Customer Reviews

A Diver's Guide to Underwater Malaysia Macrolife

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is a spectacular book, and a very useful one for every self-respecting Indo-Pacific muck diver and macro critter lover. For ANY diver, in fact. On the cover it curiously says "Underwater Malaysia" But the inside actually covers a much broader area, from the Eastern Indian Ocean to the Western Pacific, so it's really helpful also if you're diving Thailand, Indonesia, Borneo, the Philippines, PNG or even parts of Australia. I believe this is the first diving ID guidebook entirely dedicated to small Indo-Pacific reef animals (ie those incredibly colorful clownfish, gobies, cleaner shrimps, nudibranchs and the like) - and what a winner it is! What makes it unique for me is the number of rare reef species featured and the amazing color photographs. I discovered a lot of new interesting facts reading the species' descriptions, which are very informative, pleasantly written and often quite amusing, and the reproduction quality of the photos is, wow!, absolutely stunning. Some of the critters (look at those unbelievable flamboyant cuttlefish or the mating mandarinfish) seem to be about to jump out of the page! As guidebooks go, this one is a bit heavier than one would expect, but it is also quite small and easy to carry around on a boat or in a dive bag, and despite being a paperback and not a hardcover the binding looks like it will be able to take quite a beating (travelling scuba divers will know what I'm talking about here). I'm sure as an identification guide this great book can be equally useful to the marine biologist and the advanced aquarist, but as a whole it's obviously geared towards those actually diving and taking photographs in tropical waters. OK, all this does not come real cheap - but in my opinion, considering the quality of the photos and the huge amount of information in it, this book is worth its price to the last dime.

Once again we have a book by Andrea & Antonella Ferrari which hides a failing in basic marine identification behind a façade of photographs that are, in some cases, quite outstanding. Clearly, these authors know their photography. Sadly, however, they do not know their species identification as well as they should for a book of this type. In short, there are several instances where this book will mislead the diver.

Altogether, I got the distinct impression that this book was an afterthought whereby they had produced something (anything!) from a collection of surplus photographs from their fairly abysmal "Malaysia Diving Guide" - a book where the publishers could not even get their names right on the cover! (It's true).

In the long term, I fear more and more people will purchase this and similar books, become overwhelmed by the impact of the outstanding photography and take whatever is "written" as being gospel. Then, when the next generation of authors with a camera come along, they will use this book as their own identification bible. Thus the errors are compounded and repeated.

If you want to purchase a book bursting at the seems with excellent images and only wish to look at the pictures then this book is unlikely to disappoint. If, however, you are keen to identify each species seen underwater "Accurately!," then this book cannot be trusted because there is nothing occasional about the errors found here.

NM

As a marine biologist as well as an author and photographer of marine life books, I tend to purchase only books that have useful information along with decent photography that facilitates easy identification. Books that cover too broad an area or all marine life rather than a particular group tend to fall short. By focusing on the small things in an area of extremely high diversity, the authors have managed to be unusually comprehensive. In my area of expertise, the fishes, I found very few errors (zero is an impossibility given the constant changes as new information comes to light). The photography and printing are excellent. The species descriptions are concise, well-researched and full of information useful to the naturalist as well as photographer. This book belongs on every underwater photographer or naturalist's bookshelf. It is also good enough and compact enough to go in one's luggage in this age of traveling light. For those interested in the Red Sea, I highly recommend the following Coral Reef Guide Red Sea (Coral Reef)

It seems biased to write about someone's book, when I have always been a fan of his/her work (in this case, the Ferraris'). This may be unfair to other potential buyers. Yet, I am now looking at my well worn copy of "A Diver's Guide to Underwater Malaysia Macrolife" and realizing how much I have been using this book. The cover is creased, two corners are warped and many pages are wrinkled. A few other pages are nearly separating from the main stem. Though the binding of the pages are holding well, I don't think mine will last too long. It is way overused and is time for me to purchase a new copy.

