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A Darkling Sea A Novel James L Cambias Books

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A Darkling Sea A Novel James L Cambias Books

This is a very good book for a first novel. It takes a few pages to get into it and to get used to the three shifting viewpoints, 2 alien and 1 human, but once you get past that it is almost impossible to put the book down until the end. Set kilometres beneath the surface of an icy ocean on a moon circling a giant planet in a distant star system, a group of Earth scientists are studying the intelligent crustacean type beings that live in the darkness at the bottom of this ocean when accidental contact is made and one earthman looses his life. The other spacefaring aliens, the Sholen, who are wary of Human intentions in Interstellar space, want to close down the expedition and cut all contact with the beings at the bottom of the ocean. They don't want them to be spoiled by the contact. Unfortunately humans don't agree and decide to stay while the Sholen forcibly try to remove them. Sholen and humans are both killed and a warlike skirmish erupts between them. Both enlist the worlds deep sea inhabitants to help and so contact is made and the inhabitants of this ocean world will never be the same again. This is a superbly entertaining work by an author who will bear watching in the future.
John Litchen


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A Darkling Sea A Novel James L Cambias Books Reviews

I've been a SCUBA and free diver and have always been drawn to books that concern water in almost any way. And here is a very good SF book with plenty of water in it!

The author built a believable words that had enough authentic dive stuff in it to keep me interested and turning pages. The aliens were well drawn and believable as were all of the main characters.

So, it's a darn good read that will make you not want to put it down!
What an interesting concept in finding and communicating with alien races. Almost a space "High Noon" type of story but with the strangest of characters. The consistency in reasoning and approaching problems from different points of view excels with Mr. Cambias' writing style. It may take a while to get into it after wonderful initial suspense, but stick with it....more than worth your time!
A Darkling Sea has an interesting premise but a somewhat predictable ending. Alien with heart of gold helps save humans and other aliens, though plucky other aliens did their share. And boy gets girl at the end. But the pace of the story was outstanding and the author is to be commended for the way he built the tension throughout. Good adventure tale though if you are looking for science fiction with a deeper meaning you will have to look elsewhere.
In the tradition of Hal Clement's "Mission of Gravity" and Frank Herbert's "Under Pressure" comes one of the two best new SF novels, along with "The Martian." SF of the "hard science" variety (but one that doesn't take itself too seriously, as the darkly humorous first part exemplifies) has seemed to be on the wane of late, with vampires, zombies, and fantasy taking over.

One can hope that the popularity of these two books (and of the new version of "Cosmos" on TV) will reverse that trend.
Pretty good. Reminds me of the way Alan Steele writes. A low tech, up close and personal struggle with stinky suit liners and bad food. Conflicts between the humans and the Sholen arise when both are visiting a Titan type planet of thick ice over water below with natives living near thermal vents. No one wants to hurt anyone, but the Sholen want to preserve the locals from interference by humans. They do not want the native culture contaminated by humans introducing new ideas like astronomy, or new tools and materials. When the Sholen attempt to force the humans to leave a quiet struggle begins and people start to die.
James Cambias ruined my day's plans opening the package from UPS, I started in and could not put it down. Face-paced, richly imagined, "A Darkling Sea" is my new favorite first contact novel. Satisfying even to those who rush through, take the time to savor this luxuriate in this world, enjoy getting to know its characters, and taste the many carefully crafted threads that make up the fabric of this novel. Careful attention to detail illuminates the motivations of the humans, the Ilmatarans, and Sholen, what we have in common --- and not. The author seeds clues to greater sagas throughout the novel. Given his other work, much lies beneath the ice. There is a universe of backstory, solid science, and careful historical research in the author's well-packed head one strongly suspects there is much more to come.
The theme of this excellent story is a alien-encounter triangle that takes place at the bottom of an ice covered ocean on the moon of a gas giant. Both cooperation and conflict arise among the humans, intelligent lobsters who are native to the moon's sea, and six-limbed self-appointed galactic political correctness enforcers. Each culture is portrayed sympathetically, the characters are believable, and some quite likable. Common ground is scientific curiosity, but every race has its own additional agenda. The book is mostly about interpersonal relationships, misunderstandings, and politics, but the author has also done his science homework and technical references are credible. He has a deft touch, too, in giving each race a voice that is subtly distinct for example, the lobsters do not seem to have a past tense, but say 'I remember ...', and the six-limbs are very blunt and direct. This in an intelligent book and a good read.
This is a very good book for a first novel. It takes a few pages to get into it and to get used to the three shifting viewpoints, 2 alien and 1 human, but once you get past that it is almost impossible to put the book down until the end. Set kilometres beneath the surface of an icy ocean on a moon circling a giant planet in a distant star system, a group of Earth scientists are studying the intelligent crustacean type beings that live in the darkness at the bottom of this ocean when accidental contact is made and one earthman looses his life. The other spacefaring aliens, the Sholen, who are wary of Human intentions in Interstellar space, want to close down the expedition and cut all contact with the beings at the bottom of the ocean. They don't want them to be spoiled by the contact. Unfortunately humans don't agree and decide to stay while the Sholen forcibly try to remove them. Sholen and humans are both killed and a warlike skirmish erupts between them. Both enlist the worlds deep sea inhabitants to help and so contact is made and the inhabitants of this ocean world will never be the same again. This is a superbly entertaining work by an author who will bear watching in the future.
John Litchen