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Ghost Ocean
Beings of unimaginable power, classified as myths and legends, have been imprisoned in the secluded town of St. Ives for centuries?watched over by guardians with supernatural skills. Te Evangeline's father was one such guardian, a ?binder? who died in the line of duty and who passed along his ability to his daughter. Now, Te must awaken the magic within her before her father's killer releases his fellow prisoners on an unsuspecting world.
496 pages, ebook
First published March 30, 2009
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529 people want to read
About the author
S.M. Peters
3 books51 followersS. M. Peters is not an ex-spy, ex-lawyer, ex-physicist, ex-Navy SEAL, or ex-Wall Street executive. He lives in Middle-of-Nowhere on Lake Okanagan, British Columbia, from where he commutes into the city to spend all day telling adolescents to fix their comma splices and spell “a lot” as two words. He is happily married and owns more animals than the Calgary Zoo.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
July 8, 2009
This might be one of the best-written urban fantasy novels I've read recently. It's approach to the urban fantasy setting, and without giving away any spoilers, I found the concept of the Warden to be fascinating. Peters manages to weave in magical creatures, both mythological and original, in an effective effort of world building that doesn't feel cheap or tongue-in-cheek. The result is an urban fantasy novel that, while still having the trappings of the genre, feels new and unique.
The characters were interesting, although at times they acted in a manner that didn't make sense. For example (without spoilers), it isn't clear to me how it is possible for the protagonist to be so (supposedly) unaware of the mystical considering the descriptions of what she had to deal with growing up. That's really my only sticking part of this novel, as the whole is quite good, but it did throw me off a bit reading it which is the only reason I took off one star.
It says here that Ghost Ocean is Whitechapel #2, which was a surprise when I came to write this review. I had started on Whitechapel Gods quite a while ago, but I was very busy at the time and didn't get very far. I now feel compelled to pick up that book and give it another shot, both because Peters has impressed me with Ghost Ocean and because I am very curious what connection lies between the two stories.
The characters were interesting, although at times they acted in a manner that didn't make sense. For example (without spoilers), it isn't clear to me how it is possible for the protagonist to be so (supposedly) unaware of the mystical considering the descriptions of what she had to deal with growing up. That's really my only sticking part of this novel, as the whole is quite good, but it did throw me off a bit reading it which is the only reason I took off one star.
It says here that Ghost Ocean is Whitechapel #2, which was a surprise when I came to write this review. I had started on Whitechapel Gods quite a while ago, but I was very busy at the time and didn't get very far. I now feel compelled to pick up that book and give it another shot, both because Peters has impressed me with Ghost Ocean and because I am very curious what connection lies between the two stories.
September 30, 2009
It took me a long time to finish this book-- but that didn't make it any less amazing. I will miss having it in my bag to dig into during the week. This was the most fulfilling read I've had in ages-- The depth, abstract and concrete ideas, being two opposites at once; i loved the concepts, characters, plot, and symbolism. this was not a straight forward read, and not a good book for people who need to have concrete certainty (if you 'love' you cannot 'hate.' if you 'die' you cannot 'live.'). the concepts often flip you head over heels and the dialogue has a lot of subtle meaning to it, all undercurrents that are not then 'explained' if you missed them. the author doesn't talk down to the reader. I love that!
This novel is set in the style of 'American Gods,' and i was more than 1/2 through the book when i realized the creatures and beings were based on actual mythological things, albeit far more complex and off the beaten track than Gaiman's ideas about incorporating figures such as Loki, Anansi, Easter, etc.
They exist in an amazing, dirty, sad place that you can feel as the characters travel through St. Ives, and much of the scenario/set up of the plot happened ten years before.
BEST Urban Fiction-Fantasy book I've read in a while.
This novel is set in the style of 'American Gods,' and i was more than 1/2 through the book when i realized the creatures and beings were based on actual mythological things, albeit far more complex and off the beaten track than Gaiman's ideas about incorporating figures such as Loki, Anansi, Easter, etc.
They exist in an amazing, dirty, sad place that you can feel as the characters travel through St. Ives, and much of the scenario/set up of the plot happened ten years before.
BEST Urban Fiction-Fantasy book I've read in a while.
June 9, 2018
I vacillate below love and total distaste for this book, as there was a great depth of building and implementing of different mythologies and mysteries from around the world, while at the same time there was too much of everything.
Don't get me wrong - the writing was great, as the author has a beautiful way of combining words into vivid mental images that can be at times disturbing. The philosophical twists and incorporation of magic, numerology and other aspects of attempts by humans to understand their world was also well done.
However, it felt as if the story was going in one direction, then took a turn in another, then did so again, and again, and again. It starts with a big man, Babu, whose name we later learn is of African origin, and introduces Te, who rapidly becomes the center point of the story, as she learns who she is and what she can do.
A real positive point is that there was no major sex scene. It would actually have detracted from the writing, although a hint of such was there, with the boy and not-quite-grown-up-but-fully-adult-woman. That smacked of pedophilia, especially in light of recent revelations about teachers jumping their teenage charges, so I am glad it never went further than a few kisses.
