Neptune's Cauldron

by Michael G. Coney

Pursued by the interplanetary police for a crime he did not commit, space traveller Tyg is forced down on the planet Storm, where he finds a revolution brewing among the Tadda against King Caiman, the planet's tyrannical ruler.
He must prove his innocence of the crime with which he is charged, as he fights for survival beneath the Storm's seething oceans, where the very existence of the Tadda is threatened by the deadly undersea volcano known as NEPTUNE'S CAULDRON

Genres: Science Fiction

240 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published June 1, 1981

About the author

Michael Greatrex Coney was born in Birmingham, England and educated at King Edward's School.

He started a career as a chartered accountant and went on to become a management Consultant. Then he went into the catering business, managing an inn in south Devon with his wife, Daphne for three years and a hotel in the West Indies for another three. He worked for Financial Services in the B.C. Forest Service for seventeen years before retiring .

He Passed away 4 November 2005. peacefully of Cancer (Mesothelioma). He was married with three children and lived on Vancouver Island.

Reviews

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

Neptune's Cauldron is an underwater volcano on the planet Storm, where Tyg finds revolution against the tyrannical King Caiman and interspecies love and all manner of action and adventure while he tries to prove his innocence of the crime for which he's been charged. (His brother had the same problem.) Apparently, Coney wrote this one early in career (perhaps with the intention of DAW publishing it), but it didn't appear until this somewhat obscure edition from Tower. It's not among his best, but it's a fun and vibrant story with lots of action and some romance and some thoughts about colonialism if you look hard.

[Joel J. Molder · Rating 5 out of 5]

A hard-to-find, little-known book by an underrated author.

Michael G. Coney is a master of characters, soft romance, and atmosphere—all three of which are in full bloom in this story. He’s great at cozy, yet intense, books that transport you into another world.

When Tyg Brood is found guilty for a crime he didn’t commit, he goes to Storm, the water-covered planet that houses the eponymous Neptune’s Cauldron. There, his brother was found guilty (which makes Tyg also guilty) for blowing up a kelp-harvesting rig due to the treatment of the local alien population. Now he’s in a rush for time to solve the mystery of his brother’s death, find evidence to prove his innocence, and protect the local alien amphibious population.

Full of themes of colonialism, interracial romance, and intrigue, Michael G. Coney creates the perfect blend of action, adventure, romance, and mystery to keep the reader locked-in. It’s the kind of book that’s easy-to-read and full of ideas, but never becomes overburdened. There’s a bit of young adult vibe to his work, but there’s enough depth and heavy themes to stimulate you intellectually.