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bloodyrosemccoyThe book I was enjoying so much is called Starfish, by Peter Watts. It’s a hard sci-fi book in several senses—not only does he try for more realistic settings; he also is writing Gritty Bleakfic.
I think what won me was the setting. The story’s set mostly at the bottom of the ocean, in a power station on the edge of a deep-sea trench. Tending the power plant is a crew of people surgically engineered to be able to breathe underwater—and also to be able to withstand the pressure and temperatures at the bottom of the ocean. It’s a phenomenally eerie and alien setting, and it makes me ridiculously gleeful.
And for some reason, Watts’s executive decision to populate this station with psychos doesn’t throw me off, like the Team Of Psychos story usually does—Watchmen doesn’t do much for me, but put Watchmen at the bottom of the ocean and apparently I’m all over it. (The idea here is that the only people who don’t go crazy at the bottom of the ocean are people who are already fucked up enough that they won’t even notice.) Usually my response to over-the-top SRS BZNESS sci-fi is to toss the book aside with an “Oh, get over yourself” at the author but this one worked, and all I could do was go “WHEEEE!”*
Mostly I think it was the imagery. You give me good images (phosphorescence, the one guy who … er … goes feral, “Look! I built a giant horrible starfish out of spare starfish parts!”), written well, and I’ll let you take me anywhere.
Also, there’s a HOSHIT YOU’VE DOOMED US ALL moment toward the end which is actually pretty awesome.
*Granted, some of the characters could do with getting over themselves, but since that was the whole idea of the story it gets a pass.
I think what won me was the setting. The story’s set mostly at the bottom of the ocean, in a power station on the edge of a deep-sea trench. Tending the power plant is a crew of people surgically engineered to be able to breathe underwater—and also to be able to withstand the pressure and temperatures at the bottom of the ocean. It’s a phenomenally eerie and alien setting, and it makes me ridiculously gleeful.
And for some reason, Watts’s executive decision to populate this station with psychos doesn’t throw me off, like the Team Of Psychos story usually does—Watchmen doesn’t do much for me, but put Watchmen at the bottom of the ocean and apparently I’m all over it. (The idea here is that the only people who don’t go crazy at the bottom of the ocean are people who are already fucked up enough that they won’t even notice.) Usually my response to over-the-top SRS BZNESS sci-fi is to toss the book aside with an “Oh, get over yourself” at the author but this one worked, and all I could do was go “WHEEEE!”*
Mostly I think it was the imagery. You give me good images (phosphorescence, the one guy who … er … goes feral, “Look! I built a giant horrible starfish out of spare starfish parts!”), written well, and I’ll let you take me anywhere.
Also, there’s a HOSHIT YOU’VE DOOMED US ALL moment toward the end which is actually pretty awesome.
*Granted, some of the characters could do with getting over themselves, but since that was the whole idea of the story it gets a pass.
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Date: 2009-08-31 01:48 am (UTC)* Which may or may not have been related to the fact that I somehow must have mixed up my book lists and was convinced it was fluff, perfect for a light beach read... I, um, didn't swim much.
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Date: 2009-08-31 03:57 am (UTC)And Maelstrom is sitting in my Bag o' Books. So I shall soon see ...
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Date: 2009-08-31 01:50 am (UTC)I love living in the future.
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Date: 2009-08-31 03:58 am (UTC)The underwater was what did it for me. It was so ... COOL. I was even totally all about Fisher, who really shouldn't ever be someone someone is all about.
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Date: 2009-08-31 02:06 am (UTC)And then I looked it up to make sure, and yes, it was. There's just something about the way you described the book that made the little bell of recognition ring in the back of my head.
I shall have to hunt down Starfish. Blindsight was compelling and creepifying and I was utterly incapable of putting it down, so it's good to know the author has written something else.
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Date: 2009-08-31 03:59 am (UTC)My only problem with this book was the present tense--but even that worked all right. And I usually hate present tense.
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Date: 2009-08-31 06:19 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-08-31 06:29 am (UTC)But I'm guessing I would like it ...
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Date: 2009-08-31 09:16 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-08-31 05:12 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-08-31 08:03 pm (UTC)