Fathom
Cherie Priest
384 pp. Tor. $25.95
Pub. Date: 12/9/2008
ISBN-13: 978-0765318404
Reviewed by Paul Stotts
Water witches are ambitious folk, always climbing that corporate witch ladder, not above dirty little tricks to get a rung up. Like putting two tons of water witch keister in the face of an earth witch reaching for the same rung, or repeatedly stomping on the knuckles of a fire elemental; only briefly satisfied when they’ve finally been promoted to President of Evil Doings. The Head Honcho of Hell on Earth, the big fish in an evil ocean.
And once minted in their new corporate top-dog position, with their high-tech ergonomic faux leather chair, and eager minions who salivate way too much—that’s when they go for the big Evil, the one that shakes things up. The kind of Evil that ruins the world for the rest of us, the little people.
And they cackle, maliciously, while doing it, like a scheming investment banker huddling over spreadsheets.
Stepping into the Chief Evil Doer role in Cherie Priest’s excellent novel “Fathom” is Arahab, water witch and bane of humanity. See Arahab has a plan, an ambitious plan, one that humanity isn’t going to like very much. Since it means their complete and utter destruction.
But she needs help pulling it off; someone to do the legwork for her. Someone who can actually walk across the land, and isn’t confined to bodies of water. Can’t get much evil accomplished if you’re stuck in a swimming pool. So she needs minions. Evil minions. Quicker than you can say winged monkeys, an opportunity arises. Two girls, cousins, running along the beach, crash into the surf. Into her world. One cousin Arahab will choose, one she’ll leave behind. To be unexpectedly chosen by another.
Cherie Priest’s “Those Who Went Remain There Still” was an incredible surprise, a three-ton jack-in-the-box of a novel, and an introduction to a new and unique voice in the genre. A voice so impressive it immediately plunged me into a mini-Cherie Priest bender. A lost weekend of fantasy/horror debauchery spent splashing around in delicious southern-flavored monster stories, consuming “Fathom” as if it came packaged in dime bags. This is the good stuff.
Priest’s novels are familiar, but unique. How? Imagine Greek mythology—the terrible monsters roaming the land; the larger-than-life gods, always bickering, always meddling, trying to get a leg up on their rival deity, using ignorant humans to accomplish their ends. Now beer-batter that Greek mythology up, coat it real good, maybe give it a dash of Gothic seasoning, and throw it in some sizzling grease. And fry it up—
“Fathom” feels short, almost a tease, to the point where the characters still have an air of mystery afterwards. They still have hidden layers to reveal, their exposure far from complete, a few clothing articles short of a Full Monty. It’s like a charming dinner party conversation, brief but utterly engaging, almost addictively so. A tantalizing slice of life of the most interesting person you can imagine. You desire to know more, to see more, and to go beyond the introductory chit-chat. To hear other stories. Please—you beg—more. The end bringing only one question: then what happens?
Last Word:
Cherie Priest has quickly become one of my favorite writers for her ability to deliver unique and engaging stories; stories that embody a Southern-flavored mythos, about country bumpkins and the things that bump them back. It’s one half Greek mythology, one half Southern Comfort; the resulting concoction percolated out of some backwater still. It’s both exciting, and scary. Like moonshine from Hell. Because one taste can change you forever. “Fathom” exemplifies this, proudly; chin high up in the air. Taste it. It’s worth it.
Final Grade: 84 out of 100
Related Posts:
"Those Who Went Remain There Still" by Cherie Priest (Subterranean Press)
"Neuropath" by Scott Bakker (Orion)
"Hater" by David Moody (Thomas Dunne)
1 comments:
This sounds really different and unique. Definitely an author I have to keep my eye on. Great review!
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