Being a natural history photojournalist myself, I utilize a number of reference books. This is one that I often make use of. The field guide contains more than 600 species of marine critters, from invertebrates (such as worms, opisthobranchs, echinoderms, crustaceans and cephalopods) to reef fishes found in the Indo-Pacific waters. Each of the species has been provided with pictures, Latin & English identifications, distribution, sizing, habitats and underwater photo-tips to capture the subject on film/pixels. These hands on photographic suggestions are especially valuable for both seasoned and budding photographers. In addition, through the authors' dedicated observations, the content provides additional information on certain animals' symbiotic relationships with other creatures and behavioral aspects. The book is written in a clear and easy-to-understand context. The Ferraris' impressive knowledge on gobies has educated me immensely.

Despite that the book does not contain information on sponge, anemone, coral and shell, the Ferraris have selectively concentrated on the macro faunas that avid divers and photographers deliberately search for in the Indo-Pacific. Many of the critters shown in the book are of rarity, and many photos (over 800) in this almanac do not only depict the subject identification alone but with artistic flares. A difficult feat (and with hundreds of hours underwater), and the Ferraris have done it with roaring success. In a heartbeat, I highly recommend this field guide to anyone (also parents with kids) who enjoys the beautiful and unique macro life of the ocean.

Stephen Wong Marine Wildlife Photojournalist

Amazing photography!!! Great ID book on macro reef inhabitants! Always with me on my dive trips... no regrets ;p

I bought this book a few weeks ago while on a diving trip to Borneo and immediately fell in love with it. This is the guidebook every discerning macro diver has been waiting for! After a long introduction and a funny, informative chapter on "the fine art of macrophotography" the authors describe in full detail more than 600 different marine species, ranging from invertebrates (nudibranchs, crustaceans and mollusks) to small and not-so-small fish. Every species entry features full, first-hand information on size, habitat, geographical range and life habits, and the book is chock-full with hundreds of absolutely stunning color pictures of the critters. Despite its restrictive title, the contents are in fact perfectly useful for any Indo-Pacific dive site, ranging from the Maldives to Papua New Guinea and Northern Australia. Some of the animals described are absolutely weird and are a fascinating first even for seasoned muck divers like myself. I cannot have enough praise for this book - it is an absolute must for any serious muck diver or photographer, and it fills to perfection an important void in the diving guidebooks panorama. It's also quite compact and not too expensive. From now on I won't take another dive trip without taking it along - bravo!

I bought this book some time ago while on a diving trip to Borneo and immediately fell in love with it. This is the guidebook every discerning macro diver has been waiting for! After a long introduction and a funny, informative chapter on "the fine art of macrophotography" the authors describe in full detail more than 600 different marine species, ranging from invertebrates (nudibranchs, crustaceans and mollusks) to small and not-so-small fish. Every species entry features full, first-hand information on size, habitat, geographical range and life habits, and the book is chock-full with hundreds of absolutely stunning color pictures of the critters. Despite its restrictive title, the contents are in fact perfectly useful for any Indo-Pacific dive site, ranging from the Maldives to Papua New Guinea and Northern Australia. Some of the animals described are absolutely weird and are a fascinating first even for seasoned muck divers like myself. I cannot have enough praise for this book - it is an absolute must for any serious muck diver or underwater photographer, and it fills to perfection an important void in the diving guidebooks panorama. It's also quite compact and very well bound. From now on I won't take another dive trip without taking it along - bravo!

Whether you're an armchair adventurer, an aquarist, or a diver of any skill level that has already viewed some of the better coral reefs in the world, this is definitely a must-have book for your library. Never has any publication so accurately and colorfully depicted the Indo-Pacific marine species that presently exist in the South China, Sulu and Sulawesi seas.

This book, or possibly more correctly called a `Field Guide' is an outstanding identification guide for the scientist, diver, student, and the hobbyist for those species living in the covered area. It describes over 600 different fish and invertebrate species, including colorful nudibranchs, cleaner shrimps and some exceptionally rare cuttlefish. Each species notes its scientific and common name, distribution, habitat, size, life habits, and many also provide some extremely helpful underwater photography tips. All illustrated with over 800 beautiful color photographs. In fact, it was difficult for me to get past the early part of the book as the scenery photos put me into a dream mode. Honestly, after viewing the first few photos in the Introduction section I was tempted to make airline reservations!

