Thank you Wicked House Publishing and Blaine Daigle for this excellent read!

I'm a massive Daigle fan and this book didn't disappoint. Each of his stories is so different to the rest and I found this book gripping from start to finish like his previous.

He spends his time creating the setting well and I could feel the dread build and I was questioning what was happening like our protagonist. This book was a slow burn but I could feel the pace quickening and the ending was just wild and wonderful.

Overall this was an excellent read. Great character building, cleverly draws out confusion and dread, gory but not just for the sake of it, some unexpected secrets and beings feature and the ending was an excellent way to finish off.

4/5

[ Huge thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for this ARC! ]

I really have nothing to say except I adored this story. I read the whole thing in a 24 hour period because it was about impossible to put it down. The atmosphere and sense of menace were masterfully developed throughout, and there were so many scenes that gave me serious chills. I love a good descent into madness, and Daigle really delivered here.

There's a lot that I wish I could say about the themes in this read, but I'm worried I would be slipping into spoiler territory. Because of the nature of this story, I think it reads best knowing only the basics. I will say it had strong themes throughout that really resonated with me, even though it was really difficult to read in (many) places. Despite everything, the ending wrapped up really well, and I haven't been able to stop thinking about this story since finishing it. I think it'll be simmering in my noggin for weeks (months?) to come. It is definitely one of my favorites of 2024.

My first Blaine Daigle book, and this will certainly not be my last! A Dark Roux is up next from this author. Daigle has some serious writing chops, which he displays to chilling effect wiht the opening dream sequence of a drowned village and a young amnesiac man walking around in it. From the first I was quickly swept up into this high seas mystery which bordered on some cosmic horror and then went full bore aquatic nightmare. No more details about the book, then, because I tend to spoil the plot.

I'm on vacation on a remote island, currently, so this nightmare on the high seas was definitely something that needed to be read. Very recommended.

“A Dark and Endless Sea” is a smooth read, which I found myself to be extremely involved in reading. I felt myself swaying wtih the boat, experiencing the chill of the Alaskan air that these characters were experiencing. While it may not be the most vividly detailed novel, you still get a good sense of surroundings, the chill and claustrophobia that are felt on the crabbing ships. Daigle’s writing style made this a very smooth novel to get through, as if you were being told a story, rather than sitting down and reading a novel. I only wish that there were even more details to futher enhance the storytelling, which I think would have made this novel a knockout. I still found this to be a very interesting novel and an entertaining read in the end.

Blaine Daigle is quickly becoming a must read author for me. I love the creepy atmospheres he creates whether it be a cabin in the woods, a house in the bayou, or a fishing boat trawling freezing waters rife with monsters. But the sea is not the only place with monsters. Whitt barely remembers his own name and can't recall anything about his past or how he made his way to the fishing hamlet where the Sonia awaits him. A fishing boat with a mysterious captain and crew members who are in the same boat as Whitt in more ways than one. This story did not shy away from gruesome body horror, though there were a few times where some of the descriptions fell flat for me, places where I wanted the details to get a bit more unhinged. I loved the spiral of madness that took hold of the crew members and how all of that unfolded. The ending wasn't super strong and while it did tie off the story, it still felt like something was missing.

A Dark and Endless Sea by Blaine Daigle  is a horror novel about a man who can't escape a dream.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher  Wicked House Publishing and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

 
My Synopsis:    (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
Whitt Rogers seems to be losing his memory.  He has taken to writing his name on his hand before going to sleep, so that when he wakes up, he knows who he is, if nothing else.

But Whitt doesn't want to sleep.  He is almost afraid to sleep.  He can't escape the dream of walking on the bed of the ocean, able to breathe, but surrounded by dead bodies.  Nor can he escape the voice in his head that has dragged him across the country...to a boat called Sonia.

He joins the crabbing vessel, and although the small crew is strange, he feels he was called to be there....and they've all been dreaming.



My Opinions:
I was surprisingly pleased with this one.  Although I have enjoyed Daigle's other books, the topic of this one did not really appeal to me....I seem to have read a number of books about ships and oceans in the last year, so I admit to setting this aside for a little while.  However, I should have remembered that this author writes well, and it became a fast, entertaining read.

I loved the characters, as well as the "myths" that were incorporated into the plot.  At times the story was quite creepy, and almost always unnerving.  Quite a bit of gore as well.  All of those things added to the intrigue.   However, at times it felt a little long.

Overall, a dark, atmospheric and suspenseful read.

Highly recommend but with it's graphic and explicit writing, the book is gruesome and not for the faint of heart. If you are in the mood for a dark supernatural horror novel, this is the one.

Blaine Daigle is one of my new favorite authors. He has become a must-read for me thanks to NetGalley giving me access to one of his previous books. I have loved all three of his books, including this current one.

A Dark and Endless Sea felt like a fresh new take on the horror genre. Daigle puts the reader on an isolated fishing boat in the middle of the sea as the crew is experiencing dreams that lead them all into madness. The story that unfolds will leave you stunned speechless.

If you are looking for a heart-pounding horror novel, look no further and get a copy of Blaine Daigle's newest read.

This is the second book I’ve read of Blaine’s and although not perfect, this book has made me SO excited to check out future releases of his! The level of atmosphere that he is able to create is absolutely *chefs kiss*! I could feel the intense cold of the Bering Sea in my bones, and the anxiety of being stuck on a fishing boat in the middle of nowhere, super stormy & freezing temps, no land in sight, a captain that is mysterious AF, and freaky ass stuff keeps happening…. Terrifying!!

I thought the pace of the story was really well done. There was a steady stream of odd occurrences & intense events to keep my intrigue solid from start to finish. There are a lot of dream sequences, which doesn’t always work for me, but in this case I think they worked really well (mostly) and I appreciated that they were written as clear dreams. It was never an ‘is this a dream or is this reality’ situation for me. I also really enjoyed our cast of characters and the mystery & tension they brought to the story.

My only complaints are that I would have LOVED Captain O’Halloran to have a pov. I was dyinggggggg to be in his mind and know more about him! I did like our main character Whitt, but O’Halloran was a much more interesting character imo. Also, the last 15ish percent didn’t work for me. I found the explanations & reveals underwhelming and felt bombarded with info. Personally I prefer a much more gradual approach to revealing things. But overall I had an amazing time reading this book! I think a lot of horror lovers who enjoy atmospheric reads, weird stuff, and supernatural fantasy elements in their horror will love this.

A Dark and Endless Sea is available now in physical and digital formats. Audio will be out exclusively through Audible July 16th (US)

Thanks so much to Netgalley, Wicked House Publishing, and the author Blaine Daigle for the e-galley!

I didn't get a chance to finish it before the publication date but I'm about halfway through and the vibes are IMMACULATE.

I love The horror Blaine Daigle puts out into the world. I’ve been lucky enough to review all 3 of his books and they’re all completely unique kinds of horror. That’s pure talent. This novel takes place on the ocean on a fishing boat with a crew of men who share one thing in common- they all have weird, scary nightmares and basically never sleep. We have underwater towns, dead bodies, sirens, everything you’d want in a horror novel under the sea. Five wonderful stars and I can't wait to see what Daigle has up his sleeve next.

I went into this book without knowing too much about it and I am glad I did. Going in blind I believe is the best way to do this with this book.
I was so intrigued the whole time reading the book. It was creepy but not too scary for my taste and I get scared easily. I was constantly trying to figure out what the hell was going on throughout my whole reading experience and when I got to the end I was happy with the way it turned out.

This will not be my last Blaine Daigle book I pick up.

My thanks to Wicked House Publishing, Blaine Daigle and Netgalley.
I just want to say that I absolutely hate how Netgalley is unable to link my reviews to Goodreads. I am positive that I reviewed this book awhile ago, yet here I am again.
So, I enjoyed the story. It's my second or third book from this author, and I'm loving what he's doing!
Oh! A review, you say? No. There is no review. I read this months ago. I enjoyed it and that's all I can recall.

I nearly DNF'ed this at 50%. I should have followed my instincts. The writing is excellent, the atmosphere is dour, the cover is gorgeous, and I loved the location.....buuuuuut I. Was. So. Booooored. Other reviews claimed that the ending was so well done, but I must have missed it. Not for me.

I love horror stories set in the middle of the ocean and this one did not disappoint. A Dark and Endless Sea is the second novel I've read from this author. While it is a completely different story from The Broken Places, the author again does a great job in making the setting feel like its own character. Definitely worth a read and hope to see more from this author.

One thing about me, if I see that a book has to do with the ocean and has horror elements, I’m going to read it. I don’t know what it is about ocean horror that intrigues me so much but I’m a sucker for it and this book had me in its clutches from the very beginning. I loved the creepiness and how it had that claustrophobic atmosphere at times. Highly recommend if you’re a fan of the genre!

Whitt experiences terrifying and debilitating nightmares each night and wakes up with no memory of his life. In an effort to make the dreams stop, he takes work on a crabbing boat in Alaska with 5 other ship hands and a mysterious captain. As their journey continues, the ship's grip on reality slips and Whitt learns more about his prior life and the origin of his dreams.
This book was fantastically creepy. There are several aspects that are horrifying on their own (night terrors, amnesia, the vastness of the ocean) but combined, they make for a truly unsettling experience. The author did a great job of creating an atmosphere of dread that is so unrelenting it is claustrophobic at times. This is a must-read for horror fans.
Many thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

Atmospheric horror with strong eldritch and cosmic horror DNA.
We're introduced to Whitt, a man with no memory, haunted by nightmares he doesn't understand. Drawn to, or guided to a crab fishing boat in Alaska, Whitt goes on a fishing trip unlike most. Deadliest Catch this is not.

A Dark and Endless Sea is a really fun, at times disturbing and disgusting read. I loved it. If you like books that bring a big mood, this will fit the bill. I took one star off because I'm not sure if I liked the final epilogue. I'll need to sit with it some more.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wicked House Publishing for the opportunity to read this one. Blaine Daigle is an author I will read in the future

A Dark and Endless Sea is such a haunting tale of grief, loneliness, destiny and old gods. A true tale of ocean horror, with scenes that will alight your spine with endless shivers. I was constantly trying to figure out the end game, or who would be the next to be unalived. The ending took me by complete surprise, and I absolutely loved it!

I can promise you this, when you pick up a book by Blaine Daigle you aren’t just getting a surface level story. You are getting a multi-layered story that will haunt your brain for a very long time.

The story doesn't start at the very beginning, but rather as if you've jumped right into the action. This doesn't make the story confusing, but it is something that can be a bit frustrating for someone like me who lacks patience. However, I was intrigued from the start.

The book is dark and creepy, and the horror elements extend beyond the feeling of being trapped on a ship. It's filled with terrifying nightmares, strange creatures, and various levels of madness that are often more unsettling than the supernatural aspects. While there were supernatural elements, they didn't feel forced. Overall, the writing was dark and descriptive, making me feel like I was truly there.