The Beast of Cretacea

by Todd Strasser

Formerly titled The Peril Below, this is my first science-fiction adventure novel. In it, teens are sent to other planets to harvest resources and bring them back to the environmentally ravaged Earth. It centers on Ishmael, who discovers the truth about his ill-fated expedition, and the obsessions of the mysterious captain of his ship, Ahab.

Genres: Science Fiction, Young Adult, Fiction, Retellings, Adventure, Fantasy, Dystopia

Unknown Binding

First published October 13, 2015

About the author

Todd Strasser is an American author of more than 130 novels for adults, young-adults, and middle graders.

His most recent novel is Summer of '69

Booklist review: "Drugs, sex, and rock 'n' roll, those hallmarks of the summer of 1969, are all here, but there's so much more. In this loosely autobiographical novel, Strasser introduces 18-year-old Lucas, who is bright and sensitive but also a screw up…. The picture painted of the Woodstock music festival shows the dark side of peace and love, and the prevalence of drugs is on almost every page…The best part of the book, however, is the one that transcends eras: Lucas' introspection as he contemplates his place in the world."

Kirkus review: "Strasser perfectly captures the golden haze of youth and life on the cusp of adulthood. Readers fascinated with this time period will find much to enjoy... Vietnam, Woodstock, road trips, and acid trips: a sweetly bittersweet, surprising, even melancholy bildungsroman set against a world in flux. Groovy, man."

His most recent young adult novel is Price of Duty:
2018 New York Public Library Best Book for Teens
“Compact and suspenseful, the novel raises important questions about war.” – Kirkus 
“This thought-provoking book is both welcome and imperative.” – Booklist * (starred review).
"Rather than attempting to sway the reader, it offers awareness." - VOYA 
“Tightly wound and compelling ... appropriate for an older middle school and high school audience. VERDICT: Highly recommended.” – School Library Journal 

Bio: Todd was born in New York City. When he was young his parents moved to Roslyn Heights, New York (Long Island). Todd went to the I.U. Willets Elementary school and then attended the Wheatley School for junior high and high school. His best subjects were math and science. He also liked to read, but he had trouble with spelling and grammar, and didn't do well in English. His favorite sports were tennis, skiing and fishing. Todd went to college at New York University for a few years, and then dropped out. He lived on a commune, then lived in Europe where he was a street musician.

All the while, Todd wrote songs and poems and lots of letters to his friends back home. Finally he decided to try being a writer. He returned to the United States and went to Beloit College where he studied literature and writing.

After college, Todd worked at the Middletown Times Herald-Record newspaper in Middletown, New York, and later at Compton Advertising in New York City. In 1978, Todd sold his first novel, Angel Dust Blues. He used the money to start the Dr. Wing Tip Shoo fortune cookie company. For the next 12 years, Todd sold more fortune cookies than books.

Todd now divides his time between writing books and speaking at schools and conferences. When he's at home, he likes to spend time with his children and dog, Cooper. He still likes to play tennis and ski, but his favorite new sport is surfing.

Reviews

[L · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seventeen-year-old Ishmael has volunteered for a dangerous assignment - a vaguely outlined stint on Cretacea, where he will work with other adventurers in an untamed environment, harvesting resources bound for Earth. Only the dismal outlook on Earth makes this option seem appealing. Stripped of its natural resources, covered in a perpetual shroud, and dangerously low on breathable air, Earth holds few attractions for Ishmael. His foster family is his only concern, but his foster brother is now headed for assignment, too, and Ishmael hopes to earn enough money on Cretacea to pay for passage from Earth for his foster parents. On Cretacea, a prophetic warning from an old neighbor haunts Ishmael as he works onboard the Pequod under the command of the mad Captain Ahab who has set the ship's course to capture the Great Terrafin, a deadly sea creature of near mythical proportions.

