Creatures of the Deep: In search of the sea's 'monsters' and the world they live in (Hardcover)

~ (Author) "The powerful, almost irresistible urge to glimpse what is going on below the surface of the sea is an immediate, persistent, ever present desire of..." (more)
Key Phrases: jumbo squid, hadal zone, vampire squid, Mid-Atlantic Ridge, North Atlantic, East Pacific Rise (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Science and nature writer Erich Hoyt (Orca: The Whale Called Killer; The Earth Dwellers) combines dramatic photographs with extraordinary tales of undersea life in Creatures of the Deep: In Search of the Sea's "Monsters" and the World They Live In. No sea bass here: Hoyt prefers the creepier populations of bloody belly ctenophores, vampire squid, sea cucumbers and dragonfish. From the surface-dwelling manta ray to the marine spider of the hadal zone (appropriately named for Hades), Hoyt describes life cycles and family trees of marine flora and fauna, as well as the scientific community's efforts to understand them. Startling facts abound, and Hoyt's enthusiasm for his subject shows on every page.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Adult/High School-Presenting select marine creatures from around the world, Hoyt also provides a tour of the multilayered organization of the seas from top to bottom. In the preface, he defines and describes the term "monster" and specifies life-forms designated by this label in the oceans. As the author goes on to describe the layer after layer of water, he features a monster or monsters from each stratum. Photographs of the animals help to dramatize the information and data. Hoyt explains words or terms that might be unclear and draws upon word history and meanings when needed. For "hadal zone," he gives the historical background of the term as well. In this manner, he clarifies and educates, and the information flow is never impeded. The general summary of the ocean's layers, specific views of the selected "monsters," and the perspective of the life and environment interaction combine to make this book a splendid overview. The photographs, sidebars, and unique life-forms presented offer opportune ways of catching the attention of reluctant readers.

Pam Johnson, Fairfax County Public Library, VA

Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: Firefly Books (October 6, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1552093409
• ISBN-13: 978-1552093405
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 9.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #503,993 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars surreal so real, November 18, 2002

By	Natalie Mills "purr_verse" (Reservoir, VIC, Australia) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is a fascinating, compelling book with a lot of truly phenomenal photography throughout. I love deep-sea beasties - they please my aesthetic taste - spiky, fangy, bizarre and... bioluminescent. Hmm. The writing is clear, concise and evocative - an 'easy' read without being simplistic or dumbed-down. Overall, an excellent trip into a world here and not-here. Highly recommended.

10 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars "Stunning" doesn't quite cover it, April 7, 2002

By	"anomalies-unlimited" (San Diego, CA - United States) - See all my reviews

I sat with this book for 4 solid hours, in aew. Packed with incredible photos of creatures so bizarre that you couldn't invent anything even close to this reality. Hoyt explains the layers of the sea and what lives there, why and how each atmosphere creates and hosts it's own World. It tells in plain language how these creatures live, eat and reproduce and find each other in the pitch black. It's rare to find a book who's text and visual offerings are equally astounding and educational. I came away with a feeling that all I thought I knew about the sea and life on Earth had just been rewritten for me. This book is a genuine treat and a glimpse into all the possibilites of Life in our "not human" terms.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Engrossing, July 21, 2005

By	Newton Ooi (Phoenix, Arizona United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

The deep sea is considered the last place on Earth that is relatively untouched and unexplored by man. As such, the last 20 years have witnessed an explosion in the number of books, movies (think IMAX), documentaries (Discovery Channel) and other lay-man oriented exposes on the deep sea. This book fits right in with that trend, and serves as a good introduction to the biology of the deep sea.

The book describes the different zones of the ocean, how each is uniquely different from the others, and how they interact with each other. The book then focuses on the deep sea, that layer of water that extends from 2 miles below the surface to the very sea-bottom. The emphasis is on the different animals that live in this part of the sea, such as anglerfish, viperfish, certain types of sharks, the denizens around undersea hot vents, etc... There is also discussion of life cycles, the ocean geography, currents, and the food chain.

The book itself is quite interesting to read, or just to flip through. The photos of the various deep-sea animals are quite impressive, and in color of course. The text itself is appropriate for anyone with at least a high school education. The entire book can be read in one sitting, the level of science is appropriate for high-school seniors, and the pages are well laid out with pictures interspersed within the text.

Excepting the color photographs, the book itself is not much better than previous texts in this same topic. I do recommend it for reading though, as it is enjoyable and educational at the same time.