Dry Surf

Name: Dry Surf
Price: 19.99 USD
Availability: InStock
ISBN: 9798237953657

✍️ Steven Infanti

Reader Score

4.5

(1 review)

$19.99

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📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

Infanti's novel moves ancient sea horror from the coast to Albuquerque.

The plot centers on a sealed gourd containing a predatory entity that was stolen by slavers in 1761. The entity survived because the sea came aboard their ship, but it requires dry conditions to remain contained. When the lid closes in Albuquerque, the entity awakens. Rhea Montoya discovers that any puddle can become a gateway for sharks. Kadiatu Sesay identifies the artifact's origin. Dario Armenta maps the city's water accumulation points. Garrick Sayer attempts to monetize the danger by finding buyers for the creatures. The narrative tension rises as the monsoon creates widespread flooding, turning the entire city into a hunting ground with no shore to escape to.

Key Themes

urban flooding ancient maritime curse desert survival

Literary Context

The story bridges 18th-century colonial maritime history with contemporary Albuquerque life. It recontextualizes coastal folklore for an inland audience, using the specific geography of New Mexico to heighten the terror of a threat that traditionally belongs to the sea.

Difficulty

●● Medium

Recommended For Fans Of

Stephen King · Clive Barker · Ramsey Campbell

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Horror Fiction

🏛 Steven Infanti 📅 2026 🌐 English 📔 Paperback ISBN: 9798237953657

📝 Description: Dry Surf

Steven Infanti presents a supernatural thriller where ancient horror meets modern urban disaster. The narrative begins in 1761 with a coastal village that seals a malevolent entity in a gourd. When slavers steal this vessel, the sea attacks their ship, leaving behind a strict rule: keep the lid open and dry. Centuries later, the seal breaks in Albuquerque, six hundred miles from any ocean. Fire Captain Rhea Montoya faces a new kind of emergency when standing water reveals dorsal fins. She works alongside museum curator Kadiatu Sesay, who recognizes the silver disk involved, and flood engineer Dario Armenta, who tracks every pooling spot in the city. Their efforts are complicated by Garrick Sayer, who sees potential weapons in the sharks that appear wherever rain lands. As a monsoon arrives, the desert becomes an ocean. The story follows these characters as they confront a threat that ignores geography. Infanti draws on maritime folklore and urban survival tropes to create a tense atmosphere. This book suits readers who enjoy creature features set in unlikely locations. It may not appeal to those seeking traditional coastal horror or slow-burn gothic atmospheres without immediate physical danger.

💎 Our verdict on Dry Surf

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Horror Reads editorial team

Horror desk

Infanti successfully merges ancient sea horror with modern urban disaster, creating a tense atmosphere where the desert becomes an ocean. The concept of sharks emerging from puddles in Albuquerque is a compelling subversion of traditional coastal tropes. The book excels in pacing, as the monsoon creates widespread flooding that turns the city into a hunting ground. Characters like Rhea Montoya and Dario Armenta provide grounded perspectives amidst supernatural chaos. While it lacks slow-burn gothic elements, it delivers immediate physical danger effectively. It suits readers who enjoy creature features and maritime folklore reimagined in unexpected settings. The narrative tension rises steadily as the threat ignores geography, offering a unique reading experience for horror enthusiasts seeking novelty.

✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

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Why this book is worth reading

Readers who enjoy creature features set in unlikely locations will find this book particularly engaging. It offers a fresh twist on the vampire and shark tropes by removing the ocean entirely, forcing characters to confront danger in their own homes through puddles. The narrative appeals to fans of high-tension urban survival stories where geography is weaponized against the protagonist. Those interested in the intersection of folklore and modern engineering will appreciate the detailed mapping of water accumulation points as a plot device. It provides immediate physical danger rather than slow-burn dread, satisfying those who prefer active threats over atmospheric ambiguity. The premise of a sealed gourd surviving centuries adds a layer of historical mystery to the present-day panic.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Horror Reads —

Reader rating

4.5

Based on 1 reviews

Horror Reads editorial team

Infanti successfully merges ancient sea horror with modern urban disaster, creating a tense atmosphere where the desert becomes an ocean. The concept of sharks emerging from puddles in Albuquerque is a compelling subversion of traditional coastal tropes. The book excels in pacing, as the monsoon creates widespread flooding that turns the city into a hunting ground. Characters like Rhea Montoya and Dario Armenta provide grounded perspectives amidst supernatural chaos. While it lacks slow-burn gothic elements, it delivers immediate physical danger effectively. It suits readers who enjoy creature features and maritime folklore reimagined in unexpected settings. The narrative tension rises steadily as the threat ignores geography, offering a unique reading experience for horror enthusiasts seeking novelty.