Underjungle

by James Sturz

Una strana e intelligente forma di vita, costituita da una vera e propria civiltà composta di tribù simili tra loro e tra loro in perenne conflitto, vive nascosta in fondo al mare. Un giorno il cadavere di un essere misterioso giunge fino a loro, nelle profondità oceaniche, illuminato da una luce che si fa più fredda a ogni metro. Mentre la notizia dell’improvvisa comparsa della creatura attraversa le correnti e le varie tribù accorrono per vederlo con i propri occhi, sorgono nuove spaventose domande, destinate a sconvolgere antichi equilibri e a mutare per sempre il rapporto degli abitanti dell’oceano con quanto finora hanno conosciuto, o creduto di conoscere. Underjungle, in cui gli esseri umani sono alieni in un universo altro e i mari del nostro pianeta lo sfondo dove è possibile scoprire di nuovo cosa significa amare, costruire un mondo e poi perderlo, è un romanzo unico, e bellissimo, poetico e metafisico, profondo come gli abissi nei quali si svolge. Una grande storia di amore e guerra ambientata interamente sott’acqua: come Guerra e pace, ma a tremila metri di profondità.

Genres: Fiction, Science Fiction, Magical Realism, Fantasy, Animals

268 pages, Paperback

Published September 18, 2024

Reviews

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Underjungle quickly throws the reader deep into the ocean. Even if the first 20 or so pages are a bit jarring, stick with it. I quickly became captivated by the story, which covers a lot of ground. The writing is beautiful and flows well. If you love the ocean, you will enjoy the vivid descriptions of sea creatures and oceanic topography. If you don’t love the ocean yet, this book will make you want to explore it more.

[Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

An inventive, ocean based novel.

[James Foster · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Underjungle, by James Sturz, an intelligent deep-sea creature discovers a dead body. The body has two arms and two legs, a bulbous head, and something dangling between its legs. What is it? At least it has a face. The creature who finds it learns to use the the arms as a tool, to dig, or make art. It speculates about what it must be like to live in a deadly world where there isn’t enough water to breathe.

The creature is an yc, a member of one of seven tribes that live in the deep ocean, each with their own personality and mythology—just like human cultures.

Mr. Sturz told me yc is the Mongolian word for water. It’s pronounced something like “uosh”, though the reader would be forgiven for not knowing that. In fact, there are a fair number of words in yc-ian in Underjungle, and almost none of them are pronounceable. I suspect that’s the point. This is a species and culture with language and emotions, but as alien to us as we would be to it.

Discovering the human body starts a chain of events including the creation of art, changes in mating rituals, wars, and on and on. It is one of those small inciting incidents with profound consequences for the entire known (to the yc) world. The developments are clever and plausible, and surprising.

Sturtz make the reader feel what it’s like to be alien—so different as to be almost incomprehensible. That he does it from the perspective of the yc is doubly impressive. Humans and yc share three things, I think: emotions (sort of); language (though theirs is absolutely alien to us); and adaptability. We readers learn all this from how the yc interact with a single dead man.

It took me a while to get into the book, because the writing is so very literary. In retrospect, that’s a good thing. Had Sturz made this world comprehensible too quickly, he would have failed. The reader (assuming you are a Homo sapiens) will have many opportunities to ponder what it means to be human, by seeing what it’s like to NOT be human.

I’ve decided that you have to read this book twice: once for the story, and once for the poetry. Passages are so lovely, you have to read them out loud, over and over.

Oh, and the biology is totally accurate.

I loved Underjungle.

[Montenora · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ho passato quasi tutto il tempo a chiedermi che cosa stessi leggendo. Probabilmente non ci ho messo abbastanza impegno per capire che cosa mi stesse sfuggendo, ma salvo qualche concetto molto interessante e qualche bella citazione nella parte finale non mi è rimasto niente.

[Can Dragons Read? · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't expecting this but this was so incredibly beautiful and enchanting, I immediately fell in love. The first couple chapters were a bit jarring because I was expecting something slightly different, but I was quickly sucked in by the authors descriptions of sea creatures and life. Poetry, magical realism and fantasy are blended together to bring you this story of wonder. Solid 4.75 stars.

[Michela nonostante · Rating 3 out of 5]

Underjungle è un libro assurdo. Non sono una grande amante della fantascienza, ma ne riconosco il grande fascino, quello che di esplorare società evolute inesistenti, che sono poi sempre molto simili alla nostra pur in contesti diversissimi.
In questo caso mi sentirei di fare un parallelismo con Isabelle Allende, con una prima parte che è un quasi Harmony, concentrata su amore e sesso, e una seconda parte che invece è più socio-politica.
La lettura è potenzialmente avvincente, ma l'assurdità del racconto non mi ha permesso di aderire al patto narrativo: il fatto di parlare di una specie appartenente all'ordine dei pesci, non sono riuscita a credere ad una società fondata su forme di vita così intelligenti ed erotiche come descritte.
Peccato perchè il potenziale è probabilmente ottimo.

