The Legend of Charlie Fish
by Josh Rountree
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Pub Date Jul 25 2023 | Archive Date Aug 12 2023
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Description
“Odd, creepy, funny, The Black Lagoon meets the Six Gun universe. High up on the way-cool factor. You need this.”
—Joe R. Lansdale, Edgar Award–winning author of the Hap and Leonard series
As an unlikely found-family flees toward Galveston, a psychic young girl bonds with Charlie Fish, an enigmatic gill-man. Meanwhile, they are pursued by bounty hunters determined to profit from the spectacle of Charlie. But the Great Storm—the worst natural disaster in U.S. history—is on its way. Josh Rountree’s strikingly original debut novel ranges effortlessly between the Gothic, pulp, literary, Western, and comedic. With his vivid imagery, evocative storytelling, and uncanny wit, Rountree enters the fine tradition of Texan storytellers, wading into True Grit by way of The Shape of Water.
As always, Floyd Betts rides into town alone. He arrives for his father’s funeral, but he is returning to Galveston, Texas, with two orphaned siblings he has rescued. Nellie, who is descended from a long line of witches, has visions from other people’s minds. Hank, her impulsive younger brother, just wants to break out his outsized revolver.
Along the way home, Floyd, Nellie, and Hank encounter a dubious traveling salesman, Professor Finn, and his henchman, Kentucky Jim. They are struggling to capture a fish-man in order to put him on cruel display. When Nellie taps into the peril of the gentle Charlie Fish, Floyd’s makeshift family expands to include the lost, two-legged amphibian.
With the circus charlatans in pursuit, ominous winds are picking up from an impending hurricane. Meanwhile, all Charlie Fish wants is to return to his home at sea.
A Note From the Publisher
Advance Praise
“A fantastic work of dark historical fiction, in the spirit of Lansdale, Gorman, Pronzini, and McMurtry.”
—Brian Keene, author of the Rising series
“Equal parts touching and bizarre, The Legend of Charlie Fish is a weird western with heart, and is a completely delightful read from start to finish.”
—David Liss, author of The Peculiarities
“A paean to turn of the 20th century Galveston, Tex., Rountree’s romp of a debut novel (after the collection Fantastic Americana) combines a historical disaster with fantastical elements, including a creature who would fit right in, in the Black Lagoon. Floyd Betts meets orphaned siblings Nellie, a 12-year-old telepath, and Hank, a nine-year-old marksman, while in Old Cypress, Tex., for his father’s funeral and decides to take them back with him to Abigail Elder’s boarding house in Galveston. On the way, Floyd, Hank, and Nellie infuriate of a pair of circus charlatans calling themselves Professor Finn and Kentucky Jim by liberating the scoundrels’ big score, a human-fish hybrid the children name Charlie Fish. Nellie’s ‘whisper talk,’ or empathetic telepathy, allows her to communicate with Charlie, who longs to reunite with his fellow fish people. Meanwhile, both Professor Finn and Kentucky Jim and an incoming hurricane pose threats even after the makeshift family is welcomed at Abigail’s. Despite a somewhat unfocused plot, which jumps around in both time and alternates between Floyd and Nellie’s points of view, a sense of looming doom keeps tension high, and Rountree’s talent for scene setting is on full display in lush descriptions of the Old West. This weird western should win Rountree plenty of fans.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Rountree’s debut novel serves as an ode to Texas storytellers such as Joe Lansdale and dark-fantasy spinners such as Guillermo del Toro. The story centers on a found family on their way to Galveston, TX. Along with taciturn carpenter Floyd Betts, there are two orphan children: Hank, whose mouth is as fast as his revolver, and Nellie, a girl with mind-reading powers. Nellie’s powers let her communicate with Charlie Fish, a fish man who says little, loves smoking, and wants very badly to go back to his home in the ocean. Following this group are two scoundrels who want to capture and exhibit Charlie—and a hurricane that will destroy Galveston. Rountree offers some excellent descriptions, and his characters are as folksy and complex as any created by Larry McMurtry or Louis L’Amour. The seemingly rushed ending, however, might disappoint readers who have fallen in love with the world Rountree has imagined; it’s a painful realization that their journey through his world is ending. VERDICT: Rountree’s colorful palette brings together Western and fantasy elements to create a magical tale about the deep bonds forged by circumstance.”
—Library Journal
“By recounting their past tales of loss and longing, Rountree effectively crafts deep characterizations for each of his cast members and makes you care for their plight, especially during the breathless final act as a colossal hurricane bears down on their Galveston locale. I was thoroughly taken with this story, Rountree’s writing, and the unique island setting.”
—The Speculative Shelf
“If there's one thing I like more than strange fish-man stories, it’s a terrific weird western, and with The Legend of Charlie Fish, Josh Rountree fuses these two genres into the fishiest, weirdest of westerns!”
—Cullen Bunn, author of The Sixth Gun and Harrow County
“Josh Rountree knows how to spin a yarn. Great storytelling ability bringing Charlie Fish to life so I could fall in love with him. More of his adventures would be awesome! Highly recommend this to people who enjoy magic, whimsy, characters to invest in, and an emotional journey.”
