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Deep Black Sea #1
Deep Black Sea
A crew of seven aboard a specially designed research submarine sit three miles down in the dark world beneath the sea. When they bring aboard the bacteria that enables certain animals to survive in the seven-hundred degree poisonous water of the black smoker, they have no idea that one of the researchers plans on using them as his test subjects.
284 pages, Paperback
First published June 18, 2014
60 people are currently reading
458 people want to read
About the author
David M. Salkin
16 books26 followersDavid M. Salkin is a graduate of Rutgers University with a degree in English Literature and Communication. He’s been writing for as long as he can remember. Whether it was short stories, articles for trade publications, or novels, David has always been armed with a pen. With over a dozen novels published in several genres, his work speaks to a wide audience.
Dave lives in NJ where he served on the governing body of his home town for 25 years, (Mayor, Deputy Mayor, Township Committeeman and Police Commissioner, as well as liaison to various Boards and Commissions.) He was inducted into the NJ Elected Officials Hall of Fame in 2019.
David is a founding member of the Veterans Community Alliance—Freehold Township Day Committee, which has given over $200,000 to veterans in need of assistance over the last 15+ years. He’s also an Associate Member of the Philip A. Reynolds Detachment of the United States Marine Corps League.
A bit of a Renaissance Man, Dave is a Master Diver, Chef, Oenophile, and traveler. In a perfect world, he’d go diving, catch dinner, and then prepare it for family and friends pared with a great bottle of wine in some exotic location. Dave’s motto, “Live every day like you think it’s your last, because one day, you’ll be right.”
Dave lives in NJ where he served on the governing body of his home town for 25 years, (Mayor, Deputy Mayor, Township Committeeman and Police Commissioner, as well as liaison to various Boards and Commissions.) He was inducted into the NJ Elected Officials Hall of Fame in 2019.
David is a founding member of the Veterans Community Alliance—Freehold Township Day Committee, which has given over $200,000 to veterans in need of assistance over the last 15+ years. He’s also an Associate Member of the Philip A. Reynolds Detachment of the United States Marine Corps League.
A bit of a Renaissance Man, Dave is a Master Diver, Chef, Oenophile, and traveler. In a perfect world, he’d go diving, catch dinner, and then prepare it for family and friends pared with a great bottle of wine in some exotic location. Dave’s motto, “Live every day like you think it’s your last, because one day, you’ll be right.”
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
October 6, 2014
This book was incredibly frustrating because the first 2/3s were so strong then it descended into a sexist silly story that completely lost me. As I first started reading I thought I was really in the hands of someone who knew what they are doing. The set up is great -- America has decided to create a giant underwater lab staffed by seven mariners that is going to explore the deepest parts of the ocean - and the author's description of both the lab and the undersea world are excellent. And the plot kicks into high gear when one of the scientists on board turns out to have a very different agenda then everyone else. What he gets up to is really creepy and sets in motion what should have been an exciting story.
One of the things I dislike intensely in books is when strange things start to happen and somehow everyone finds a reason to overlook and ignore the strange happenings. When things first start to go wrong on the mission, the characters actually notice and investigate. Excellent! Unfortunately, when things seriously start to go wrong, characters with key information suddenly decide not to say anything for no particular good reason. And by not saying something, the situation gets increasingly worse which lets the author create a fake/unearned sense of peril for the characters that is supposed to frighten the reader. Instead, I just kept thinking, "Uh uh, I do not believe that person would do this really stupid thing." A writer can get away with that once. More than that is just bad writing.
Far worse than that, however, is this author's view of women. The crew of the lab includes a female chief medical officer and a female scientist, both of whom are presented as being at the absolute top of their fields and consummate professionals. But what happens when the &$!# hits the fan? Both women completely lose their #*$!. When the doctor is confronted by an admittedly terrifying medical problem what does she do? Does she face it with steely eyed resolve? Does she bravely face the situation? Nope. She falls apart. She screams. She sobs. And then she screams and sobs some more. Ditto the female scientist. When things go wrong, she panics and panics and panics some more and begs the men to "Don't go do that brave thing! And don't leave me alone!" Ripley these women ain't. The writer even starts to referring to them as "the girls." Seriously? In 2014? If I were a woman, I'd be offended to read about female characters behaving so ridiculously.
Then there is the sex these women have. Each end up shagging a male crew member even as horrible things are happening all around them. And then, of course, they cry and scream some more. Only a straight male could write female characters like this.
As I said, this is a real shame because there is some genuinely good creepy stuff here. But that bad stuff pretty much drowns it under 20,000 feet of silliness.
One of the things I dislike intensely in books is when strange things start to happen and somehow everyone finds a reason to overlook and ignore the strange happenings. When things first start to go wrong on the mission, the characters actually notice and investigate. Excellent! Unfortunately, when things seriously start to go wrong, characters with key information suddenly decide not to say anything for no particular good reason. And by not saying something, the situation gets increasingly worse which lets the author create a fake/unearned sense of peril for the characters that is supposed to frighten the reader. Instead, I just kept thinking, "Uh uh, I do not believe that person would do this really stupid thing." A writer can get away with that once. More than that is just bad writing.
Far worse than that, however, is this author's view of women. The crew of the lab includes a female chief medical officer and a female scientist, both of whom are presented as being at the absolute top of their fields and consummate professionals. But what happens when the &$!# hits the fan? Both women completely lose their #*$!. When the doctor is confronted by an admittedly terrifying medical problem what does she do? Does she face it with steely eyed resolve? Does she bravely face the situation? Nope. She falls apart. She screams. She sobs. And then she screams and sobs some more. Ditto the female scientist. When things go wrong, she panics and panics and panics some more and begs the men to "Don't go do that brave thing! And don't leave me alone!" Ripley these women ain't. The writer even starts to referring to them as "the girls." Seriously? In 2014? If I were a woman, I'd be offended to read about female characters behaving so ridiculously.
