Dark Ocean

by patrick carpenter

In a galaxy far from and long since the existence of Earth, Addy Palmer and her brother, Alex, struggle to live amongst the corruption and post-war chaos of the Sarian empire. Every day seems like just another pessimistic drop in the bucket for Addy. Then, one day, everything changes when Alex inadvertently discovers that he has a super-human power. This phenomenal event is witnessed by a man named Zach Brine, an obsessive and meticulous soldier from a secretive organization called “Prism,” binding the three of them together on an epic quest to discover the origin of Alex’s power.Along the way, Addy seeks to discover meaning in her life that was once defined by hopelessness and nihilism. Wondrous worlds, mystical creatures, and kindred spirits open her heart to all that is possible. Unfortunately, her journey also reveals a long repressed, tormented past involving a warlord who calls himself “the fox.” Now awakened, Addy cannot take back what she knows. Can she reconcile it all and find her true purpose? Will she be able to help Alex find his as well? Most importantly, can she do it without losing herself in the process?Fans of young adult titles like The Hunger Games, Divergent, and Ender's Game will enjoy this dystopian tale of cosmic powers, fated meetings, and faraway worlds.

375 pages, Paperback

Published November 22, 2020

Reviews

[D.J. Bodden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark Ocean is a sci-fi academy novel where two young talents are selected for a mysterious training program that will take them off their planet and into a life they never dreamed of. I don't want to spoil anything, but I'll say I appreciated the growth of the characters and the way to victory was often through teamwork rather than a chosen one's special powers :) That, and the story is full of the kind of butt-kicking sci-fi techno-wizardry that makes gaming fun, from forcefields to micro-drones and using different kinds of elemental damage against a variety of opponents. It reminded me of playing Halo 3 a lot by the end. By the finale, we're well attached to the duo and their new friends, and I'm eager to find out what's next in the interstellar conflict between the Templars and PRISM soldiers.

[Michele Quirke · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was originally interested in Dark Ocean because it follows the story of a brother/sister duo and while I love that dynamic, it's not one commonly found in books. That alone was enough to gain my attention, but the plot also seemed super fun and promising.

I'll admit, it took me a little while to really get into the story. I wasn't a fan of Addy's character at first because of how abrasive and...well, rude she was. I'd even go so far as to say I disliked her. However, I decided to hang in there because the whole premise of the book was unique and intriguing. I'm so glad I stuck with it because once the action picked up, it REALLY picked up. I was flipping page after page, super excited to see what would happen. The action scenes are amazing and so descriptive that I could picture everything perfectly. I really enjoyed Carpenter's writing style and Addy did grow on me by the end. I especially loved the touch of romance included in the story. That helped me see a different side of her I was longing for.

I'm not sure if this is the first book in the series, but I hope so. I still had some unanswered questions about the villain, Fox, at the end and it would be a shame not to fully understand his connection to Addy and her parents. If a second book were to be released, I would not hesitate to buy it.

Overall, Dark Ocean was a fast-paced action-packed story with a really cool plot and flawed, realistic characters. 5/5 stars!

[Eric Balch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dark Ocean is a science fiction novel. Beginning on the planet Grantitan, the story follows Addy Palmer, whose anger and nihilistic worldview stems from the horrible conditions of the planet’s society, and her brother Alex. An accident at a sports stadium reveals Alex to have incredible abilities and catches the attention of Zach Brine, a soldier in the mysterious organization known as Prism, who recruits them into the organization. Seeking to unlock the secrets of Alex’s power, Zach whisks them off to Prism’s headquarters where the undergo rigorous and brutal training, competing with other cadets to become full members of Prism’s ranks.

Dark Ocean is an engaging story filled with the fun and innovation that science fiction brings. Addy’s character development is portrayed well, as she starts out with anger issues and a nihilistic view that she struggles to overcome. Not very personable to start, she slowly allows herself to open up. Alex is cheerful, friendly, and likable from the start. The other characters are all well rounded and serve the story very well.

Overall, Dark Ocean is an enjoyable story. Plenty of futuristic technology and scifi action abound among the personal stories of Addy, Alex, and Zach. Fans of science fiction will be sure to enjoy this book and I’m sure everyone who reads it will be hoping for the next entry .