[Sara Booklover · Rating 3 out of 5]

Questo libro è particolarissimo e originale perché è narrato dal punto di vista di un pesce e l’ambientazione è tutta dentro al mare.
È un’esperienza di lettura pazzesca e può piacere moltissimo a chi è affascinato dal mondo subacqueo. Inoltre la scrittura è molto bella, poetica, suggestiva. L'autore è stato bravissimo ad aver scritto una storia così strana e unica.

Solo che non era il libro adatto a me, è proprio un argomento che non mi appassiona. Mi spiace un sacco, ne riconosco il valore ma ho fatto fatica ad leggerlo :-(

[Ariadne Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75⭐️

[Lucas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. I loved this! This book is perfect for anyone who loves the ocean.

[Viktoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved Underjungle! This book is a true work of art that invites readers on a journey through the depths of the ocean, where life takes on a whole new meaning. Sturz's writing captures the imagination and is both dynamic and poetic, expertly weaving the stories of seven different tribes and the creatures that inhabit their world. This is also a story that encourages readers to empathize with ocean life from the perspective of an intriguing creature, while highlighting the importance of safeguarding our oceans in the face of climate change.

What really sets Underjungle apart is its ability to transport readers to an underwater world where they feel like they too can breathe underwater, experiencing the wonder and beauty of ocean life in a wholly unique way. But this story isn't just about the thrill of exploration; it explores themes of love, connection, and family, making it resonate with readers far beyond the world underwater. The writing is fast-paced and exquisite, and it kept my heart pounding until the very end.

Underjungle is a true tour de force that captures deep sea life in a way that feels entirely authentic, surprising, and exciting. Through her vivid descriptions and immersive world-building, Sturz creates a world that is both vividly real and wonderfully strange. This book will remind you of how amazing the world we live in really is, and it will make you want to explore it all over again. Like Watership Down, Underjungle does an incredible job imagining the thoughts, desires, and fears of its characters with minimal anthropomorphism, making the reader feel like they are truly part of this strange and fascinating world. Overall I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a thrilling, immersive adventure that will leave them breathless and feeling like they've truly experienced something special.

#sci-fi #highlyrecommend #underwater #bedsidereadingreaders
@bedsidereading

[Country Mama · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow what an interesting read! You as the reader get put into the ocean within the first few pages of reading. You hear very deceptive language about the ocean and the creatures that live in it as you read.

This book kind of reminded me of reading/seeing one of those ocean documentaries on TV and watching it but also in this case reading the book.

There was an element of poetry and magic in this book that I really liked too! I would recommend this read to people who love the ocean or really like hearing about the ocean overall, or someone who wants a read that is different 😁

[Susan McQuilkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sturz seems driven to explore extremes. His debut novel Sasso followed a series of apparent double murders deep into the dry depths of caves on Italy’s coast. His latest, Underjungle, takes readers down into the ocean’s watery depths, where a mysterious body from land appears much to the curiosity of the creatures there (who will remind you of humans you know or wish you didn’t know.) Sturz is a worthy guide, scientifically and poetically, of this world. One can’t help but wonder with Sturz, in a fish eats fish world, what gives meaning to life? I agree with his conclusions.

[Razzle Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

📚BOOK REVIEW📚

Underjungle by James Sturz

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Genres: Sci-Fi
Tropes: underwater setting, non-human lifeform POV, intelligent creatures, poetry/lyrical, abstract concepts

An intelligent species known as yc exist in the ocean’s depths and is considered an apex predator amongst most fish. This species exists in seven distinct tribes with their own dialect and cultural norms. When one of the tribes, the Gjala, discovers a sunken corpse, the news spreads fast to the other tribes.

For the first time since creation, the tribes converge to investigate. This sets off a chain of events that forever changes the dynamic of their ecosystem.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This book was weird, but in the best way possible. Truthfully I’m not even sure where to start with this review. This book is definitely very abstract, both in concept and in actual writing.

The POV coming from an intelligent fish-like species (who is not given a name) definitely gave this book an interesting dynamic. The writing switches between essentially 3 different settings: the narrator’s past (time spent with their deceased mate, as well as their adolescence), the present (finding a human body), and what I can only call ‘general commentary on existence in the ocean’. Random true facts about sea creatures are sprinkled throughout, but it’s a little hard to tell what is true and what is made up for the sake of the story.