Then there is the sex these women have. Each end up shagging a male crew member even as horrible things are happening all around them. And then, of course, they cry and scream some more. Only a straight male could write female characters like this.
As I said, this is a real shame because there is some genuinely good creepy stuff here. But that bad stuff pretty much drowns it under 20,000 feet of silliness.
November 10, 2014
I've been looking to review this book for some time now. Why? Because it would mean that I was done. This was a painful read. I nearly quit several times, but it eventually became a challenge - finish the awful book!
I see all these great reviews on Goodreads and Amazon for this thing and I am flabbergasted. I assume that the Amazon reviews are friends and family but Goodreads too?
I paid $0.99 for this book. I was robbed.
Let's start with what it is. Horror? No, not really. Techno-thriller? Can't be when you get that much of the techno part wrong. The author lists Crichton as an inspiration, but Crichton researched his subjects and wrote intelligently (with the exception of AGW) about his subjects. My 11 year old son does better research and would get fewer key factual items wrong.
So, bad research leads to wrong facts. Throw in enormous plot holes and bad dialog and what do you get? Deep Black Sea.
Honestly, at one point I googled the author because the dialog was so bad I was sure he had to be a teenager like that kid that writes the dragon books. The preeminent researchers in oceanography spent their days flirting and fighting like an episode of the Jersey Shore, only with a less robust vocabulary. Naturally they were all sleeping together within the first 100 pages. Because...that's how it is on research vessels...
I read about a book a week - this was the worst I've read in years. Many, many years.
Save your dollar.
I see all these great reviews on Goodreads and Amazon for this thing and I am flabbergasted. I assume that the Amazon reviews are friends and family but Goodreads too?
I paid $0.99 for this book. I was robbed.
Let's start with what it is. Horror? No, not really. Techno-thriller? Can't be when you get that much of the techno part wrong. The author lists Crichton as an inspiration, but Crichton researched his subjects and wrote intelligently (with the exception of AGW) about his subjects. My 11 year old son does better research and would get fewer key factual items wrong.
So, bad research leads to wrong facts. Throw in enormous plot holes and bad dialog and what do you get? Deep Black Sea.
Honestly, at one point I googled the author because the dialog was so bad I was sure he had to be a teenager like that kid that writes the dragon books. The preeminent researchers in oceanography spent their days flirting and fighting like an episode of the Jersey Shore, only with a less robust vocabulary. Naturally they were all sleeping together within the first 100 pages. Because...that's how it is on research vessels...
I read about a book a week - this was the worst I've read in years. Many, many years.
Save your dollar.
September 9, 2014
One element that makes great horror so effective, at least for me, is isolation. I think it's scary enough being somewhere so far out of reach from fellow humans that to have something go horribly wrong, such as a monster intent on destroying and/or assimilating you, can, if done well, make the atmosphere and dread of what's already a dreadful situation even worse. Some of my favourite stories involve this kind of isolation and dread. Movies like Alien and John Carpenter's The Thing come to mind first. Those movies really cemented my perception of horror.
But then in the late 90s, or there abouts, came a slew of deep sea movies like Leviathan, Deepstar Six, and The Abyss. The latter of these isolation stories reminds me of David Salkin's novel, Deep Black Sea, for obvious reasons, but the actual story and intensity of the growing dread remind me more of the former. No disrespect to the mentioned deep water movies, but none of them have the staying power of the classic Alien and The Thing.
In Deep Black Sea we start the story with an introduction to all seven crew members as they discuss their mission: to stay in a new type of research submarine four miles below sea level for an entire year. The description of the living conditions down that deep, which also compares the differences of outer space, was fascinating and actually gave me nightmares. I'm not even claustrophobic. Or, perhaps I am and just haven't been in a situation yet to show me that I am. If that's the case, then my thanks to David Salkin for pointing this out to my unconscious mind.
I digress.
The seven crew members then head off on their mission. They make their slow descend into the deep. Along the way they catch fish and get to know each other better. Once they hit the ocean floor, things become immediately interesting. They bring aboard a bacteria that can enable flesh to live in extreme circumstances, such as seven-hundred degree water near a black smoker--which is sort of like an underwater volcano.
The story moves quickly after this as a terrible situation grows worse and worse with each passing scene.
Is Deep Black Sea so good as to become a classic and sit amongst greats? No, not necessarily. The book is really good with an ending that's probably one of the best I've read in a long time, but to join the cannon of true classics is seriously tough. First, it would be great to see this one become a movie. If done well, I think it would offer some new things along with some great homages to said classics. But we'll have to wait to see how the future remembers Deep Black Sea to see for sure.
Whatever the case, this is a great read and a lot of fun. Give it a go and see what you think! I really don't think you'll be disappointed.
But then in the late 90s, or there abouts, came a slew of deep sea movies like Leviathan, Deepstar Six, and The Abyss. The latter of these isolation stories reminds me of David Salkin's novel, Deep Black Sea, for obvious reasons, but the actual story and intensity of the growing dread remind me more of the former. No disrespect to the mentioned deep water movies, but none of them have the staying power of the classic Alien and The Thing.
In Deep Black Sea we start the story with an introduction to all seven crew members as they discuss their mission: to stay in a new type of research submarine four miles below sea level for an entire year. The description of the living conditions down that deep, which also compares the differences of outer space, was fascinating and actually gave me nightmares. I'm not even claustrophobic. Or, perhaps I am and just haven't been in a situation yet to show me that I am. If that's the case, then my thanks to David Salkin for pointing this out to my unconscious mind.
