Silent Riders of the Sea by John Gerard Fagan - bookreview

 

the dead of night on an Arctic ship

as close to hell as his imagination could construct

groaning metal and the lip vibrations of exhausted men

pale and unwashed figures...

***

The Blurb

In 1930, Jack the miner is grieving the loss of his young son.

In a desperate attempt to escape his misery, he makes the choice to leave.

With a motley crew of Scots, he embarks on Arctic fishing with the promise of a better life.

John Gerard Fagan, the author of the memoir Fish Town, takes us on a ride to the Arctic Sea through Jack's battle for survival on a crammed and gruesome ship and inescapable submission to the cruelty of nature and humankind alike.

In the background, memories of his life as a miner, while a permanent excruciating pain from mourning his own child lingers.

Be ready for a tale of human suffering, violence, and sadness with this story of the hard side of human life.

My Review

This book is my first five star read of 2025 and is well deserving of each and every one of those shiny stars.

That said, it is not an easy read. Written throughout in verse, it is beautiful but bleak, harsh and harrowing, and powerful and poetic. It is a complete juxtaposition of a novel in that it is perfectly composed against a background of despair and longing.

As this is written in verse it is testament to the author's skill in that he can convey so much in so few words. Reading this was an immersive experience. I could feel the cold of the Arctic upon the deck of the ship. The grief and despair of the main character Jack were tangible. He had been a miner and he thought nothing could be worse that being underground in such hazardous conditions. However, he found life on the ship to be much worse. Not just the freezing conditions and the constant working but the 'gaffer' would frequently beat them and treated the men extremely cruelly and violently.

The author has also included a series of illustrations throughout the book. They have been drawn using a combination of monotone ink, pen and water and they have a haunting quality which suits the text perfectly.

If you are looking for something a little different to read then this book would be perfect.

Book Details

ISBN:  978 1068678295

Publisher:  Cybirdy Publishing

Formats:  e-book and paperback

No. of Pages:  240 (paperback)

Purchase Links

Bookshop.org

Amazon UK

Cybirdy

The Portobello Bookshop

About the Author

John Gerard Fagan is a writer from Glasgow / Scotland who writes in Scots, Scottish Gaelic, and English.

His debut memoir Fish Town about leaving Scotland to live in Japan was published by Guts Publishing.

His second book Silent Riders of the Sea about a miner in 1930 who leaves for the Arctic after the death of his son was published by Cybirdy Publishing.

You can also find John at:

Twitter/X

Website

(book and media courtesy of the publisher)

(all opinions are my own)

(bookshop.org affiliated)

House of Sticks by Marc Scott - #BookReview #Blogtour

 

Some say she was pushed, but most thought she had jumped. Whichever was the sad reality, the wiry-framed girl with the soft voice and the ever-teary eyes was gone. She was, in the words of Karen Walpole from B Wing, 'As dead as a doornail.' Only two people would ever know the truth behind her demise.

Just one cell door was unlocked, slightly ajar, that bright August morning. An enforced, but welcomed, lay-in for the rest of the inmates. Poppy peered through the small gap in the doorframe, across the landing to where her former cell mate had fallen without grace to her bleak fate the previous week.

***

They are united now, two sisters who were kept apart by the cruel twists in their lives. And, despite the fact these siblings grew up at the opposite end of the social ladder, they have discovered that they share an unbreakable bond. It is like a modern-day fairy tale coming to life.

However, the pathway to their shared happiness is littered with misgivings and depraved memories from which they can never escape. Brianna is still haunted by the tragic death of her twin brother while Poppy finds it hard to let go of the ghosts of her abusive childhood. 

It seems that the forces around them will never leave them alone. Neddy, a ruthless drug dealer is hell-bent on revenge. A worried mother who is desperate to unlock the darkest of secrets. A stranger with tattooed fingers who must face retribution for his evil sins. These women must be strong to survive.

But remember, not all girls are made of sugar and spice.

Be prepared! This is not a fairy tale...

***

In all honesty, it took me a little while to get into this book. Not because there is anything wrong with the book; it was more that it was not what I had expected. However, once I did, it made for compelling reading and I am so glad that I hung in there.

Poppy was an interesting character. She had experienced a traumatic childhood, and being an adult had brought extreme challenges too. Even though she addressed her problems through violence, she was likeable and the author did a great job of presenting her as a fully formed character. I could not help but feel empathetic towards her. I enjoyed observing the relationship between her and her very different half-sister, Bree, and it was the connection between the two that kept me really hooked.

I did not read the book's predecessor, House of Straw, but that did not impede my reading experience of this novel.

There were a good number of twists and turns that I had not anticipated which inevitably makes for exciting reading. It was fast paced and something significant occurs in every chapter.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. However, it is a dark story and there were points when I felt a little uncomfortable. It was rather violent at times and deals with the issue of child abuse, brutality and other adult themes. However, if you like your fiction to be fast and gritty then you will enjoy this novel.

ISBN:  978 1803131016

Publisher:  Matador

Formats:  e-book and paperback

No. of Pages:  384 (paperback)

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About the Author:

Marc Scott was born and raised in the heart of the East End of London. He spent more than 25 years working in the video and film industry, including a 12-month spell on a project in Los Angeles. More recently he has been involved with assisting at the rehabilitation section of theUK court service, working predominantly with young offenders.  It was here where he met the people that would inspire him to write his first novel House of Straw.

He is unapologetic for the dark backdrop and raw brutality in his books. ‘You can’t sugar-coat some of these damaged individuals that live in a broken society and make excuses for them.’ he says. ‘Not everyone wants the chance to redeem themselves.’

His gritty writing style has earned him much praise from reviewers and bloggers. The second book in his trilogy, House of Sticks, will be available later this year. A story that Marc describes as, ‘An even darker and more twisted journey into the depths of depravity.’

Marc lives in Halstead in England. He has a son and two daughters, who, he says, have given him the proudest moments in his life. He lists his favourite author as Kazuo Ishiguro, and his favourite book as ‘Birdy’ by William Wharton. He sums up his reading choices with a method which he applies to his own works.  ‘When I read a book, I want to feel like a bystander, watching on, as an ‘extra’ as everything unfolds. If any of the characters in the book are bland and don’t affect you in some way, the author has wasted an opportunity.’

(book, author photo and bio provided courtesy of R & R Book Tours)

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*Disclosure: I only recommend books I would buy myself and all opinions expressed here are my own. This post contains an affiliate link from which I may earn a small commission.