For Ishmael and his onboard companions, adventures abound in this cleverly crafted homage to Moby Dick. References to Moby Dick (for those familiar with them) are plentiful; however, The Beast of Cretacea is a sci-fi book for the modern age, despite its similarities to Melville's classic. The Beast of Cretacea confronts modern issues of environmental degradation, resource depletion, wealth and privilege, scientific possibility, and of course, the transcendent coming-of-age issue. Breathtaking excitement is measured with thought-provoking ideas, a rich plotline, and occasional flashbacks. At least one great twist awaits.

For ponderers, sci-fi enthusiasts, and adventure fans seeking a little something extra. Best for ages 12 and up.

Note:
I received two copies of this book. One from LibraryThing Early Reviewers and another from the author, at my request. My thanks for both copies, which will go to my book club members.
http://shelf-employed.blogspot.com

[Joshua Springs · Rating 4 out of 5]

For starters such a good book. I thought it was beautifully done.
It lost a star because it got really preachy at the end, but it's forgivable.
I am kind of a shell of the man I was earlier. This book played with me so much.
Also I want to slap a rich person. *looks around quickly* where is Donald trump?
Having not read Moby Dick, I cannot comment on this as an adaptation, but in and of itself, this was a great book about the corruption of greed. Would have been better had he named some animals but all in all I am a fan.

[Diane Ferbrache · Rating 4 out of 5]

When 17 year old Ishmael awakens from stasis, he finds himself on board the Pequod along with 3 other nippers – Pip, Gwen, and Queequeg – learning to fish for terrafin. They have signed on to this ship on a distant planet to earn money to rescue their families back on Earth, a planet dying from an ecological disaster. Their trip will take a frightening turn when the Captain decides to pursue the legendary Great Terrafin that destroyed his previous ship.

If this all sounds familiar, it should. Yes, this is Moby Dick in space! It’s a future world where the earth has been virtually destroyed, the ultra-wealthy “Gilded” live a very different life from everyone else, and time travel exists. Strasser’s storytelling is quick and exciting, his characters believable and even though the basic story is well-known, it sounds new. The big climax isn’t really a surprise, but it doesn’t matter. This is a great addition to the sci-fi/dystopian genre.

[Mark Richards · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! Action packed with great twists and turns. Good lessons in morality, sustainability, and environmentalism. Better than Moby Dick, as this story moves along. Could be read by anyone 7th grade and up.

[Chelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 STARS

[Todd Strasser · Rating 5 out of 5]

From School Library Journal: A riveting tale that harkens back to the high-seas adventures of old, full of pirate encounters and other harrowing nautical perils. Strasser’s pacing is flawless, and his characters well drawn. While Ishmael’s true past is unveiled slowly, readers will find themselves drawn to his obvious bravery and loyalty from the very first page. Additionally, Strasser weaves futuristic technology into an old-fashioned maritime expedition seamlessly, resulting in a setting that feels timeless. Readers need not be familiar with Melville’s Moby-Dick to enjoy Strasser’s take on it, although those who are should be pleased with the faithful homages. VERDICT A must-read maritime adventure story for a new generation.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Creative, engaging, not overly preachy. I don't know much about Melville's original book, but I did appreciate the nods to several of his works.

[Sandra · Rating 1 out of 5]

Moby Dick und Sci Fi klingt ja erstmal richtig geil, obwohl ich Moby Dick noch nicht gelesen hab.
Offenbar der Autor auch nicht oder vielleicht die Wikipedia-Seite, denn ich bezweifle, dass das hier ein Retelling von dem Buch ist.

Erstmal zu dem Titel - Creature, Gefahr aus der Tiefe. F+r den Titel kommt hier extrem wenig creature und extrem wenig Gefahren aus der Tiefe vor. ich hab eigentlich (Moby Dihick!) erwartet, dass hier Sci-Fi-Walfang etc. betrieben wird + philosophical shit. But lol no.
von den knapp 500 Seiten sind maximal 100 bis 120 Seiten, die überhaupt irgendwas mit Walfang, Leben an Bord etc. zu tun hat. Ich mein 15 Seiten waren der Kampf gegen den Weißen Wal, wenn nicht sogar weniger. WTF.

