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The Selkie
A young American couple having marriage difficulties come to the coast of northern Scotland to work on the development of nuclear power in the area and discover the Selkies, a horrifying race of mutants living in nearby sea caves
375 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 1982
2 people are currently reading
79 people want to read
About the author
Charles Sheffield
218 books171 followersCharles A. Sheffield (June 25, 1935 – November 2, 2002), was an English-born mathematician, physicist and science fiction author. He had been a President of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America and of the American Astronomical Society.
His novel The Web Between the Worlds, featuring the construction of a space elevator, was published almost simultaneously with Arthur C. Clarke's novel about that very same subject, The Fountains of Paradise, a coincidence that amused them both.
For some years he was the chief scientist of Earth Satellite Corporation, a company analysing remote sensing satellite data. This resulted in many technical papers and two popular non-fiction books, Earthwatch and Man on Earth, both collections of false colour and enhanced images of Earth from space.
He won the Nebula and Hugo awards for his novelette "Georgia on My Mind" and the 1992 John W. Campbell Memorial Award for his novel Brother to Dragons.
Sheffield was Toastmaster at BucConeer, the 1998 World Science Fiction Convention in Baltimore.
He had been writing a column for the Baen Books web site; his last column concerned the discovery of the brain tumour that led to his death.
He was married to writer Nancy Kress.
His novel The Web Between the Worlds, featuring the construction of a space elevator, was published almost simultaneously with Arthur C. Clarke's novel about that very same subject, The Fountains of Paradise, a coincidence that amused them both.
For some years he was the chief scientist of Earth Satellite Corporation, a company analysing remote sensing satellite data. This resulted in many technical papers and two popular non-fiction books, Earthwatch and Man on Earth, both collections of false colour and enhanced images of Earth from space.
He won the Nebula and Hugo awards for his novelette "Georgia on My Mind" and the 1992 John W. Campbell Memorial Award for his novel Brother to Dragons.
Sheffield was Toastmaster at BucConeer, the 1998 World Science Fiction Convention in Baltimore.
He had been writing a column for the Baen Books web site; his last column concerned the discovery of the brain tumour that led to his death.
He was married to writer Nancy Kress.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
January 14, 2014
I read this thing a million years ago. What a wild ride! I loved it. Now I have to track it down and go at it again.
And this is a case in point to the people who think that audio and ebooks will replace all: this is in NO format other than paper.
And this is a case in point to the people who think that audio and ebooks will replace all: this is in NO format other than paper.
May 25, 2010
I read this about once a year. There is just nothing like it for imagination and a compelling storyline.
February 3, 2023
A hard book to categorize. I bought this back in my immediate post-undergraduate days when I frequented used paperback book stores. Why I thought I needed to buy armloads of paperbacks at that time, the present me doesn't quite grasp. Decades later, I'm sifting through these still! My wife doesn't understand why I still read these worn, discolored things since I have so many newer books. But occasionally there's a nugget among them.
This particular book was surprising. The cover seems confused between a romance novel (not my genre) and horror. I didn't know what a 'Selkie' was until I googled it. Selkies are mermen of Scottish legend, and apparently have to procreate with particular human women to continue the species. The plot sounds a little cheesy--but the writing was really pretty solid. American engineer comes to a small coastal Scottish town to study tidal flows in caves for a power plant project. Of course his wife comes with him (she's going to write romance novels), and you probably get the idea when the young Scottish handyman arrives to fix the old house they're inhabiting. Entertaining descriptions of life in the town. Drama, intrigue, a little science. I would've given the book a full four stars, but the ending was a little disappointing. Almost set up for a sequel--but there isn't one.
Even more interesting than the book is one of the co-authors. Charles Sheffield was primarily known as a mathematician and physicist. He was the Chief Scientist of the Earth Satellite Corporation, which processed remote-sensing data. After experiencing overwhelming grief at the passing of his first wife to cancer, Sheffield started a second career as a science fiction writer. He won Nebula and Hugo awards for his writing and served two years as the President of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. Sheffield's co-author David Bischoff wrote some science fiction novels, but primarily wrote for television. If a little myth mixed with horror and the Scottish coast is your thing--this book might be of interest.
This particular book was surprising. The cover seems confused between a romance novel (not my genre) and horror. I didn't know what a 'Selkie' was until I googled it. Selkies are mermen of Scottish legend, and apparently have to procreate with particular human women to continue the species. The plot sounds a little cheesy--but the writing was really pretty solid. American engineer comes to a small coastal Scottish town to study tidal flows in caves for a power plant project. Of course his wife comes with him (she's going to write romance novels), and you probably get the idea when the young Scottish handyman arrives to fix the old house they're inhabiting. Entertaining descriptions of life in the town. Drama, intrigue, a little science. I would've given the book a full four stars, but the ending was a little disappointing. Almost set up for a sequel--but there isn't one.
