The Fisherman
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4.2 • 210 Ratings
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
In upstate New York, in the woods around Woodstock, Dutchman’s Creek flows out of the Ashokan Reservoir. Steep-banked, fast-moving, it offers the promise of fine fishing, and of something more, a possibility too fantastic to be true. When Abe and Dan, two widowers who have found solace in each other’s company and a shared passion for fishing, hear rumors of the Creek, and what might be found there, the remedy to both their losses, they dismiss it as just another fish story. Soon, though, the men find themselves drawn into a tale as deep and old as the Reservoir. It’s a tale of dark pacts, of long-buried secrets, and of a mysterious figure known as Der Fisher: the Fisherman. It will bring Abe and Dan face to face with all that they have lost, and with the price they must pay to regain it.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Shifting between past and present, Langan (House of Windows) builds terrifying scenes, but this fish tale ultimately gets bogged down in a story within a story set in the wilds of upstate New York. Coworkers Dan and Abe have both lost their wives, and Abe has found comfort in fishing. He eventually asks Dan to go with him, beginning a tentative friendship. When Dan suggests they head to Dutchman's Creek one day, they're warned off by a man named Howard who spins a tale of terror that Abe and Dan find unlikely at best. At first, Abe (who narrates) and Dan seem to be the book's focus, yet the tale that Howard tells takes up the most pages. Although the mythology is genuinely creepy, it suffers from meandering prose and overshadows the equally intriguing friendship between the two men. A deliciously dark conclusion only partially redeems this waterlogged effort.
Customer Reviews
A Fisherman’s Tale
Overall, I liked the book. A Multi-layered story that really played on the fisherman’s tale metaphor. I don’t remember reading a lot of books that really delved into grief and the loss of partnership from the male perspective, which was one of the overall themes of the book. I guess my main critique would be I would of liked a little more suspense and buildup to the actual horror and macabre scenes. That’s why I’m rating the book a four and not 5 stars. The first 100-150 pages of the book I’m rating a 5/5 because there’s still a lot of mystery. I like the historical aspect of the book though. Traveling back in time, multiple times, to make the present story richer and more engaging.
Meandering
This had a lot of promise with a quirky, yet engrossing start and premise. Even aside from the vast length of the prose and run-on sentences (even for characters with brief asides) it became a real chore to finish. Unfortunately, the end delivers up more bait than catch.
Very descriptive, captivating read
It took awhile for the book to start, it is so descriptive, the world building for you to understand stand what is about to happen is just perfect. At first I was wondering where this book was going to go because I am not into fishing, but then it picks up and it holds you. You can smell the seat in the air once you’re there. I LOVED this book, it took my inter than average to read because of the style of writing, but it did not disappoint. HIGHLY RECOMMEND.