Der Rest ist langweilige Grütze auf Inseln, Piraten oder Ismaels hahnebüchener Vergangenheit.

Und offenbar schaffen es Autoren wirklich nicht, eine gute Welt und Lore aufzubauen, ohne am Ende des Buches einfach nur nen Infodump zur Welt zu geben. Im ganzen Buch wird immer nur angedeutet, was es mit der 2 Klassen-Gesellschaft zu tun hat, wieso die Erde langsam den Bach runter geht, wieso die Leute unter so schlimmen Bedingungen leben. Und auf den letzten zwanzig Seiten ist dann: Dies ist meine Welt, das ist übrigens der gesamte Storyhintergrund.
mach doch ne scheiß Power Point Präsentation, wenn du es nicht schaffst, die Infos in die Story einzubauen, sodass Ismael die selber aufdeckt.

Übrigens. Achtung. Plottwist-Reveal: Wir sind und waren immer auf der Erde. Sie benutzen Wurmlöcher, um in alte Erdzeitalter zurück zu reißen und dort Ressourcen abzubauen, weil die Jetzzeit zerstört ist. Das ist der ganze Plottwist. WOW. Die Idee ist ja gar nicht mal schlecht, aber möglicherweise hätte man das storytechnisch vielleicht irgendwie vorbereiten und zum Plotreveal aufbauen können, oder irrrrgendetwas.

Oh und Ismael ist natürlich was GANZ BESONDERES, nämlich der verschollene Sohn einer mega wichtigen Frau der Goldenen, die sich für behinderte eingesetzt hat. Das war noch sehr wichtig, jap. Vermutliich soll das erklären, wieso er immer und imemr und immer wieder der ach so tolle, weiße Held ist, der bloß niemals irgendwie eine schlechte Entscheidung ist und so aufopferungsvoll sein eigenes Leben wegwirft. Wie mir diese Charaktere auf den Keks gehen. Dieses "Du darfst niemals etwas böses tun, dann bsit du auch nicht besser." Like doch, darfst du.

Es ist einfach alles so halbgar, so schlecht ausgearbeitet, dieses Möchtegern Utopie-Zwei-Klassen-Gesellschaftsding ist so mies gemacht. Das wirkt einfach wie. Oh Umwelthriller verkaufen sich gerade gut, wir müssen UNBEDINGT noch ne 2 Klassen Gesellschaft hier reinbringen, wo die bösen Reichen die Erde ausbeuten und zerstören. Und die Armen schuften und schuften und sterben. Blabla. Dann reisen wir alle in die Zeit zurück, und die Goldenen fangen wieder von vorne an und wollen das damalige Erdzeitalter wieder zerstören. KOTZ. Der mahnenden Zeigefinger ey. Das hat ja SO VIEL mit Moby Dick zu tun ????? nicht.

Und Natürlich können wir kein Jugendbuch mit einem 17jährigen männlichen Protagonisten schreiben, ohne das er sich nicht auch in irgendein Mädel verknallt - storytechnisch völlig irrelevant und nervig.

Ah und am Ende müssen wir noch einige philosophische Sätze (probably Zitate aus Moby Dick) reinwerfen, weil wir ja ein Retelling davon sind, auch wenn die überhaupt keinen Sinn ergeben.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was incredible! I have to admit that even though the description intrigued me, I was somewhat leery about reading it! First of all, the 414 page size was a little intimidating, even for an avid reader like myself. Also, the references to Herman Melville’s Moby Dick kind of worried me. I tried to read that classic when I was in high school and only made it about 30 pages into the book because it was so incredibly dry and boring. That was definitely NOT the case with this book! Strasser just dumps you right into the middle of the story and then draws you along as things progress. And progress they do! It seems there is just one adventure after another for the main characters. Even in the down times of the storyline, when not much is happening to progress the plot, there is generally a lot of character building stuff going on anyway, not to mention vivid world-building descriptions. And the author’s writing style is so good that the narrative just flows along, making the journey enjoyable even when nothing much is happening.

