A review by stephilica
A Darkling Sea by James L. Cambias
This was okay. I am a reader who likes puzzling through prose--I firmly believe novels should take full advantage of the medium and do something beautiful with it, the same way a filmmaker plays with shadow and color to not only convey the story but to do so with style. This book did not do the equivalent with its prose, which isn't an indictment so much as a statement of something that could have, but didn't, rescue the other parts of the novel.
The plot is the most interesting portion, and the development of a society of blind underwater aliens was also a point in the book's favor. Most characters, however, have little skin on their metaphorical bones and act stupidly to get the plot-ball rolling. None of them are particularly relatable, except Broadtail (though I am rather well-disposed towards characters who just want to Do the Science). I am convinced switching main character status from Rob, whose entire personality is cheesecake, pranks, and anime, to his girlfriend Alicia would have greatly improved the feeling of flat characters. She spends 99% of the book working to fix Rob's messes while he decides to commit further international (intergalactic?) incidents.
In all, the plot was neat even if characters and most of the setting (except the underwater aliens) were lacking, but in a way, that's damning it with faint praise.
The plot is the most interesting portion, and the development of a society of blind underwater aliens was also a point in the book's favor. Most characters, however, have little skin on their metaphorical bones and act stupidly to get the plot-ball rolling. None of them are particularly relatable, except Broadtail (though I am rather well-disposed towards characters who just want to Do the Science). I am convinced switching main character status from Rob, whose entire personality is cheesecake, pranks, and anime, to his girlfriend Alicia would have greatly improved the feeling of flat characters. She spends 99% of the book working to fix Rob's messes while he decides to commit further international (intergalactic?) incidents.
In all, the plot was neat even if characters and most of the setting (except the underwater aliens) were lacking, but in a way, that's damning it with faint praise.