Tantalus Depts

[Blurb goes here]

I think it's Mr. Graham style what didn't do it for me. It's tiresome, lengthy. It takes too long a time to get from point A to point B. The story in itself is a good one. Unfortunately I didn't enjoyed it as much as I thought I would.

Thank you for the free copy!

I don't enjoy horror much, and from the description this seemed it could be straight horror. But, you know what you're getting going in. You know there's an AI acting in it's own interests. You know the crew will have gruesome and fatal “accidents.” So what are these secrets hidden in the depths of this planet-sized construct? There are definitely some horror elements, as promised. The AI, which behaves much more maliciously than any AI should, uses psychological warfare on Mary, the main character, who has suffered a loss she has been unable to come to terms with. It's chilling how she, and the other crew, begin to question her sanity and motives. She is perfectly, even profoundly sane though, as well as calm and collected under threat, a clear leader, and almost unnaturally courageous. So, good hands to be in to figure out what is going on with this enormous, unaccountable, hollow sphere of solid, pure platinum. The physics/mechanics of the drilling equipment is interesting, and the mass-desimulation technology of the spaceship which allows for superluminal travel and other cool tricks. I admit I am a bit puzzled at the end, as to the purpose of this planet, and how it came about. There are some things that don't make sense to me, but I don't want to spoil anything in case anyone reads this This appears to be, and feels like, a standalone novel, and it does follow the arc of a story in a satisfying manner and is well written.

It’s Ringworld meets Alien by way of 2001: A Space Odyssey in this engrossing novel about a mission to an A.I.-constructed mining base that ends up holding much more than expected. It’s a fantastic set up that builds beautifully as the team discovers that the world they have landed on is composed of pure platinum, and then that beneath the surface of this prized rock lies a dangerous extraterrestrial life form. It becomes clear early on that the A.I., SCARAB may not be wholly trustworthy which is a problem considering its ability to monitor all communications and its operational control over a bevy of killer drones. Following a deadly accident during a deep dive exploration, crew members begin to drop and our protagonist, pilot Mary Ketch, must face off against a formidable opponent who could pose a threat to Earth itself.

I was totally on board for most of this novel and absolutely loved it’s hard sci-fi elements and creeping sense of foreboding throughout that early goings. I was hoping we’d delve more into the backstories and personalities of the crew but, outside of our protagonist, Mary, we don’t really get to know any of them. As a result, their deaths don’t really land with much of an emotional impact. Finally, the ending, doesn't do justice to the superbly constructed opening, shifting from clever SF mystery to more of an action-driven finale. And while that’s not to say it can’t work, Alien being a perfect example, there are two instances where our protagonist manages to escape free and clear only to make highly dubious decisions that serve no purpose other than to set up a more decisive showdown.

I’d give the first three-quarters of this book 5 stars, while the last crucial quarter gets a 3.

Science fiction readers are in for a treat with this new novel by Evan Graham. Unlike many books in this genre, the adventure begins quickly and the energy surrounding it remains consistent until the very end of the novel. The concept was unique, the characters were enjoyable and the fast-paced action made this novel impossible to put down. If you have ever thought about life in the universe and especially if you have ever considered why we have not discovered it, you will love the universe that Mr. Graham created. The physics are also believable and relatively (no pun intended haha) easy to understood. The integration of AI into the story was well thought out and was equal parts interesting and horrific. Overall, the novel was inspiring and I look forward to what other worlds and characters Mr. Graham creates in the future.

I read TANTALUS DEPTHS by Evan Graham and really enjoyed it. I rated this book 4/5 stars!

Mary is a deep space pilot. She and her crew are developing a mining facility on a barren planet with the aid of an advanced AI, called SCARAB. Their mission is waylaid when the crew discovers that there’s a sheet of platinum below the surface. When this discovery leads to a series of crew deaths, what lies beneath the surface is a threat to life as we know it.

Trigger warning for graphic descriptions of violence, miscarriage, suicide, and death. It took me a little bit to get into this book, but once I did, I really enjoyed it. The writing in the first two chapters was really lofty, but then not throughout the rest of the book. I would have liked more world building in terms of time and technological capabilities. But I loved the discovery and the twist, as well as the AI plot line.