I digress.
The seven crew members then head off on their mission. They make their slow descend into the deep. Along the way they catch fish and get to know each other better. Once they hit the ocean floor, things become immediately interesting. They bring aboard a bacteria that can enable flesh to live in extreme circumstances, such as seven-hundred degree water near a black smoker--which is sort of like an underwater volcano.
The story moves quickly after this as a terrible situation grows worse and worse with each passing scene.
Is Deep Black Sea so good as to become a classic and sit amongst greats? No, not necessarily. The book is really good with an ending that's probably one of the best I've read in a long time, but to join the cannon of true classics is seriously tough. First, it would be great to see this one become a movie. If done well, I think it would offer some new things along with some great homages to said classics. But we'll have to wait to see how the future remembers Deep Black Sea to see for sure.
Whatever the case, this is a great read and a lot of fun. Give it a go and see what you think! I really don't think you'll be disappointed.
August 3, 2017
What a major disappointment!
I loved the description for this book. An undersea research station being attacked by a scientists creation. The hubris of man to play god and then his creation turning on everyone.
Sounded like The Thing or Alien. Or how about those classic 80's movies Deep Star Six and Leviathan.
The book started well and the author knows his science and the undersea life which we as humans barely know about. However, it soon lost my interest.
The characters became cardboard cut outs (and I don't even mind cardboard cut outs!) and the story repetitive. Moving from the lab to the sickbay then back again…..with some coffee drinking thrown in. The two female scientists who were the best in their fields became screaming hysterical girls, dependent on the males.
All the characters became horny teenagers, flirting and trying to get in each others pants. What!?! Is this what happens in isolation. Maybe it does. I will never look at the International Space Station the same way again. Maybe I can't blame them as the science got boring for me. They must have been bored as well.
The book was too "hard sci-fi" for me. I lost interest in the magnificent undersea life discovered by the crew.
The story took to long to build. It was 80% in before it all kicked off.
A real shame that this book got a 1 star review from me as it had a great story and potential to be a fantastic undersea horror read.
I loved the description for this book. An undersea research station being attacked by a scientists creation. The hubris of man to play god and then his creation turning on everyone.
Sounded like The Thing or Alien. Or how about those classic 80's movies Deep Star Six and Leviathan.
The book started well and the author knows his science and the undersea life which we as humans barely know about. However, it soon lost my interest.
The characters became cardboard cut outs (and I don't even mind cardboard cut outs!) and the story repetitive. Moving from the lab to the sickbay then back again…..with some coffee drinking thrown in. The two female scientists who were the best in their fields became screaming hysterical girls, dependent on the males.
All the characters became horny teenagers, flirting and trying to get in each others pants. What!?! Is this what happens in isolation. Maybe it does. I will never look at the International Space Station the same way again. Maybe I can't blame them as the science got boring for me. They must have been bored as well.
The book was too "hard sci-fi" for me. I lost interest in the magnificent undersea life discovered by the crew.
The story took to long to build. It was 80% in before it all kicked off.
A real shame that this book got a 1 star review from me as it had a great story and potential to be a fantastic undersea horror read.
don-t-count
August 16, 2023A lot of the 4 and 5 star reviews come from authors and people with one review/one follower. A few male reviewers noted very sexist view of women.
January 13, 2015
So I really enjoyed the story here. And that's the only thing that kept me reading it. It was not the characters or the dialog in the least. If not for how much I enjoyed the STORY I would never have finished it. The dialog was choppy but what was especially frustrating was the author's handle on writing women. It felt like he suffered greatly from "female as a character trait".
The book is 7 researchers sinking to the ocean floor in a sea lab but it felt like as soon as he decided that 2 of those researchers were going to be women he stopped writing about 7 researchers and started writing about 5 researchers and 2 women. The women can't NOT sleep with someone and they cry and are in hysterics for most of the book. The very first spooky thing happens and the women doctor can barely function until the man she banged about 2 chapters ago comforts her.
"Jessica was rocking back and forth with her hands over her ears like a hysterical child."
Oye.
With that massive complaint out of the way, the story itself is very good. Hints of The Thing and a dash of Sphere painted a very creepy scene and the monsters were truly unsettling.
As much as I like the story, I will not be reading anything further from this author due to the poor dialogue, character interactions that don't really make since, and what really seems to be an issue he has with women.
The book is 7 researchers sinking to the ocean floor in a sea lab but it felt like as soon as he decided that 2 of those researchers were going to be women he stopped writing about 7 researchers and started writing about 5 researchers and 2 women. The women can't NOT sleep with someone and they cry and are in hysterics for most of the book. The very first spooky thing happens and the women doctor can barely function until the man she banged about 2 chapters ago comforts her.
"Jessica was rocking back and forth with her hands over her ears like a hysterical child."
Oye.
With that massive complaint out of the way, the story itself is very good. Hints of The Thing and a dash of Sphere painted a very creepy scene and the monsters were truly unsettling.
As much as I like the story, I will not be reading anything further from this author due to the poor dialogue, character interactions that don't really make since, and what really seems to be an issue he has with women.
August 24, 2014
I really like undersea sci-fi adventures like this - James Rollins' DEEP FATHOM comes to mind - and this rates up there with the best in my opinion. A gigantic underwater lab with a crew of scientists descends deeper than most anyone has ever been - about three miles. The second-in-command of the expedition, a NASA scientist named Ted, is obsessed with studying tubeworms and the amazing bacteria that keeps them alive in 700 degree water. Well, let's just say those bacteria are more adaptive than even he knows, and they get loose among the scientists via Ted's bad judgment and before you know it, all hell breaks loose aboard a vessel no one can escape. Talk about claustrophobic!