On the track of ghosts, the title "Ghost Ocean" never quite seemed to me to fit the story line, which as mentioned was about mythological creatures, mostly monsters, bringing in multiple religions and mythos, including Greek, Roman, African and Japanese, but never really ghosts, except in a few scenes where Te uses racial and human memories in a way that could be construed as ghosts. Perhaps that is where it comes in, but it seems as though a better title would be Freedom or something incorporating that word.
Finally, I thought the ending was badly done, the results of the main character's actions both thoughtless and cruel, and the totality negatively impacting humankind forever. I'll give it a one, maybe a one and a half, then toss it and find something with a better, for want of a more descriptive word, teaching purpose.
Don't get me wrong - the writing was great, as the author has a beautiful way of combining words into vivid mental images that can be at times disturbing. The philosophical twists and incorporation of magic, numerology and other aspects of attempts by humans to understand their world was also well done.
However, it felt as if the story was going in one direction, then took a turn in another, then did so again, and again, and again. It starts with a big man, Babu, whose name we later learn is of African origin, and introduces Te, who rapidly becomes the center point of the story, as she learns who she is and what she can do.
A real positive point is that there was no major sex scene. It would actually have detracted from the writing, although a hint of such was there, with the boy and not-quite-grown-up-but-fully-adult-woman. That smacked of pedophilia, especially in light of recent revelations about teachers jumping their teenage charges, so I am glad it never went further than a few kisses.
On the track of ghosts, the title "Ghost Ocean" never quite seemed to me to fit the story line, which as mentioned was about mythological creatures, mostly monsters, bringing in multiple religions and mythos, including Greek, Roman, African and Japanese, but never really ghosts, except in a few scenes where Te uses racial and human memories in a way that could be construed as ghosts. Perhaps that is where it comes in, but it seems as though a better title would be Freedom or something incorporating that word.
Finally, I thought the ending was badly done, the results of the main character's actions both thoughtless and cruel, and the totality negatively impacting humankind forever. I'll give it a one, maybe a one and a half, then toss it and find something with a better, for want of a more descriptive word, teaching purpose.
January 11, 2014
This novel is catastrophically under-rated. Perhaps the elements I found so powerful and mesmerizing are simply not for everyone. Like many other reviewers I had no clear idea what to expect, but I certainly didn't expect what I got. The reader is plunged into a semantic cloud, in which our attempts to draw boundaries around and define the constraints of reality are, well, meaningless. The narrative moves within a realm of total instability, rife with competing and inconsistent motivations, unknowable mysteries, unreliable memories, tarnished creatures of legend, and the hoary fog of instinct. I found the characters and the creatures utterly fascinating, often even poetic. I felt the same sort of high-grade mixture of emotional and existential tension I felt when Dune Messiah finally clicked and I understood what I was reading. That's the level this novel is functioning on. If you are expecting something akin to a Kim Harrison novel, I suggest you look elsewhere. If you love thinking about how reality and relationships are created and destroyed through processes of symbolism, narrative, and memory- read this novel.
April 17, 2015
Paperback/Fantasy: This is one of the best urban fantasy books I've ever read. A disclaimer first. I read Whitechapel Gods years ago and struggled & skimmed through it. I picked up Ocean Ghosts when it first came out not realizing until I got home that it was the same author. So the book Sat on my shelf for years.
This book was so much different than a lot of books I've read. It's like The Rook, but with no comedy. I liked all the characters, even the evil ones.
This book was so much different than a lot of books I've read. It's like The Rook, but with no comedy. I liked all the characters, even the evil ones.
December 1, 2010
This book had an interesting premise...a good start...but from the midpoint to end it declined to confusing gibberish. The end tied up a few of the lose ends, but it was a slog to get through to it and plenty was left unanswered in my opinion.
May 13, 2012
Oh, S.M. Peters: Fool me once (Whitechapel Gods) and shame on you, but fool me twice (Ghost Ocean) and shame on me.
Given 479 pages, I can't abide the gaping maw of plot holes.
For the first 100 or so pages, I had high hopes that this novel was going places.
The main character, Te (also, WTF is this name about?), seems a bit daft at the beginning, but her journey of self discovery takes the reader on an enjoyable ride until the final scene, where she kicks the reader, and a favorite side character, to the curb.
Also, why in the world is this thing titled "Ghost Ocean" in the first place? Seemingly the beginning shows that Te and Babu are ghost hunters/hoax debunkers. But this plot thread falls to the wayside quickly.
Where's the Warden and his authority? Especially with one of his prison's under siege, one would expect some sort of reaction. Also, if this Warden's goal is to remove humanity from his perfect ideal of a machine-like world, then why do humans support and work for him? I suppose his powers of persuasion, seen via the dead Julia's adoration, could explain it. Still, with a prison city's team mostly dead or AWOL, shouldn't the Warden be taking steps to address the prison's security?
What's the importance of the dead/seemingly dead former team members who keep popping up? Other than Te's father and his importance to her development, the ghosts of King and Julia seem off, especially the latter. And what about the other dead team members listed off? Other than name dropping, they don't seem to carry much weight.
Swapping between characters' points of view for narration has the ability to give depth to them; Peters manages to do this well with Babu and Angreal, for the most part. I can't fathom the reasoning behind following Lester's thoughts, nor the reasoning for him being a vampire (which is never really explained). However, a bigger fault with this style are several chapters narrated from an unidentifiable "I" that left me more confused than enlightened.