Once they find the human body, the narrator ponders on the life/existence of that human, and then has a running commentary on the human experience (things viewed as weird, imagining what different things are like outside of the water, etc). This is both interesting and trippy, and definitely had me thinking about things.

There were a few inconsistencies that didn’t make sense. For example, when they find the human body (which, to them, would be the equivalent of finding an alien life form), there is lots of talk alluding to eating the genitalia on the body (but referring to it in ways like ‘looks like part of anglerfish’). But later, they mention knowing it’s a reproduction part? How would they know that? Another thing I noticed was that their lore (in at least one of the tribes) is that each of the 7 tribes came from an arm of the “great octopus”, but then the narrator uses God (yes, with a capital G), heaven, and afterlife. It just didn’t seem consistent.

Something that was difficult for me to get through in this book was the mutilation and consumption of the human body. I understand that this is not actually cannibalism, because the intelligent species is not human, but the amount of detail was a little jarring.

The author sprinkled humor throughout as well which was a nice reprieve from the intensity of the story. There were a lot of things that were ‘funny’ more because it was so conceptionally weird and less because it was universally funny.

I did enjoy this book. The plot itself was very interesting, I think I personally would have enjoyed the book more if it was just focused on that. The ending has a twist as well, which is cool and ties the whole story together. Overall, it was an interesting read.

Thank you to Bedside Reading for a copy of this to read ✨

Quotes taken out of context:

- “You always want to avoid a punch to your an*s.

- “And don’t get me started about dolphins, with their fake, sarcastic smiles. Happy or sad, they always look the same. Smug m*therf*ckers.”

- “Where do you put creativity, if not inside your mouth?”

- “It breathes air. Disgusting. It probably sh*ts in the air, too.”

- “Math can be untrustworthy, but it is also splendid magic”.

[Levisio · Rating 4 out of 5]

— Le onde lambiscono le coste. Un tempo, io lambivo la tua pelle. Prima di infrangersi, le onde si fanno schiuma e si confondono le une con le altre, poi si sfaldano e scompaiono. Lo stesso succedeva a me.

Un libro immersivo a tutti gli effetti. Sentiamo crescere le branchie, la pelle argentata, percepiamo le bolle nel naso e le bocche ripiene di figli. Ci sentiamo addosso l'oceano, insolito e vibrante. All'interno di un'ambientazione particolarissima, che è il mondo sottomarino dei paguri, dei gamberetti e degli squali, l'autore ci porta a immedesimarci in un pesce. O meglio, in una creatura marina chiamata yc, parola che in mongolo significa acqua e che si pronuncia come un noi inglese (us). E non è un caso, perché questa è una storia che parla di noi.

— Eravamo rabbia in espansione, un tumulto di corpi tenuti insieme da una canzone, da quell'insieme di note che ci fasciava come un nastro e ci rendeva un tutt'uno. Era la canzone a permetterci di avanzare.

Un essere umano cade nell'Oceano e porta con sé una guerra. Poteva forse essere diverso? Il protagonista ci racconta di un amore fortissimo, che pervade come un sapore e come un odore; della scoperta di un corpo umano, senza vita, che porta tra i pesci nuove domande che forse non si sarebbero mai dovuti porre; di tribù che imparano il significato della parola conflitto, perdendo il significato della parola unità.

— Le balene hanno smesso di cantare per noi.

Romanzo acquatico che è bizzarro, un po' crudo, malinconico, piacevolmente fresco e diverso da tutto quello che ho letto finora. Tra riflessioni su vita, amore e perdita, sembra parlare tra le righe dell'attuale situazione mondiale, con conflitti a ogni angolo e un crescente senso di insicurezza. Ma lo fa con una sua leggerezza, distilando gocce di dolcezza, di poesia e, nonostante tutto, di frizzantina speranza. Originale, indimenticabile.

[Myreadingzen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is about an intelligent species known as "YC" that exists in the ocean's depths and is also an apex predator amongst the fish. It exists within seven distinct tribes, each of which has its own dialect and cultural way of life. However, once one of the tribes discovers a sunken corpse, news quickly spreads to all the other tribes. Which brings a first for the tribes: there is an investigation. Once that begins, the things that happen after create a drastic change in the dynamics of their ecosystem.

I'm not even quite sure where to start this review, as this book is unlike anything I've ever read before. You take the journey from the point of view of a very intelligent fish-like species. You never know their name, although I suspect they're male.
The writing is a mix of poetry, magical realism, and fantasy, both in the writing and the concept. The beginning of the book was a bit jarring for me in that, although I did not know what to expect, I also did not expect it at the same time.

