Oceanspace
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- $10.99
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- $10.99
Publisher Description
Treachery, greed, and a gargantuan sea monster threaten the inhabitants of a high-tech, deep-water research station in this thrilling undersea science fiction adventure
A three-time Hugo Award winner and modern master of hard science fiction now departs from outer space for a vast, unexplored realm that is equally perilous and mysterious. Allen Steele's Oceanspace is a heart-racing near-future adventure of danger and discovery unfolding in the dark, cold, and merciless depths of the ocean.
The undersea research facility Tethys is a technological wonder, self-sufficient and seemingly impervious to natural danger. Located off the coast of Florida deep beneath the surface of the water, the station supports a robotic mining operation on the ocean floor and facilitates the ongoing scientific exploration of Earth's last frontier. But while on a routine assignment with his colleague Peter Lipscomb, submersible pilot Joe Niedzwiecki comes face to face with something incredible and alive, and only luck—and Peter's quick actions—can save them.
Peter's wife, a marine biologist named Judith, is determined to uncover the secrets of the mysterious leviathan that destroyed Joe's sub and nearly killed him. But the strange creature prowling the dark waters is only one of the dangers confronting Tethys.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
A cluster of major SF awards (including two Hugos) distinguish Steele's r sum . It's notable, though, that most are prizes voted upon by fans rather than SF professionals. Steele's new novel mirrors his award-winning work. Set upon and deep within the Atlantic, it's a tightly crafted, highly atmospheric tale, but one that takes no risks and breaks no ground aesthetically or conceptually. During seven days in June 2011, a crew of scientists working for an oceanic mining corporation plus a few others set out to explore a newly arisen smoker (a hot vent teeming with primordial life) on the ocean floor--with the venture including a side trip to glimpse, hopefully, the strange beast-a sea serpent?-that has almost totaled a crew member's small submarine. Steele borrows his company from central casting--there's a salty sea captain, a pretty female scientist and her hunky scientist-husband, a venal journalist, a spunky teen, etc.--but he draws them sharply and tosses them into a captivating whirlpool of adventure, including corporate intrigue (one scientist plans to sell vent samples for millions to a rival corporation), romantic shenanigans (the journalist has eyes for the hunk) and lots of undersea derring-do. The high-tech detailing of oceanic habitats and vessels is first-rate, and Steele efficiently and effectively evokes the cold, dark and unrelenting alienness of the world deep beneath the sea. This novel is perfect for whiling away a plane trip or a stormy night, offering a comfortable, soapy blend of melodrama and action--nothing unexpected, nothing special, just a yarn that entertains modestly but very well.
