Customer Reviews

Cachalot

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

 

 

I went through a monumental Alan Dean Foster phase as an early teenager, reading all of his books that the local B. Dalton booksellers had. Cachalot was picked up merely because he wrote it. Lucky me. In typically ADF style, he swiftly creates a wonderful new world, one that you would long to explore yourself: in this case, a beautiful pearl of a water world, a world that we gave to the sentient whale species that we almost destroyed on earth. Now, because we are humans and we tend to take back what we give, we've been exploring their world...and suddenly, humans seem to be getting attacked by whales! Unthinkable. Well, of course, the truth is far more complicated than that, and what a wonderful time we have getting to the end. Like Voyage to the City of the Dead, the end is very creative, a twist almost out of nowhere, and in this case, it is marvelous.

This is right up there with Nor Crystal Tears or the Tar-Aiym Krang for my favorite ADF books, and is one that I have returned to with pleasure 3-4 times, and which I have also shared with my wife. We both still enjoy it--not bad for a book I read as a 12 year old originally. Oh, and every time I go scuba or snorkelling, every time I'm on a boat in Hawaii or at an aquarium, I think about this book. Cachalot and Startide Rising by David Brin both kindled my love for the sea, whales, and dolphins. ALso, pretty good for a sci-fi book. Four stars for the book, 5 stars for all the lasting pleasure it has given me over the years.

At one time (circa the 1970s when this novel was written) Humans had hunted the sea dwelling mammals to near extinction. When other worlds had been discovered they were given a planet of their own, Cachalot (shades of Camelot?), to colonize and live on unmolested. However humans are now colonizing the planet and rogue warrior whales seem to be attacking and destroying the floating cities. Recommended.

Cachalot is set far in the future in a time when humans have for the most part mended thier ways and are trying to be a more patronly race than they had been in the past. The story takes place on Cachalot, a waterworld when the Cetaceans (whales and dolphins) of old earth have been given a new home. These magnificent creatures have been discovered to be intelligent and a weak truce has been forge between the humans and the whales. The Cetaceans still feel jilted and angry at the humans for the way they had been treated in the past, and old wounds still run deep.

When the whales begin attacking ships and port-towns, several investigators are called in to discover why the attacks are happening after so many years of peace.

What they find is something unprecedented and bizzare.

Cachelot was the first Foster novel I ever read and it made me a big fan of his. It is a truly unique story, told through many different eyes. I'd definitely recommend it to Foster fans and those who've never read him.

Cachalot was actually an old sailing ship, not just a cheesy title of a fish-world book for those interested :) I really enjoyed this one...unusual setting, a brief appearance of Flinx, freaky ending....most def a winner amongst the commonwealth series, probably the best stand-alone aside from Midworld (Bloodhype was priceless but I count that as a flinx tale)

First read this when I was about 8... borrowed it outta my older sister's collection when she was babysitting and I was BORED. Forgot the author, forgot the title, remembered only that it was about a water world mostly inhabited by whales that were destroying cities. Found it again over a decade later and realized why it had stuck with me for SO long (the plot, obviously nothing else stuck)... it is a GOOD book. One of the very rare books that I've had to locate and buy multiple copies of... I keep wearing it out.

Foster does a great job describing the environs of the planet, ships, and personalities. I thought it had a great plot with tension, a relationship developing, and mystery. The twist at the end was unexpected for me.

I would love to read more of Alan Dean fosters books but 1 Iam in australia and they are either not available or not on kindle GREAT shame

It is a good book, Read it to fill in one of the gaps for Flinx fans.

Typical Foster storyboard with some weird characters and animals, a lovestory, a tough woman, a world to safe ....... but a great book to read. Nevertheless, I think its not suitable for "Commenwealth" beginners. Own it since years and have read it many times.