The immaculate conception came totally from left field. What is Te, a 23-year-old girl/something supposed to do with a child formed from the soul of the nine-tailed fox? She can't support herself, and she is leaving the only place she's ever been or has any contacts in. So Peters decided there was a need to "dispose" of Kitsune in a humane fashion (despite being a mass murderer?!?), but this is definitely beyond my ken.
Finally the logic behind the ending fails me. Why release creatures that seem to only destroy humans? Sure, it may be wrong to imprison them, but since it is blatantly spelled out that they cannot return to the place from which they originated, hasn't Te simply doomed mankind by her "kindness"?
So now I'm done with you, S.M. Peters. I have 600 or so back titles to catch up on, and you are no longer on my list.
Given 479 pages, I can't abide the gaping maw of plot holes.
For the first 100 or so pages, I had high hopes that this novel was going places.
The main character, Te (also, WTF is this name about?), seems a bit daft at the beginning, but her journey of self discovery takes the reader on an enjoyable ride until the final scene, where she kicks the reader, and a favorite side character, to the curb.
Also, why in the world is this thing titled "Ghost Ocean" in the first place? Seemingly the beginning shows that Te and Babu are ghost hunters/hoax debunkers. But this plot thread falls to the wayside quickly.
Where's the Warden and his authority? Especially with one of his prison's under siege, one would expect some sort of reaction. Also, if this Warden's goal is to remove humanity from his perfect ideal of a machine-like world, then why do humans support and work for him? I suppose his powers of persuasion, seen via the dead Julia's adoration, could explain it. Still, with a prison city's team mostly dead or AWOL, shouldn't the Warden be taking steps to address the prison's security?
What's the importance of the dead/seemingly dead former team members who keep popping up? Other than Te's father and his importance to her development, the ghosts of King and Julia seem off, especially the latter. And what about the other dead team members listed off? Other than name dropping, they don't seem to carry much weight.
Swapping between characters' points of view for narration has the ability to give depth to them; Peters manages to do this well with Babu and Angreal, for the most part. I can't fathom the reasoning behind following Lester's thoughts, nor the reasoning for him being a vampire (which is never really explained). However, a bigger fault with this style are several chapters narrated from an unidentifiable "I" that left me more confused than enlightened.
The immaculate conception came totally from left field. What is Te, a 23-year-old girl/something supposed to do with a child formed from the soul of the nine-tailed fox? She can't support herself, and she is leaving the only place she's ever been or has any contacts in. So Peters decided there was a need to "dispose" of Kitsune in a humane fashion (despite being a mass murderer?!?), but this is definitely beyond my ken.
Finally the logic behind the ending fails me. Why release creatures that seem to only destroy humans? Sure, it may be wrong to imprison them, but since it is blatantly spelled out that they cannot return to the place from which they originated, hasn't Te simply doomed mankind by her "kindness"?
So now I'm done with you, S.M. Peters. I have 600 or so back titles to catch up on, and you are no longer on my list.
March 10, 2011
Oh dear. I loved S.M. Peters' debut Whitechapel Gods. It was a great bit of steampunk and the Internet had led me to believe that Ghost Ocean was its sequel. It is not, as far as I can tell. Ghost Ocean appears to be an urban fantasyish story about a group of supernatural creatures that imprisons other supernatural creatures. I think. To be perfectly honest, I found the first 100 pages to be nonsensical. Being a seasoned genre reader, I'm usually pretty patient with being thrown into a new world and learning the ropes as I go, but the idea of reading another 400 pages just like the first 100 was just irritating. I'm sure I can blame some of this on my current string of nights of crappy sleep and overall depressed mood, but I also know what I like and there was nothing intriguing pulling me forward through the plot.
May 21, 2009
A deliciously creepy, occasionally gory, truly bizarre, and ultimately hopeful book about the ancient evils that are imprisoned, bound to our world, how they react to this imprisonment, and the consequences of releasing them. A bit intense and dark, but incredibly creative and well-written. More horror than fantasy, but I liked it.
July 4, 2009
There's something that doesn't sit quite well with me about this book, but I can't fault the writing. The author has a way with words that occasionally curves toward poetry, and the twists, turns and philosophical hairpins he offers keep the storyline strong and fresh. Perhaps the story just plucks at a few uncomfortable emotions in this reader.
December 21, 2009
The town of St. Ives is a prison for all manner of inimical entities, including the Kitsune, who grants wishes; Baba Yaga; the Muse; and, the worst nightmare, The Goat with a Thousand Young (shades of H.P. Lovecraft). Our world is governed by the Warden, a position held by various creatures (sometimes human, sometimes not) over the millennia. In the 14th century or so, a Warden succeeded to the position who wanted everything to be governed by immutable laws – thus unleashing the Scientific Revolution and the war against superstition and intuition. But the bogeymen of myth still remained and it became the job of certain groups to suppress and bind them to out-of-the-way prisons across the planet.
Te Evangeline is the daughter of Robert Evangeline, a binder, and Sonore, the Muse (though Te only learns of her nonhuman legacy later in the novel), born to be the key that unlocks St. Ives and unleashes its inmates on the world.
But, of course, as in all good novels, things are quite what they seem – Is the Kitsune really all that evil? Would it be a wholly bad thing if St. Ives’ prisoners were freed? Among other questions.
