Customer Reviews

Aquamarine

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

First, I must admit that I love the sea and anything to do with the sea, so the idea of a book about the world after global warming has eliminated most of the world's land masses which DOES NOT paint a gloom and doom picture appealed to me.

For those who like the technical aspects of science fiction, this book is full of speculation about how and why human civilization could survive a disaster of these proportions. The introduction of a new species of human, genetically engineered to breathe under water will strike many as implausible (scientists just aren't that good yet), however, once you accept the presence of these characters, the rest of the story falls into place. And, unlike some science fiction, this novel has a plot, complete with mystery, suspense, villians and heroes. Oh, and it has likable, well developed characters, too.

Aside from the editing problems, with grammatical and spelling errors, this book is an enjoyable read. The protagonists are well-adjusted, happy, friendly but with all the same self-doubts and insecurities we all have. Keegan's writing style is light, descriptive without being verbose, humorous where appropriate. It was a pleasure to find gay characters portrayed as simply an accepted part of their society, taking part in community life like we really do anyway (but can't talk about it at this time.) Even readers who dislike science fiction will be able to appreciate this story - the science is not overwhelming and is worked into the plot in good fashion.

The intense action scenes are fast-paced, the romantic interludes are gentle but passionate, the politic wrangling is low-key. This book made me smile a number of times; I put off any work-related reading for 2 short evenings to reach the end of the story. Worth the while.

Having read Fortunes of War, I was really psyched for more Mel Keegan, but Aquamarine was a disappointment. It wasn't horrible - I read it, all of it, and it
wasn't painful, but it wasn't the kind of thing I just couldn't put down, either. Eric, the Aquarian, was the only character with more than two dimensions.
Although most of the novel is written from Russell's point of view, there is an odd place near the end where suddenly Eric is narrating, and it might have been
interesting if only Eric's voice had been just the tiniest bit different from Russell's. Unfortunately the character development just isn't there, so the romance
aspect was weak and I didn't really feel anything for the characters. It was hard to work up any real interest in them or inwhat happened to them, because the intensity of
emotion and the painstaking character development in Fortunes of War just doesn't exist in Aquamarine.

As sci fi, it also misses. The concepts don't "wow" you at any point, and the world seems more or less exactly as it is today except that most of it is under
water. It just doesn't have that post-apocalyptic feel to it. Life and culture don't seem to have been affected much at all, and the feel of the setting is more of a beach resort
than a man-made island suspended in a vast ocean. The fact that the world is under water seems somewhat incidental to the story, and the only thing of
interest is the fact that it has inspired the creation of the Aquarian race. This is perhaps the only original point in the novel; the conflict between Eric as
Russell's lab rat, Eric as Russell's lover, and Eric as a member of a minority race. But even that has not really been exploited to the fullest extent, and it
seemed there should have been a lot more tension between Eric and Russell and the directors of the Aquarian program. Eric's resentment over being treated
like a lab rat is never really expressed in more than dark looks and a bit of sulkiness, and it never really made sense to me that he and Russell just went along
with anything and everthing. It made them unconvincing.

As an adventure story, it has the same weaknesses as Ice, Wind and Fire and Fortunes of War. The plot is often naive, in that there are no real plot twists
and things always seem to go just a little too smoothly. I'm always waiting for something to go wrong, but it almost never happens. People are exactly what
they seem, and you can expect them to behave accordingly at all times.

Having said all that, if you liked Ice, Wind and Fire, you'll probably like this book too. It's a notch below Ice in craftsmanship, but basically the same kind of story. The love scenes (sex scenes) are a bit sparse, but the book is readable
enough if you can ignore the overwhelming number of typos.

I really enjoy your books. I have all the books that Amazon has sold. I am sorry to see that they do not sell anymore. I really enjoy reading them. I did however found your new site so that I can order from them. At least I can keep up on your novels. Way to go Mel.