—Mother Horror
“A Weird Western novel of singular power. Mixing equal parts of Elmore Leonard toughness and Joe R. Lansdale wit in a Charles Portis-shaped shaker, The Legend of Charlie Fish is an old fashioned cocktail readers will savor.”
—C.S. Humble, author of The Massacre at Yellow Hill
“Rountree excels at creating new mythology and folktales that feel like they've always existed, and The Legend of Charlie Fish is no exception. A tense, exciting, and gorgeous read that will sweep you up immediately and not let go, lingering even after you turn the last page.”
—A. C. Wise, author of Wendy, Darling
“A winsome tale of wondrous misfits and unlikely kinships, The Legend of Charlie Fish channels all the wit and melancholy of the great Charles Portis. Part adventure story, part lament, the whole is a triumph of voice and heart.”
—Andy Davidson, author of The Hollow Kind
“A fantastic novel about the power of family, be they blood, human or not. Of love and loyalty and strange talents. Of heat and violence and storms and a Fishman. A tight heart-filled tapestry of almost alternate history that hits all the notes I crave in weird fiction. I adored it.”
—John Boden, author of Jedi Summer, Spungunion, and Snarl
“An entertaining historical weird fantasy tale featuring a cigarette-smoking manphibian befriended by an orphaned witch girl and her gun-toting kid brother. Set in Galveston, Texas, during the deadliest hurricane to ever strike the United States, this strange self-made family not only must deal with the elements but a pair of scheming scoundrels intent on capturing Charlie as well. Author Josh Rountree knows the city of Galveston and its tragic history backwards and forwards. Recommended for those who enjoy a good ‘weird western.’”
—Nancy A. Collins, author of Sunglasses After Dark
“What a ride! This story is as imaginative as it is delightfully surprising. From the very first pages, Galveston and the Great Storm come alive alongside a cast of unique and compelling characters. The lyrical prose and sense of foreboding as undeniable as the first gusts of a hurricane make for an utterly charming and haunting tale.”
—KC Grifant, author of Melinda West: Monster Gunslinger
“Odd, creepy, funny, The Black Lagoon meets the Six Gun universe. High up on the way-cool factor. You need this.”
—Joe R. Lansdale, author of the Hap and Leonard series
“The Legend of Charlie Fish is an exciting mashup of historical Texas, whispering magic, deadly hurricanes, and unlikely friends from unexpected places. It celebrates love and acceptance no matter how unusual the relationship is or how uncertain the future could be. Rountree deftly casts his characters into dangerous waters and tells a lyrical, stormy tale of chosen family that is wonderfully hopeful, even amidst loss and hardship. I loved it.”
—Patrick Swenson, author of Rain Music
“Perfect for Ben Galley and Joe R. Lansdale fans, The Legend of Charlie Fish is a quintessential example of a weird western.”
—Booklist
“The monsters are human, the humans are monsters, and hope still lives in Pandora’s Box. It is a tale of today in yesterday's clothes. Beautifully written.”
—Del Howison, author of The Survival of Margaret Thomas
5/5 stars. “While I really appreciate the technical aspects and construction of the story, what I love most of all is how well it reads, how fast I care about the characters, and how the story sweeps me away. Highly recommended for my fellow Texans, but also for western and literary fantasy fans!”
—The Book on the High Shelf
“Well-written, entertaining, and hugely original.”
—Booklover’s Boudoir
4.5/5 stars “I inhaled this book. . . . The emotional content and build was spot-on.”
—Book Reviews Forevermore
Marketing Plan
-Select outreach to leading print and online reviewers
-General, mystery, and Texan subgenre specific outreach to the trade and media outlets
-Social media advertising campaign to include Instagram book tour and influencer outreach
-Targeted email marketing campaign
-Promotion coordinated with release of Things Get Ugly by Joe R. Lansdale
-In-person events to include regional Texas and U.S.national venues
-Galley and finished copy giveaways on Goodreads and through author and publisher
Available Editions
EDITION | Paperback |
ISBN | 9781616963941 |
PRICE | $16.95 (USD) |
PAGES | 192 |
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
The Legend of Charlie Fish is a cracking Western yarn that hooked me from the start. Whether or not it actually needs its eponymous gill-man to be a compelling tale was a question I asked throughout my time with this book – but that’s more of an aftereffect of how invested I became in the other characters that were the main focus of the story.
By recounting their past tales of loss and longing, Rountree effectively crafts deep characterizations for each of his cast members and makes you care for their plight, especially during the breathless final act as a colossal hurricane bears down on their Galveston locale.
I was thoroughly taken with this story, Rountree’s writing, and the unique island setting. Definitely add this to your TBRs.
First, thank you for the opportunity to read this book and go on an adventure with these characters.
This book was a great story about loss, family/found family, perseverance, with a little magic. The characters are all interconnected in different ways and shows their paths lining up and the choices they make for one another.
