The
Memory of Mermaids by Spencer Dryden
Fireborn
Publishing 2015
Max
Weiss is having a bad year. His mom has died, his girlfriend just
dumped him, he’s lost his job because he looked too hard at some
dodgy contracts, and he’s being kicked out of his snazzy condo by
his gangster landlord. His life looks as bleak as his
recession-battered Florida town. However, his luck changes
dramatically when he rescues a gorgeous woman from the lascivious
tentacles of a sea monster. Max thinks he’s dreaming—or
maybe suffering from the after-effects of drowning his sorrows in
beer—when the curvy
brunette reveals that she’s actually a mermaid. She deposits the
Kraken’s treasure on Max’s dock, solving his financial problems
in one fell swoop. Her tail doesn’t prevent her from expressing her
gratitude to her human hero in other ways as well. By the time
Azzaria asks Max to help her find her sister Bekkaul, who has shed
her tail to follow her human lover and lost all memory of the sea,
Max is hooked. He’ll do whatever it takes to make his beloved
mermaid happy, even risking his life in his search.
The
Memory of Mermaids is a
delightful romantic fantasy, full of wacky characters and local
color. I’ve never visited the area where the book is set, but the
author really brings it to life. I always appreciate a story that
transports me to a distinctive locale. In the case of Mermaids,
I could almost smell the tide, feel the ocean breezes, and taste the
rum that Azzaria likes so much.
I
loved Mr. Dryden’s creation myth which explains the mutual
attraction between men and mermaids. Hey, his story is at least as
plausible as Genesis! And like Azzaria, female readers will adore
Max. He’s is the sort of insecure, self-effacing, but surprisingly
competent hero who often features in this author’s work. He doesn’t
take anything for granted—certainly
not the willingness of the randy sea creature with whom he has become
entwined—and he’s always
respectful of the female of the species—any species!
This
novella packs a lot of plot and a myriad of characters into 130
pages. I particularly enjoyed Miss Jean, the “dolphin whisperer”,
a wise old woman who knows the truth about mermaids and convinces Max
he’s not going crazy.
Compared
to the other work I’ve read by this author, The
Memory of Mermaids is
light on erotic content. That’s fine, though. It fits the tone of
the story. And if you read closely, you’ll find just a hint of
nasty tentacle porn, which makes the tale juicier.
My
only real complaint about The
Memory of Mermaids is
that it could have used more suspense. The moment Azzaria’s long
lost sister appears on the page, it’s obvious who she is. A bit
more mystery would have made this tale even more enjoyable than it
already was.
This
is a minor quibble, though. Overall, The
Memory of Mermaids is an
entertaining read with some original twists that will leave you
smiling.
