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A review by opplecopter
The Fisherman by John Langan
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
After Abe loses his wife, he turns to fishing. When his coworker, Dan is involved in a tragic accident and suffers his own loss, Abe extends an invitation to go fishing together and the two form a bond. After many outings, Dan mentions trying out a new fishing spot called Dutchman’s Creek, so the men pack up and hit the road. After stopping at a diner to grab some breakfast, they find themselves chatting with the cook and ask him about the Creek. The cook is hesitant to give them any information and suspiciously asks how they even know about the Creek. He eventually decides to pass along the rumors and the men listen to a dark tale full of terror, power, and a strange man called The Fisherman. Is the cook just pulling their leg? The story is so far fetched it can’t be true. Chalking it up to being a local legend, Abe and Dan continue on their trip to Dutchman’s Creek, but soon find that some stories aren’t just stories all. They are pulled even deeper into the legend when they see something they’ve wanted dangling in front of their eyes, but below the surface, things aren’t at all what they seem.
With equal parts cosmic/folk horror, this is such a weird story, but in a good way. I feel like if I sit and ponder over it too long, I’ll end up spiraling into existential dread. This story does a great job of creating an atmosphere of unease, like you need to take a second or even third look at the shadows on the wall or the trees around you. It’s well written and constructed, with some deeply unsettling imagery. This is a story within a story. The vast majority of the book is what’s told by the cook to Dan and Abe. It’s a bit long winded and there were a few parts that could’ve been shortened, but overall I enjoyed it and it held my attention throughout. Abe’s character is realistically written and relatable. He’s just trying to keep himself going after he lost the woman he loved and coping in the best way he can. Dan has no idea how to even begin healing, so I definitely felt sympathy for them both. I would recommend this one with the reminder that it very much is a slow burn that gets better as you go. I would also highly recommend the audio since the narrator did a really good job.
With equal parts cosmic/folk horror, this is such a weird story, but in a good way. I feel like if I sit and ponder over it too long, I’ll end up spiraling into existential dread. This story does a great job of creating an atmosphere of unease, like you need to take a second or even third look at the shadows on the wall or the trees around you. It’s well written and constructed, with some deeply unsettling imagery. This is a story within a story. The vast majority of the book is what’s told by the cook to Dan and Abe. It’s a bit long winded and there were a few parts that could’ve been shortened, but overall I enjoyed it and it held my attention throughout. Abe’s character is realistically written and relatable. He’s just trying to keep himself going after he lost the woman he loved and coping in the best way he can. Dan has no idea how to even begin healing, so I definitely felt sympathy for them both. I would recommend this one with the reminder that it very much is a slow burn that gets better as you go. I would also highly recommend the audio since the narrator did a really good job.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Child death, Death, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Murder
Moderate: Gore, Dementia
Minor: Cursing