We have a wide array of characters from your average human, to fish people, some smart witches, and a young sharpshooter.
I like the addition of real historical events which makes the story much more interesting. In this case, the Galveston hurricane of 1900.
It held my attention the entire way and I could not put it down so I could see what happened next. The ending was bittersweet but nonetheless a good ending to a good story.
Anyone who picks this one up will not regret it !
When Joe R Lansdale says 'You Need This', I say I have to take the advice, particularly if he is pointing to a Weird Western by an author I have not read before.
Floyd Betts is traveling to the small town he grew up in to give the preacher 10 dollars to bury his old man, his Aunt is too cheap and too nasty to pay the bill. Mid argument with the preacher he finds a pair of recently orphaned children and decides to rescue them. The family grows buy one more on the trip home to Galveston, this time is not another orphan but a man/fish/sea creature named Charlie Fish. But the rescue of Charlie results in two scoundrels becoming the found family enemy. Thrown in the worst natural disaster ever to hit Northern American and some of the best dialogue you get this side of True Grit (no doubt one of the author's favourite books, loving tributes are within).
I have no doubt this will be in my top five reads of the year (and I am saying this in January!), and I am now looking to get my hands on some of the authors short story collections.
I was enthralled with The Legend of Charlie Fish from start to finish. A quick, satisfying read that ended just as it should. I loved Nellie, Hank, Floyd, and Abigail. Their bond was touching and the threads of longing expressed throughout the book caused more than a few quiet tears. I really enjoyed this story.
The Legend of Charlie Fish by Josh Rountree is almost certainly the best Weird Western* tale featuring a humanoid amphibian you will read this year (and most likely for several years to come). It is also very likely that it will prove to be one of the best books you will read all year. Is that a bold statement? Not particularly because this is a GREAT book!
*NOTE: It's actually probably more of a Weird Neo-Western Tale since it takes place around the turn of the century but that just doesn't flow as well.
It reads like some long forgotten folklore that was passed down as a family secret from generation to generation. A tale so wild and unbelievable that it had to be hidden from the world at large. Written in a way that is both inspiring and sad.
It's fully dimensional characters are well-drawn, believable and sympathetic... Read that again. Author Josh Rountree makes a fish-man character that is believable and sympathetic.
The first instinct is to compare it to The Creature from the Black Lagoon. No. That's surface stuff. Too easy. For my money it has more of a To Kill a Mockingbird sensibility going on, with the mysterious, misunderstood Mr. Fish serving as a stand-in for both Boo Radley and the falsely accused Tom Robinson.
This is a wonderful, magical, beautiful fairytale for grownups. Highly recommended.
This is a long novella or a short novel I read in one sitting even if I’m not the biggest fan of Western setting. This is a gripping, compelling and highly entertaining novel that kept hooked and turning pages and surprised me at each turn with new marvels and wonderful twists.
It’s poignant, full of emotions, a bit weird at times: it made me cry buckets and smile. It made me discover a new author and I thoroughly enjoyed this story
I strongly recommend it because it’s a brilliant novel.
Many thanks to Tachyon Publications for this arc, all opinions are mine
Paradise was a whirlpool of unnatural greens and gold coral reefs, phosphorescent flowers and palaces cut into the heart of undersea caverns.
THE LEGEND OF CHARLIE FISH is quite simply one of the best novels I have read this year. Set at the turn of the 20th Century, a time when the American Old West was beginning to disappear, it is the story of damaged characters - Floyd Betts, estranged from the late father whom he arrives in town to bury, and the orphans he ‘adopts’, Nellie and Hank, whose parents have been murdered by the townspeople who condemned their as a witch. On the return to Galveston, the trio rescue a creature from two ‘scoundrels’ they encounter on the road. While Floyd initially thinks the men have captured a huge fish, Nellie, who has inherited a form of telepathy, ‘whisper talk’, from her mother, recognises the captive as a sentient being, whom she names Charlie Fish.
There are obviously fantastical elements - the titular character is a Creature From The Black Lagoon-like amphibious man - but it is thoroughly grounded in reality, and what a reality; the climax plays out against the Great Galveston Hurricane of 1900. Josh Rountree’s description of the storm is frighteningly visceral; you really hear, and feel, the wind and surging water, the buildings moving, the almost complete disorientation. I would have to think long and hard to find a better evocation of the destructive power of nature.
I believe this is Josh Rountree’s first novel but his prose is beautiful, even when describing intense violence, either of the storm or the swift retribution of a semi-lawless society. THE LEGEND OF CHARLIE FISH is reminiscent of Ray Bradbury, Neil Gaiman, of Joe R. Lansdale, but Rountree has his own voice. I thoroughly enjoyed it and rushed breathlessly through the story. I will reread it and look forward to see what comes next from the author.
Readers who liked this book also liked:
Jane Yolen; Harry Turtledove; Premee Mohamed; Lisa Morton
Mystery & Thrillers, Sci Fi & Fantasy