Full disclosure: I did not, and could not, finish this book.
In order to exploit the raw energy available in the deep divergent plate boundary of the Juan de Fuca ridge humans must be severely modified to be capable of living for extended periods of time at such depths. But just what sort of person will be best able to take the stress of living in such cramped conditions, under such intense physical and psychological pressure?
This setting was both intriguing and very well presented so, for me, the book started out excellently and I felt sure I was going to love it. But, very quickly, Watts gives us his answer to that question and, I’m afraid, I find it completely and utterly implausible. There is no spoiler here as this is revealed very early on in the book; it seems Watts believes that only very psychologically damaged people will be able to take this stress. He never really justifies this idea but just presents it as fact. So now the reader must suffer the rest of the story in the heads of wife beaters and wife beater victims, failed suicides and child molesters. I’m sorry, and I apologise to anyone this might offend but I just don’t want to spend my time reading a book deep in the minds of such people. Am I being politically incorrect? Maybe, in which case I’m sorry but, whilst I do enjoy a challenging read, I do generally want to enjoy my reading and for that I need to find some sympathy with at least one of the characters and I could find none for any of these. So, two thirds through I simply could no longer continue.
It gets stars for a setting that was intriguing and beautifully described but ALL the characters in the book have driven me out of the story. I simply do not care what happens to any of them.
In order to exploit the raw energy available in the deep divergent plate boundary of the Juan de Fuca ridge humans must be severely modified to be capable of living for extended periods of time at such depths. But just what sort of person will be best able to take the stress of living in such cramped conditions, under such intense physical and psychological pressure?
This setting was both intriguing and very well presented so, for me, the book started out excellently and I felt sure I was going to love it. But, very quickly, Watts gives us his answer to that question and, I’m afraid, I find it completely and utterly implausible. There is no spoiler here as this is revealed very early on in the book; it seems Watts believes that only very psychologically damaged people will be able to take this stress. He never really justifies this idea but just presents it as fact. So now the reader must suffer the rest of the story in the heads of wife beaters and wife beater victims, failed suicides and child molesters. I’m sorry, and I apologise to anyone this might offend but I just don’t want to spend my time reading a book deep in the minds of such people. Am I being politically incorrect? Maybe, in which case I’m sorry but, whilst I do enjoy a challenging read, I do generally want to enjoy my reading and for that I need to find some sympathy with at least one of the characters and I could find none for any of these. So, two thirds through I simply could no longer continue.
It gets stars for a setting that was intriguing and beautifully described but ALL the characters in the book have driven me out of the story. I simply do not care what happens to any of them.