As in White Chapel Gods, Peters creates an interesting, fast-paced story, and an interesting interpretation of why the world is the way it is. Thankfully, he manages to avoid Te evolving into a deus ex machina as she comes into her nonhuman inheritance and leaves things open for further stories in this world (though, again thankfully, the novel is completely self-contained).
I enjoyed this novel nearly as much as White Chapel Gods, and look forward to further works from this author.
Recommended (if that wasn’t already obvious).
Te Evangeline is the daughter of Robert Evangeline, a binder, and Sonore, the Muse (though Te only learns of her nonhuman legacy later in the novel), born to be the key that unlocks St. Ives and unleashes its inmates on the world.
But, of course, as in all good novels, things are quite what they seem – Is the Kitsune really all that evil? Would it be a wholly bad thing if St. Ives’ prisoners were freed? Among other questions.
As in White Chapel Gods, Peters creates an interesting, fast-paced story, and an interesting interpretation of why the world is the way it is. Thankfully, he manages to avoid Te evolving into a deus ex machina as she comes into her nonhuman inheritance and leaves things open for further stories in this world (though, again thankfully, the novel is completely self-contained).
I enjoyed this novel nearly as much as White Chapel Gods, and look forward to further works from this author.
Recommended (if that wasn’t already obvious).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 11, 2018
I dont understand why this book gets so much hate. At 3.29 rating it sits as the lowest GoodReads score on my rack. It sits below books with terrible writing (Dragonlands), poor mish-mashes with lackluster plots (Black Monday), and even a WTF-did-i-just-read (The Gemini Effect). Ghost Ocean doesn't fit that mold.
Ghost Ocean follows Te. A 23 year old amateur ghost-hunter stuck in a crappy life that is about to explode around her. The earth as we know it is run by a figure called the 'Warden'. The Warden changes from time to time, with the latest Warden coming into power before the industrial revolution. The current Warden is a proponent of order, therefore anything 'magical' has to be imprisoned so that science and law can rule.
Across the world prisons exist to hold these magical creatures. One such prison is the city of St. Ives where we find Te. Each prison is run by a keeper. The city functions like a normal city, but the cells of each creature exist in/under it. Te's father Rob, and her boss Babu, worked as part of a force that captured these creatures. But Rob has died, and Babu is old- as the creatures begin breaking free from their prisons, what will stop them?
Positives:
+ Characters. I really enjoyed learning about Te, the catch-22 of her, her whole past was an interesting complex puzzle. She makes characters in other books seem reallly shallow.
+ Plot. Simple at first glance, more complex as it goes on. What will happen?
+ Writing.
Neutral
+/- Note that the Kindle version that i read has formating issues. Most notably the majority of hard POV breaks are missing.
Negatives:
- The cave. I think this is where the plot starts losing people, but push through it and come out the other side. I understand what the author was trying to do, but it did not work well.
- Random confusing. POV chapters. The book does have some nameless POV chapters. Early ones are obviously Angrel. But they are still confusing, and they don't need to be.
- Ending. Not the plot conclusion- which was great. But the way each characters arcs were wrapped up afterwards.
Ghost Ocean follows Te. A 23 year old amateur ghost-hunter stuck in a crappy life that is about to explode around her. The earth as we know it is run by a figure called the 'Warden'. The Warden changes from time to time, with the latest Warden coming into power before the industrial revolution. The current Warden is a proponent of order, therefore anything 'magical' has to be imprisoned so that science and law can rule.
Across the world prisons exist to hold these magical creatures. One such prison is the city of St. Ives where we find Te. Each prison is run by a keeper. The city functions like a normal city, but the cells of each creature exist in/under it. Te's father Rob, and her boss Babu, worked as part of a force that captured these creatures. But Rob has died, and Babu is old- as the creatures begin breaking free from their prisons, what will stop them?
Positives:
+ Characters. I really enjoyed learning about Te, the catch-22 of her, her whole past was an interesting complex puzzle. She makes characters in other books seem reallly shallow.
+ Plot. Simple at first glance, more complex as it goes on. What will happen?
+ Writing.
Neutral
+/- Note that the Kindle version that i read has formating issues. Most notably the majority of hard POV breaks are missing.
Negatives:
- The cave. I think this is where the plot starts losing people, but push through it and come out the other side. I understand what the author was trying to do, but it did not work well.
- Random confusing. POV chapters. The book does have some nameless POV chapters. Early ones are obviously Angrel. But they are still confusing, and they don't need to be.
- Ending. Not the plot conclusion- which was great. But the way each characters arcs were wrapped up afterwards.
August 20, 2013
This is listed as a series but I found only a few references to the first book Whitechapel Gods. The first is very Steampunk, this has more of a Lovecraft feel.
The author writes very surrealistic so don't expect all that's happening to be given rules as to why it is what it is or how it got that way. No player's handbook in other words (a criticism of his first book.) I think people forget that Fantasy (or Fantastic Fiction as it's classed in many libraries) was traditionally "rabbit out of the hat" type stories. Too many play RPG games now and expect there to be explanations for how things work, even magic.
The writer keeps your attention and has some fantastic screwy characters. Original at least although I liked the first one better.
