Publisher's Weekly Review
The collapse of the Indian Ocean floor near the island nation of Mauritius kicks off this derivative scientific thriller from Keene (Darkness on the Edge of Town). Two experienced divers, Carrie Anderson and Peter Scofield, explore the phenomenon, but only Carrie resurfaces after their oxygen tanks and communication devices malfunction. Carrie had seen a mysterious dark shape in the depths before her limbs started to numb and she began to hallucinate. Her survivor's guilt and scientific curiosity compel her to curtail her recovery and return to the waters. When a former lover, oceanographer Paolo, learns of her plan, he insists on accompanying her. Under the sea, Carrie and Paolo encounter a terrifying creature that resembles a "horseshoe crab crossed with a jellyfish and giant squid." The plot loses momentum as the monster adds to its list of victims and Carrie gets closer to identifying exactly what it is. Readers should be prepared for familiar situations and underdeveloped characters. (June) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Booklist Review
*Starred Review* Keene is among the most popular pulp horror writers of this century, but with most of his 40-plus titles available only in paperback, his work is not widely collected by libraries. Now is the time to change that with this compelling, crowd-pleasing hardcover release. Champion free-diver turned scientist Carrie Anderson is part of a team trying to find out why the Indian Ocean floor is suddenly collapsing. After numerous mechanical glitches, Carrie plunges into the depths, sans equipment, to try to determine what's going on, but what she encounters is a monster so fearsome and so intent on destroying every creature in its path that it makes Jaws look like a guppy. In the open ocean, Carrie is in a swim for her life, but back on shore, things aren't much better, as an evil corporation's murderous henchmen have an invested interest in hiding the truth. Will Carrie and her team be able to stop both types of monsters and save the world from an ecological disaster? Keene's winning formula of pairing a cast of strong characters with fast-paced, detailed action scenes (which include some of the best descriptions of the dismemberment of bodies in all fiction) is on full view here. Don't just suggest to horror readers although Keene does include a few fun insider references for genre fans. This is a perfect beach read for fans of Michael Crichton, Mira Grant, or Preston and Child if you dare to take this book anywhere near an open body of water.--Spratford, Becky Copyright 2016 Booklist