I am quite disappointed by this book. The author lacks the skills and judgement on how to handle serious issues such as homophobia, racism and environmentalism in a remotely ingenious way. The characters are dull and superficial, serving no greater purposes than mindless plot devices. The pace is slow and the dialogues seem to go in circles. Worst of all, the editor (if there was one) could not even spot the most obvious grammatical and spelling mistakes. You bet I won't buy another book by Mr. Keegan.

A book doctor that is.

I'm a fan of Keegan's earlier work, but I believe his later efforts (Aquamarine, White Rose, etc.) suffer from the lack of a real editor. And I don't mean a copy editor. Unlike some readers I wasn't put off by British spellings, a few typos, etc. But I am put off by lackluster characterizations and a plot swamped by an author indulging his own philosophical ramblings and a tidal wave of non-essential detail.

In Aquamarine, plot and character pay the price of exhaustive world-building and research overkill. Somewhere along the way Keegan seems to have forgotten that the best plots are character driven. And in these novels particularly, which lean heavily on romance / sexual tension between the leads, the characters and their conflicts become crucial. Keegan is unbeatable at creating great characters with emotional and psychological depth, but his weakness has always been developing believable conflicts that make the romantic subplot truly gripping-and in this novel the weakness becomes crippling. The main characters of Russell and Eric simply do not engage, and there is no "romance." Any tension or conflict is instantly resolved, wrecking any kind of plot or dramatic arc.

As for the convoluted main plot-the action (Keegan's strength) is buried in pages of long-winded STUFF that doesn't advance the story a jot or enhance the characters an iota. Maybe Keegan is losing his critical inner eye, or maybe it's just hard for any author to be ruthless with his own work, but this is where a tough-minded editor could make a vital difference.

This is the first time I've left a Keegan book unfinished. And while I will certainly buy his next book, it's the third time in a row Keegan has left me frustrated and disappointed-not promising for future sales.

What a lovely read. I couldn't put it down. The caracter development and interactions are great. The storyline well thought out. Some nice kinks and turns. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Just bought two more KM books.

Set in the future, the late twenty first century, some years after a natural disaster caused the sea levels to rise so that little land is left above the sea, Aquamarine follows the exploits of two young men. Russell (Dr Grant) is a hydrologist, Eric an Aquarian, the first of a new sub-species so far totally just fifty that can breathe under water. Russell and Eric live together on a man made island called Pacifica; devoted lovers, they have been together almost as long as they can remember. In this future world their relationship is remarkable only in as much as Eric is exclusively gay.

They get by on Russell's research grant and Eric's casual earnings as a diver and tour guide, so a lucrative offer to assist some shady characters in a salvage operation is tempting, but when they refuse Eric is kidnapped and forced into taking part. That is just the beginning of a tense, action packed adventure involving the two lovers along with a few more Aquarians, an adventure from which they might not all return.

Aquamarine is certainly an exciting and enjoyable read, the love between the two young men is never in question, they are loyal and devoted to each other, which makes their involvement in their assignment all the more nerve racking. The future world Ms Keegan creates is well developed so that one readily accepts it and puts aside any improbabilities. Unfortunately the tension created in the story is often spoiled as one tries to navigate the occasional typographic errors (Gay Men's Press 2000 edition).

If you are tired of the run-of-the-mill sci-fi/fantasy, swords & sorcery genre; if you are a fan of fine writers, such as: Jim Grimsley, Michael Lowenthal, Trebor Healy; if you enjoy the tales of: Tanith Lee and Storm Constantine, then plunge into this unique intriguing future world.
A wonderful original romantic thriller which takes place after Global Warming has all but destroyed the earth which is now mostly covered by ocean.
The gay characters are refreshing and enjoyable, albeit one is a "new aqua-human".
Keegan is a treasure. After reading this, I will seek out all of his other works.

If I could put four and a half stars I would. I just can't bring myself to rate it with five. I love gay romance/thrillers anything really. But this book took me by surprise.

The only bad thing I have toi say about the whole book is there are quite a few grammatical errors. But if you want to read a nice, fast paced novel that draws you into the story this is the one for you!