I really appreciated most of the characters, although some were definitely more fleshed out than others, and some were just plain odd. I especially liked the friendship that developed between Ishmael and his original core group of workmates: Billy, Queequeg, Pip, and Gwen. That they are all strangers to begin with seems impossible by the end when they have become like family to one another. The integrity and honor that they show, despite the dire circumstances they often find themselves in, is a real credit to Ishmael and the leadership qualities he possesses, even though he initially seems totally unaware if his own positive attributes. In fact, it is watching each of the characters grow and come into their own that is especially satisfying about the story.

I was rather surprised that Ishmael didn’t take more heed once on Cretacea of the final request Old Ben made of him while still on Earth. As it turns out, learning what you do later, I don’t see how he could have done anything differently. But it seemed like he could and should at least have tried.

I was quite intrigued by a couple of rather unexpected plot twists toward the end, which in hindsight should have been more apparent. Strasser does an excellent job of weaving just enough detail into the story to make it all come together in the end, without giving too much away up front. (Without offering any spoilers myself, I was very happy, in a melancholy sort of way, to discover in the end what became of Ishmael’s foster brother Archie!)

Even though I rather enjoyed the (apparent) ending, I did think that it felt very rushed. The story progresses slowly over about 400 pages – and then seems to wrap everything in about the last 14 pages! I felt like there could have been a lot more explained and more time taken to make it better understood. Overall though, it was a very clever story, with an interesting take on a classic, an entertaining read and overall a very good book.

I received this book free from The Reading Room in exchange for an honest review.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Strasser, apparently using the patented William Goldman "good bits" formula, offers up a sci-fi teen rewrite of Moby Dick, which I'm fairly had all our unspoken votes for Classic Novel Least Likely To Get Rebooted as YA. Smartly, Strasser's version only hews to the plot points people who've never read Moby Dick will know - ship, whale(-like thing), Ishmael, Ahab - tossing out the random chapters on cetology and how to render oil from blubber in favor of a backstory about an environmental collapse on Earth forcing its lower-class youth to work off-world in the hopes of making a better life. We still get Ishmael and Queequeg's buddy origin story, but instead of the patented Melville filler on the nature of whiteness between whale-sightings, Strasser offers up pirates and life-extending serums and a tribe full of islanders that are part Robinson Crusoe and part Lost Boys. It may not be the stuff 19th century American classics are made of, but it's certainly much more readable.

In the midst of all the action, Strasser has crafted a plot that's also (unsurprisingly, given his other work) a sharp societal critique. He pointedly calls out the wealth-gap, using the phrase "Gilded" for the novel's 1%, evoking the late 19th century's era of Rockefellers, Astors, and Carnegies and the economic pattern we seem to be repeating today. From these societal ills he draws a direct line to environmental collapse, making no bones about just who will wind up the victims of the 6th extinction. It's pretty heavy stuff, and occasionally a bit heavy-handed, but then sci-fi has always been a conduit for commentary. If I have any beef, it's that I'm not sure I see how Strasser's themes mesh with Melville's, which makes the choice of Moby Dick as a vehicle for this message feel more random than it probably seemed to the author.

Strasser takes the most iconic bits of Melville and adapts them into a distinctly 21st century story full as full of passionate beliefs as of action and adventure. It's totally worth boarding the Pequod once more in pursuit of this new Beast.

[Lauraelisabeth (fashion-by-the-book) · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ishmael, an orphan from a devestated, future earth is given a chance at a new start when he joins as crew heading to alien worlds. But the ship's future is threatened by the obbsession of the captain, Ahab.

Oh my god this book was so boring.

