Deep Storm: A Novel
by Lincoln Child
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Book Reviews of Deep Storm: A Novel
Book Review: Lots of fun with some cliches
Summary: 4 Stars
I didn't read this book, but listened to the abridged version of the audio tape. As such, the pacing was very good and the plot quite tight, but even the abridged version was long enough. I can't imagine that the original version would add anything to this undersea thriller about an unsuspecting doctor who is brought to a North Sea oil rig and finds that the oil rig is really a cover for a mysterious undersea 'archaeological dig'. The 'dig' itself then turns out to be not what it first seems. Along the way there is sabotage, insanity, mass outbreaks of mysterious illness, and power-mad military types. Very good plot twists, with some cliches that recall The Abyss and a few other science-gone-mad stories, and a few technical and medical boo-boos, but all in all a good read (or listen).
Then again, some things went unexplained, perhaps because I was dealing with the abridged version, or because the author is clearly not a doctor: a) why the medical personnel already on site had no clearance for classified areas, but a total stranger like Dr. Crane is quickly granted one, b) why the resident doctors sat around doing nothing and didn't make even basic attempts at any diagnosis, let alone order the equipment they need (EEG) before someone else called in the 'expert' Crane, who is c) variously described as an expert in diver's medicine and later on as a diagnostician - c'mon, which is it?
By the time the book is done, Crane is shown to be an expert in every damn field he needs to be, which gets to be annoying. He also gets the one-dimensional, properly respectful girl - another cliche; and the lengthy epilogue, even in the abridged version, was one I could do without. But what the hell, it's still a good book, and I'd recommend it to fans of deap sea thrillers.
Book Review: Lots of Depth, Less Substance
Summary: 3 Stars
Give author Lincoln Child credit for an imaginative plot and the brisk action that he and partner Douglas Preston consistently churn out. There is something mysterious hidden two miles beneath the surface of the north Atlantic south of Greenland. Summoned to a remote ocean oilrig platform perched over the spot, former Navy submarine physician Peter Crane is challenged to find the source of multi-symptomed illnesses plaguing the crew of "Deep Storm", a technological marvel of an underwater city built to unwrap the mystery. Frustrated by ultra-tight security keeping any diagnostic progress just out of reach, Crane quickly concludes that there is something much more sinister than the legendary Atlantis lurking below the waves and, with nerdy scientist Hui Ping at his side, Crane sets out to crack the mystery and save the universe.
If you can set aside even the most basic needs for credible science and physics, you'll likely find this is a fast paced and mostly enjoyable thriller typical of the talented storyteller Child. Thankfully, he resists overdoing the love angle and superhero feats so overdone in fiction of this kind, and weaves in enough depth and parallel plots to keep you guessing along with Crane and his colleagues. But Child overplays a heavy hand in his obvious and stereotyped distain for the military, and stretches the technology of life two miles deep a bit too thin. But to be fair, this is not intended to be a textbook or great literature, but entertainment, and Child is more than up to the task. In short, no Captain Nemo here, but a decent way to pass a few cold and stormy winter afternoons or a long flight, though not likely the subject of any prolonged water cooler chatter.
Book Review: Caught me off guard
Summary: 5 Stars
Why five stars? I finished reading this book today, during the middle of the afternoon when I should have been busy trying to meet my own novel's impending deadline. I'm a huge fan of the Preston/Child combo books, but had never read one of Child's solo books. But having read and enjoyed all of Preston's solo books I figured Deep Storm was worth a shot.
And I was not only not disappointed, I was pleasantly surprised. While in some ways Deep Storm smacks of Crichton's Sphere, and perhaps a little of Cameron's Abyss, it is a deep sea thriller that stands as it's own unique story. The characters are easy to enjoy and quite memorable. The science is impressive and clearly required gobs of research. But I think what I appreciated most was the writing. I find, too often now, that I have to force my way through the first few chapters of a novel in the science thriller/action adventure genre, but this was not the case with Deep Storm. I found the story instantly engaging and readable.
And the premise revealed at the climax had me "ahhing" out loud. It's just so cool. Could there be a sequel in the works? It is certainly set up for one, but like Ice Limit, I don't think we'll ever see one. I'm afraid a sequel to this book would become more science fiction than a science thriller and to my knowledge, neither Preston or Child has gone that route in earnest (meaning no space ships or aliens or such).
This is a serious must buy. Loved it. And am heading off to purchase Child's other solo books.
-- Jeremy Robinson, author of Pulse (A Chess Team Adventure) and Kronos
Book Review: "It's all broken ..." (possible spoilers)
Summary: 1 Stars
One of the more idiotic characters of the book keeps uttering this, and boy how right he was. There were a number of just plain holes in the plot. Here's a little one. A character who's role was to just be murdered sets up a meet with a bad guy at a gas station. He has the air compressor tire pump with him. He invites the bad guy into his car. He gets into the car and shuts the door. He *still* has the compressor hose in his hand. Did he thread it through the open window before getting into the car? Who knows? Somehow it ends up being long enough for his killer to take from him, jam down his throat, and turn on.
Here's another one. The bad guy later has to insert an encoded message into an image file. All he has to work with is a dumb terminal with no hard disk. So he writes a program and, uh, *compiles* it, then runs it. First, what dumb terminal is going to have a compiler? Second, if you compile a program you have to save it somewhere. Well where do you save it if you don't have a hard disk?
The book is full of little pieces of foolishness like this. For instance, 2 miles down in the ocean, there's a flash of light, and the ocean bottom is packed with all the funny looking denizens of the deep. If you're going to write a book you should know a little about the location of your main action. Like: the deep ocean isn't just packed full of funny looking fish.
Last one: all marines are violent robots who follow their evil overlord to death without individual thought ... especially the "special ops" ones.
Anyway I could go on, but you get the idea.
Book Review: Visual setting and page-turning plot hampered by clicheed characters
Summary: 3 Stars
I always read Child for his imaginative plots and harrowing action, though none of his speculative thrillers are as good as those written with coauthor Douglas Preston ("Relic," "The Cabinet of Curiosities").
The plot of this one concerns a momentous discovery ("the scientific and historical discovery of the century...of all time") under a deep-ocean U.S. oilrig off the coast of Greenland. Peter Crane is a doctor, ex-military, with specialized undersea experience. He has been summoned by the civilian leader of the exploratory expedition. The military side isn't so happy about his presence. Everything is super secret.
Crane descends into an elaborate and advanced undersea research facility where a mysterious illness has been affecting workers, physically and mentally, causing hallucinations and dangerous psychotic behavior. As Crane delves into the possible causes of the baffling illness, the project itself raises some alarming questions - one of the least scary being what happens when humans mess with the earth's core? Sabotage and murder enter the mix as Child ratchets up the suspense.
The plot works fine and the set is highly visual, but the story is hampered by wooden characters who always seem to do the expected thing. Crane is satisfyingly heroic and multi-talented like a good action figure should be. Evil is evil and everyone else is either a foil for Crane's talents or an obstacle to be subdued or overcome.
Nevertheless, Child's latest is a diverting way to pass an evening or two.