Some really original "creatures" populate this story, and some really cool science. I actually learned something! The characters are well-developed and the plot rolls along at a good clip, although it does build slowly at first - but that's also where the suspense builds.
I give this story a five out of five - one of my favorite books this year! A fun, adventure/horror/sci-fi story. Way to go, Dave!
Some really original "creatures" populate this story, and some really cool science. I actually learned something! The characters are well-developed and the plot rolls along at a good clip, although it does build slowly at first - but that's also where the suspense builds.
I give this story a five out of five - one of my favorite books this year! A fun, adventure/horror/sci-fi story. Way to go, Dave!
December 1, 2014
This small-press horror novel has a story that drives you right past all the implausibilities in delivering a monster movie. If you liked Deep Blue Sea, Deep Rising, or Sphere, or Aliens for that matter, you are the target audience for this book.
The first suspension of disbelief is required when we learn that the President of the United States basically cut all space funding, but instead has plowed it back into a multi-billion dollar deep sea exploration project. So the Challenger is a gigantic metal ball designed to go to the bottom of the deepest part of the ocean with a mixed crew of scientists and Navy personnel, and spend a year there.
Unfortunately, one of the crewmen is a NASA astronaut disgruntled about his beloved Mars project being shelved. He goes from arrogant and creepy to utterly sociopathic, deliberately infecting several of his colleagues with a mysterious bacteria that keeps aquatic life alive at the bottom of the ocean, even in the boiling temperatures near "black smokers," undersea volcanoes.
Wacky monster hijinks and graphic dismemberments follow.
The plot of this book would make a great low-budget movie. It's basically a vampire or zombie flick underwater. The science, while not terribly plausible, is also not completely ridiculous, and if you like your horror with a heavy dose of yuck and slimy fish guts, you should enjoy this.
That said, Deep Black Sea gets 3 stars only for its page-turning quality and the unabashed embracing of genre tropes. The writing itself is not very good... we're repeatedly told what every character is thinking, and why, and jokes and the meaning behind characters' comments are explained to the thick reader. Once the bad things start happening, the characters all begin acting about as stupid as the bait in any monster movie. Everyone - but especially the two women - is described as screaming pretty much constantly, while the women go into hysterics at the first death and never recover.
This was a cheap ebook and if you get on sale for 99 cents, it's worth it, but it's a gory pretzel of a book, cheap but empty entertainment.
The first suspension of disbelief is required when we learn that the President of the United States basically cut all space funding, but instead has plowed it back into a multi-billion dollar deep sea exploration project. So the Challenger is a gigantic metal ball designed to go to the bottom of the deepest part of the ocean with a mixed crew of scientists and Navy personnel, and spend a year there.
Unfortunately, one of the crewmen is a NASA astronaut disgruntled about his beloved Mars project being shelved. He goes from arrogant and creepy to utterly sociopathic, deliberately infecting several of his colleagues with a mysterious bacteria that keeps aquatic life alive at the bottom of the ocean, even in the boiling temperatures near "black smokers," undersea volcanoes.
Wacky monster hijinks and graphic dismemberments follow.
The plot of this book would make a great low-budget movie. It's basically a vampire or zombie flick underwater. The science, while not terribly plausible, is also not completely ridiculous, and if you like your horror with a heavy dose of yuck and slimy fish guts, you should enjoy this.
That said, Deep Black Sea gets 3 stars only for its page-turning quality and the unabashed embracing of genre tropes. The writing itself is not very good... we're repeatedly told what every character is thinking, and why, and jokes and the meaning behind characters' comments are explained to the thick reader. Once the bad things start happening, the characters all begin acting about as stupid as the bait in any monster movie. Everyone - but especially the two women - is described as screaming pretty much constantly, while the women go into hysterics at the first death and never recover.
This was a cheap ebook and if you get on sale for 99 cents, it's worth it, but it's a gory pretzel of a book, cheap but empty entertainment.
January 20, 2022
This book had so much potential. The author creates a sense of impending disaster that is exciting as a reader. Unfortunately, even though I know to expect little when it comes to female characters in sci-fi novels, this one was ridiculously bad. The two female scientist characters, or "girls" as they are referred to repeatedly, serve no purpose other than to walk with a wiggle, be the objects of lust, and occasionally cry and hide their faces in the manly shoulders of their tougher, stronger, smarter male peers. Do better! The sneaky bad guy in this story is also cartoonishly malevolent. You can almost see him twirling his mustache like Snidely Whiplash.
May 27, 2022
This was a good story and kept me tuned in. Some scenes were pretty gnarly as the imagination can get graphic. I liked the writing and I'm looking forward to reading the next book, Dark Tide Rising.
August 23, 2014
One of the most well known ways to do a horror story, at least in Doctor Who, is the "base under siege." Basically, there's a bunch of likable protagonists who are trapped in an enclosed place and find themselves under attack by whatever sort of monster the storyline is based on. It can be in space like Alien or a cabin in the woods like, well, The Cabin in the Woods.
Deep Black Sea is a "base under siege" story, though the simplicity of the narrative should not be confused for lazy storytelling. David M. Salkin weaves a good story which distinguishes itself from its counterparts through fun characters and unconventional monsters.
The premise of Deep Black Sea is sadly unbelievable: a pro-science U.S. President takes away money from the military for a large-scale research project. I mean, zombies I can buy but this is just ludicrous.
Just kidding. Sort of.
Anyway, a team of competent deep-sea researchers are assembled and sent down four-miles underneath the water where they're expected to spend the next year. When they're down there, they find something unpleasant.
Things go from there.
I like this novel because it's a story which simultaneously is more plausible than most science-fiction horror, taking time to give reasonable-sounding explanations for the events within, but doesn't take itself too seriously. Deep Black Sea keeps a balance between humor and horror, and drama quite well. The heart of any story is its characters but the ocean researchers here are all a fun bunch of guys and girls, reminding me a good deal of the characters from Alien.
