Water Ghosts by Linda Collison

"I see things other people don't see. I hear things other people don't hear."

Fifteen-year-old James McCafferty is forced to take part in a summer adventure sail for at-risk youths. He finds himself onboard a rickety old junk with three adults and six other resentful teens from various parts of the country – all of whom are struggling with behavior problems of various sorts. To some kids this “sentence” might sound like the best summer ever – six weeks of sailing around the equatorial Pacific Ocean. But for James it’s a nightmare before it even begins.

James is troubled by the voices inside his head and the visions he sees – especially the vision of the fire that killed his father – a fire James believes he started. He soon becomes aware of the ghosts in the hold, ghosts the Chinese call shui gui. James is certain the ship, ironically named Good Fortune, is sailing to its doom.

The only good thing that could possibly come from this hell ship is getting to know Ming, a Chinese girl adopted by Americans. Ming and Truman, a boy who picks his nose and has a penchant for explosives.

Three of the boys aboard taunt James and bully him because of the crazy things he blurts out. But when the adults begin to go missing off the ship, the others start to listen to him.

First, Miss Marty, the ever-cheerful camp counselor, disappears. Next Mr. Miles, hard-ass first mate. Then the captain is found dead in his bunk. The seven teens are now alone on Good Fortune, adrift in the doldrums without an engine and no wind to fill the sails, the The ship’s radio is broken, the cell phones are all dead, and they are far from shipping lanes and air traffic. The teens must work together to survive. Instead, they start falling apart. When their supply of fresh water dwindles, they’re in danger of dying of thirst. As they weaken the water ghosts become more powerful.

Belowdecks, James meets Yu who is a shui gui; a water ghost of a young Chinese eunuch who drowned at sea six hundred years ago. Yu is intent on trading places with James. He’s waiting for Good Fortune to pass over the exact place where he drowned, on Hungry Ghost Night when the gates of hell are opened. When that happens his power to take over James’ body will be complete; Yu will become James will replace Yu deep in his watery grave. He holds James captive in the belly of the ship and tells him the story of Yu’s tragic life.

Just when it seems Good Fortune might be rescued, a fleet of Ming Dynasty warships rises up from the bottom of the ocean and attacks them. The battle for their lives is on as the teens fight the shui gui. James knows the ghosts are cowed by fire – but fire is what killed his father.

From the author of Star-Crossed, New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age, and Looking for Redfeather, 5-star Foreword Reviews, Indie Book of the Year finalist.

It’s teen against teen, teen against nature, teen against himself – and teen against ghost in this fast-paced psychological adventure with paranormal and historical elements. Influences: Life of Pi, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, The Wasp Factory, and Lord of the Flies.

Darkly captivating from start to finish

By M. Muir

When the seemingly psychotic hallucinations of a 15-year old boy become entangled with mystical Chinese characters from millennia ago, fantasy and reality spin out of control.

The story begins when a group of unenthusiastic mis-fit, mid-teen kids are unwillingly signed up on a ‘character building’ adventure at sea aboard an ill-named Chinese junk – the ‘Good Fortune’. However, when confronted by his vivid imaginings, James struggles to find himself and in doing so involves his friends and shipmates in a dark and sometimes fatal outcome.

A feeling of foreboding builds from the first chapter and slowly creeps over the ship in a veil of palpable fear. During this time James must decide if the images running rampant in his mind are real or not. Collison’s superb descriptive prose, natural dialogue, plus evocative similes combine to make this book an unforgettable read.

Brilliantly penned by the author - Collison’s extensive research reveals the ritual funerary customs and culture of China’s Peacock Throne during the time of the Ming dynasty. The story is magical, enigmatic, haunting, frightening and downright good.

Whether you are 17 or 70, ‘Water Ghosts’ will grab you and draw you down into a maelstrom of mystery and malevolent spirits sending cold shivers shooting down your spine. I cannot rate this book highly enough.A good read for a variety of age groups.

Intrigue & Mystery

By Judith Randall

Water Ghosts is about adventure on the high seas with seven troubled young teenagers, a salty sea captain whose closest companion is a bottle of booze, a love struck female counselor who is having a romantic interlude with the rugged (but colorful) first mate. There is intrigue and mystery and after getting acquainted with the characters and the unique oddities of these learning mariners, the action kicks in. One mysterious event happens after another and these kids end up on their own and no idea which direction the Good Fortune should be sailing.

Linda did a superb job building James's character. He is a troubled child who hears voices. Much against his will his mother places him in a summer program aboard an old Chinese Junk. James struggles to blend in with his eclectic collection of quirky sailing mates. Hope rises when he becomes smitten with Ming and finds solace in her friendship. Like everyone else Ming made fun of the voices in James heard in his head. There is a surprising twist to the story where the reader is taken back in time to the days of the Imperial Ming Dynasty and James comes to terms with the water ghosts that live in his head. The ending is riveting and James redeems himself.

Linda's style of descriptive writhing seems to make her stories come alive.. I believe this reading would appeal to both genders, perhaps leaning more to the female audience of older adults who might be reading about the destiny of these young kids through the eyes of a mother. I would highly recommend this book for young adults also. I think older adults would enjoy it as well. I enjoyed it and I am an senior. Linda Collison is a very talented writer. I have read her previous works and look forward to reading her next book (Southern fiction) entitled Blue Moon Luck. Solid supernatural thriller on the high seas.

A Suspenseful Multi-Period Thriller for YA and adult audiences

By Eva Ulett

James McCafferty has issues. He watches his volatile mother’s aura change color as she and the unwelcome boyfriend du jour see James off in Honolulu, where he boards a floating teen boot camp called Good Fortune. Aboard this Chinese Junk replica ship, far out in the Pacific, James contends with his attraction to smart fellow camper Ming, his desire not to be despised by the cool older teens, and with the adults - who have their own agendas. To add to the weird and insular environment aboard ship, James hears the voices of the dead. When the adults begin to meet mysterious ends, James and his companions must face down the living and the dead to survive the voyage aboard Good Fortune.

Water Ghosts is a suspenseful multi-period thriller that will appeal to young adult and adult audiences. The paranormal elements, James’ perceptions and unique abilities, are introduced and handled gracefully throughout. James McCafferty is a sympathetic fifteen year old struggling, with the added burden of psychic abilities, to find strength of character and direction in a chaotic, mysterious, and often hurtful world; epitomized in this story by the vast Pacific ocean. Author Collison has created an excellent part contemporary / part historical thriller with wide crossover appeal.

Born in Baltimore, Linda Collison moved west as a young woman cobbling together a composite career that has included nursing, parenting, teaching skydiving, freelance writing, volunteer firefighting, and other occupations. Linda and her husband, Bob Russell (they met skydiving) wrote two guidebooks in the 1990s based on their travel adventures. The husband-and-wife team has sailed many blue water miles together, aboard their sloop Topaz, based in Hawaii. Their three-week sailing experience aboard the HM Bark Endeavour, a replica of Captain Cook's 18th century ship, inspired Linda to write Star-Crossed, a nautical historical novel published by Knopf. The New York Public Library chose Star-Crossed as one of the Books for the Teen Age -- 2007. Follow her on social media and on her website www.lindacollison.com

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