Even more interesting than the book is one of the co-authors. Charles Sheffield was primarily known as a mathematician and physicist. He was the Chief Scientist of the Earth Satellite Corporation, which processed remote-sensing data. After experiencing overwhelming grief at the passing of his first wife to cancer, Sheffield started a second career as a science fiction writer. He won Nebula and Hugo awards for his writing and served two years as the President of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. Sheffield's co-author David Bischoff wrote some science fiction novels, but primarily wrote for television. If a little myth mixed with horror and the Scottish coast is your thing--this book might be of interest.
September 10, 2015
This was a rather compelling story That I had a hard time putting down. Granted it was a 1980's horror novel with a bit of cheese it stuck with me. The plot had unique turns and the ending was kind of unexpected. Saying anymore will spoil it which I don't want to do.
January 6, 2011
Mary Willis has come from the United States to a rugged coastal village in Scotland to join her husband, Don, and work on a book. Her husband is an engineer working on a project for a power company. His expertise on water flows is what has gotten him this job.
This expertise has lead him to believe there is something wrong with the water flow numbers the company is getting, but he isn’t able to determine what is wrong just from the maps he has been given by the people working on the project. Exploring the caves is dangerous as they fill completely during high tide and if you get lost and trapped in the caves, you’ll never be seen again. A fate that many others have experienced.
Don’s predecessor in his position died when he presumably got drunk one evening and fell off the cliffs. He left behind some very cryptic notes that Mary has found, but cannot understand. Don isn’t interested in those scribbling and eventually Mary turns the notes over to the village minister, who is sure the devil is at work in the community.
It turns out that Mary is a descendant of the people in this village and she comes to love living here. She is making great progress on her writing for her book and they’ve hired a local and experienced handyman, Jamie McPherson, to do much needed maintenance and upkeep on the home that they are living in.
Mary and Don don’t have the strongest marriage but Don doesn’t feel the need to worry too much about leaving Mary home alone when he needs to go back to the US for a couple weeks to attend a conference. While there, he stops by New York to drop what she has written for her book off to her publisher. He’s frustrated because he has not been able to reach her by phone during the entire trip despite many attempts. The locals tell him she is fine but won’t take calls.
While away, Mary starts an affair with Jamie McPherson. She feels inexplicably drawn to him and looses all desire to do anything except dream of the time that she gets to spend with him.
The problem is that Jamie is not really human – he’s a Selkie, part sea-creature and part human. He is looking for an appropriate mate to continue his species because he is the last of the fertile men of his species.
I liked the story but don’t let the description on the back of the book fool you. Mary doesn’t do crap to “uncover the nature of his dark and terrible secret.” In fact, she is completely blind to the fact that Jamie transforms in front of her while they are making love.
This expertise has lead him to believe there is something wrong with the water flow numbers the company is getting, but he isn’t able to determine what is wrong just from the maps he has been given by the people working on the project. Exploring the caves is dangerous as they fill completely during high tide and if you get lost and trapped in the caves, you’ll never be seen again. A fate that many others have experienced.
Don’s predecessor in his position died when he presumably got drunk one evening and fell off the cliffs. He left behind some very cryptic notes that Mary has found, but cannot understand. Don isn’t interested in those scribbling and eventually Mary turns the notes over to the village minister, who is sure the devil is at work in the community.
It turns out that Mary is a descendant of the people in this village and she comes to love living here. She is making great progress on her writing for her book and they’ve hired a local and experienced handyman, Jamie McPherson, to do much needed maintenance and upkeep on the home that they are living in.
Mary and Don don’t have the strongest marriage but Don doesn’t feel the need to worry too much about leaving Mary home alone when he needs to go back to the US for a couple weeks to attend a conference. While there, he stops by New York to drop what she has written for her book off to her publisher. He’s frustrated because he has not been able to reach her by phone during the entire trip despite many attempts. The locals tell him she is fine but won’t take calls.
While away, Mary starts an affair with Jamie McPherson. She feels inexplicably drawn to him and looses all desire to do anything except dream of the time that she gets to spend with him.
The problem is that Jamie is not really human – he’s a Selkie, part sea-creature and part human. He is looking for an appropriate mate to continue his species because he is the last of the fertile men of his species.