All in all, this book literally transports you into an underwater ocean world where you experience it through the eyes, thoughts, and experiences of these tribes. It gives it an almost human quality, in which you have themes of family, love, community, and connection. All creatures in some shape experience loss, hope, love, and death. It is a strange and yet beautifully written story.
I gave it 3.5 ⭐

[Cynthia Nunez · Rating 5 out of 5]

🪸“The creatures who live on land must crave this place where we live. They must come here to refresh, replenish. They must ache for it. They must dream it”. Underjungle, James Sturz

🐙This book is a treasure! It’s magical. It’s now one of my top favorite books. I had no idea poetry mixed with magical realism and fantasy could be extraordinary and profound. I felt like I was reading a rare documentary about the marvelous Ocean Marine life. There was a part that brought me to tears. This was an enchanting, heartwarming novel. I felt the author’s writing helped me appreciate the ocean more. What a touching and heartwarming story.

This is a different kind of weird and strange novel but also marvelous with a unique beauty! The narrator is an intelligent life form, not a human, but there is no difference in this story; the creature feels love, loss, and hope. Enjoy the writing and captivating story, and let your imagination guide you. I highly recommend this novel. It’s an enchanting story that stays with you.

🦈Thank you, @jamessturz for sending me this gifted copy! I’m very grateful and enjoyed it very much. Your writing is so captivating. My opinion is my own.

[Bruce Birtwistle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a thoroughly imagined story told from the perspective of an undersea creature. Very well written. There is a lot of philosophical observation and a good amount of action, but the value is in the writing and having the opportunity to "meet" a creature of another species. The book gets a lot done without being bloated and self-indulgent. I was easily able to read it twice. Would like to read more from this author. Recommended.

[Serena Pierotti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Una storia molto interessante e non convenzionale che parla di amore, perdita, conflitto.
La scrittura è molto scorrevole e trasporta il lettore dentro il mondo e la filosofia marina. Molto particolare il capitolo con la canzone cantata dal protagonista, totalmente inaspettato trovarselo durante la lettura.
Ci sono molti passaggi che fanno riflettere sulla natura umana e sulla concezione di vita/amore.
Molto coinvolgente, lo consiglio!

[Giulia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Libro letto come giurata del Premio Caro per la traduzione.
Ho fatto fatica a finirlo, a seguire la trama. Però ne riconosco il valore letterario e capisco che possa far nascere riflessioni importanti. Credo che, al di là della storia, le domande principali su cui ci spinge a ragionare questo libro sono:
Quanto conosciamo davvero i nostri mari?
Se li conoscessimo di più, smetteremmo di maltrattarli?

[Jon Rubin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unique, captivating story of the sea. Deeply philosophical and beautiful written—the author seems to invent a marine syntax, and applies it through liquid-like, poetic prose that captures and reflects the essence of the ocean…all flowing genuinely from the author’s genuine lifelong passion for and connection to the sea. Enjoy!

[Kate Bridges · Rating 2 out of 5]

Beautifully written, but very little plot as far as I can tell. Maybe there’s some genius twist I was missing. As far as I can tell, this was just the musings of a depressed and overly philosophical fish-like creature. Maybe three things happened the whole time. Based on the back cover I’d been hoping for a first-contact story, but they never learned anything about humans beyond that one corpse.

[Sam Baldazo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very strange but captivating book. It was often jarring to read but that was thematically relevant to understanding the perspective. The story was still somewhat hard to understand, the conflict did not get well fleshed out and the climax ended without much closure.

[Giulia Gozzi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ambientazione molto originale e dettagliata. Riflessioni interessanti (in fondo ogni società, sopra o sotto il mare, ama allo stesso modo e tende a cadere negli stessi errori...). Ho avvertito solo la mancanza di una trama un po' più fitta. Nel complesso, più di 3 stelle, ma un po' meno di 4.

[Francesca · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5-4/5

[Marco · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stupendous! I read the Italian version. I need to read the English one next!

[Denis P · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible! If you love the sea, all you need is this book and some fins.

[Antonella Rotolo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Romanzo intrigante, bellissimo: unisce amore, guerra, natura e scienza.

[ATTILIO COLLAVINI · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ho letto Underjungle nella sua versione Italiana.
Mi ha fatto pensare molto al mare ma anche al pianeta intero.
Un libro per noi e adesso.
Bellissimo.

[Thomas LeFevre · Rating 5 out of 5]

A calming read which brought me back to my love of the water.

[Flavia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Picchi altissimi con alcuni pensieri meravigliosamente scritti, ma per il resto calma piatta