The Ghost Pirates Audiobook By William Hope Hodgson cover art

The Ghost Pirates

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The Ghost Pirates

By: William Hope Hodgson
Narrated by: Felbrigg Napoleon Herriot
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The sailing ship Mortzestus is far from shore when the wind drops away and a mysterious mist surrounds the ship.

As the days drift by, the observant sailor Jessop spots something half seen creeping over the taff rail. Then men in the rigging are attacked, a man disappears, and everyone starts to get scared. Then Jessop sees something below the water following the ship....

Public Domain (P)2016 Felbrigg Napoleon Herriot Fantasy
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During an 18th century ocean voyage, strange shadows rise from the sea and board the ship. The crew confront an unknown force that invades, stalks, and attacks them at night - malevolent “ghosts" from another dimension.

Hodgson employs brisk straightforward storytelling with little introspection and sparse descriptions. I could have used a little more lyricism.

His use of archaic seafaring jargon lends authenticity, but also some difficulty comprehending. Like the novels of C.S. Forester and Patrick O'Brian, I need an illustrated glossary to fully follow them.

The Coming of the Mist and That Which It Ushered

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Excellent ghostly tale way ahead of it's time, and (surprisingly I found) easily retains it's creepy moments. This narrative has a (also surprisingly) fresh take of a very old subject that makes you wonder... was written so long ago? Sure it was. A story this old, and still this mysterious, tells you it's all about the story teller behind the pen - so many modern computer typed tales come no where near this atmospheric or interesting. I have fallen into the sad state of thinking only "NEW" can be good when it comes to horror.

Yet, I forget I have everything H.P. Lovecraft wrote. Re-read it every few years. I lament nearly every new collection of horror as being "old and tired", while the literature from a hundred years ago sings with brilliant icy-cold ideas.

It must have been these well conceived stories that created such a demand to hear more sea-going ghost stories.
If you've not discovered the writing of William Hope Hodgson this is a great place to start.
Immerse you self in 4 and a half hours of cold, sea-mist and mysterious figures in the fog... John Carpenter would have loved this tale. Well, I bet he actually did as it clearly has inspired films like "The Fog". Lovecraft was also influenced by literature from Mister Hodgson as well.
You should drop the credit and favor yourself with finely aged horror from another age. This tale that reads so many fathoms deeper, darker and smarter... - yeah, just better then the inch deep drivel we usually get today.

William Hope Hodgson

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