I liked the story but don’t let the description on the back of the book fool you. Mary doesn’t do crap to “uncover the nature of his dark and terrible secret.” In fact, she is completely blind to the fact that Jamie transforms in front of her while they are making love.
November 25, 2020
Not my usual choice of book, but it has been on my ever expanding reading list for almost 40 years. Combination of elemental horror and bodice ripper, it is a well constructed novel with a great sense of place, far Sutherland, and an intriguing cast of characters. It requires a bit of suspension of disbelief but the quality of the writing held my attention throughout.
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August 17, 2007Erm. I don't know why I picked this up at the Goodwill. Okay, here's the blurb on the front:
A legend come to life, he drew her into his night world of erotic love and exquisite terror.
So, yeah. I'll admit it, I'm a sucker for erotica, though I mostly read it in a very specific context. But this book wasn't erotic. It was gross. And it wasn't frightening, either... it was pretty much just gross. The pacing and characterization were okay, although the final sequence was poorly described and highly confusing and the best character was underused.
Mostly I'm dismayed at how it demonized non-human intelligence - what a trite treatment of an interesting fictional conceit. "They're ugly and they get violent when threatened, therefore they must be evil. We shall exterminate." Boring.
A legend come to life, he drew her into his night world of erotic love and exquisite terror.
So, yeah. I'll admit it, I'm a sucker for erotica, though I mostly read it in a very specific context. But this book wasn't erotic. It was gross. And it wasn't frightening, either... it was pretty much just gross. The pacing and characterization were okay, although the final sequence was poorly described and highly confusing and the best character was underused.
Mostly I'm dismayed at how it demonized non-human intelligence - what a trite treatment of an interesting fictional conceit. "They're ugly and they get violent when threatened, therefore they must be evil. We shall exterminate." Boring.
September 21, 2018
I’ve always found that horror stories that are based on real myths and legends decidedly more creepy. There’s always that “what happened to start this legend?” in the back of my mind. This one was no exception. As the story unfolds, you get to understand, and maybe even sympathize with, the Selkies. Their future isn’t assured. And there’s always that hint of mystery as to who is part of the Selkie community, and who isn’t.
The erotica is very tame, so anyone who has a problem with that (!) shouldn’t have a problem here. It’s not at all gratuitous, as Selkies coupling with humans is very much a part of the mythology.
The ending leaves you hanging a bit, which is the only part of the book I would have changed. Either that, or if a sequel had been planned. If there was, it was never written. But I guess that’s sometimes needed, leaving the mystery in the myth.
The erotica is very tame, so anyone who has a problem with that (!) shouldn’t have a problem here. It’s not at all gratuitous, as Selkies coupling with humans is very much a part of the mythology.
The ending leaves you hanging a bit, which is the only part of the book I would have changed. Either that, or if a sequel had been planned. If there was, it was never written. But I guess that’s sometimes needed, leaving the mystery in the myth.
May 18, 2024
2.5 stars.
I wanted to enjoy Selkie a lot more than I did. It's your typical 80s horror paperback, with some cheese, decent horror, and a bit of romance. But this is a book that doesn't know what it wants to be. It can't decide if it wants to be a 'traditional' horror story, or what we would now call a paranormal romance novel. And it doesn't really succeed at either. The plot is simple enough: Mary, an aspiring novelist, moves to rural Scotland with her engineer husband, Don. Don's company is building a nuclear reactor in the area, and his work keeps him away from her. She soon falls in love with Jamie McPherson, a handsome local handyman. But Jamie has a secret: he's a Selkie.
This book had a very...different take on Selkies. I'm not sure if the authors wanted to do something different with the Selkie lore, or if they confused Selkies with another Scottish mythical creature, the Blue Men of the Minch. Selkies are usually depicted as an all-female race, they can shapeshift between seals and beautiful women by taking off their seal skins. Here, the Selkies are an all-male race that can only reproduce by breeding with human women. If the baby is a girl, it's a human child, but if the baby is a boy, it will always be a Selkie. Again, it's a very different and strange take on the mythology. What is Selkie culture like? How are human women able to pass their Selkie sons off as human? What if the kid needed to see a doctor? None of these questions are ever answered.
I'm not sure how I feel about the character of Jamie, either. Is he supposed to be a villain or a sympathetic tragic hero? Unclear. He's written like a charming, handsome romance novel hero, then he does terrible things like I'm probably reading way too much into a cheesy old 80s horror novel. But this book could have been so much better. I also thought the ending was a bit strange. It left the door open for a sequel, by revealing a few of the Selkies were still alive, but no sequel was ever written.
