A collection of vivid YA mermaid tales await you in the depths of these pages in this six-story collection from Crescent Sea Publishing.
merman and his brother are tasked with protecting what belongs to their people and failure is not an option. Two teens attempt to find a mermaid off the coast of Massachusetts before poachers do. A young woman finds herself amidst an eerie seaside hut and is drawn back to it. A family is torn apart by one teen mermaid’s selfish desires and puts an entire kingdom at risk. When two seventeen-year-olds witness their Prince threaten an infamous sea-witch, they have no idea how soon all of their lives will be intertwined, and what secrets lay in the depths. While working in an antique shop, a young woman is turned into a mermaid to end an evil curse against the mer prince in a twisted retelling of the classic tale.
From adventure to thriller, to urban fantasy, this collection features stories from bestselling YA authors as well as emerging voices, this anthology will take you deep into the heart of the sea.
This six-story anthology includes tales by Amber R. Duell, E.J. Hagadorn, Elle Beaumont, and K.M. Robinson and the printed book includes artwork by a number of talented artists that created mermaid pieces, some of which are inspired by the stories from the anthology.
K.M. Robinson is a storyteller who creates new worlds both in her writing and in her fine arts conceptual photography. She is a marketing, branding and social media strategy educator who is recognized at first sight by her very long hair. She is a creative who focuses on photography, videography, couture dress making, and writing to express the stories she needs to tell. She almost always has a camera within reach.
There are 6 stories included in this book, but only 4 authors. This was obviously an independent production as there were multiple spelling mistakes within.
Origins of the siren wars - a portion of a prequel to a siren saga the author has written. Did not seem like it should be included in a short story collection as it is an excerpt from a book and ends with instructions on how to “continue the story.” (As in, it leaves you in the middle of the story…
Brotherhood of the sea - Bindings of the sea - Two by the same author, both telling the same storyline. Again, seemed like part of a novel and not appropriate choices for a short story anthology
Bloodscales - This was one of the better stories in the collection, in my opinion. Although it was dark and there were some parts that needed better explanation. (Like what do the people do with the mermaid scales they purchase?)
Tails, you lose - probably the second best short story in the book but that’s not saying much. Lady goes to a creepy old house, finds what looks like a silicone mermaid tail in a work room that is full of fish guts and decides she needs to try it on…
The sinking - a really incredibly cringeworthy “love” story about a young mer prince that needs to kill a human to break a spell but instead develops feelings for her…
I love mermaids and this anthology does not disappoint!! Each story is unique and captivating and the authors quickly transport you into a magical sea realm full of beautiful mermaids, mermen, and even a Kraken. The imagery is beautiful and I wish it had been a much longer read!
Its been while since I have read many short stories, but given my recent obsession with mermaids and sirens, thanks to Laura Thalassa, I just had to read Of the Deep. And it was amazing! It features a collection of six short stories, and I can honestly say I enjoyed all six of the them. Obviously some resonated with me more than others, but individually each story would have been at least a 4/5 stars.
There is a great range within these short stories, and I actually found myself drawn to the shorter, more macabre stories, Bloodscales and Tails, You Lose were so creepy to read, I loved them both so much. There were a couple of shock endings in there and some really dark moments, but I feel that it fits so well with the eerie depths at which mermaids live and the fact that they are so 'other. They were both perfect stories!
As well as the darker stories there were also more classic fantasy tales in Of the Deep and I really enjoyed reading Brotherhood of the Sea and Bindings of the Sea, which were set in the same 'world' and Bindings follows on from Brotherhood but set a few hundred years later. And I loved the fact that Brotherhood was a very different retelling of a childhood classic.
It was great to see some mermen as well as mermaids and sirens, in Of the Deep. As well as Brotherhood of the Sea, which features a pair of brothers, The Sinking also features a merman too. I loved this because so often it's only the mermaids that get mention, and it's nice to have things changed around and it does make for a very different read.
The first story in the anthology is Origins of the Siren Wars which acts as a prequel for a series of books, and I loved the story so much those books have gone straight on to my TBR list. The longer stories in the anthology were really fun to read and the worlds created by the authors were all so fantastic. The worldbuilding and details included in these stories really was something else, and the fact that I read these stories all together really added to the richness of the worlds.
If you like mermaids and sirens then I would definitely recommend Of the Deep. And if you love reading fantasy then I would recommend it too, as the writing featured in Of the Deep is incredible and it may help you discover lots more books for you to add to your TBR list too!
This collection of mermaidian tails (yes, I went there) is just wonderful. The mixture of mermaids, mermen, magic, transformations, love, despair, and...(*SPOILER*)... DEATH (sorry...not sorry!) is well put together and thought out.
The whole anthology was quick and easy to get through. But unlike a cheap hooker, this quicky will leave you wanting more from the thrill of their adventures as the once thought of beautiful fairy tale creatures become corrupt, wicked, and yet somehow completely sublime. #cantstopwontstop
There is a nice balance of long and short stories in the anthology so you don't feel as though you are treading water trying to get through story after story. Each author has a particularly unique voice that comes out with their characters and yet they all work so fluidly together.
Overall, Of the Deep Mermaid Anthology is an epic collection of mermaidian pieces that could become our next dark classic tales of what are actually NOT your every day red-headed, singing beauty but evil mythological creatures of the deep.
Alright, I admit I only read this because it was free on the Kindle store and that I had nothing left to read. Although it was rather entertaining as a whole, I didn't feel particularly thrilled or interested during my read. The stories were quite alike and only one really sparked my interest because it was different. As another person pointed out in the comments, the writing is quite simple and maybe targeting the younger part of the YA community?
Honestly I don't know, there wasn't anything wrong with this book, it's just that I didn't connect with it, but it's still worth a try if you like mermaids (which I think is not really my case in the end...) !
I had never read anything in a Mermaid genre before seeing this anthology. I enjoyed the writing styles of both K. M. Robinson, and Elle Beaumont. Their stories held twists and turns that sparked my interest. I hope to delve into more of the Siren Wars in the future.
A great collection of mermaid and siren themed short stories that I enjoyed. Going through the stories one by one.
*Origin of the Siren Wars appears to be a prequel to The Siren Wars. The story is engaging and for the most part vivid, but I kinda wish the action scenes in the ocean were a bit more clear. 4/5
*Brotherhood of the Sea didn't really hook me until close to the end, but I do credit it for the ending, but the setting and prose were a bit too choppy for my taste. 3/5
*Bloodscales kept me engaged all the way through, especially with the plot twist at the end. Though I wish it was a bit clear on the ending some more. And some of the prose was unclear. 4/5
*Tails, You Lose is a quick, but very engaging read, and I don't want to say anymore to spoil it. 5/5
*Bindings of the Sea is very gripping and intriguing with a great story and characters to support it, with a vivid and clear setting and prose. 5/5
*The Sinking is a really great and immersive story, with well developed characters, quite a few twists in it and kept me engaged all the way through. 5/5
I didn't feel overly engaged in any of these stories. The writing is all very simplistic and led to me feeling rather detached from the characters and situations. A bit young on the YA scale perhaps for my personal preference.
The stories included in this anthology were all great! And for me, it was such a nice way to be introduced to new authors (whom I’ve begun adding to my book shelves). If you like mermaid tales, get your hands on this book.
One of the wonderful things about this book is that the stories are quite different from each other. Each one pulls you in, each in their own way. Whether it's from the get go or a wonderful twist. Some do take a little longer to snare you but dont let that discourage you. All of these stories are wonderful tellings of the Merfolk.