"From Hell's Heart" by Nancy Collins
Herman Melville crosses with Algernon Blackwood and Samuel Taylor Coleridge in this superb piece published in the recent anthology, Classics Mutilated. Collins continues the story of Moby-Dick's Ahab, arguably the greatest Gothic hero-villain in all of American Literature. Thanks to his unholy pursuit of the white whale, the late captain of the Pequod finds himself in thrall to the Devil himself, and must now roam the earth hunting down supernatural creatures to fill Hell's menagerie. In this instance, the harpoon-wielding Ahab tracks the Wendigo, a ravenous beast preying on a trio of trappers in the Canadian wilderness. "From Hell's Heart" is heavy on suspense (and horror, when the Wendigo engages in gory feasting), and melds seamlessly with events and details from Melville's epic novel. Most remarkable of all here is the damned Ahab, a figure full of tragic grandeur and grim determi-nation. Without a doubt, he would make a great series character if Collins ever decided to expand upon her fantastic premise.
"From Hell's Heart" is a must-read not just for all those who know and love Moby-Dick, but also for anyone who appreciates a gripping story.
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