The author writes very surrealistic so don't expect all that's happening to be given rules as to why it is what it is or how it got that way. No player's handbook in other words (a criticism of his first book.) I think people forget that Fantasy (or Fantastic Fiction as it's classed in many libraries) was traditionally "rabbit out of the hat" type stories. Too many play RPG games now and expect there to be explanations for how things work, even magic.
The writer keeps your attention and has some fantastic screwy characters. Original at least although I liked the first one better.
January 9, 2010
If not the best Dark Fantasy novel I read in 2009, than easily the most accessible one. While the author went the cliched P.I. route for the main character, she never really investigates anything because other problems start far too soon. The mythos here is quite original, the characters well developed and the genres blending perfectly. I was captivated by S.M. Peters writing style, and more so by his imagination.
Read
January 18, 2011Why is it that some books have all the elements of something that should be really interesting, but they just seem to lay there like limp things? :p
May 3, 2022
This book was mind baffling, from the start the main sentence I kept saying was "What the F?" Not in a 'What the hell?' but in the way that makes you question everything because of how crazy it is. Right off the bat, we get plunged into the crazy small world that is Te Evangeline's. Nothing makes sense to us because nothing makes sense to her. Her father died five years ago and his friend has now hired her as his assistant doing investigations.
What I loved so much about this book and that made it so amazing to read was that we find out what is happening in St. Ives when Te finds out what is happening, all the chapters or POV's we get in between are just a mystery to us as to how they connect or what they have to do with Te.
The second reason as to why I loved this book was that it had so many different types of mythological and supernatural creatures written into them that you could get lost in trying to figure out what they were. For example, why was Te's mom and aunts making her sing and then afterwards making her feel like they were devouring something inside of her? And why had her father suddenly died while working?
This book was wonderfully written and kept me hooked from the moment I started reading. I just had to find out what was happening to Te and finding things out when she did. I will be recommending this book to anyone I know will listen and I am so glad that I randomly picked it up from my High schools book throw-out pile. And it was kind of nice finding out that the author is living in the same province as myself, what a fun fact to know.
What I loved so much about this book and that made it so amazing to read was that we find out what is happening in St. Ives when Te finds out what is happening, all the chapters or POV's we get in between are just a mystery to us as to how they connect or what they have to do with Te.
The second reason as to why I loved this book was that it had so many different types of mythological and supernatural creatures written into them that you could get lost in trying to figure out what they were. For example, why was Te's mom and aunts making her sing and then afterwards making her feel like they were devouring something inside of her? And why had her father suddenly died while working?
This book was wonderfully written and kept me hooked from the moment I started reading. I just had to find out what was happening to Te and finding things out when she did. I will be recommending this book to anyone I know will listen and I am so glad that I randomly picked it up from my High schools book throw-out pile. And it was kind of nice finding out that the author is living in the same province as myself, what a fun fact to know.
July 16, 2023
1.0 This book was a mess. Not going to lie, I enjoyed the premise and the different creatures, but this book was a mess. I think I can understand abstractionist pieces, but this book threw me for a loop. Everything seemed to move too fast, nothing was explained, and even when the author tried, it seemed off. This book is probably for someone, but not for me. I've actively disliked books in the past, and even dnfed a bunch, but this one is the first where i give a low score due to sheer, utter confusion.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 19, 2020
I must say I'm pleasantly surprised by this book. I read Whitechapel gods a few years ago, and I remember being somewhat underwhelmed by it so I didn't really expect much of this one. Instead i found myself in it. Like it was reading me.
But I don't like Babu as a character. He was pretty useless and annoying.
But I don't like Babu as a character. He was pretty useless and annoying.
February 12, 2018
This urban fantasy was Penny Lane...very strange. In the end, love DOES conquer all.
August 24, 2019
Made it to 110 pages and couldn't bring myself to get through the rest of it. It was slow to start and nothing about the story grabbed my attention.
September 13, 2015
The jacket cover of this book really piqued my interest. So, I decided to dip my toe in the urban fantasy pool once again and unfortunately, I came away disappointed once again. Maybe I should just stick with Jim Butcher and Mike Carey to fill my urban fantasy craving from now on.
The main character, Te Evangeline, is your typically angst ridden girl who has lead somewhat of a lonely life. She is aware that there is supernatural world beyond this one but has never taken it seriously. Her current employer, Babu Cherian, was her father’s friend and cohort. Robert Evangeline, Te’s farther, died several years ago and Babu promised him that he would watch over his daughter and keep her away from the family business.
The story takes place in city called St. Ives. St. Ives is one of the many menageries or zoos in the world that hold deadly supernatural creatures. Every so often one the creatures will escape forcing Babu and his team to track the creature down and put them back into their cage. Since the creatures are immortal and cannot be killed, they do not like being kept eternally inside their dark cages. So when one of them breaks loose, they have blood lust on their minds and innocent people will continue to die until they are stopped.
One of the most interesting aspects of the story is how the team must track and capture the deadly creatures. Typically, there is Tracker who locates the creature for the rest of the team. In the novel, Lester the vampire is the usual tracker and he is very good at it. After the creature is found, the Suppressors must weaken the creature typically through physical means. This is done by a combination of characters, Babu with his gun or Munin with his toy ray gun. If this doesn’t work then Babu has to check his brother out from the mental ward. His brother is able to create mental “static” that causes any supernatural to go down quickly. After the creature is subdued, the Binder is brought in to mentally bring the creature under control and take it back to their cage.