I don't know why I thought I'd like this book. I'm not a fan of boating novels, of Moby Dick or anything else this book had to offer. But still I thought I'd like it. Maybe because in 6th grade I enjoyed the author's previous work, The Wave. But I don't even know where to begin with this one.

The characters, ugh they were as flat as a pancake. No, not even a pancake. A piece of tape that gets stuck on your shoe, maybe. Even the one character who seemed like she could be interesting, Gwen, turn out to be as boring as the rest. Honestly, I have nothing good to say about any of the characters, who were all suppose to have sad and mysterious backgrounds but just came across as boring and blown up.

The author's writing, in ability, was not bad at all. But he wrote about such boring things. I never want to read about boating (space boating? Like I don't even know....) again. As a wee 3rd grader, I was told that because of my high reading level, I could only read certain books. Most of these were things like Jule Vern's novels and the Swiss Family Robinson. There is a lot of boat-talk in these books, creating a deep hatred for boating in novels. It's also annoying how this is made out to be a "sci-fi, space adventure" type novel, but it's not; they just stay on a planet similar to earth.

Honestly, I don't even know what else to say. I'm grateful for the chance to work with this book, but wish I was reading something else the whole time.

[Phoebe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ishmael and Archie are foster brothers living in the armpit of future Earth, where water is so scarce that it is saved only for drinking and poverty is rampant. They are soon to be parted, each going away to begin work off Earth. Ishmael wakes up on Cretacea, a planet covered with ocean, on the ship Pequod. Food is plentiful but the crew is a tough bunch, and Ishmael and his fellow newbies, or pinkies, are going to have to prove their worth and work hard to earn enough money. Terrafins and humps are the targets, and pulling in enough of these will make the crew rich. But mad Captain Ahab is on the hunt for one particular terrafin, a huge white beast that seems of above average intelligence. Resourceful, courageous, ethical, Ishmael will remind readers a little of Will from the Ranger's Apprentice series; in fact this book, while a science fiction retelling of Moby Dick (with a brilliant twist ending), is basically a fantastic adventure novel and has the same feel of the John Flanagan books--smart teens who rely more on each other and their own differing skill sets than on adults. Filled with riveting action and great characters, this is a really good read. Junior high, up.

[Ettie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very interesting novel.

The world is intriguing, the characters fun, especially confrontations with shipmates and others. I can't help but feel the ending was a little rushed although I still enjoyed it.

I think why this novel works is because Ishmael is such a fun character to explore this world with. He's strong, noble, quick to do the right thing and not afraid to stand up for himself.

spoilers below:

I enjoyed Ishmaels time on the ship so much. I wanted more of it. Especially of Starbuck and Ahab. When I went into the novel I thought it would delve a bit deeper into getting the beast rather than just have the Moby Dick aspect be sort of an after thought. When the Pequod went down I didn't really care, except vaguely for starbuck and charity because they got their time to be somewhat developed.

I feel, that this story could have benefited being in two parts. A little more time spent fleshing out all the characters before such an abrupt end.

[Caitlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Beast of Cretacea by Todd Strasser is a re-imagining of Melville's classic Moby Dick, but it is about so much more than just one man's dangerous obsession with an ocean creature.

Ishmael wakes up on a distant planet from deep sleep aboard the Pequod, a ship that harvests ocean creatures and sends the vital resources back to Earth. Ishmael marvels at the bright sun, the clean air, the sparkling water, and the healthy plant and animal life - nothing like the dirty and dying Earth he left behind.

He and his crew must survive aboard the Pequod, but their lives are constantly threatened by their shipmates, the weather, the prey they hunt, pirates, and dangerous life on land. Ishmael has so much more to worry about than just himself. He must find his foster brother who has also been stationed on a ship on this strange planet and he must make enough money to send home to his foster parents so they can escape the life-threatening conditions on Earth.

The Beast of Cretacea is an epic sci-fi adventure, an environmental warning, and one teen's quest to save the ones he loves.