I think part of what I liked about the protagonists is they reminded me very much of many RL oceanographers I've met. They grouse about their jobs, take their circumstances less than seriously (until it becomes dangerous), talk about sex, and constantly rib each other. People used to more Star Trek-like sanitized depictions of scientists will be in for a rude surprise dealing with this crew.
I like how David M. Salkin manages to capture the mind-numbing tedium of actual research. Having worked with many of RL researchers, I can say with some authority they come up with very inventive ways of distracting themselves from how boring a lot of it can be.
All of the characters love their area of special concern but there's really no way to dress-up the fact real-life science mostly consists of, "put sample under glass, watch it for twelve months." There's no romances per say in this novel but in a mixed group, it's unsurprising quite a few debate who they'll be sleeping with to pass the next year.
I enjoyed that.
I won't spoil the "monster" of the book but while I sincerely doubt anything like it exists in reality, the fact it seems like it could exist makes the book work much better than it might have otherwise. The author has done his research and the techno-babble seems less forced than it does in other science-fiction I've read. I don't quite buy the villain of the story's motivations but that' a small complaint in an otherwise entertaining story.
In conclusion, I think Deep Black Sea is an excellent example of genre fiction. As much as I love vampires, zombies, and werewolves--it's nice to take a break from them for something different. I don't think there's much room for a sequel but if the author chooses to do one, I'd love to see both characters from the original novel as well as the creatures within. Which is about as good a recommendation as I can give.
8.5/10
Deep Black Sea is a "base under siege" story, though the simplicity of the narrative should not be confused for lazy storytelling. David M. Salkin weaves a good story which distinguishes itself from its counterparts through fun characters and unconventional monsters.
The premise of Deep Black Sea is sadly unbelievable: a pro-science U.S. President takes away money from the military for a large-scale research project. I mean, zombies I can buy but this is just ludicrous.
Just kidding. Sort of.
Anyway, a team of competent deep-sea researchers are assembled and sent down four-miles underneath the water where they're expected to spend the next year. When they're down there, they find something unpleasant.
Things go from there.
I like this novel because it's a story which simultaneously is more plausible than most science-fiction horror, taking time to give reasonable-sounding explanations for the events within, but doesn't take itself too seriously. Deep Black Sea keeps a balance between humor and horror, and drama quite well. The heart of any story is its characters but the ocean researchers here are all a fun bunch of guys and girls, reminding me a good deal of the characters from Alien.
I think part of what I liked about the protagonists is they reminded me very much of many RL oceanographers I've met. They grouse about their jobs, take their circumstances less than seriously (until it becomes dangerous), talk about sex, and constantly rib each other. People used to more Star Trek-like sanitized depictions of scientists will be in for a rude surprise dealing with this crew.
I like how David M. Salkin manages to capture the mind-numbing tedium of actual research. Having worked with many of RL researchers, I can say with some authority they come up with very inventive ways of distracting themselves from how boring a lot of it can be.
All of the characters love their area of special concern but there's really no way to dress-up the fact real-life science mostly consists of, "put sample under glass, watch it for twelve months." There's no romances per say in this novel but in a mixed group, it's unsurprising quite a few debate who they'll be sleeping with to pass the next year.
I enjoyed that.
I won't spoil the "monster" of the book but while I sincerely doubt anything like it exists in reality, the fact it seems like it could exist makes the book work much better than it might have otherwise. The author has done his research and the techno-babble seems less forced than it does in other science-fiction I've read. I don't quite buy the villain of the story's motivations but that' a small complaint in an otherwise entertaining story.
In conclusion, I think Deep Black Sea is an excellent example of genre fiction. As much as I love vampires, zombies, and werewolves--it's nice to take a break from them for something different. I don't think there's much room for a sequel but if the author chooses to do one, I'd love to see both characters from the original novel as well as the creatures within. Which is about as good a recommendation as I can give.
8.5/10
dnf
August 4, 2024Reviewed on Lili Lost in a Book
Good god... this book ruined my mood for aquatic horror, and as a mood header, I don't appreciate that. Lol.
I gave this book a try though, I really did. I read about 23% of it before I decided that I was done with it. I usually feel bad about abandoning books, which is something I'm trying to get better at, but I did not feel bad in the slightest about DNFing this one.
The first thing that I realized did not bode well for me and this book was that the prologue read kind of dry. My eyes glazed over and I just did not care. But that was the least of my problems. This expedition had a crew of seven people, scientists and engineers and that sort of thing, and two of them were female. Do you see where I’m going with this? These two women were objectified so much, I just could not. I nearly lost it when one of the guys said that it was a good thing both of the women were attractive because it could be a long year...
Like they weren't two professionals there to do a job! WTF dude! They are not there to entertain you! Argh!
And sexism wasn't the only terrible thing about this, no, because the cherry on top were the borderline racist jokes 🙃
23% is all I could take of this. And I'm glad I stopped there because according to a review I read, things only get worse.
Good god... this book ruined my mood for aquatic horror, and as a mood header, I don't appreciate that. Lol.
I gave this book a try though, I really did. I read about 23% of it before I decided that I was done with it. I usually feel bad about abandoning books, which is something I'm trying to get better at, but I did not feel bad in the slightest about DNFing this one.
The first thing that I realized did not bode well for me and this book was that the prologue read kind of dry. My eyes glazed over and I just did not care. But that was the least of my problems. This expedition had a crew of seven people, scientists and engineers and that sort of thing, and two of them were female. Do you see where I’m going with this? These two women were objectified so much, I just could not. I nearly lost it when one of the guys said that it was a good thing both of the women were attractive because it could be a long year...