Te’s father was one of the best Binder’s that ever existed but he died by mysterious means. Babu wants Te to take Robert’s place on the team, but he did make a promise to his friend and has not forced Te to follow in her father’s footsteps. So he allows her to accompany him on his supernatural investigations but will let her to become too involved.
But now the proverbial shit has hit the fan and hell has broken loose. One of the most dangerous creatures, Kitsune, has escaped his jail and is looking to release all of the creatures into St. Ives. Babu is forced to bring Te into action but he discovers that she maybe more dangerous than the creatures they are hunting. Te also begins to uncover her father’s past and learns that she may have different destiny. In short order, Te and Babu end up on the opposite of a conflict that has raged since beginning of time.
What I liked: Mr. Peters has really developed an unique world inside the city of St. Ives. I really enjoyed the premise of a team hunting down supernatural creatures. Each of the characters within Babu’s team have their own distinctive powers and personalities that it made it entertaining to read about. This part of the novel was a lot of fun and I wished it would have continued in this direction.
What I didn’t like: For me, I could never get used to Mr. Peter’s writing style. It was hard for me to sit and read large chunks of the book without becoming bored. He would endlessly describe certain concepts, like Te’s visions, that would drone on forever. I really wanted to like this novel but it just didn’t click.
Last word: The essence of a good yarn is present in this novel but is drowned out by tedious prose. Your mileage will vary but this book was a challenge for me to finish as I became disinterested by the last third of story.
The main character, Te Evangeline, is your typically angst ridden girl who has lead somewhat of a lonely life. She is aware that there is supernatural world beyond this one but has never taken it seriously. Her current employer, Babu Cherian, was her father’s friend and cohort. Robert Evangeline, Te’s farther, died several years ago and Babu promised him that he would watch over his daughter and keep her away from the family business.
The story takes place in city called St. Ives. St. Ives is one of the many menageries or zoos in the world that hold deadly supernatural creatures. Every so often one the creatures will escape forcing Babu and his team to track the creature down and put them back into their cage. Since the creatures are immortal and cannot be killed, they do not like being kept eternally inside their dark cages. So when one of them breaks loose, they have blood lust on their minds and innocent people will continue to die until they are stopped.
One of the most interesting aspects of the story is how the team must track and capture the deadly creatures. Typically, there is Tracker who locates the creature for the rest of the team. In the novel, Lester the vampire is the usual tracker and he is very good at it. After the creature is found, the Suppressors must weaken the creature typically through physical means. This is done by a combination of characters, Babu with his gun or Munin with his toy ray gun. If this doesn’t work then Babu has to check his brother out from the mental ward. His brother is able to create mental “static” that causes any supernatural to go down quickly. After the creature is subdued, the Binder is brought in to mentally bring the creature under control and take it back to their cage.
Te’s father was one of the best Binder’s that ever existed but he died by mysterious means. Babu wants Te to take Robert’s place on the team, but he did make a promise to his friend and has not forced Te to follow in her father’s footsteps. So he allows her to accompany him on his supernatural investigations but will let her to become too involved.
But now the proverbial shit has hit the fan and hell has broken loose. One of the most dangerous creatures, Kitsune, has escaped his jail and is looking to release all of the creatures into St. Ives. Babu is forced to bring Te into action but he discovers that she maybe more dangerous than the creatures they are hunting. Te also begins to uncover her father’s past and learns that she may have different destiny. In short order, Te and Babu end up on the opposite of a conflict that has raged since beginning of time.
What I liked: Mr. Peters has really developed an unique world inside the city of St. Ives. I really enjoyed the premise of a team hunting down supernatural creatures. Each of the characters within Babu’s team have their own distinctive powers and personalities that it made it entertaining to read about. This part of the novel was a lot of fun and I wished it would have continued in this direction.
What I didn’t like: For me, I could never get used to Mr. Peter’s writing style. It was hard for me to sit and read large chunks of the book without becoming bored. He would endlessly describe certain concepts, like Te’s visions, that would drone on forever. I really wanted to like this novel but it just didn’t click.
Last word: The essence of a good yarn is present in this novel but is drowned out by tedious prose. Your mileage will vary but this book was a challenge for me to finish as I became disinterested by the last third of story.
August 16, 2009
I'll be honest; I picked this book up for the cover. It looked pretty (and) interesting, and when I flipped open to the reviews inside, it said the book was steampunk--something I wouldn't have guessed from the description on the back.
Well, I thought, I like steampunk. Let's check it out.
To be honest, I don't know that this book is really "steampunk" persay, although it's definitely a strong urban fantasy. The plot starts with Te Evangeline and her employer Babu, going to investigate another "paranormal" happening. Te has been drilled in all kinds of protocol and doesn't believe in ghosts-- and neither does Babu, as far as she knows.
Of course, as you might expect, the supernatural events are more real than Te has been lead to believe, and things quickly start getting out of control. The initial case that Te investigates involves the escape of the Kitsune, and if you're familiar at all with Japanese mythology, you'll know exactly why that's such a problem, although this Kitsune is not exactly the same kitsune of Japanese lore.
