Chatterton Reef by McCamy Taylor

Chatterton Reef is a fantastic novel. It’s absolutely incredible how Ms. Taylor has taken one of the most alien and inhospitable ecospheres on the planet and made it ‘home.’ The complex societies are as real as any I’ve ever seen created. If I had bought this book at full price, I would have considered it a bargain.

I was sorry to see it end. . . .though there is plenty of set-up for a sequel, or three.

I can see the research that went into it. Everything from sea life to poetry to plays. . . .amazing.

Needs a little work on the nuclear stuff. Basically none of the descriptions of what happens with the submarine or the power plants would work, but it’s nothing that couldn’t be fixed.

Great job, McCamy.

Bill Wolfe

[Lester Curtis]

I found a few -- very few -- technical errors, mostly in punctuation, missed spaces between words, and such -- but --

damn!!

I think what impressed me most was the work that went into the cultures and religions of all the characters. This goes such a long way to making the whole thing 'real.' Consistency and continuity are perfect. Characters are also very complex and interesting. Excellent plotting, with sub-plots that keep the reader wondering about the outcome.

The setting is impressive as well; with all the details of the various undersea ecologies and types of environments.

Altogether an amazing piece of work. I predict this will wind up on the Year's Best list. It certainly deserves to.

Thank you, Ms. Taylor!

[Robert_Moriyama]

...

Altogether an amazing piece of work. I predict this will wind up on the Year's Best list. It certainly deserves to.

Thank you, Ms. Taylor!

Technically, as Long Fiction editor (we so rarely get actual Serials that I think the section should be renamed...), McCamy could pick her own work for the "Best of" list. However, she will need a few words of encouragement from the readers to actually get her to do it, so Read! Rave! (and Remind her, when I solicit nominations for next February's "Best of 2011" issue).