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luckyblueninja's review against another edition
dark
informative
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
matthew_blaen's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
hindlejack's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
camil7156's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
informative
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
jimbowen0306's review against another edition
4.0
I'm torn by this book. It's about how the Earth (and its' assorted governments) deal with strange happenings that occur over a period of 10+ years. The happenings start with shooting stars landing in the sea, and end with widespread flooding, and the associate impact on the people and the governments.
I felt that the book might be a little dated, because instead of addressing the issues, the people were quick to blame communism, and other countries, when it was palpably obvious they'd have real problems creating the technology that would cause the effects that were observed. In addition, I'm surprised the populace Wyndham described kept it together as long as they did.
My other grumble is the ending. When we were kids doing English at school we were told to never finish essays with "I woke up to find it was all a dream," but this book felt very much that way. The fightback only started in the last few pages of the book.
This said, the book observed the genteelness and formality of society back in the 1950s quite will, and contrasted it well with the gradually increasing the tension. In addition. If you approach this as a period piece, I think you'll actually quite like it.
I felt that the book might be a little dated, because instead of addressing the issues, the people were quick to blame communism, and other countries, when it was palpably obvious they'd have real problems creating the technology that would cause the effects that were observed. In addition, I'm surprised the populace Wyndham described kept it together as long as they did.
My other grumble is the ending. When we were kids doing English at school we were told to never finish essays with "I woke up to find it was all a dream," but this book felt very much that way. The fightback only started in the last few pages of the book.
This said, the book observed the genteelness and formality of society back in the 1950s quite will, and contrasted it well with the gradually increasing the tension. In addition. If you approach this as a period piece, I think you'll actually quite like it.
the_sunken_library's review against another edition
5.0
As with all John Wyndham books this was delightfully eloquent, intelligent and innovative.
An alien invasion that came in a shower of fireballs and then disappeared beneath the waves. A slow narrative told by two EBC journalists, documenting the coming war. Icy dread along your spine as all hope for humanity dwindles and the tides begin to rise. A drowned world.
But is all lost? You'll just have to read and find out for yourself.
An alien invasion that came in a shower of fireballs and then disappeared beneath the waves. A slow narrative told by two EBC journalists, documenting the coming war. Icy dread along your spine as all hope for humanity dwindles and the tides begin to rise. A drowned world.
But is all lost? You'll just have to read and find out for yourself.
oxnard_montalvo's review against another edition
Sadly lacken' in Kraken...
But otherwise I was charmed by this jolly archtypical English broadcaster man and his beloved wife and their attempts to make sense of the Horrors. If you're reading this for creature descriptions, you'll be disappointed; the awkwardly named 'Bathies' hardly feature. There's one scene in which they attack a sleepy port town, nearly make off with our heroine, and then... we never see them again. Instead we get loads about the bureaucracy of the apocalypse. Disrupted trade routes leading to high inflation, international rumblings and sabre rattling, day to day inconveniences; we read about the labour strikes and the media vvying to be the first to break the story. There's a "EBC? Don't you meann BBC?" running gag that gets shoehorned in every five minutes; a doomsayer whose monologues are so dull I skipped them, only to have to read back because PLOT HAPPENED; it's a meandering, unfocused story, but I dug it.
The tone and narrative are very unexpected; what struck me most about this book about sea monsters, is how lovely the protagonists' marriage was. As characters they have a bit of that public schoolboy/girl adventurer about them as they go about their reporting, but they still felt like actual real people you might encounter in real life.
There's a whole (admittedly brief) section Mike (I can't believe his name is Mike... it makes him sound American to me, but whatever) and Phyllis proceed to go to meditative in patient therapy to overcome the trauma they experienced; they work together as a team, consult one another, still work independently on their own projects. Mike clearly thinks the world of his wife, sees her as his professional equal, sees himself as HER professional equal.
I dunno. It got to me. Especially since it was written in 1953. It's notable.
But otherwise I was charmed by this jolly archtypical English broadcaster man and his beloved wife and their attempts to make sense of the Horrors. If you're reading this for creature descriptions, you'll be disappointed; the awkwardly named 'Bathies' hardly feature. There's one scene in which they attack a sleepy port town, nearly make off with our heroine, and then... we never see them again. Instead we get loads about the bureaucracy of the apocalypse. Disrupted trade routes leading to high inflation, international rumblings and sabre rattling, day to day inconveniences; we read about the labour strikes and the media vvying to be the first to break the story. There's a "EBC? Don't you meann BBC?" running gag that gets shoehorned in every five minutes; a doomsayer whose monologues are so dull I skipped them, only to have to read back because PLOT HAPPENED; it's a meandering, unfocused story, but I dug it.
The tone and narrative are very unexpected; what struck me most about this book about sea monsters, is how lovely the protagonists' marriage was. As characters they have a bit of that public schoolboy/girl adventurer about them as they go about their reporting, but they still felt like actual real people you might encounter in real life.
There's a whole (admittedly brief) section Mike (I can't believe his name is Mike... it makes him sound American to me, but whatever) and Phyllis proceed to go to meditative in patient therapy to overcome the trauma they experienced; they work together as a team, consult one another, still work independently on their own projects. Mike clearly thinks the world of his wife, sees her as his professional equal, sees himself as HER professional equal.
I dunno. It got to me. Especially since it was written in 1953. It's notable.
andreastopit's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0