Like they weren't two professionals there to do a job! WTF dude! They are not there to entertain you! Argh!
And sexism wasn't the only terrible thing about this, no, because the cherry on top were the borderline racist jokes 🙃
23% is all I could take of this. And I'm glad I stopped there because according to a review I read, things only get worse.
September 24, 2023
Look, I support straight people and all, but it's really obnoxious how they're always throwing their sexuality in our faces. Like, we get it! You're straight! But you don't need to be so obvious about it.
Anyways, in all seriousness: like half of this book is straight people flirting, and it's straight people flirting written by a middle aged straight man, so however bad you're imagining it, it's exactly that bad. The women are constantly saying "No," and they deny the guys, but when they leave the boys are all they think about. Then the guys kiss them and it's all "Oh he knew me saying no actually meant yes all along and was flirting". All in all, it's a very guy-centric way of thinking about men's flirting with women. Women always say no, but they don't know what's good for them! They just need me to kiss and screw them and then they'll understand! It's a frankly outdated way of thinking, and coupled with the flimsy characters, really just shows the writer isn't going to be writing anything good that's character driven.
The book reads like an 80s or 90s sci-fi horror. Moderate blood and gore, lot's of science without ethics, megalomaniac scientist, the classic horror characters having a lack of common sense, etc etc. It wasn't all bad. The part with actual horror was pretty good. The body horror was fun and interesting, and the villain was so frustrating to read. I found myself laughing at the lack of common sense everyone had after a while, and started to have fun after the first 150 pages when I stopped taking it so seriously. Overall, If you want a decent cross between Alien and 20 Thousand Leagues Under the Sea with a 80s sci-fi horror movie vibe, this might be your book. Unfortunately, it just wasn't for me.
Anyways, in all seriousness: like half of this book is straight people flirting, and it's straight people flirting written by a middle aged straight man, so however bad you're imagining it, it's exactly that bad. The women are constantly saying "No," and they deny the guys, but when they leave the boys are all they think about. Then the guys kiss them and it's all "Oh he knew me saying no actually meant yes all along and was flirting". All in all, it's a very guy-centric way of thinking about men's flirting with women. Women always say no, but they don't know what's good for them! They just need me to kiss and screw them and then they'll understand! It's a frankly outdated way of thinking, and coupled with the flimsy characters, really just shows the writer isn't going to be writing anything good that's character driven.
The book reads like an 80s or 90s sci-fi horror. Moderate blood and gore, lot's of science without ethics, megalomaniac scientist, the classic horror characters having a lack of common sense, etc etc. It wasn't all bad. The part with actual horror was pretty good. The body horror was fun and interesting, and the villain was so frustrating to read. I found myself laughing at the lack of common sense everyone had after a while, and started to have fun after the first 150 pages when I stopped taking it so seriously. Overall, If you want a decent cross between Alien and 20 Thousand Leagues Under the Sea with a 80s sci-fi horror movie vibe, this might be your book. Unfortunately, it just wasn't for me.
May 16, 2020
This might be the horniest book I've ever read. There can't be a conversation between the two "couples" without them hinting at screwing each other. Slapping asses constantly and shit like that. It was absurd. Don't think I've read a book this horny and it's about fish and worms.
There was a section toward the end where Jessica and Theresa seem to switch bodies. One moment, Jessica is spazzing out talking about how they are surfacing no matter what while Theresa is trying to explain that they need to finish off Jim. The next moment, Theresa is spazzing out because now Jessica is the one saying they can't let the lab surface because they'll spread the bacteria and Theresa is suddenly not so stoked on the idea of taking out the bacteria creatures. It was just so awful to read. Made my head hurt.
The worst thing about this book is the dialogue. I don't think I've ever heard humans speak like this. It had to have been fed into an AI, like, write out two adults speaking to one another as if they haven't before. Like what I said with the off-the-charts horny stuff, a crewmate dies and Jessica is sobbing while Tony is consoling her, then Tony brings up getting laid and touches Jessica somewhere naughty which Jessica springs up for and reciprocates.
This book straight up made no sense.
Also, Ted was a shitty antagonist. Comically shitty.
DNR.
There was a section toward the end where Jessica and Theresa seem to switch bodies. One moment, Jessica is spazzing out talking about how they are surfacing no matter what while Theresa is trying to explain that they need to finish off Jim. The next moment, Theresa is spazzing out because now Jessica is the one saying they can't let the lab surface because they'll spread the bacteria and Theresa is suddenly not so stoked on the idea of taking out the bacteria creatures. It was just so awful to read. Made my head hurt.
The worst thing about this book is the dialogue. I don't think I've ever heard humans speak like this. It had to have been fed into an AI, like, write out two adults speaking to one another as if they haven't before. Like what I said with the off-the-charts horny stuff, a crewmate dies and Jessica is sobbing while Tony is consoling her, then Tony brings up getting laid and touches Jessica somewhere naughty which Jessica springs up for and reciprocates.
This book straight up made no sense.
Also, Ted was a shitty antagonist. Comically shitty.
DNR.
January 18, 2023
There’s a decent horror story in here, but not as written. As written the story is about the horrific bacterial transmogrification of the crew. The real story to me, and one that remained sadly unexplained was why the entire crew abandoned all professionalism and became what they appeared to have spent their careers not being.
The NASA astronaut who has commanded the ISS and was tapped for a Mars Mission is so disappointed by the reallocation of Federal funding that he nefariously experiments on his fellow crew mates. The USN doctor who has served aboard submarines and is tough as nails begins boning a subordinate as soon as they settle on the ocean floor. The best sonar operator in the whole entire world, who has spent his entire adult life in the USN starts boning not his immediate superior, but one several levels up the chain.
