From Publishers Weekly A cluster of major SF awards (including two Hugos) distinguish Steele’s r?sum?. It’s notable, though, that most are prizes voted upon by fans rather than SF professionals. Steele’s new novel mirrors his award-winning work. Set upon and deep within the Atlantic, it’s a tightly crafted, highly atmospheric tale, but one that takes no risks and breaks no ground aesthetically or conceptually. During seven days in June 2011, a crew of scientists working for an oceanic mining corporation plus a few others set out to explore a newly arisen smoker (a hot vent teeming with primordial life) on the ocean floor--with the venture including a side trip to glimpse, hopefully, the strange beast-a sea serpent?-that has almost totaled a crew member’s small submarine. Steele borrows his company from central casting--there’s a salty sea captain, a pretty female scientist and her hunky scientist-husband, a venal journalist, a spunky teen, etc.--but he draws them sharply and tosses them into a captivating whirlpool of adventure, including corporate intrigue (one scientist plans to sell vent samples for millions to a rival corporation), romantic shenanigans (the journalist has eyes for the hunk) and lots of undersea derring-do. The high-tech detailing of oceanic habitats and vessels is first-rate, and Steele efficiently and effectively evokes the cold, dark and unrelenting alienness of the world deep beneath the sea. This novel is perfect for whiling away a plane trip or a stormy night, offering a comfortable, soapy blend of melodrama and action--nothing unexpected, nothing special, just a yarn that entertains modestly but very well. (Feb.) Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. From Library Journal The undersea research habitat known as Tethys, deep beneath the surface of the Atlantic, exists to provide information about the unexplored ocean depths--until a close encounter with a monstrous creature of unknown origin sparks a tense battle of secrecy and betrayal. Steele (Labyrinth of Night) deftly portrays the tenuous nature of humanity’s relationship with the sea in this taut, suspenseful sf adventure, which should appeal to fans of underwater action. Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