[Lia Von straßerburg · Rating 5 out of 5]

FROM PUBLISHER’S WEEKLY!!!! "Equal parts Moby-Dick retelling, environmental cautionary tale, and coming-of-age story, Strasser’s fantastical SF epic blends disparate pieces into a harmonious whole. The saga begins with 17-year-old Ishmael setting off from a ravaged, dying Earth for life aboard a large fishing trawler on the planet Cretacea. Along with his small, diverse group of nippers, or young crewmen, Ishmael struggles to adjust to a world with water and sunlight, while facing the kinds of trials that shape a person’s future. The journey carries him through encounters with pirates, mysteries about his past, the search for his foster brother, and into the ultimate adventure of them all: attempting to capture the Great Terrafin. Filled with luscious depictions of life at sea that harken back to the golden age of science fiction, Strasser weaves an engrossing tapestry that evokes a sense of wonder and calls to the imagination. Ages 12–up"

[Morton Rhue · Rating 5 out of 5]

FROM BOOKLIST: You don’t need to have read Moby-Dick to enjoy Strasser’s science-fiction retelling. Ishmael leaves a ravaged Earth for a mission on a feeder planet, where the natural resources needed to keep extinction at bay are gathered and shipped back. He wakes from stasis aboard a fishing trawler, the Pequod, on the pristine planet Cretacea, where he plans to earn enough to pay his foster parents’ passage off of Earth. Mad Captain Ahab’s obsessive mission to kill the mythical Great Terrafin (i.e., white whale) complicates that goal, as does Ishmael’s discovery of the real reason the terrafin are harvested for Earth. Despite the futuristic premise, the bulk of the novel is an old-fashioned maritime adventure, filled with details of the sea life: close quarters, harpoon hunts, pirate attacks, storms, and shipwrecks. Strasser (Fallout, 2013) adds dystopian corporations, time travel, a secret legacy, and more. Recommend to readers of pure adventure on the high seas. — Krista Hutley

[Kim McGee · Rating 4 out of 5]

A young man must leave Earth and his foster family behind to travel to a distant planet and work as a fisherman of sorts. Ishmael soon finds himself on a ship run by a captain crazed by the endless hunt for a giant almost mythical terrifin. A beast so huge and mean that the crew isn't sure that the fortune they will receive for catching him is worth it. Ishmael must learn quickly who he can trust with his life and how to survive long enough to help out his family back on dying Earth. This futuristic retelling of Moby Dick has all the great adventure of the first story with the exciting touch of outer space travel. Todd Strasser's characters come alive and we feel the excitement of each new discovery that Ishmael and the crew find as well as the fear that they may not survive the pirates, politics and the hunt for the beast. Find this in the young adult section but it is a great choice for anyone who loves a great adventure story.

[Noelle Rogers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not your mother's Wave. Ohmigod. This book has plenty of waves, but it's not The Wave. My mother read that book when she was in high school. She got this book at a convention but never got around to reading it. I picked it out of a pile of books a couple of days ago (colorful cover) and literally couldn't put it down. It's such A STORY, you can't stop reading. Engaging characters, story and yada-yada-yada, but really, it's about being totally transported to another (ahem) world. You're so there and not here and personally I didn't want to come back (I'm seen all the Pirates of the Caribbean movies about a hundred times, so maybe it makes sense). Please author write another one. I want to go back!

[Megan Baxter · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I've mentioned one of my ongoing projects before - I take my Top Ten lists from the previous years, look at the "read-alikes" on NoveList, and read those. Mostly, I haven't loved the suggestions they've made - I can see why they were made, but prove, yet again, that a story is not what it is about, but how it is about it.

Note: The rest of this review has been withheld due to the changes in Goodreads policy and enforcement. You can read why I came to this decision here.

