The Marlin by Joseph Riden

Full disclosure: I received a gift copy from the author.

This is a creative non-fiction piece written as a short story about a couple on a wooden trawler boat, Tin Hau, in the Pacific Ocean. In terms of style, pace, and format, the piece is written as a classic short story.

Any story about ocean fishing and marlins will invariably invite parallels and comparisons to Hemingway’s classic, “The Old Man and the Sea.” This story compares very favorably to Hemingway’s novel. The prose is crisp and sharp, making for a deceptively quick read, and the dialogue and characters are well-crafted, particularly for a short story. The prose is descriptive without ever turning purple; the characters stay true in their introspection and thoughts about what occurs during the story.

Recommended to fans of excellent creative non-fiction; those who enjoyed “The Old Man and the Sea;” anyone looking to spend time with an excellent short story which features crisp prose, solid characters, and good dialogue.