[Cassandra Ann Peak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark Ocean is a fantastic book. Following the story of the MC, Addy, and her transformation, it kept me wanting to know more about her. I found every page bringing action and never a dull moment through out the story. I loved how her brother Alex and his protective nature never wavered for Addy. Zach, their trainer, is a hard ass, but wants both Addy and Alex to succeed.

All the characters are written in a way that as a reader, I found myself completely immersed in and fully engaged in the story.

I typically do not read this type genre, however, this author grabbed my attention and held it with this story. I highly recommend everyone buy a copy and read it. You will not be disappointed.

[Kenneth Myers · Rating 5 out of 5]

You'll find yourself wanting to become the next Sci-fi resident Bad Ass #1, as you learn about the ancient fighting techniques of the elite Prism soldiers. Find a connection with a brother-sister duo that don't fall into a cliché relationship but still feel like real people. The underlying storylines all add up in the end for this explosive and action-filled Sci-fi tale. I love Dark Ocean because it can go deeper into the human soul while keeping the excitement up. All in all, I can't help but look forward to more books written by Patrick Carpenter. I would call this a must-read for any Sci-fi fan. I will happily give this book a 5/5 review and recommend it to all my friends, enjoy.

[Seth · Rating 5 out of 5]

The minute I started reading Patrick Carpenter’s Dark Ocean, it grabbed my attention, hook, line, and sinker. The story follows a typical monomyth template with an atypical plot, which works brilliantly.

"Luckily for Addy, Alex was not to be trifled with. Standing at six foot one and weighing about two hundred-thirty pounds, Alex’s broad-shouldered, buff, and intimidating frame kept most at bay. That, and his dark, piercing blue eyes could penetrate stone. No one was trying to block him."

Carpenter’s world-building compares to that of an experienced veteran instead of a new author, as the author is. Orson Scott Card would concur if he got his hands on the book. Right from the beginning of the book, orphaned siblings Addy and Alex, two young adults living in a dump of a city on a planet called Calivia, join their friends at a sports stadium to watch a game of ‘airblading’, which sounds exciting. I’d like to point out that in this made-up sport of ‘airblading’, Carpenter mentions the game is a “great equalizer” between the sexes, as the sport offers no advantage to males. Kudos to Carpenter for empowering women in Dark Ocean.

Concurrently, the plot moves to Captain Zach Brine. Brine is a disgraced Prism officer wallowing in suicidal thoughts. His marriage is over, along with his prestigious career. He sits in his hotel room with a revolver, loaded with one bullet. Each day, Brine puts the gun to his head for the past two days and pulls the trigger. Carpenter once again shows mastery in describing the lowest of lows in the human psyche. I felt dread while reading this part, desperately hoping the gun didn’t go off.

Back to the siblings at the ‘airblading’ game… No sooner than the game begins, an explosion occurs in the stadium, reminiscent of the scene in The Dark Knight Returns, where Bain destroys Gotham’s stadium (albeit there’s much less destruction in Dark Ocean). This event launches the plot into high gear.

SPOILER WARNING!
A large chunk of concrete from the stadium flew towards Addy and Alex, who were then outside the stadium. A new power ‘activates’ within Alex, and he catches the concrete, thus saving his and Addy’s life. In a twist of fate, Brine happens to be at a diner across from the stadium and sees Alex catch the concrete.

"Of course, yeah, I was scared. Anyway, something even stranger happened. After the explosion, I saw Alex on his knees, his hands and forearms were bloody and he was staring at them with these huge eyes, like he had seen a six-headed ostrich."

-Addy, speaking to her therapist, Jill

Brine recognizes what Alex is – an Alderian – an ancient people that lived in “the most unforgiving environments, places that required great effort to sustain everyday life.” Now the first thing I thought of when I read this section of Dark Ocean was a blend of the planet Alderaan in Star Wars (in name) and Tatooine (in the unforgiving environment). Carpenter introduces us to the mythical part of the book – the Alderian Pantheons – four in all. Brine believes Alex hosts the power of the Golem Pantheon, as he has strength and may control the earth and rocks.