A Diver's Guide to Underwater Malaysia Macrolife is basically divided into three sections: Introduction; Invertebrates; and, Fishes. However, there are eight pages prior to the Introduction section that helps put the tone of the overall work into perspective. The first, "Selected Bibliography" is a list of some publication titles that compliment this work. Following that, there is a list of "Recommended Internet Web Sites" that includes dive travel information in Malaysia, and an underwater camera-housing site that can be quite helpful in assembling the right equipment before leaving home. Also mentioned is "Addenda" which contains a list of corrections and updates that came along too near the end of the publication cycle to be incorporated into the finished version. Really a thoughtful and useful touch. There are also maps of the Indo-Pacific Ocean, and Malaysia, Indonesian, and Borneo areas. This is followed by a list of the "Top Ten Dive Sites of Malaysia" and a very well written piece on "How to Use This Book."

The "Introduction" section, which consists of 37 pages, was the most difficult portion for me to get through. As mentioned above it scenery photos were mesmerizing! But when you get past those you'll find this section divided into various mini subjects of interest. To begin, "Why Macrolife" notes that actually shallow water diving is more rewarding than deep diving and it requires no special body fitness or risk. Therefore good dive spots are easy to find, and with good patience and eyesight your experiences will be quite rewarding. Next, "Redressing the Balance" notes that the areas mentioned in this book are without equal, even if visiting the more public and heavily advertised dive sites. Following that, "Where and How" pinpoints Pulau Sipadan in the Sulawesi Sea off Borneo, and the South China Sea atoll of Layang Layang as Malaysia's two majestic dive areas. Next, "The Fine Art of Marcophotography" dispels some of the myths about underwater photography and describes the equipment used by the authors along with some very helpful hints in getting that perfect photo. "Macro Habitats" is next and briefly notes the need for careful and thoughtful observation. Of course the weather you would experience in these areas is of interest and in the next portion of the Introduction the subject of "Climate" is examined. What are the best months to visit these areas and their temperature ranges are discussed. Ending this section "A Matter of Choice" notes what creatures were photographed for this book and why.

The following two portions of the book are massive when compared to the Introduction section. The "Invertebrates" section consists of 166 pages and is divided into five subsections. Over 300 hundred species of flatworms, nudibranchs, cuttlefish, octopi,, squids, shrimps, crabs, lobsters, sea stars, brittle stars, and sea urchins are described. Each containing a high quality color photo accompanied with various levels of information as noted above.

The "Fishes" section consists of 232 pages, and concentrates on bony fishes. The families Blennies, Gobies, Filefishes, Dartfishes, Dragonets, Jawfishes, Anemonefishes, Hawkfishes, Cardinalfishes, Flatheads, Scorpionfishes, Lionfishes, Pipefishes, Seahorses, Frogfishes, and Morays are among the many well depicted. There are also two brief, but interesting subtopics titled "The Host and the Hosted" and "Fish Juveniles." The first provides an insight into the micro-world where some close-ups of various parasites or commensals are shown. The second provides some shots of fish juveniles, and contains an interesting photo of a juvenile dragonet that is only a few millimeters in length. Excellent photography!

This superb work completes with an "Index of Common Names" and "Index of Scientific Names." Also, on the inside back cover there's a little more information about the Authors and their previous books and magazine articles. Both the front and back cover foldout and can be used as a bookmark, which is always very convenient when it comes to `Field Guide' type books.

As a pictorial guide of the fishes and invertebrates found in this part of the world, you'll not find any better! And it's written in a clear and concise style, which truly makes it a must for all divers and students interested in the underwater creatures that inhabit this part of the world. And for those that don't dive, yet keep aquariums, this work serves as a valuable identification source along with some habitat information that might benefit the species in their aquariums.

In conclusion, A Diver's Guide to Underwater Malaysia Macrolife is well written, quite informative, beautifully illustrated, and a priced right quality publication. Get a copy, you'll be happy you did!

Beautiful book with amazing photographs a nice coffee table book.
Better more informative books on the market for divers!

What is interesting in this book is what I did not expect as well: authors explicitly chose to focus just on macrolife, i. e. on small living beings to be found in Malaysian shallow waters. As a consequence, you will not find photos on large fishes and amazing shells, but an endless carousel of stunning photographs regarding nudibranchs, shrimps, small fishes, and so on. In my view, this makes this book even more interesting - and I must also mention how technically hard must be to take some of these shots! The books is also entertaining to read and scientifically correct, therefore I wish to suggest it to passionate divers!
Federico