Cover Image: A Dark and Endless Sea: A Novel

A Dark and Endless Sea: A Novel

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

One of the best books I’ve read recently! Seriously, this book has such a dark foreboding that I can’t quite put my finger on, but felt deep within my soul. I connected with the MC in an unexpected way given that I don’t have any of the afflictions he suffers from and I’ve certainly never been a crabber.. The writing is descriptive and genuine, and left me unable to put the book down. I have quite a book hangover that I’m sure I’ll feel for days if not longer. Absolutely brilliant.

Was this review helpful?

I enjoy this kind of horror because it's eerie, dark, and has some scenes that gave me the chills. With just the right amount of boredom and body horror, I adore the supernatural aspects that were incorporated. Reading this was a great experience.

I would like to express my gratitude to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this advance reader copy in exchange for my unbiased review.

Was this review helpful?

This was a WILD ride. I definitely got sucked into the story and I needed to get to the end to find out how everything came together. Overall I loved the plot, there’s not many books like it out there. 100% recommend!

Was this review helpful?

Thank you Netgally and Wicked house publishing for the ARC of A Dark and Endless Sea.

This was my first book by Blaine Diagle and it was a dark and haunting journey. It deals with loss and grief. The crazy ride the main character takes us on is one I will not forget anytime soon. I love sea horror novels and this one was almost entirely at sea. The creatures and myths in this book are creepy and haunted my dreams..

I will be reading his other books for sure!

Was this review helpful?

Blaine Daigle does it again! This is the third book I've read from him. He is definitely one of the best atmospheric horror writers. He has written about the Yukon, a bayou in Louisiana, and now the Berring Strait in Alaska. It is written hypnotically, with such beautiful prose. It's one of the things I love most about his writing. I don't have any personal experience with the Berring Strait, or the other locations in his books. But he pulled me into that ice, cold crabbing ship and the horrors that occur there. This book has a steady pace that has language and plotlines that need to be digested and appreciated. He takes his time to build the sinking dread that haunts this cursed voyage. Once horrendous events start happening, it's like a rouge wave that hits anything in its path.

My uncle loved diving as a hobby, especially exploring shipwrecks in Lake Michigan. The stories he had were unsettling. Ever since I heard them when I was a kid, I've been fascinated with nautical superstitions and lore. Daigle has done so much research into sailing legends and has everything that you would want in oceanic, lovecraftian horror!

Was this review helpful?

I came across this book when looking for something a bit different then your run of the mill thrillers I tend to read. This book completely blew me away!!! Whitt has no memories and has dreams that haunt him day and night. The story delves deeper from there. This book was dark and creepy but it a good way. It was not so over the top it was unbelievable, what made it so good is that it was very believable and just really made you think deeper. The atmosphere was described in a way you felt you were there with him and going through these things with him, to the point I was dreaming about it. Amazing book and I would highly recommend to anyone who loves a great horror book. I will be running to the store to buy a physical copy when its published. Thanks Netgalley for the ARC.

Was this review helpful?

This book was so good! I couldn't stop reading it. It kept me guessing through the whole thing and I loved all the twists and turns it offered throughout the whole thing. I feel like this would make a spectacular movie. Can't wait to read Blaines other books!

Was this review helpful?

This was my first dive into Blaine Daigle's work and truly was A pleasure to read. It's a slow burner in the middle so be prepared but witnessing the elegance with which the memories flood back and the progression of the characters made it so worth it. The mystery of the dreams and the ensuing realizations of the Dark world they're in, paired with the strangeness that continues from beginning to end is what kept me enthralled. Don't regret requesting this ARC AND absolutely recommend everyone to read this if you're a fan of the sea and it's Endless Sea possibilities.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wicked House Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest rate and review.

Was this review helpful?

Dark, atmospheric, creepy, moody, nightmarish....all are descriptors that come to mind when I think back on this book. The sea becomes a nightscape of dread, and I devoured the pages to get to the ending.

Was this review helpful?

A dark and haunting horror read! The story pulls you in immediately & immerses you in this nightmare landscape on the sea! Very beautifully written! Will stick with me for awhile for sure!

Was this review helpful?

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

This is a solid 4, maybe 4.5 star read. I'm a sucker for terrifying oceanic tales and Eldritch horror so this novel really hit the spot. It wasn't overly drawn out--there are less than 300 pages to read through--and the horror was just the right amount of creeping dread with a sprinkling of body horror. Enjoyed the twist towards the end!

The only real criticism I have is that a lot of the characters have a VERY similar voice. Out of a total of 8 main characters, only those of the main guy Whitt, the captain, and the mysterious man differ much from each other. Justin, Adam, Riley, Freddy, and Mike all read very same-y. This still didn't damper my enjoyment of the novel, but was mildly confusing early on when I was parsing who was who.

Overall a chilling but enjoying read for those who like ocean horror and Lovecraftian-esque weirdness. Definitely recommend.

Was this review helpful?

A man with no memory joins a crab boat in Alaska. The captain acts like he's been waiting for the stranger to arrive and seems to know more about the protagonist than our main character does.

A unique plot but not much horror or scares.

Was this review helpful?

Blaine Daigle has done it again: created a masterpiece of horror that blurs the line between nightmares and reality, blending bleak, visceral horror and encounters with animals that are just a little...off, with incredibly isolated, atmospheric settings.

Perfect for fans of The Lighthouse (movie) and Dredge (video game).

