Ryan Berridge Crafts Gritty Pirate Tales Blending Horror And Adventure
PHOTO: Ryan Berridge, the Sheffield-based author of The Rattler Trilogy, is acclaimed for his gripping combination of horror and maritime adventure.
Blending Supernatural Horror With Historical Maritime Drama
Ryan Berridge discusses his journey as a self-published author, the emotional truths in his stories, and his acclaimed Rattler Trilogy, which masterfully blends historical adventure with suspenseful and ambiguous horror.
Ryan Berridge has quickly emerged as a compelling voice in horror and adventure fiction, captivating readers with his distinctive blend of chilling supernatural tension and historically gritty narratives. The Sheffield-based, self-published author achieved acclaim with titles such as Where Were You? Ten Terrifying Tales, a collection of pandemic-era short stories, and his pirate-themed Rattler Trilogy, comprising The Rattler, Snake Huntress, and The Golden King. With his works embodying a fusion of horror, complex morality, and bold maritime adventure, Berridge is redefining genre fiction.
Known for marrying Stephen King’s mastery of tension with Bernard Cornwell’s historical authenticity, Berridge crafts emotionally charged and visceral stories that not only thrill readers but reflect raw human truths. He explains that his writing is deeply influenced by personal struggles, including parenting challenges and the frustration of unsupportive corporate environments. His daughter’s premature birth and a taxing period shaped much of the anger and emotional complexity seen in The Rattler Trilogy.
Ryan Berridge is a master at merging emotionally charged storytelling, haunting ambiguity, and vivid action scenes with historical realism.
The trilogy, which centers on a young pirate named Sam, begins with The Rattler. Here, mythical creatures appear at sea, but Berridge intriguingly leaves their existence ambiguous, allowing readers to interpret whether they’re supernatural or exaggerated legends akin to the tales sailors have spun for centuries. As Sam’s journey progresses in Snake Huntress, he rises to the role of captain, forced to navigate the treacherous waters of leadership and moral dilemmas. The story delves deeply into the chaos of survival, showing how Sam grapples with decisions that often pit one evil against another.
Concluding the trilogy with The Golden King, Berridge aimed to portray the pinnacle of Sam’s abilities followed by his dramatic descent. With gripping unpredictability until the final pages, the resolution underscores themes of leadership, ambition, and human frailty. His action scenes reflect a uniquely organic and raw approach, with Berridge writing battle sequences in a single draft to preserve the chaotic and unpredictable nature of combat. Careful to avoid gratuitous details, he leaves room for imagination while maintaining authenticity.
Though Berridge’s expertise in long-form narratives shines through the trilogy, his debut collection, Where Were You? Ten Terrifying Tales, served as his training ground. Experimenting with multiple perspectives, interconnected timelines, and various narrative structures allowed him to refine his voice and discover stylistic nuances. These early challenges prepared him to navigate the larger scope and complexity of the pirate-themed trilogy, where he boldly juxtaposes maritime adventure with horror elements.
As influenced by Cornwell’s realistic exploration of medieval warriors as he is by King’s ability to cultivate suspense, Berridge takes a historically grounded look at pirates while injecting a dark, unpredictable tone. Steering clear of the romanticized portrayals made popular by mainstream media, he presents pirates in their grim and ruthless reality, reinforcing the haunting uncertainty of the supernatural elements.
For aspiring authors seeking to blend genres, Berridge’s advice is simple yet effective: write every day with consistency and persistence. He points out that drafting consistently kept his narratives fresh in his mind, enabling him to subconsciously develop his stories between writing sessions. Whether wrestling with 1,000 words of nonsense or effortlessly flowing into moments of inspiration, his main priority remained forward momentum.
Ryan Berridge’s work represents the best kind of storytelling—raw, emotionally honest, and unapologetically gripping. Fans of horror-adventure fiction who seek vivid action, layered characters, and morally complex narratives will find themselves enthralled with his pirate-themed epic and eagerly awaiting his next creative endeavor.
Source: Reader’s House Magazine
