Shadows Beneath the Surface: An Aquatic Horror Anthology (Dead Seas Book 2) edited by Jay Alexander
Shadows Beneath the Surface is a collection of fifteen aquatic short horror stories edited by Jay Alexander. It was published by Dead Sea Press on March 12, 2022 and weighs in at 217 pages.
This is the second entry of four anthologies currently available in the Dead Seas series, which is a collection benefitting the oceanic conservation charity The Shark Trust. All profits will go to promoting the conservation and protection of sharks, skates, and rays.
I enjoyed the Introduction by Jay Alexander. Much like the introduction in the previous collection Terror in the Trench, he dazzled me again with shark facts spanning over vast time periods. It was fascinating and got me excited for the book. I’m already looking forward to reading the next two available in the series, Death in the Deep and Rampage on the Reef, which of course are lurking in my TBR stack. As an avid lover of the ocean and its inhabitants, I am thrilled to purchase and read the Dead Seas series knowing all of the profits are going to such a worthwhile cause.
This was another entertaining anthology, and I enjoyed reading every story. Though this collection didn’t grab me as hard as Terror in the Trench did, I was not disappointed in the stories or the anthology as a whole at all. I did actually read the entirety of Shadows Beneath the Surface as I lounged on the beach listening to the sounds of waves crashing while pelicans and frigates flew above me. (They are quite fascinating!) It was the perfect backdrop for this book, and I wish I could read each of them in that location! I guess I’ll have to settle for ocean sounds at home for now.
On a personal side note, I was thrilled to come across a story by an author whose work is included in Hope Screams Eternal, an anthology by Unsettling Reads. “Liquid Boundaries,” Karen Lethlean’s story in Shadows Beneath the Surface, is about the rules of ocean swimming mixed with horror. It will leave you breathless. Also, read about her in the author section. She’s a certified badass!
As always, one of my favorite parts of reading anthologies is finding new authors, and I nerd out reading the Authors section! I’m happy to say I will be keeping my eyes open for more from this talented group of writers.
All profits to benefit the conservation & protection of sharks, skates, & rays
MY TOP 6 TALES
These six stories gripped me the most. I will include some of my notes I jotted immediately after reading them. They’re listed in order of table of contents.
“Grey Ghost” by T.L. Beeding: Starts slow but really brings it in the end! Fun story playing with sea lore and horror. Military ghost horror? I loved the curiosity it gave me as I was reading. Excellent!
“Float in Theater” by Chris Williams: Definitely aquatic horror! What a fun read - loved having the feeling throughout that nothing was going to be okay. This played on my childhood fears!
“Salty Dogs” by Christopher Saylor: I really enjoyed the sci-fi horror aspect to this story a lot as well as the creatures. I was all in.
“On a Sea of Shadows” by Matt Bliss: Fantastic! I loved the author’s take on men and the darkness within them and how that darkness grows with power. Great story!
“Eliza’s Sorrow” by Rachel Nussbaum: Such a well-rounded story. I enjoyed the characters and the premise of this one.
“Natalie Wood” by Shannon Frost Greenstein: Strange and well-written story! I like how it’s not written in chronological order. It kept me fully engrossed throughout. I liked this one a lot.
Grab these books, enjoy the stories, and help save the sharks, skates, and rays.
Check out the current books in the Dead Seas series:
From the Dead Seas series Amazon page:
The profits from the first six books in the Dead Seas series will go to the Shark Trust (registered charity number 1064185). Look out for:
Terror in the Trench (available now)
Shadows Beneath the Surface (available now)
Death in the Deep (April 13th)
Rampage on the Reefs (June 13th)
Horror on the Hook (July)
Devils on the Deck (August)
and many more, coming soon...
