Reviews

It Came from the Sea by Matt Wildasin

Only show reviews with written explanations

cthulnado's review

5.0

It Came from the Sea by @Matt_Wildasin was outstanding! Full disclosure, "Ocean Coast" is based on my hometown. I loved being able have all 5 senses engaged as I was reading, because I knew these places and the sounds and smells that came with them.

I went in expecting ocean horror, but was met with fantastic cosmic horror instead. Matt does a wonderful job describing the terror the characters are facing, while leaving just enough for your imagination. I'll be recommending this book for a long time.

micahcastle's review

Go to review page

dark tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

ericarobyn's review

Go to review page

adventurous dark sad tense fast-paced

Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

It Came From The Sea by Matt Wildasin is a tale of horror set in a seaside town where the monsters aren’t the only things to be feared.

Full disclosure: I was given a free copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my rating in any way. I also purchased an ebook copy and will get a physical copy later for my shelves.

Something has floated into the shallows on a public beach in this local seaside town. When people first spot it, they are unsure if it’s trash or a living thing. But whatever it is, they soon learn that it should be feared.

This thing is forcefully drawing people into the water, but of course, the creature doesn’t stop there! Soon, creatures begin to come out of the water searching for more fresh blood. Some people try to get as far from the shore as possible.

But can anyone really avoid the call of the sea for long?

From horses that roam the area with dark tentacles to arachnid fish, the creatures here were absolutely terrifying! The descriptions of their physical appearance alone was chilling enough, but then to see what they are capable of with their strength and methods of attack? Big yikes!

I loved the format of this one! It is almost set up like a collection of short stories where each chapter could almost stand on its own if it wanted to, as each one gives an eerie look at what is going on from a different perspective. However, each chapter brings the readers closer to learning what is happening as we rotate through the various main characters.

In one path, we meet two old men who meet up at a local eatery every week who are determined to save some of the people they see in the trance. In another, we follow a little boy and his family that are vacationing in the area. In a third, we watch a woman deal with a nasty crowd at her work. In each tale, the characters deal with terrifying events while just trying to survive.

Readers will find it very difficult to put this one down. You’ll just want to keep going to see what happens next!

My Favorite Passages from It Came From The Sea

The crowd was cheering for the bloodshed. What was supposed to be a normal day slinging fruit smoothies turned into a nightmare in a matter of minutes.

Outside the restaurant, a number of people walking along the boardwalk abruptly halted as if frozen. As if they were all tuned together, they unanimously turned toward the sea and started walking off in its direction. “Zombies!” was Larry’s first thought, but he quickly dashed it aside as those things only happen in movies.

Without hesitation, Beth took off roaring down the empty wrong lane at speeds that would make a Nascar driver proud.

The other bystanders hollered and cried at the sight of the body. His head resembled a deflated balloon and barely clung onto what was left of his neck.

She knew well that a child’s mind was like a steel trap; it’s hard to get things in, but even harder to get certain things out.

Fear really brings out the true monster in all of us.

My Final Thoughts on It Came From The Sea

If you’ve been feeling the call to the sea recently, perhaps you should hold off on that trip and give this a read instead.

I had such a blast reading It Came From The Sea. Horror set near the ocean is always a hit for me, and this one sure knocked it out of the park.

I’m going to be second guessing my urges to go to the beach for a long while after reading this one! And whenever I do go, I am most certainly going to remember this tale when I see something in the water and find myself trying to squint to see what it is. Perhaps it’s safer if I don’t know…

Content Warnings

More...