The Scary Reviews

Genre: Horror
Length: 83 Pages
Publisher: Unnerving
Release date: June 5, 2018
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Synopsis: The world’s fate lies with a comatose young girl; an android wants to remember a human she once knew under Martian skies; men at sea learn that the ocean is a realm far different from land, where an unforgiving god rules; a school security guard discovers extreme English class; and a man understands what the behemoth beneath the sea commands of him.
The Sea Was a Fair Master is a collection of 23 stories, riding the currents of fantasy, science fiction, crime, and horror. There are tales of murder, death, loss, revenge, greed, and hate. There are also tales of hope, survival, and love.
For the sea was a fair master.

Review copy provided in exchange for an honest review

When I opened The Sea was a Fair Master, I knew I was in for a treat, based on the comments from other reviewers. From the first story, Calvin Demmer sets the reader on a course for a dark adventure. The tone and feel of the On the Seventh Day was griping as the story weaved its way to a quick conclusion. I loved the way the men at sea let their circumstances play out, as if they had any other choice.

I really enjoy the fast and rapid pace of flash fiction, and Restroom Finds was just this type of story. Before I had a chance to settle in for the ride, it took than unexpected halt and shocked me by its horrific turn of events. While traveling in the apocalypse it doesn’t pay to help others trying to survive. The Peeper was one of the best stories in this collection, and one of my favorites. It had me looking everywhere and not knowing who to believe. The One, was sick and wrong, and that’s saying a lot coming from me. That story really pushed my limits.

Calvin Demmer really lets loose, and nothing was off limits in The Sea was a Fair Master. I was shocked at each story while he twisted the knife. I hadn’t expected to be assaulted at every turn of the page. The stories Trashcan Sam and Blind Teddy made me smile, along with Voodoo Child. There were a great variety of ideas that filled the pages of this collection. While not all of the stories grabbed me, I loved far more stories than I didn’t, and more so, I don’t think any of them were less than enjoyable. If this is any clue as to where Calvin Demmer is going, then I’m looking forward to reading him again, and I hope it is sooner rather than later.

Calvin Demmer, biography

Calvin Demmer is a dark fiction author from South Africa. His debut collection, The Sea was a Fair Master, was released in June 2018. When not writing, he is intrigued by that which goes bump in the night and the sciences of our universe. You can find him online at www.calvindemmer.com or follow him on Twitter @CalvinDemmer.