I think the thing I admired most about this book was its creative use of both existing legendary creatures (the Kitsune, vampires) as well as the interesting new creatures that were dreamed up. The author manages to combine both of these into a new, believable mythology in a dark urban landscape that I really enjoyed. I particularly liked the idea of Bird, a twisted, misshapen creature that seduces all around it with pheremones, and then eats their beauty, piece by piece.
The plot was interesting, and the characters were well-done, each of them acting true to self, which often lead to unfortunate conflicts and further problems, but that's only to be expected when everyone in the book is keeping secrets from somebody. The setting, too, was real enough, although I wish we had gotten a little more feeling for St. Ives as a city, instead of the small glimpses we get of only a few areas.
The reason I gave this book only 3 stars instead of 4, though, is the ending. I simply didn't find it very satisfying. There was a lot of tension built up through the book, but the ending, when it comes, almost feels anticlimactic, robbed of the drama that the rest of the book was doing so well. And, too, I wished that certain characters had gotten a chance at reconciliation, which I thought they deserved. There's also the final fate of the Kitsune, which, without going into any spoilers, is a little... odd. It works, but it seems kind of strange.
The book resolves most of its issues, but leaves some things open. Maybe they'll be resolved in another book, but I wanted a little more to the ending, after having such interesting stuff in the rest of the book.
Well, I thought, I like steampunk. Let's check it out.
To be honest, I don't know that this book is really "steampunk" persay, although it's definitely a strong urban fantasy. The plot starts with Te Evangeline and her employer Babu, going to investigate another "paranormal" happening. Te has been drilled in all kinds of protocol and doesn't believe in ghosts-- and neither does Babu, as far as she knows.
Of course, as you might expect, the supernatural events are more real than Te has been lead to believe, and things quickly start getting out of control. The initial case that Te investigates involves the escape of the Kitsune, and if you're familiar at all with Japanese mythology, you'll know exactly why that's such a problem, although this Kitsune is not exactly the same kitsune of Japanese lore.
I think the thing I admired most about this book was its creative use of both existing legendary creatures (the Kitsune, vampires) as well as the interesting new creatures that were dreamed up. The author manages to combine both of these into a new, believable mythology in a dark urban landscape that I really enjoyed. I particularly liked the idea of Bird, a twisted, misshapen creature that seduces all around it with pheremones, and then eats their beauty, piece by piece.
The plot was interesting, and the characters were well-done, each of them acting true to self, which often lead to unfortunate conflicts and further problems, but that's only to be expected when everyone in the book is keeping secrets from somebody. The setting, too, was real enough, although I wish we had gotten a little more feeling for St. Ives as a city, instead of the small glimpses we get of only a few areas.
The reason I gave this book only 3 stars instead of 4, though, is the ending. I simply didn't find it very satisfying. There was a lot of tension built up through the book, but the ending, when it comes, almost feels anticlimactic, robbed of the drama that the rest of the book was doing so well. And, too, I wished that certain characters had gotten a chance at reconciliation, which I thought they deserved. There's also the final fate of the Kitsune, which, without going into any spoilers, is a little... odd. It works, but it seems kind of strange.
The book resolves most of its issues, but leaves some things open. Maybe they'll be resolved in another book, but I wanted a little more to the ending, after having such interesting stuff in the rest of the book.
October 12, 2011
Okay, this surprised me. I was expecting more of a paranormal book based on the back cover and title, but that is not at all this book. Also apparently it is a book two - though judging from the description of Whitechapel (which appears very steampunk) this is only loosly related. I'll have to track that book down.
This book is gods and memories - it reminded me of The Jigsaw Woman where a woman was pieced together from three other women and it was also gods and memories. Both of those are dark tales - another similar god/memories book would be The Game which has a lighter feel, but no less mind bending.
In all three of these books the main character is hidden from herself, either through memories, birth, or spell and the book is painful to read (but excellent) as the veils are ripped from the reader's eyes at the same time as from the characters. Others characters know much more and are much more aware of what's going on than you or your protagonist and it leaves the reader spell-bound, anxious, and energized.
So depending on the length of book you want, and the commitment level that comes with it - I'd recommend any of the three above books. Enjoy!
This book is gods and memories - it reminded me of The Jigsaw Woman where a woman was pieced together from three other women and it was also gods and memories. Both of those are dark tales - another similar god/memories book would be The Game which has a lighter feel, but no less mind bending.
In all three of these books the main character is hidden from herself, either through memories, birth, or spell and the book is painful to read (but excellent) as the veils are ripped from the reader's eyes at the same time as from the characters. Others characters know much more and are much more aware of what's going on than you or your protagonist and it leaves the reader spell-bound, anxious, and energized.
So depending on the length of book you want, and the commitment level that comes with it - I'd recommend any of the three above books. Enjoy!
August 7, 2012
This book has some very cool, creepy elements. I was not familiar with the Kitsune when I began this book, but I looked it up, and I liked the way he wove the legends from many countries into this book. I also liked the use of the tarot, and the park scenes and its villain were compelling. The strength of this book lies in the creation of the monsters, they're beautifully rendered and duly horrifying.
That said, I couldn't really get into this book the way I wanted to because the main character, Te, seemed very distant to me. I would have liked to see more emotion given the kinds of events that are happening to her. I get that she's alone and numb, but I would have liked to be in her head more, especially since the plot is so intricate. I think that some of this distance comes from the constant use of "she felt," - it's the old writer adage: show, don't tell.
