Sci-Fi, Fantasy & Horror Reviews
Book Review: The Ghost Pirates and Others
By Sandy Amazeen Jan 7, 2013, 2:10 GMT
Eight years of experience aboard merchant sailing vessels during the 1880’s gave Hodgson plenty of first hand knowledge of the seaman’s life which he frequently poured into his fantasy writings. Indeed, it could be argued that Hodgson was one of the founders of the genre and while the language is noticeably different from contemporary work, the imaginative tales continue to delight. A fine example of this is “The Voice in the Night”, a creepy story of two castaways who truly suffer a fate worse then death. While “Ghost Pirates” starts the collection, “The Sea Horses” a poignant, bittersweet tale of a harmless yarn gone bad and “A Tropical Horror” come across as stronger offerings. Whether you are new to Hodgson’s work, a fan of Clark Ashton Smith or a long time admirer, this collection is a treat.
