JOHN LANGAN
Fisherman
transl.: Panos Tomaras
ed.. Aeolus, page 390

The Fisherman by the American John Langan is one of the most original horror novels of recent years, and its publication by Eolos is of particular importance, since not many books in this genre have been translated into Greek. In addition to being original, it is also very well written. Good, full, rich prose, lavish style, not hurried, not pretentious, and not “literate.” Langan writes “slowly”, describing and analyzing everything without haste, passing around him a fishing line or a cable that we do not understand when he pulled us in for good and captured us in his coils. What a good fisherman would do, one can imagine.

The structure of the book has its own interest, as the central narrative is interrupted in the middle by another, gripping novel, slightly longer than the “regular” book, which also features boxed narratives and persistent flashbacks. But everything is absolutely connected, like a puzzle of many pieces, which in the end, with a wistful sigh, discovers that it has always been the same.

The central narrative is interrupted in the middle by another gripping novel that is slightly larger than a “regular” book.

The main character is Abe, who lost his wife to cancer and saw the world disappear from under his feet. In time, the only solace he will find will be fishing alone in the rivers and streams of upstate New York. It’s a recipe that shows it’s catching on and a hobby that’s turning into a passion. At some point, he will start taking his colleague Dan, who is also mourning the loss of his wife and their children, for company. These two will go every Saturday to a secluded river, silently fishing side by side, devoting their thoughts to the memory of their loved ones.

All this until they learn about the Dutch Rem and his terrible secrets. This metaphysical story that one day the owner of a country restaurant will tell them when they are stuck there in the rain – and this is the bombastic story that we talked about earlier – will excite and shudder like no other. .. does. How it will shock and tremble us too. This is another story of loss, or rather a series of loss, grief, and the search for redemption. A search that leads very deep and very far: into another world… but which is much closer to ours than we might hope. Don’t let the reader wander off into cartoony other worlds or places like Tolkien’s. We are talking here about something very dark, something made from the most proven ingredients of nightmares and gloom.

A contemporary horror epic and hymn to camaraderie, friendship, but also loneliness, the 2016 Bram Stoker Award-winning Fisherman is at the same time a book about language and its power, about art, dreams, folklore, magic, time – and, yes : and about fishing too. A methodical combination of biblical narratives, stories by Stephen King (and how this great author narrated), the terrifying mythical universe of the consummate Howard Phillips Lovecraft (the narrator of the book-in-book is not just called Howard, but, but, so that there is no chance of misinterpretation , it has features of both Lovecraft) and “Moby Dick” (indeed, it will be borrowed from Melville’s book, paraphrasing it, and its opening paragraph), this novel is a feat of dark imagination. and definitely one of the best examples of weird fiction we’ve read.

Despite the fact that it says little about fishing as an activity designed to pass the time, “The Fisherman” is recommended for a deep and careful reading. But one that turns out to be intense and enjoyable, despite the gloomy atmosphere and theme of the book – the management of grief and the limits of this management. The translation by Panos Tomaras is excellent.

* Mr. Kyriakos Athanasiadis is a writer. His latest book is Life Lessons from My Dog, published by Keydarithm.