Full disclosure that I’m a contributor in this anthology. This review focuses on the other stories in the collection except mine.
Don’t Go in the Water is the third in the Classic Monster Series from Ye Olde Dragon Press. After tackling the wolfman and the Frankenstein monster, the publishers have turned their attention to the Creature from the Black Lagoon. This anthology offers thirteen tales of water-drenched horror, humor, fantasy, and drama. Don’t Go in the Water represents the entire spectrum of speculative fiction.
Mirroring the Universal Monster films of yore, this series isn’t necessarily meant to exclusively frighten its readers. Though some of its offerings are scary, many focus their attention on what it would mean if a watery creature lived on our world (or some other world) and how that “monster” would integrate into society. At times, the creature represents loneliness or isolation. Other plots have him as a valuable ally. Naturally, in several of the stories, he’s the adversary, a killing terror.
The Creature is not often associated with gothic castles or dark forests, so curling up with Don’t Go in the Water may be read anytime, not just in autumn. Do you want a humorous story of the classic Gill Man? Look no further than “Classic Monsters Anonymous: The Gill Guy Walks Among Us,” “A Fish Story,” or “Cure for the Creature.” How about something more poignant but not classically frightening? Then try “The Secret,” a girl and her fish story. Some readers, though, will demand a tale of terror. “Neher, Demon of the River” and “Bessie’s Revenge” fit that bill nicely.
One story of the thirteen touches multiple genres and packs a lot of emotion in a short story. “Siren Song” by C. S. Watcher really encapsulates the idea of a creature among us in a surprising way. Without giving away the twist, it wins the award of “not the story you were looking for but the story you enjoyed finding.”
There are many more wonderful tales within. For Halloween, or any time of the year, pick up Don’t Go in the Water for a wide range of entertaining and waterlogged tales.