There’s the story I wanted to read. What was it about the ship, or the location that made allegedly seasoned pros act like horny teenagers on the beach? Why did this mission turn an astronaut previously entrusted with billions of dollars in equipment and the lives of his fellow astronauts into a serial poisoner? How does the commander who could tell you about his last mission but he’d have to kill you, come apart so readily? The author never says. Too bad, I would’ve recommended that book.
The NASA astronaut who has commanded the ISS and was tapped for a Mars Mission is so disappointed by the reallocation of Federal funding that he nefariously experiments on his fellow crew mates. The USN doctor who has served aboard submarines and is tough as nails begins boning a subordinate as soon as they settle on the ocean floor. The best sonar operator in the whole entire world, who has spent his entire adult life in the USN starts boning not his immediate superior, but one several levels up the chain.
There’s the story I wanted to read. What was it about the ship, or the location that made allegedly seasoned pros act like horny teenagers on the beach? Why did this mission turn an astronaut previously entrusted with billions of dollars in equipment and the lives of his fellow astronauts into a serial poisoner? How does the commander who could tell you about his last mission but he’d have to kill you, come apart so readily? The author never says. Too bad, I would’ve recommended that book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 7, 2014
What an awesome book. I instantly felt a connection to all the characters and couldn't wait to see how everything played out. David's imagination mixed with science makes for an amazing and thrilling story. Can't wait to read whatever he writes next.
October 18, 2014
This book will keep you on the edge of your seat the whole time.
August 6, 2016
Would probably make a decent 'B' monster movie, though I'm not sure it works as well in book form. It was a quick, easy read, though.
December 23, 2025
I enjoyed the opening blurb about protecting our oceans, if only corporations cared.
The book is a little dry and has a bit of a rocky start, I think it would make a good radio program though. The ‘humor' and ‘romance’ is dry and slows down the book.
The book is a little dry and has a bit of a rocky start, I think it would make a good radio program though. The ‘humor' and ‘romance’ is dry and slows down the book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 27, 2015
Review posted on Horror Novel Reviews http://wp.me/p2wc4k-1wM
Michael Crichton, who wrote such classics as Jurassic Park, The Andromeda Strain and Airframe, passed away in November 2008. He left us a legacy of science fiction-horror-science-thrillers that ranged from the remarkable to the downright proselytising (State of Fear being a prime example).
Crichton at his best is the main author who comes to mind as a comparable influence when reading Deep Black Sea. A civilian crew of scientists are embarking on a one year mission to live at 20,000 feet under the sea in a specially designed habitat. They will conduct experiments and do research that will help with the development of technology for the currently shelved manned mission to Mars.
With NASA involvement the scene is rich with tension. We have the astronaut whose lifelong dream of going beyond earth’s orbit has been shattered. We have the clashing personalities and we have the clear signs of things being messed with from the very start.
The deepest ocean is as alien to humankind as the surface of Mars. The remarkable thing is that life exists in abundance at these incredible depths and at pressures that would crush almost anything. Around completely toxic environments like black smokers – where underwater volcanos spew hot gases and elements into the surrounding water, tubeworms, fish and other creatures thrive.
The horror in this novel comes in several flavours.
We have the constant fear of being in complete isolation. There is no help. There is no rescue. Leaving this depth would require weeks of decompression and a very slow ascent. The habitat creaks and groans reminding us that a horrific death is a constant risk.
There is the villain, perfectly realised in the form of a character with the purest of intentions – he is absolutely invested in the potential benefits of the research he is conducting during the mission. Of course, no one else knows exactly what he is doing and his near-complete lack of conscience as the story progresses makes him fascinating.
Finally, there is the horror of the creatures themselves who live and thrive in the abyss. This is where Salkin shines and the phantom of Crichton silently applauds. The informative and fascinating science that fills each page really elevates this book to a higher grade. Alien horror from space is a common theme – but this is reality. The science-fiction of it shows when humans interact with the entities of the deep - and you are left painfully aware that this scenario may actually be plausible.
The only concerns I have from a reading perspective is that I found the characters lack development to the point they appear as caricatures of stereotypes.
The Italian from New Jersey cooks, the Scotsman speaks in a thick brogue that the others can’t understand. The two women on the mission are simply there for sexual tension (and sexual fulfilment) to sate the men. In the beginning there was a Clive Cussler style of super-shiny character description. Men are handsome gods, rippling with muscle and experts at everything. Other than the villain there is really little sense of imperfection in them anywhere. It might be why the characters seemed interchangeable and without any particular value, except as set pieces.
Michael Crichton, who wrote such classics as Jurassic Park, The Andromeda Strain and Airframe, passed away in November 2008. He left us a legacy of science fiction-horror-science-thrillers that ranged from the remarkable to the downright proselytising (State of Fear being a prime example).
Crichton at his best is the main author who comes to mind as a comparable influence when reading Deep Black Sea. A civilian crew of scientists are embarking on a one year mission to live at 20,000 feet under the sea in a specially designed habitat. They will conduct experiments and do research that will help with the development of technology for the currently shelved manned mission to Mars.
With NASA involvement the scene is rich with tension. We have the astronaut whose lifelong dream of going beyond earth’s orbit has been shattered. We have the clashing personalities and we have the clear signs of things being messed with from the very start.
The deepest ocean is as alien to humankind as the surface of Mars. The remarkable thing is that life exists in abundance at these incredible depths and at pressures that would crush almost anything. Around completely toxic environments like black smokers – where underwater volcanos spew hot gases and elements into the surrounding water, tubeworms, fish and other creatures thrive.
The horror in this novel comes in several flavours.
