Oceans: A Dark Microfiction Anthology by D. Kershaw

Oceans: A Dark Microfiction Anthology Reviews

• 
  K.B.

  Up-front disclaimer: I am one of the contributing authors to Oceans and have a vested interest in promoting it...but also want to be honest so my reviews are taken seriously and will hopefully help readers make an informed decision.
  
  Oceans is a collection of dark drabbles about the depraved dark depths of the deep blue sea.
  
  I love how dozens of authors, who have never seen each other's work and who drafted their stories from a prompt no more than "Oceans. Dark." can spin such a wide variety of stories...and yet also so similar, with frequent tales of tentacles pulling people into the deeps, women tossed overboard having their revenge on the superstitious sailors that condemned them, and cautionary tales of cursed treasure. Thanks to this book, I've certainly learnt my lesson not to peer too closely at murky shapes in the water (particularly where it involves leaning over the side of a cliff or a boat), to have a pair of siren-proof earplugs always at hand, and to never, ever, go on a solo swim or sail with the person I think is my best friend.
  
  Overall, my favourite tales were those with twists or unexpected endings, that transformed the story from the first line to the last, even where the stories are only 100 words. There were a handful of authors that did this exceptionally well.
  
  With over 400 drabble stories in the book, I'd like to offer special shout-outs to my top 15 favourites (no particular order):
  -The Edge by Nicola Currie and That Sinking Feeling by Steven Lord for creating two of the most terrifying fates in the book (at least to me) concerning the ocean. I'm shuddering just thinking about it.
  -Deep by Lynne Lumsden Green for a great drabble that was cleverly written with a fantastic twist.
  -Lover Astray by Ximena Escobar for transporting me into the moment with beautiful and real description.
  -Unsuitable Home by Paula R. C. Readman for being utterly horrific. I read it three times.
  -Sally Stole Seashells by J.B. Wocoski for making my tongue weak.
  -Toes in the Water by Raymond Johnson for a story I genuinely enjoyed.
  -The Right Bait by Andrew Kurtz for being karmic and satisfying. And true.
  -Sink or Float by Radar DeBoard for a rounded drabble that had a full story to it. While I guessed where it was going before the end, it was only because Oceans had corrupted me so thoroughly...
  -Surf and Turf by Jacob Baugher for inexplicably, despite only being 100 words, feeling like a whole novel. There was so much crammed into that tale that I need more!
  -The Shark and the Sea Cloud by Lyndsey Ellis-Holloway for making me laugh. I don't think I could ever think of them as anything other than 'sea clouds' now.
  -Storm Sent by Katie Conrad for being a neat little tale with a great twist.
  -Swims with the Fishes by Sean P. Chatterton for a grimly humourous and er...upstanding tale. I loved it.
  -Group(er) Think by Sara L. Uckleman for the cleverness of the story: a single personal pronoun makes the whole thing. Kudos.
  -Deep Sea Joyride by Shawn M. Klimek for being a great find towards the end of the book (as my attention was wavering, it was pleasantly suprising to discover this gem).
  
  The hundreds of short stories make it a perfect pick-up-and-put-down anytime read (personally, I did most of my reading while cooking). I'd like to offer congratulations to all authors and editors involved in the book: well done.
• 
  R.A. Goli

  *Disclaimer - I have a drabble in this anthology*
  Another enjoyable drabble anthology from BHP, this one from the depths of the ocean! There were a few too many ‘humans have polluted the sea’ stories for me. Some were quite good, but others felt a bit preachy, which I don’t feel have a place in stories meant to entertain. Otherwise a solid anthology filled with tales of revenge, misadventure, selkies, pirates, sunken ships, mermaids, and much more.
  With so many drabbles, it’s too hard to mention the best ones as the list would be crazy long.
  ‘Never Fall in Love with a Mermaid’ made me snort with laughter, though.
• 
  Kelly

  **I'm a contributor in this anthology**
  
  I have 2 favorite anthologies in the Dark Drabbles Series (10 books total), 'Ancients' and 'Oceans'!
  
  I unfortunately didn't keep notes when I read it so don't remember my favorite drabbles, but this book is packed with awesome writers. Some that I always love reading drabbles by are: Alanna Roberston-Webb, KB Elijah, Lyndsey Ellis-Holloway, Joachim Heijndermans, Ximena Escobar, Natasha Sinclair, Russell Hemmell, and Stuart Conover. There are so many more great contributors in here though.
  
  If you love mermaids, kelpies, kappa, and various fish-monsters, this collection will entertain you.
• 
  McKenzie Richardson

  For more reviews, check out my blog:
  Craft-Cycle
  
  This ocean-themed collection features five of my drabbles: "Cleon’s Stone Figurehead", "Shark Fin Soup", "The Octopus’ Garden", "The Sea Maiden", and "Underwater Jesus".
  
  Bite-sized stories told in exactly 100 words, this anthology is perfect when you have limited time to read. It allows you to read a few stories here and there or go on reading binges. The choice is yours.
  
  With over 400 stories, these tales will terrify and entertain. Some will make you laugh. Some will make you think. And some will make your skin crawl. This collection features a variety of stories from creatures of the deep, the mysteries of the sea, and the darker side of human nature.
  
  While I enjoyed many of the drabbles, here is an incomplete list of a few of my favorites:
  - "Sea Glass Souls" by
  Jasmine Jarvis
  - "Unbroken Wave" by
  Peter J. Foote
  - "Fortunate Soul" by
  G. Allen Wilbanks
  - "The Frozen Sea" by
  Lyndsey Ellis-Holloway
  - "Nightfall" by
  J. Scott Hill