian Whates: A brilliant & grim piece that would stay with you for a long time after you have read the last words. (5/5)
5. “Shirley” by Amy & Andy Taylor: A dark, depressing, but very well-executed tale. (4/5)
6. “Deep Black Space” by Toby Frost: A..W..E..S..O..M..E! We seriously needed some more comic pieces like this one to haunt the otherwise dark waters. (5/5)
7. “The Shark in the Heart” by David Tallerman: Crap. (0/5)
8. “Deep Red Bells” by Josh Reynolds: The Royal Occultist and his apprentice meet a strange antagonist in this superb adventure. (5/5)
9. “Sharkcop 2: Feeding Frenzy” by Alec Worley: And again, a brilliantly gory & visceral piece of slapstick comedy graces this anthology to lighten its tone in a positive manner. (5/5)
10. “Sharkbait” by Richard Salter: Crap. (0/5)
11. “Goblin” by Kim Lakin-Smith: This story, of a future where things have gone horribly wrong, has a real bite, and would keep you in its maw for a long time. (5/5)
12. “Blood Relations” by Andrew Lane: Sharks do have some fascinating features, but incorporating them into a human being may have some ….side effects. Very good story. (4/5)
13. “Feast of the Shark God” by C.L. Werner: The story began briskly, almost violently, then slackened so much that it became soporific. (3/5)
14. “Le Shark” by Laurel Sills: A psychological story of love & redemption, with a shark thrown in. Good, but nothing more. (3/5)
15. “The Serial Killer Who Thought She Was A Shark” by Jenni Hill: Brilliant. Just brilliant. (5/5)
16. “Rise of the Ubershark” by Robert Spalding: A breathlessly fast story of relentless action involving giant robots and armed sharks (drooling yet?) that leaves you gasping for more. (4/5)
17. “Swimming with the Fishes” by Steven Savile: A noirish piece with a shark added to all other monsters, but the story was readable. (3/5)
18. “Ambergis” by Kit Cox: Very good story that’s more of old-fashioned adventure with a measure of steampunk. (4/5)
19. “Silent Waters, Running Deep” by Gary McMahon: And one of the best authors of our times gives us a grim, bleak, dark and deep story, using words with such frightening precision as befits a sniper using his bullets. (5/5)
20. “You Are The Shark” by Al Ewing & Sarah Peploe: Crap. (0/5)
Overall: 70 out of 100, i.e. 3.5 out of 5. Hence 4 stars, rounding off things in a generous manner, especially since the editor deserves solid thanks for giving us an anthology with this particular theme.
Recommended.
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