By this point, we’re well into the hero rejecting their call to adventure and meeting their mentor. What follows is the road of trials – Brine trains both Alex and Addy to prepare both of them for actual Prism training. Starting at this point, Dark Ocean takes on a Hunger Games type plot. During the training, which is reminiscent of Hamish training Katniss and Peeta, Carpenter explores Addy’s psyche in-depth. We learn that, despite Addy having much anxiety and anger within, she’s determined and strong. Where Alex’s training went easier, Addy worked much harder, focusing not only on improving her strength but also her temperament and alcohol addiction. Her transformation is well underway.

"Still looking at Zach, who showed no emotion, Addy said firmly “Addy is gone. I am Lynn now, and I am going to be a Prism soldier.” For the briefest moment, Addy saw the shade of Zach’s countenance shift in her favor."

– The moment when Addy becomes Lynn

A Tragic Childhood
Before we reach the end of act I, the author reveals Addy’s traumatic childhood. In what I can only assume is an homage to the Showtime series Dexter (one of my favorite shows, by the way), Carpenter paints the picture of Addy’s parents’ demise at the hands of gangsters. Like Dexter Morgan, Addy’s mother was brutally murdered in front of her when she was a little child. The book’s antagonist, The Fox, not only slit her mother’s throat, but he also continued by completely decapitating her for Addy to witness. The author refers to Addy’s angry side as her “dark passenger,” precisely what Dexter uses to refer to his. Like Dexter, Addy a couple adopted her, loved her, and provided a stable, safe home to live in.

“When I was just a child, barely five years old I think, my parents were murdered in front of me. I was locked in a storage chest … I saw it through the keyhole. The man who decapitated my mother wore a mask of a white fox. Before he left me there, he laughed like a total maniac … claimed he was God.”

-Lynn (Addy), talking to Jett

Trainees Learn Rykai
We cross the first threshold when the siblings complete Captain Brine’s initial training, learning enough about Rykai, a unique fighting concept used by Prism soldiers to help them fight the Grotians. The siblings design their own custom combat suit, which conforms to their Rykai fighting style. I don’t know if it’s because, as a child, I loved playing video games in which you get better armor and weapons as the game progresses, but I loved this part. It would be a dream-come-true to see Dark Ocean made into a movie if only to see Alex and Lynn design and adorn their combat suits.

Brine concludes the siblings’ pre-training when Alex uses his own internal Alderian power and splits a boulder in two. The trio, along with Lucas, another Prism soldier loyal to Brine who aided in the siblings’ training, board a ship and journey to Raynor Academy to qualify and complete the real Prism training. From that point, Lynn and Alex meet other Prism recruits, including Jett, Lynn’s future love-interest, and Reanyn, Alex’s future love-interest. Rachel Mccginneas, another Prism officer and Brine’s rival/friend, brought her own candidates for Prism training.

Real Prism Training
During the initial trial, the Prism gauntlet (which is similar to a Fortnite Battle Royale match), the trainees fight each other in a simulated game. They are then rated based on the order they died in the mock battle. Lynn ranks high, and Alex nearly wins the entire match. When the game is down to the final trainee – Jett – the whole purpose of Prism training is revealed. Prism soldiers train to combat Grothain templars – the most deadly Grothian soldiers. Needless to say, Jett fails in this first attempt to fight the simulated templar.

From here, the plot picks up the pace as we follow the Prism candidates’ rigorous training. Leaders emerge from among the class, as do alliances and rivalries. Carpenter expertly develops each primary character’s persona. I knew Lynn, Alex, Jett, and Reanyn so well that I could anticipate their decisions and reactions. Although this is an impressive feat for any author to achieve, it comes with its own dangers. What if the author has a character make a decision that goes against what the reader feels they’d do? It’d create a book disaster because, for that brief moment of disagreement, I am no longer immersed in the plot. That’s not the case in this book. Carpenter hits the nail squarely on the head each time, further developing each character soundly in my mind.

While reading this review, you may consider my review of act I much more in-depth than this one. It’s because I feel you should read this part, the largest, with no precursors. Allow the characters to develop in your own mind as Carpenter intended. Trust me – it’s worth it!

Meet the Antagonist, The Fox
FYI, I’m not going to reveal any spoilers here that ruin the ending of the book!

I have to admit this: the third act moved fast. The Grothians attack again to quell the quiet rebellion that’s been growing as the book progressed. I would have liked to read more about the first Grothian war, and the second war happened too quickly.

The Fox, Lynn’s arch-nemesis, is a brilliant villain. Yet, Carpenter didn’t give him enough time in the story. I wanted more of The Fox. Much more. The Fox seems based on the Japanese lore of the nine-tail fox Kitsune. The Fox’s gang reminded me of the Yakuza, a Japanese Mafia whose name translates to ‘gangster’. Perhaps the Grothians are meant to depict a sci-fi Asian culture, as so many science fiction works do (Blade Runner, The Fifth Element, Star Wars: Episode 1 – The Phantom Menace (Galactic Trade Federation), etc.).

Conclusion
Buy the book. Read the book. You won’t regret it.

Despite the too-quickly-paced ending of Dark Ocean, I loved the book. Although there’s no sign yet, I hope Carpenter’s first book is one of many in a series. The ending left that option available by not concluding the story and setting up a follow-up story.

There’s one thing that still bugs me about the book, however. I don’t understand how the title ties into the book. Presumably, dark ocean could describe outer space or an abyss at the bottom of a literal ocean. I checked the book, and the term was referenced only once (by Jett), and I felt it wasn’t a critical moment in the book. Let me know your take on it!

[Hunter Ogden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Woah.... this is one book I never wanted to end!!

Excellent writing, the style was incredible. I was hooked from the very beginning! If there's one story you gotta try this year, it's Dark Ocean (: I'm definitely about to check out more of your work Mr. Carpenter!! Thanks for the awesome read! Time well spent (:

[Aildreda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Several good threads, good character arcs, and plenty of room for sequels. If you enjoy sci-fi, action, and seeing characters grow, you'll enjoy this. The story really hits its stride about a third of the way in and is worth the wait. Was up until 1am just to finish it! Does contain language and violence--would recommend for adult readers.

[Alina Leonova · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has a lot going on! It's a dystopian YA sci-fi with some military, litRPG, romance and fantasy elements that involves training for a mission, a quest and a good revenge story. Addy and her brother Alex have an ordinary life on a corrupt planet when they get noticed by Zach Brine. He makes it his mission to train them to become elite Prism soldiers. They embark on an epic quest traveling off planet, fighting monsters and mysterious beings and honing their skills for the test that will decide whether they are worthy of being Prism soldiers. They also find friendship, love and meaning in the meantime.

There are three characters whose points of view we get to explore, but Addy feels like the main protagonist. She's a complex character who has a dark past. The author did a great job showing how traumatic events made her anxious, suspicious, aggressive and cynical but also really strong and unwilling to give up no matter what. I didn't always like her behavior but it made sense in the context of her personality and troubled past. There were also moments to admire, and it was a pleasure to see her grow. All the characters in the book felt real and were noticeably different when it came to their thinking, personalities and even speaking patterns.

There were quite a lot of action and battle scenes that were fun to read. The story of young people on a quest, trying to figure out how to pass the test added to the adventurous mood of the book. The final battle scene was really powerful and made a strong impression on me!

The book is a mixture of everything: it was really dark, violent and even gory at times, while also being fun and adventurous, inspiring and empowering, romantic almost to the point of being corny and cozy in its familiarity when it dealt with mundane elements of life or depicted friends hanging out together. It shows the importance of having people one can rely on, forgiveness, love and friendship and also encourages to stand up to injustices and fight.

All in all, I enjoyed the book and can recommend it to those who like YA / adventure / dystopian / military sci-fi, quests, litRPG (though it's not about gaming) and romance.

I've got a website about sci-fi by women and non-binary authors where I review books, create lists, do interviews and more. Check it out if that's something you are interested in.

[Rebecca Semm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great adventure story

This story alone deserved five stars. It was original, and I read slot of books, lol. This story presented me with something totally new. It had elements that were reminiscent of series like Divergent by Veronica Roth, and some other fictional series, but it was definitely not a copy of anything else out there. The story features two siblings who start out in a bad situation, and make a decision that changes everything. In the beginning, there were a couple of spots where the wording was awkward, and I wish we had continued to get more out of the brother's character, but the author seemed to really find his voice as the story progressed. It was quite an adventure, and I hope there are more adventures for Lynn, Alex, and Captain Brine in the future.

[Arlene · Rating 1 out of 5]

Awful

Probably one of the worst science fiction stories I've ever read. The characters were boring and the story made no real sense.