The book got me to the end, but I feel like a few tweaks would have made it amazing. I will read the next works by the author, as Ghost Ocean feels like a prelude to something brilliant.
Best of luck, Mr. Peters!
That said, I couldn't really get into this book the way I wanted to because the main character, Te, seemed very distant to me. I would have liked to see more emotion given the kinds of events that are happening to her. I get that she's alone and numb, but I would have liked to be in her head more, especially since the plot is so intricate. I think that some of this distance comes from the constant use of "she felt," - it's the old writer adage: show, don't tell.
The book got me to the end, but I feel like a few tweaks would have made it amazing. I will read the next works by the author, as Ghost Ocean feels like a prelude to something brilliant.
Best of luck, Mr. Peters!
October 21, 2013
This is the first book that I am posting on that I have read for RIP. Ghost Ocean by S.M. Peters was the book that I chose for my first read as I thought it was going to be a ghost story with an element of sifi to it, and it was not. I am not sure how to describe this book as I really did not understand it. I finished this book last weekend and I am still not sure what I read. It was not a love story, it was not a clean story, it was a story of freedom in death.
I know that does not make sense but that is the best way to describe the book. The book reminded me of looking into the mind of someone who had just done enough drugs that things appeared normal but were not. Did I like it? I am not sure. I know I did not, not like it. I think for this book that is ok.
I think for me one of the things is that I do not understand the mythos of China and Japan and when I come across those in books that I expect to be more European or from the Americas it is always hard for me to wrap my head around the setting and the characters. This for me is the biggest thing that I have difficulty with.
I know that does not make sense but that is the best way to describe the book. The book reminded me of looking into the mind of someone who had just done enough drugs that things appeared normal but were not. Did I like it? I am not sure. I know I did not, not like it. I think for this book that is ok.
I think for me one of the things is that I do not understand the mythos of China and Japan and when I come across those in books that I expect to be more European or from the Americas it is always hard for me to wrap my head around the setting and the characters. This for me is the biggest thing that I have difficulty with.
November 25, 2018
This was a refreshing book with an idea that I haven't come across before in quite this way. I found the monsters to be deliciously bad and the stories behind them were very well thought out. The world building was done so well that I could actually see the streets and the buildings very clearly in my mind's eye, whereas usually I just have a fuzzy image floating around somewhere.
The reader is plunged into the middle of the story, and the background is given slowly enough to make the first half of the book confusing at times, but the second half is ultimately worth the wait. There were no scenes that left me feeling like I was tediously trawling through them, which is a big bonus in my eyes, and I liked how the chaining abilities were portrayed.
All in all, enough for me to consider keeping an eye on this author.
The reader is plunged into the middle of the story, and the background is given slowly enough to make the first half of the book confusing at times, but the second half is ultimately worth the wait. There were no scenes that left me feeling like I was tediously trawling through them, which is a big bonus in my eyes, and I liked how the chaining abilities were portrayed.
All in all, enough for me to consider keeping an eye on this author.
January 25, 2011
First of all, whoever listed this on Goodreads as "Whitechapel #2) was smoking something that isn't tobacco. This book has absolutely nothing to do with Whitechapel Gods.
Second, Ghost Ocean is not nearly as imaginative as S.M. Peters's first book. In fact, it's pretty much a decently-written Charles de Lint knock-off. Plucky twenty-something in an unspecified North American city must find the magic within her and undergo hideous trials to save the world, etc. If you like that sort of thing, read one of de Lint's books rather than this one.
Second, Ghost Ocean is not nearly as imaginative as S.M. Peters's first book. In fact, it's pretty much a decently-written Charles de Lint knock-off. Plucky twenty-something in an unspecified North American city must find the magic within her and undergo hideous trials to save the world, etc. If you like that sort of thing, read one of de Lint's books rather than this one.
October 14, 2014
S.M. Peters has created another unique fantasy world in Ghost Ocean that stands out from other fantasy novels. I would have given this book four stars if it wasn't for the abstract writing I encountered in the book at times. However, the characters are given entertaining personalities and quirks, from the old man Munin with his aluminum foil hat and toy ray gun to Te's aunts, whose personalities couldn't be more opposite. Before reading this, I had read Whitechapel Gods which I gave three stars for the same reason, although that book is also unique and entertaining.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 13, 2011
It seems that S.M. Peters was reading a lot of Lovecraft when he popped this one out because the influences are delightfully apparent in this book. Peters can quickly create a world that is so completely unreal, but the reader believes every word of it after the first five or six pages (give or take a few.) I really like that. The ending wasn’t for me really, but I was so in love with the characters that of course I wanted things to be different.
October 3, 2015
Peters's plot begins as a paranormal thriller, then evolves into a far more complex existential vision quest.
Peters draws inspiration from archetypes seen in world mythology reflecting the domination of masculine over feminine deities.
Other books and play with a similar theme:
Chariot of Flames and Voices, Only Begotten Daughter, Hex Witch of Seldom, and Pierce Anthony's Incarnates of Immortality.
Peters draws inspiration from archetypes seen in world mythology reflecting the domination of masculine over feminine deities.
Other books and play with a similar theme:
Chariot of Flames and Voices, Only Begotten Daughter, Hex Witch of Seldom, and Pierce Anthony's Incarnates of Immortality.
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