I wanted to enjoy Selkie a lot more than I did. It's your typical 80s horror paperback, with some cheese, decent horror, and a bit of romance. But this is a book that doesn't know what it wants to be. It can't decide if it wants to be a 'traditional' horror story, or what we would now call a paranormal romance novel. And it doesn't really succeed at either. The plot is simple enough: Mary, an aspiring novelist, moves to rural Scotland with her engineer husband, Don. Don's company is building a nuclear reactor in the area, and his work keeps him away from her. She soon falls in love with Jamie McPherson, a handsome local handyman. But Jamie has a secret: he's a Selkie.
This book had a very...different take on Selkies. I'm not sure if the authors wanted to do something different with the Selkie lore, or if they confused Selkies with another Scottish mythical creature, the Blue Men of the Minch. Selkies are usually depicted as an all-female race, they can shapeshift between seals and beautiful women by taking off their seal skins. Here, the Selkies are an all-male race that can only reproduce by breeding with human women. If the baby is a girl, it's a human child, but if the baby is a boy, it will always be a Selkie. Again, it's a very different and strange take on the mythology. What is Selkie culture like? How are human women able to pass their Selkie sons off as human? What if the kid needed to see a doctor? None of these questions are ever answered.
I'm not sure how I feel about the character of Jamie, either. Is he supposed to be a villain or a sympathetic tragic hero? Unclear. He's written like a charming, handsome romance novel hero, then he does terrible things like I'm probably reading way too much into a cheesy old 80s horror novel. But this book could have been so much better. I also thought the ending was a bit strange. It left the door open for a sequel, by revealing a few of the Selkies were still alive, but no sequel was ever written.
November 6, 2011
Started reading this on the train yesterday. Not sure if this is really a possible spoiler or not.
I was curious how this book of a genre I think of as generally written by women, would be different when written by a man (actually men, as there are two authors listed on my copy). Not sure I can make truly clear-cut distinctions based on gender, but it's certainly less "happy end" than a lot of paranormals I've read. The theme of alcoholism is not encountered very frequently, and the theme of infidelity is very lightly portrayed, although this may have been a carry-over of the era in which it was written.
The story is quite gripping, but for the genre I had difficulty focusing on the right bad guys. I found the presumable good guys (Don, Roger?) pretty dispicable, to the extent that I found myself rooting for the bad guys (Jamie and his crew). For this reason, the almost finale in the caves was quite disappointing, although there is hope in the last paragraph. The traded copy I have ends at the bottom of the last page - always a bad sign - so I hope I'm not missing any text.
I was curious how this book of a genre I think of as generally written by women, would be different when written by a man (actually men, as there are two authors listed on my copy). Not sure I can make truly clear-cut distinctions based on gender, but it's certainly less "happy end" than a lot of paranormals I've read. The theme of alcoholism is not encountered very frequently, and the theme of infidelity is very lightly portrayed, although this may have been a carry-over of the era in which it was written.
The story is quite gripping, but for the genre I had difficulty focusing on the right bad guys. I found the presumable good guys (Don, Roger?) pretty dispicable, to the extent that I found myself rooting for the bad guys (Jamie and his crew). For this reason, the almost finale in the caves was quite disappointing, although there is hope in the last paragraph. The traded copy I have ends at the bottom of the last page - always a bad sign - so I hope I'm not missing any text.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 16, 2010
I was a bit worried about this book when I started it. Right away, I knew who the "bad" guys were. My fear was it was because the story wasn't written well. As it turns out, this was a little Hitchcock-esque. It was intentional to let the reader in on the secrets, then stress about how it would all work out. It wasn't a fantastic read, but it gave me some inspiration that I plan on holding in my memory banks for a while. The story was good. Most of this nature seem to focus on the love/lust aspect of the story. This one certainly touched upon it, but it was more about biology/myth/secret keeping of the Selkies.
August 17, 2009
Can't remember how I wandered across this book, but I was very happy with the cut-out/peephole cover showing an open window with curtains blowing, looking out on a full moon. When you open it, a nude blue-ish colored muscular blond "man" is embracing a nude woman and they're up to their waists in seawater. Totally 80's!
Scotland. Vampire-like mermen must plant their seeds in human women. Okey dokey -- fun to read.
Could've been better, but wasn't half bad.
Scotland. Vampire-like mermen must plant their seeds in human women. Okey dokey -- fun to read.
Could've been better, but wasn't half bad.
July 14, 2008
Selkies are not vampires and vice versa...
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews