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Adrift on a Sea of Sorrows

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Horror writer Spyder Collins haunts the caves of Colorado, where he weaves disturbing tales of horror and suffering. When he's not agitating the minds of unsuspecting readers, he pens earth-shattering poetry. Sometimes he does both. This book is one such compilation.

100 pages, Paperback

Published March 1, 2021

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About the author

Spyder Collins

13 books11 followers
Spyder Collins is a horror author and script writer. He has realized success through Ghostwriting of shorts, novels and scripts. His work has been published though Houghton Mifflin, Baen and TOR as well as purchased scripts from CBS Films and Ultrafilms.

In addition - Spyder is the author of Dark Vigil and other sinister tales and screenwriter of the 13th Apostle – Partner (w/Victoria Arkoski) of the ever-confusing Razor Thin Studios.

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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
Profile Image for E.P. Stavs.
Author 15 books92 followers
March 28, 2021
Deliciously dark.

I don't usually go for poetry, and rarely do I read horror of any kind, but I found this collection oddly soothing. Which boggles my mind, as the voice was that of a serial killer, and had the acts in the collection been real, I'd be hiding under my bed right about now. But written as they were, I could appreciate the beauty in the darkness, and I must admit — I enjoyed it.
Profile Image for Laken Honeycutt.
Author 2 books21 followers
February 9, 2021
How to describe Spyder Collins' poetry? It is very much a visceral experience. Like being touched by a phantom wave across the ether, it evokes a sense of loss, loneliness, longing, and sometimes a quiet simmering rage.

Stylistically, I appreciate the way the author weaves together dark fantasy, goth, horror, and the macabre seamlessly as if they had no boundaries, one flowing into the other. It is like a twisted dark mosaic without discernible edges. It can be a bit disorienting, which for this reader was a welcomed sojourn and a mark of talented craftsmanship on the part of the author.

I have read a few of Collins' works, and I would say this collection is no different, in that his writing casts a spell; it is an experience to be felt, to be savored. It stays with you, not so much the words, though those are well crafted too, but the feeling lingers with you in the most divinely dark manner.

I hope to see more from this multifaceted, talented author.
Profile Image for William Bartlett.
Author 28 books7 followers
March 4, 2021
Masterfully written poems that will pluck at your heart strings. Collins expertly blends elements of fiction, nonfiction, mythology, and poetic verse in way that entertains and provokes the deepest of thoughts and emotions. The verse is so profound, I felt the need to go back and reread to comprehend. Some lines I feel are open to interpretation, based on your own particular point of view.
My favorite verse:
"These scars tell my tale. They run to the bone. You will need to skin me to read me. Each layer, like rings on a tree. If you can make it through my story, I will grant you a single wish. But you must first sew me back together again."
HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
Profile Image for Jordan.
18 reviews41 followers
February 5, 2021
Find the full review on Coffee, Book, & Candle.

Traverse the waves that make up my soul
Know where I rise and where I fall


The leading poem very much sets the tone for the first half of this poetry book: achingly lovely, somber, hidden depths, and with hints of sorrow and longing.

Major Themes: Dark romance, push and pull, Sorrow and Loneliness as entities, horror imagery, death, scavenging.

Some of these poems give me "I'll wear your skin like a coat" vibes, but I dig it. If I were to go full English major, I'd say it represents the eroding quality of desire and obsession, how we can long for something or someone so much that we wish to literally take on their qualities.

My blood boils
Malice
. . .
My marrow leaks
Affliction


On a less pretentious note, it's a nice touch of horror for gothic readers' spooky delight.

My everything sewn into a dream
She is my muse, drawing on my sorrow


I have a sappy heart coated in the thinnest layer of black nail polish (honestly, it's cheap and chipping, I'm not fooling anyone), so this is the kind of stuff that gut-punches me in a good way (you didn't know there was a polite way to punch someone, eh?).

Gloomy and whimsical is always a combo I can get behind. It's like Poe and Keats had a book baby. Love it, love it, love it.

As to be expected, I like some poems more than others, but that's the subjective nature of poetry. I enjoy how, even with its three or four prevalent themes, each poem mixes things up so there's a little something for everyone (er, everyone on the Dark Side, that is).

There's the subtle, darkly romantic poems for saps like me; there's the introspective poems that anyone who's ever felt lost or lonely can relate to; then there's your straight-up horror pieces for people who like their bleeding hearts on a platter please-and-thank-you-sir.

In her stay among the lunar sheets and whispers of magic, she finds peace on the shores of Infinity


A good portion of poetry is also dedicated to the Greek gods and their personifications, weaving mythology with what is already an air of mysticism and intangibility. The language used in these sections is a lovely juxtaposition to the gory, brutal imagery of the more horror-geared pieces.

Eyes removed
My trophy
Tongue severed
To keep her voice


I'm not the biggest fan of serial killer themes, but poetry gives horror so much leeway to go deeper than its bloody face value (couldn't help myself). While it might be gratuitous to some (please keep your arms and legs inside at all times), I felt as though I was reading the diary of a demon—a lonely, messed-up demon with one true love (who might be Death) that constantly eludes him, refusing to part him from Sorrow.

Find the rest of the review at Coffee, Book, & Candle.
Profile Image for A.L. Garcia.
Author 10 books36 followers
March 1, 2021
Dark, eerie, but also romantic and heart wrenching

A wonderful collection of dark and heart breaking poetry. “You will need to skin me to read me” - one of my favorite lines from one poem...Collins is masterful when writing these pieces and tackles the dark themes with a seemingly effortless grace. Fully recommend.
Profile Image for Danni Connelly.
Author 1 book11 followers
April 24, 2021
An absolutely mesmerizing compilation. With a refined touch that pushes the limits of horror imagery, but never veers into sensationalism, Collins beautifully depicts the darkness within us all. I plan to re-visit this collection, whenever I want empathy for my pain, or a touch of melancholy for my happiness.
Profile Image for Andrew Slinde.
Author 10 books7 followers
January 30, 2021
Have you ever wondered what's at the bottom of the human soul? After all that is congenial is stripped away? Collins' poetry plumbs those depths unapologetically. With poetry this honest and bold, Collins has the courage to bleed onto the page for all of us to see. Do you dare stare into the abyss?
Profile Image for K.R. Wieland.
Author 8 books13 followers
February 8, 2021
This collection is everything I hoped it would be. A beautiful blend of dark romance, aching loneliness, and a splash of horror. Collins expertly weaves these themes together within his collection and leaves you longing for more.
Profile Image for Sophie Brookes.
66 reviews13 followers
April 1, 2021
"You are everything to me. The unattainable dream, the secret no one told, and the life no one lived."

I devoured this collection in one sitting, and then reread it the next day! Adrift on a Sea of Shadows is dreary perfection, so emotional and forlorn. Each poem pulled on my heart-strings, each to differing devastation!

I just adore this collection, the writing is so smooth and rounded. Spyder is a true talent!

I completely recommend Adrift on a Sea of Shadows, so amazing!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews

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