In the meantime, you can read the entire review at Smorgasbook

[Drew Gobbi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Strasser really took me by surprise with this one. I’m no longer in his demographic, but I remembering reading a lot of his books in middle school years ago. I saw the ARC at a friend’s house and she recommended it because she knows I’m a SF freak. Well, this is very different from what I remember him writing, but at the same time it was awesome. I honestly didn’t expect to get hooked, and I think a lot of it has to do with good old-fashioned story telling. This is definitely a page turner, complete with believable character development, the requisite plot twists, and, of course, a satisfying surprise ending. Bravo, Mr. Strasser!

[Chris Madden · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Beast of Cretacea an action/adventure novel by Todd Strasser, based off a young Ishmael like from Moby Dick except he’s way in the future. If you look up moby dick you’ll see that a lot of the characters have the same names. Including the captain, who’s name is Ahab. They are supposed to be gathering nutrients for back on the earth, but all captain Ahab wants is to kill the great terrapin even two some of the crew is against it. But Ishmael & his friends also get captured by pirates. Its cool when Ishmael escaped and then had to save his friend. The end came as a shock, but in a good way. Its definately the kind of book I’d read just for fun.

[Cat · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great action romp that I found more enjoyable than Moby Dick. The addition of science fiction, strong hearted crew (male AND female), and basics of the classic should grab any reader from the opening to the end. Perhaps addressed more to the male youth audience, females play an essential part and are portrayed as heroically as deserved. I didn't guess the ending but read through in a fascinated day. Quite pleased with the clever interplay of pirates, islanders, old sea dogs, new sea beasts and the completely unexpected. The abilities for human survival and loyalties play a major part of this updated story and I'd happily recommend it to any age reader.

[Alicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I want to circle back around to this adventurous science fiction story after reading Moby Dick since I've never read it and with many YA re-tellings, there's only so much you can get out of it having not read the original work it's based on.

So while Strasser could take me on a ride as a well-played storyteller with many of his realistic and thriller stories with the same writing skill, there was many messages lost without the background. I want to play up the story with comparisons and coaxing to read the original, so I'll have to dive in myself!

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Putting on my retired reading-teacher hat for a moment. This isn't a book I'd normally pick up, but I had the ARC and something about the cover and the references to Moby Dick sparked my interest. And I must say it was hard to put down. In fact, I plowed through it over a weekend. It brought to mind many of my former students, who I think would have enjoyed it quite a lot, had I been able to cajole them to look past its size. I certainly think the swashbuckling adventure mixed with science fiction would have grabbed them.

[Tfalcone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Modern retelling of Moby Dick which worked for me. Even though I kind of know the story line, the twists make it exciting and new. (plus we don't spend two hours describing sails and the inside of the brain of a whale). Ishmael is sent to the planet Cretacea as a nipper, a young crewmen. He has never really seen the ocean or the Sun, so you can imagine what is going on Earth. They are not exactly hunting whales either.
The story goes off onto its own track once the Pequod is destroyed and that's ok too. Twist ending. I enjoyed myself.

[Dorothy Milioti · Rating 5 out of 5]

(4.5) Very exciting and enjoyable. I think this would be a super book for reluctant readers, if only it wasn't quite so long (tear it into thirds? ;-) Definitely a book to start reading aloud to them. It should hook them VERY QUICKLY. Some may have an issue with some of the dialects later in the story, but the narrative is so strong it should pull them along regardless. Not only will they love it, but for anyone who gets through all 432 pages, what a sense of accomplishment!

[Reece Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this at the book festival on Saturday. He said it isn't even out yet (and he signed it! So it was really rainy and I went home and started it and was uop like half the night! And yesterday was nice but kind of cold and I couldn't stop until I gfinished! It';s really good and not I want to read the sequel!

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy to read adventure, very entertaining (probably for younger readers but still a good read) with lots of action, dramatic moments and world building. I wish there was more time spent on the character of Ahab and the mythology of the chase, to fill out the backstory a little, but a fun read everywhere else!

[Emma Kantor]

Moby Dick...in spaaace!

[Jin Yoshihara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome.