DEEP SHADOW
In the turquoise waters of the Caribbean, something lethal is on the move.
Scuba divers travel from all over the world to visit the little island of Bonaire, with its crystal-clear waters and a host of beautiful marine life. After three years in the “Diver’s Paradise”, divemaster Boone Fischer thought he’d seen it all; but on a routine afternoon dive, he spots something that will turn his tranquil life upside down.From the arid shores of the ABC Islands to the tropical jungles of Venezuela—from the ocean depths of the Southern Caribbean, to the lush islands of the Northern Leewards, Deep Shadow takes Boone and the reader on an action-packed adventure filled with danger and suspense."The age-old adage of ‘write what you know’ becomes very important when you write about a technical subject like scuba diving. When you get all the details right, and throw in just the right amounts of action, humor, romance, and suspense, you have a novel like this." - Wayne Stinnett, bestselling author of "Fallen Out".
✪✪✪✪
HALL
WAYS REVIEW: Audio book review. In Deep Shadow, prepare to live vicariously via the stunning setting
of the Caribbean islands: there’s the laid-back vibe of the beach side bar and a
sunset cocktail; there’s the calm, crystal-clear water calling for exploration;
there’s the underwater and otherworldly sea life to amaze and enchant. But this
is no travelogue. Quite literally, beneath the tranquil surface lurks danger
and ugliness – and these are the things that make author Nick Sullivan’s Deep Shadow a real page-turner.
Sullivan has done his
research and knows his stuff. Readers will learn about the processes of diving,
how sound travels, and how size is distorted in water; about submarines and
sub-machine guns; about drug trafficking and drug lords. What’s great is that
all the details and factoids come about organically within the story without
being preachy or info-dumpy. These details move the story forward, making it
reminiscent of The Deep by Peter
Benchley (including a wicked moray eel).
There are layers to Deep Shadow, which make the story more
interesting. There are different bad guys with different motivations and plans
for getting what they want – violently and without remorse. All the while,
there is this team of happy-go-lucky divers (including main character Boone Fischer) who just want a good day in the water, but who step-up when those
waters are muddied by blood and greed. A lot of the story is spent building to
the certain collision of the good with the bad. Readers know it’s coming, but they
don’t know when, how, or what it will mean in the grand scheme of things.
Deep
Shadow is primarily action with the narrative alternating
chapters told from the terrorists’ viewpoints and Boone’s. This format, along
with the relationship blooming between Boone and Emily, provide a respite from
the tension and terror brought through the international field of bad guys.
(Side note: it’s difficult to get a handle on the names of these characters
when reading with your ears.) Emily brings levity to the story – she’s a hoot –
and it’s fun to watch Boone ignoring the signals and denying his feelings for
her. There are not a lot of females in the story, but Emily’s personality fills
that gap, and it will be interesting to see if future installments in the Caribbean
Dive Adventures series flesh-out her character. It feels like there’s more to
her than meets the eye.
Author Nick Sullivan is also
the audio book narrator of Deep Shadow. His
pacing is even, and he is consistent in voicing the numerous characters so that
listeners can tell them apart. I don’t know if his accents are accurate, but Sullivan manages
to keep the Russian distinct from the Venezuelan distinct from the middle-eastern
(I missed where the ISIS terrorist was from). The voicing of Emily is also
consistent, but I am not a fan. Every time she speaks, it feels Monty Python-ish
to me – an exaggerated accent that sounds like a man trying to sound like a
woman. And though the word choices are correct and delightfully British, the
accent is off. To be fair, there is mention in the story that Emily is from a specific
area of London, so it’s possible that area has a distinct dialect (like Cockney),
and the accent is spot-on. Fortunately, Emily is such a larger-than-life
character, that it’s easy to roll with it.
Since I read with my ears, I
cannot speak to the editing, but the writing is engaging. Dialogue is natural, place and characters are vibrant, tension is high. There are a few sequencing issues that
create a little confusion in the story, and some scenes could use more
development, but these are not deal breakers. The author’s Afterword provides some interesting back-story and
information about the research process, so that’s worth a listen, too. Overall,
Deep Shadow is an action-packed (boat)
ride with a plot and setting that transports you to another place. I will tune-in
for the next installment (because Boone’s gotta find those dolphins, right?).
Thank you to the author and
Audiobookworm Promotions for providing me a audio download in exchange for my
honest opinion – the only kind I give.
NICK SULLIVAN has been narrating audio books for over twenty years, recording over four hundred titles and receiving numerous AudioFile Earphones and Audie nominations and awards. He has worked extensively on Broadway and at many U.S. theaters. His TV credits include The Good Wife, The Affair, Divorce, Younger, Bull, Madam Secretary, Boardwalk Empire, 30 Rock, Elementary, and all three Law and Order series. Film credits include Our Idiot Brother and Private Life. Proud member of SAG-AFTRA.
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