We have the constant fear of being in complete isolation. There is no help. There is no rescue. Leaving this depth would require weeks of decompression and a very slow ascent. The habitat creaks and groans reminding us that a horrific death is a constant risk.
There is the villain, perfectly realised in the form of a character with the purest of intentions – he is absolutely invested in the potential benefits of the research he is conducting during the mission. Of course, no one else knows exactly what he is doing and his near-complete lack of conscience as the story progresses makes him fascinating.
Finally, there is the horror of the creatures themselves who live and thrive in the abyss. This is where Salkin shines and the phantom of Crichton silently applauds. The informative and fascinating science that fills each page really elevates this book to a higher grade. Alien horror from space is a common theme – but this is reality. The science-fiction of it shows when humans interact with the entities of the deep - and you are left painfully aware that this scenario may actually be plausible.
The only concerns I have from a reading perspective is that I found the characters lack development to the point they appear as caricatures of stereotypes.
The Italian from New Jersey cooks, the Scotsman speaks in a thick brogue that the others can’t understand. The two women on the mission are simply there for sexual tension (and sexual fulfilment) to sate the men. In the beginning there was a Clive Cussler style of super-shiny character description. Men are handsome gods, rippling with muscle and experts at everything. Other than the villain there is really little sense of imperfection in them anywhere. It might be why the characters seemed interchangeable and without any particular value, except as set pieces.
July 29, 2024
A sand-sational deep sea horror/thriller novel; Truly fintastic from start to finish. Shrimply amazing. Just…jawsome. Sorry, I'm done - I just needed to get the ocean puns out of my head.
I'd say this is more of a thriller than horror, but you do get some great gross body horror moments and a great deal of gore in amongst the action, especially at the end.
The creatures are fantastically icky so be prepared to feel your skin crawl.
The characters are well-written although slightly dumbed down in places, which can be annoying. Seemingly strong and experienced characters sometimes display s level of naivety not quite consistent with the personalities that have been established. Despite being pretty obvious and his actions somewhat predictable, the villain villained very well!
This was a medium-paced but a slow read for me because I kept stopping to look up creatures (real creatures that are real nightmare fuel) and terms and then I fell down the rabbit hole… Great fun if you're a deep sea enthusiast!
Can't wait to read book 2!
I'd say this is more of a thriller than horror, but you do get some great gross body horror moments and a great deal of gore in amongst the action, especially at the end.
The creatures are fantastically icky so be prepared to feel your skin crawl.
The characters are well-written although slightly dumbed down in places, which can be annoying. Seemingly strong and experienced characters sometimes display s level of naivety not quite consistent with the personalities that have been established. Despite being pretty obvious and his actions somewhat predictable, the villain villained very well!
This was a medium-paced but a slow read for me because I kept stopping to look up creatures (real creatures that are real nightmare fuel) and terms and then I fell down the rabbit hole… Great fun if you're a deep sea enthusiast!
Can't wait to read book 2!
August 3, 2014
Deep Black Sea by David M. Salkin
Seven scientists go down in a submarine to do some research. Three miles into the deep dark ocean, they find a bacteria that is able to survive on certain fish and animals. But one of them has a different agenda. When one of the crew members becomes an unknowing human experiment things turn really bad. It is up to the rest of the crew to figure out when went wrong, and why. Soon all of their lives are in danger and who can be trusted and how can they stop what is about to happen.
A well written psychological thriller. Very detailed descriptions and biological knowledge make the story very interesting. Each character is unique and has their part on running the submarine and experiment. The story was easy to follow and becomes very intense. Those who love a good thriller with a sci-fi undertone should enjoy Deep Black Sea.
Seven scientists go down in a submarine to do some research. Three miles into the deep dark ocean, they find a bacteria that is able to survive on certain fish and animals. But one of them has a different agenda. When one of the crew members becomes an unknowing human experiment things turn really bad. It is up to the rest of the crew to figure out when went wrong, and why. Soon all of their lives are in danger and who can be trusted and how can they stop what is about to happen.
A well written psychological thriller. Very detailed descriptions and biological knowledge make the story very interesting. Each character is unique and has their part on running the submarine and experiment. The story was easy to follow and becomes very intense. Those who love a good thriller with a sci-fi undertone should enjoy Deep Black Sea.
July 25, 2015
Look, I love this kind of book.I don't think there are enough of them and this might have been awesome, but I had to quit in the middle. The science was interesting, but the dialogue was awful! Almost every paragraph was filled with the cheesiest flirtatious banter I've ever heard between a couple of the guys and gals on this mission and it starts right away! Like, not even under water yet and already a ridiculous flirtfest.
Just a lot of cheese in a book that could have smart and interesting.
Just a lot of cheese in a book that could have smart and interesting.
October 19, 2014
this was a great 1st book in what I predict will be a series. The character list is small which makes it easy to keep all of them clear. The overall story plot is thought provoking, and I didn't find myself thinking that it was to far-fetched. I would recommend this book.
October 13, 2014
Great Read!!! Keeps you on the edge of your seat! Loved it!
October 17, 2014
Surprisingly good for the genre, and well-researched. Salkin is obviously quite knowledgable in this field, and a good enough writer to keep the pace going.
November 7, 2014
Trash horror
January 26, 2015
Wow! What a story
A very exciting, fast-moving story. I really enjoyed it, from the start and right up to the last word. I highly recommend this book.
A very exciting, fast-moving story. I really enjoyed it, from the start and right up to the last word. I highly recommend this book.
July 19, 2018
Ugh
The blarney about evils of mankind turned me off to this book completely. I had no interest to read it beyond the Prologue.
The blarney about evils of mankind turned me off to this book completely. I had no interest to read it beyond the Prologue.
March 24, 2023
It's pretty good, but the banter between the crew was annoying.
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