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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
63 of 67 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Obscure But A Classic,
By Johnnie B. (Dallas, Texas) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Down to a Sunless Sea (Mass Market Paperback)
I first read this book in 1983. Although it has some quirky faults, I enjoyed it greatly and I have re-read it on many occasions.
In the early 1980s, the United States collapses economically from lack of oil. As part of its recovery plans, America is sending people out of the country to cut down its population. This is where Jonah Scott and the crew of Air Britain's Speedbird 626 come in. Shortly after leaving New York in late 1985 with a load of mostly refugees on board, Scott and company receive a message that all out nuclear war has commenced. After all regular landing options are extinguished in nuclear fireballs, Scott manages to land at a NATO airbase in the Azores that has only been partially destroyed in a netron bomb attack. Jonah and company soon discover their refuge is only temporary. A planet wide cloud of atomic particles is slowly floating down on them. Their only option is to fly Speedbird 262 to Antarctica where the air is clear! There are two versions of this story. I have been lucky enough to read both. The first Sunless Sea novel I bought has a happy ending. I recently came across an older printing that has a sad ending. Strangely enough there is little difference between the versions. The major difference seems to be an extra two pages at the end of the older book. Im curious as to what brought about the change. Havent been able to find out anything. Having read the older version also helps explain some of what appeared to be improbable events discussed in the first chapters such as the oil crisis that brings down the USA. It seems like reasonable speculation given that the book was originally written in the late 70s rather than the early 80s. This is easily one of the best end of the world novels. I urge you to get a copy!
22 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
What heroism despite what disaster!,
By
This review is from: Down to a Sunless Sea (Mass Market Paperback)
I first read Down to a Sunless Sea about ten years ago. This is interesting because it is written in first person, as though related to someone at the South Pole. British passenger jet pilot Jonah Scott lands in New York City about 1983 in the midst of a United States that cannot find or buy enough oil with its ruined currency, has urban lawlessness and poverty, and is about to be destroyed by the Soviet Union and China after a) terrorists poison Israel's water supply and b) Israel executes a nuclear retailatory strike and c) the other two superpowers want to rule the world without America. Then, d) Ireland wants to conquer Northern Ireland, e) Britain threatens "cauterization" and f) British airports are destroyed in the middle of a conversation with Jonah Scott. The aircraft can't find a landing spot and only a chance sighting of a NATO base in the Azores hit by a neutron and not an H bomb lets the plane and passengers land to refuel. A naval officer in the Falklands dies of radiation poisoning to inform Scott that McMurdo base at the South Pole has plenty of food and a nuclear reactor so all 600 on board can fly to safety without needing to carry food and fuel: meanwhile, a Soviet military transport of civilians lands, much to the initial tension of the SAS soldiers with Scott, because it could have been a military team to take the base. More heroism on the way to McMurdo when a few need to die for the good of the many. The combined Soviet, British, and American survivors work to continue humanity while Jonah Scott finds a new love. I read the optimistic version in which unexpected effects of the nuclear war will work to the good of the survivors. I am glad I read this book!
13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The ending was changed?...that's terrible!,
By
This review is from: Down to a Sunless Sea (Mass Market Paperback)
The original had such an astoundingly shocking and appalling 'technical' conclusion, expressed in so few words, I cannot imagine how it could be improved by rewriting it into a 'happy ending'. Now I cannot find a copy of the original anywhere. What an awful shame.
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