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2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
"Watermind" is all washed up., August 31, 2009
This review is from: Watermind (Mass Market Paperback)
This book had an interesting premise behind it, but it was not well executed. One issue I had with this book was structural. The transition between the dialog and thoughts of the different characters really isn't that smooth. I'd be reading along and with no warning they'd suddenly be talking about another character.
Another thing that bothered me was from a sci-fi/technical standpoint. They'd mention all these items, technological and otherwise, that the Watermind/mote computers would pass in the river on its way to Louisiana, but never explained how most of those items related back to its make-up and/or evolution.
This lack of detail extended to the dialog as well. It was just enough to keep the story moving forward, but not enough to give us any real insight into the characters. Why was Max's ex-wife given primary custody of their daughter? What was the whole thing between CJ and her father? You never do find out. This, plus the whole pacing of keeping things moving down the river, made the story read more like a TV or movie script than a book.
My advice is to skip this book.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Great movie material, April 5, 2011
Mad scientists are a standard part of science fiction. In movies, they are usually old men with funny accents, who are nonetheless brilliant. This time, the mad scientist is a beautiful young rich woman. By the end of the book, she's also pregnant, probably by her young Creole lover, a poorly educated laborer and musical genius. The word is "probably" because she has some hot moments with a South American billionaire, too. There's a lot of action in this book.
The sci fi action revolves around an intelligent synthetic liquid being, spontaneously emerging from a mass of electronic, chemical, and genetic junk dumped into the Mississippi. Somehow, it becomes alive and starts to grow and move, causing lots of harm as it goes. Everyone tries to contain or destroy it, with only our heroine trying to preserve it for the knowledge we can gain and the good it can do.
It's a very good science fiction book, with good plausible science and good characters. The writing is excellent, with vivid, strong descriptions of the scenery and events. It would make a great movie. I see Scarlett Johansen as the scientist. And someone who looks a lot like me as her young boyfriend. If only!
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3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
engaging cautionary science fiction, November 11, 2008
Although her future seemed bright, CJ Reilly dropped out of MIT graduate school. She heads south with hopes of cleansing her disturbed mind. In sweltering but polluted Devil's Pond, Louisiana she finds a strange phenomena that should not be there: ice. After testing a sample, CJ believes she has found a magical elixir to save the water supply; the ice purifies water.
However, the ice turns even more mysterious when she observes it react to music and display locomotion skills. When the ice kills scientist Roman Saxony, CJ reconsiders her belief she will be a world hero. Instead she needs to destroy the metamorphosing ice that has "waded" into the Mississippi before it destroys the world.
An engaging cautionary science fiction warning people to watch how they dispose of their discards (in this case electronic, but easily extrapolates to drugs in the water systems and nuclear energy byproduct waste, etc). In some ways the ice seems like the Blob; however unlike both of the films that stars heroes, none of the humans especially CJ is heroic as everyone seems to have their own agenda. Fans will enjoy touring Louisiana with the WATERMIND host.
Harriet Klausner
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