Was this review helpful?

💥💥 Book Review 💥💥

A Dark and Endless Sea
By Blaine Daigle

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Stars

This was my first time reading a book from this author so I was very excited to jump into the novel. The author just throws you into this dangerous/risky horror atmospheric story that makes you seat in the edge of your seat biting your nails. It was dark and creepy. Sometimes it made my stomach bubble from the gore he has you picture in the novel. The writing was wonderful and descriptive. I really liked this book and will read more books from him.


Thank you to NetGalley and Wicked House Publishing for providing me with a free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC (my first!)!

The premise and intro to this book were so fun; a man with no memories is pulled to the sea and onto a crab fishing boat where he's met with distrust. He soon finds out that he's not the only one with dreams distorting his reality.

The middle felt a bit long with short bursts of chaos. The albatross scene will live in my head for a long time despite much of the middle feeling like a slog at points.

The end brought me back in for a satisfying finish. I'm interested in reading another of Daigle's books, he has an interesting point of view in horror and I've increased my rating because of that.

Was this review helpful?

Daigle has a way with words. This is a cosmic/atmospheric horror that fills you with dread from the beginning. HIs writing is eloquent and descriptive. He develops his characters well and makes you care about them or hate them. Highly recommend.

Was this review helpful?

Another splentacular novel by Baine Daigle!

Whitt has horrible dreams and a past he cannot remember. A voice in the dreams lead him to a crab fishing ship, the Sonia. Other crew members experience similar nightmares and use drugs to keep them away. The crew member soon turn on each other as they are unable to explain or comprehend what is happening on the boat. While at sea, parts of Whitt's fragmented memory start coming back and the voice promises him peace from the nightmares but at a cost.

Yet again Daigle has written a fantastic dark, atmospheric horror novel. The reader is drawn into the dark, cold and threatening sea as well as the horrifying dreams Whitt experiences. The writing is so good I could vividly see the boat, the sea and the underwater city in my mind and feel Whitt's loneliness and isolation. I loved the addition of the supernatural elements to the story. What is a story at sea without some sea creatures (monsters)! This is the third book I have read from Daigle and I have absolutely loved them all. High recommendations of this book and the author.

Thanks you NetGalley, Wicked House Publishing and Blaine Daigle for the copy of this book.

Was this review helpful?

If you’re looking for a captivating story that deals with complicated grief, isolation, sea monsters, and/or complex characters, this is the book for you.

A man with a lost past joins a crabbing boat that heads into uncharted waters. A voice in his head grows stronger and tempts him in exchange for his memories. The crew drifts into a surreal nightmare as they journey into the dark and endless sea.

Blaine Daigle has shown readers that he can write eloquent, thrilling, and emotional stories across a wide range of plots and settings. I find that each book he puts out is even better than the last (although they are all excellent), and he is definitely an author I will continue to follow.

I’m not usually a fan of unreliable narrators, but Daigle created such a deeply captivating character with Whitt. Despite not always knowing what was true or a dream, I was able to step into this character’s shoes and felt a lot of empathy for his plight. I also felt dread and a sense of claustrophobia being stuck on the boat.

This was a fantastic horror story, one I’ll definitely recommend to others.

Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and Wicked House Publishing for a copy.

Was this review helpful?

Can Blaine Daigle do wrong? No. No he can't. I read his first book, The Broken Places, on Kindle Unlimited, because it was recommended in the Books of Horror group on Facebook. I love that group because the recommendations are frequent and fantastic, but there are SO MANY HORROR NOVELS. I ended up reading The Broken Places based on the cover, which scared the crap out of my son when he saw it. It was so creepy and atmospheric and had so many elements that I love (trapped in snow, a creepy town?? YES). A Dark Roux was next, and it was one of the most depressing books I've ever read in the best way ever. Again, so atmospheric, like am I IN the swamp?? Yet is was nothing like The Broken Places - it was a whole new level of creepy. When I had the chance to get the ARC for A Dark and Endless Sea, I jumped at it. I wanted that ARC. I NEEDED that ARC. I got it and I was not disappointed. Again, a new, completely different level of horror. Again, so atmospheric (trapped on a boat in the middle of an unforgiving sea with a mysterious captain?!), which is not easy to do. You find a lot of authors write what they know, so Laura McHugh sticks to poor towns in Missouri, Stephen King writes about Maine. But Blaine Daigle hits a variety of environments, draws in different horror elements, and it's just incredibly well done.

Was this review helpful?

What a ride! It's a mostly psychological horror story with some violence on the side, that reminds me a bit of a Cthulhian tale. Following the main character in his descent into madness, you join him on a journey through the horrors of stormy seas, as well as those within his own fragmented mind. I would have given it 5 stars but I had some issues with the ending: I didn't dislike it, but I felt there were some holes in it. I want to keep this review spoiler free so I won't go into detail. I think it could either have gone in another direction (there were so many possibilities!) or it could have been done a bit better, so it made more sense and felt right.
But, it wasn't a bad ending. I wasn't disappointed. I still very much enjoyed the book. Not only is it still worth reading but I'll probably read it again at some point. So please, don't be put off by my opinion of the end: read it yourself and form your own opinion. Even if you end up agreeing with me, I still had fun figuring out all the ways the pieces fitted together and imagining what other possibilities might have worked. It's a haunting book either way, perfect for any fans of thrillers, horrors, tales of the sea and, well, Cthulhu.

Was this review helpful?