4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
There is something out there: Sea Hunter by Paul Garrison, March 24, 2004
Those familiar with Paul Garrison's earlier novels such as "Fire and Ice" and "Red Sky at Morning" are aware that technology (often state of the art or beyond) plays a major role in his novels. It certainly is true in this novel and that aspect will not be addressed in this review as to do so would reveal most if not all of this very enjoyable novel.
Donald Hope is the captain of the charter boat Oona, operating out of the British Virgin Islands. His twin-hulled catamaran needs expensive work and he needs to get one last charter done before having at least some of the work done. To do so, he needs to get to port fast to pick up his last set of clients. He is running behind because he had to disperse the ashes of his lover and friend Barbara who finally succumbed to a yearlong coma. Then his race to port is further interrupted by a near disastrous collision with the USS Vermont, a nuclear attack submarine that suffers total computer failure. After being checked out by the very upset navy crewmen who initially believe he may have been involved with their problems, he proceeds to port arriving hours after he was scheduled. Upon arrival, he discovers that his trip was for nothing as his charter has cancelled due to their being hospitalized for food poisoning.
While trying to figure out how to salvage what is left of his business as well as his boat, he meets Sally Moffitt in a bar. She comes with a laundry list of her own problems as well as plenty of attitude and he does not really want anything to do with her. But, she would be a paying client if he accepts her charter job so that she can work on a nature film documentary. With great reluctance, he finally agrees and after she steals her gear back from her soon to be ex-husband, they flee on board Oona.
Within hours of leaving the port, they spot a strange sea creature dancing off their port bow. Part Dolphin, part something else, the creature whatever it is, behaves nothing like they have ever seen before and seems to be attracted to the twin hulled catamaran. As the creature allows them glimpses of it and its strange behavior, Sally becomes convinced that this is the subject for her film and something that no one has ever seen before. Sally is sure that if she can capture enough footage it will allow her to make her mark in the world of expensive nature documentaries and bring her the fame and fortune she needs to make the films she wants to do as well as putting it in her soon to be ex-husband's face.
As they follow the creature northward, they are intercepted by the Star of Alabama, a five masted sailing ship in the mode of old but thoroughly modern from stem to stern. Under the command of William Tree, this floating research vessel cost millions and as a member of one of America's most powerful and wealth families, power and control is everything. While beguiling Sally with various offers to fund her work if a suitable subject is found, he is not so able to blind David Hope.
David knows something sinister is up with Tree and begins to wonder if Tree and the strange sea creature are somehow linked. As the creature continues to lead them north, both ships follow and slowly David and Sally begin to figure out the puzzle. As man and nature try to stop them, David and Sally try not only to survive but also document the strange creature.
This is a very enjoyable fast paced novel featuring intriguing characters and an interesting premise. While most of the action involves chasing the creature and sailing the boats involved, it is not overly filled with technical sailing jargon. This novel is a faster read than some of his earlier works, but filled with the usual hallmarks of action, technology and strong writing. Paul Garrison continues to deliver a good read and this book continues that tradition.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
A action/adventure that for the most part relies on pacing., May 21, 2008
Story:
This book follows David Hope and Sally Moffit as they attempt to track down what they think is a new type of dolphin. Hope is overly cautious as he blames himself for the death of his girlfriend on a previous voyage that ended in tradgey. Since then he has drifed around from port to port plauged by nightmares and doubt. Sally is a just out of work photographer looking to show up her (very recently) ex-husband. A twist of fate brings the two together and after some fire works, (where Sally throws a bit of a wrench in her ex-husbands' plans)Hope and Sally head out to study the local dolphins. Soon they are tracking what Sally belives is a never before seen type of dolphin. During their journey they run into William Tree, a businessman who conducts studies on sealife. Unfortunatley Tree also has an interest in the dolphin and it isn't to further research. Unkown to them Hope and Sally have entered the game of cold and caculating businessman who's plan has begun to spin out of control...
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This is what I call an average action/adventure. That's not saying the book is bad, it's just saying I've read this book before and it had a different name and different characters and a bit of a differnt story. But the basic outline is the same. Troubled Male Character meets Troubled Girl Character, they feel attracted to each other and it just so happens they can help each other out. On the way to do whatever they are going to do they run into good guy that turns out to be bad guy. Usually by this time they have fallen madly in love whith each other and unite to take out The Bad Guy. Not going to make anyone's brain over load. Don't get me wrong I like these type of books I just wish that the stories wouldn't always wait until the middle to run out of ideas and then go down the beaten path. Rant over. Three things I liked about this book. The pacing was good until I got about 1/2 to 3/4 through the book then it did the above. The love scenes do not go on and on for 50 pages, there is one paragraph and the storie moves on. Finally this story does have good pacing until near the end. Until that point there really is no violence, random explosions or crazy villans. Would recommend this to anyone who likes sea adventures with a little mystery and suspense thrown in.
m.a.c
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Something Different, January 29, 2007
Warning, possible spoiler alert:
I don't know how to describe this book other than Jaws meets Frankenstein. Basically, a group of scientists have crossed a Dolphin with an Orca (killer whale) but they have also added all kinds of technological gizmos to the animal in order to use it for anti-submarine warfare. But, surprise, surprise, they lose control of the creature and with it loose, it is free to attack any submarine regardless of nationality. Its attack consists of basically frying any and everything electrical possible on the submarine which would of course be bad news to the crew. Additionally, there's a political conspiracy involved with the funding of the project (isn't there always).
All-in-all, I thought it was a pretty good book. Not being an avid sailor nor understanding all the nautical terms, I was able to follow the book pretty well. It's definitely not the type of novel I usually read (fantasy), but it was a nice change.
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