Beyond the Sea is a riveting tale of survival that will have you on the edge of your seat.

You feel close to the action; as if you are alongside Bolivar, the brutish fisherman, and his inexperienced assistant, Hector, as their meagre vessel is hit by a ferocious storm. Bolivar single-handedly fights to keep the boat from going under while Hector cowers at the storm’s fury. When the storm dissipates, tensions erupt as they realise their desperate situation – adrift without a motor or radio with only a small reserve of water to share.

Sensing little chance of rescue, their physical suffering becomes secondary to their engrossing psychological battle, each man balancing his inner demons with the struggle to maintain hope. With time stretching out indefinitely, truths about Bolivar’s past are revealed as well as his humanity, as he cares for the ailing Hector. Both men struggle to hold on to their sanity as Bolivar questions what it is within that drives a man to survive or to fold in the face of adversity.

At once thought-provoking and heartbreaking, the reader is drawn into their nightmarish world, willing them toward survival and redemption. Lynch’s writing is exacting with powerful imagery that will have all your senses engaged. There are brief moments of humour however, Beyond the Sea can be heavy going at times. There are some passages that are uncomfortable to read and are not for the squeamish. If, as I do, you like your subject matter on the bleak side, you will be enthralled by the raw and confronting exchanges between the two desperate characters.

Reviewed by Naomi Vagg