Behemoth: Seppuku by Peter Watts
|
List Price: Our Price: $9.75 You Save: $15.20 (61%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $2.30 (click here) Category: Book See more book details and other editions |
|---|
Book Reviews of Behemoth: Seppuku
Book Review: Satisfying ending to an intriguing series
Summary: 5 Stars
Peter Watts concludes his _Rifters_ saga in the fourth and final volume, _Behemoth: Book Two: Seppuku_. Watts had written that he originally planned a trilogy but that changes in the publishing industry had forced him to divide his rather large final volume into two novels, but that he was fortunate to have a good breaking point between the two books and two resulting novels that were different in scope. It seems to have been a good choice, as while _Behemoth_Book One_ focused nearly entirely on the undersea refuge of the corpses and rifters (along with our old friend Achilles Desjardins), _Book Two_ spent no time there at all but instead allowed the reader a tour of a post-Behemoth North America, a taste of international politics, and of course the end game between Lenie Clarke, Ken Lubin, and Achilles (and a new character that the book introduces, a physician by the name of Taka Ouellette).
Overall I found it satisfying. The post-apocalyptic world we got to see was believable and interesting though wasn't perhaps as well-explored as what we got to see in _Maelstrom_. We were shown much more of the sick and sadistic pleasures of Achilles. While never really entering "torture porn" territory, the reader is left with a sense of disquiet (at least this one was) about how far the author would go in that regard. I didn't think it gratuitous, as this was a fundamental aspect of Achilles' character and of what had happened to him regarding his conscience, but it still nonetheless made me a bit uncomfortable at times (and makes me wonder just what the future holds for some forms of entertainment, given the evolution of horror films and the continual apparent need for succeeding films to outdo one another, a point I think the author was trying to make).
I liked the ending, it had two interesting twists I really enjoyed and didn't devolve into what it could have been (one character simply killing another, story over). The world at the end of the novel is fundamentally different and not necessarily a world without hope. It is also a world that would be interesting to see explored in a later novel.
I would like to express my displeasure at this series being out of print despite its recent age (_Seppuku_ came out in 2004). That is a real shame, as it is a worthwhile and interesting series, an excellent addition to the end of the world sub-genre of science fiction as well as probably the finest novel to ever handle the deep sea and ocean themes. The series overall was well researched (the author himself was a marine biologist) and had well-developed characters, a fascinating setting, and was an intriguing exploration of developing trends in our world.
Book Review: Some images aren't worth seeing
Summary: 1 Stars
I loved Starfish. I appreciated the smart science (hey, gotta love SF with bibliographies!); I found the world riveting and the characters well-drawn. But I cannot, in good conscience, recommend this book. The sequence of sexual sadism, which stretches on for chapter after excruciating chapter, is simply too visually explicit to be worth experiencing. It's an image I just didn't need, and one I can't get out of my head. It includes an eroticized clitoridectomy, for goodness sake. For me, that sequence overshadows everything else in the book, and however much you may want to see the resolution of issues raised in the other books, be sure you're willing to have that image stuck to your eyeballs before you buy or read this volume.Book Review: ugh, don't bother
Summary: 2 Stars
The first book, "Starfish" was amazing, just a great read. This last book is horrible! Confusing, pointless, and extremely degrading, I wish I had never read it. I agree whole heartedly with "aisian film c" above! The rape and torture of one of the more sympathetic characters is what really pushed this book into the crapper for me.Book Review: Behemoth
Summary: 4 Stars
An anaerobic microbe from the deep sea may have delivered the coup de grace to an already struggling mid-21st century world.
It makes more sense to me to review the whole series when it's one story -- so here goes.
I was very surprised to find that the mass market editions of these books are out of print -- even as the final hardcover has only just been released. I can't understand why this series wouldn't get more support, because in my opinion it has everything that successful science fiction needs. Watts incorporates big, shiny ideas -- and the deep-sea biology is a wonderful original touch. The books include a high level of action and tension and, pleasantly unusually for "idea" SF, are strongly character-driven. And the characters are tormented enough for anyone.
There are flaws. At times, the plot is unclear, and while I like the pivotal role played by ignorance and misunderstanding, at times an irritating back-and-forth plot dynamic (Seppuku is a cure, no it isn't, yes it is) appears. Characterization, while overall excellent, at times seems over the top -- it's not entirely clear why *everyone* is so messed up, and the stupid bickering between the Rifters and the corporates in Atlantis left me with sympathy for neither side. I was put off by the apparent indifference of the characters to the impending destruction of Earth's whole ecosystem -- but then, they're selfish and profoundly damaged people, and creating sympathy for them in the reader's mind does not seem to have been Watts' priority. I would have found the aforesaid destruction more effective had it been shown more clearly.
But, despite all these quibbles, I think this series is really good SF, and I highly recommend it.
Book Review: Satisfying conclusion to a fascinating series
Summary: 5 Stars
First off, for those of you haven't already read "Behemoth: B-Max" (at least) you will definitely want to do so before tackling "Behemoth: Seppuku". For reasons that the author explains in the first volume, they constitute one book that was split into two due to pressures in the publishing issue. This novel does not stand alone, and will make no sense without reading the previous volume. Furthermore, there are two other volumes in the series "Starfish" and "Maelstrom" and while each entry stands on its own fairly well, reading the books in order would definitely be the approach I would recommend.
For those of you who are new to the series, here is a brief synopsis that should tell you whether or not these books are for you. Essentially, the story arc is about evolution: human, animal and electronic. By mixing a blend of biology, computer science and chaos theory, author Peter Watts has created a near future Earth where man is simultaneously at the height of his powers and walking the knife's edge of total ecological failure. In an effort to maintain the high standard of Western living mankind has turned to deep sea geothermal power to meet their energy needs. Miles below the ocean, specially engineered humans culled from the dregs of society maintain these power plants. However, what no one could have expected was that they would encounter an organism that would unleash an apocalypse. Part hard science-fiction, part post-apocalyptic, the first two books represent a genuinely original voice in the genre.
For those of you who have been eagerly awaiting "Seppuku" rest assured the ending is eminently satisfying. Given the two volume approach, it is difficult to offer much in the way of plot details without providing spoilers, but I can say that after the somewhat broader focus of "Maelstrom" and "B-Max" the story has gone full circle and boiled back down to the most perverse trinity of characters one is likely to find: Lenie Clarke, Ken Lubin and Achilles Desjardins. As the three engage in a power-play in which no one's motivations are clear and the fate of the world hangs in the balance, action takes precedence over thought, to sometimes disastrous effect. Nonetheless, the science and technology which has so defined this series is on ample display and is as prescient as ever.
Of particular note, I found the conclusion to be perfectly enigmatic. This is post-apocalyptic fiction, and a happy ending would have been wildly out of place, but Watts' conclusion recognizes this without being entirely bleak. In this regard, his novel owes more to "Alas, Babylon" with it's open ended conclusion, than the superb, but utterly fatalistic "On the Beach".
To say more would risk huge spoilers, so suffice it to say "Sepukku" is every bit the conclusion I was hoping for. Watts has combined hard science fiction and post-apocalyptic fiction and taken both in new and exciting directions. If you're a fan of the series, you'll be glad at the way it ends; if you're intrigued by this review, grab "Starfish" and start from the beginning.
Jake Mohlman
More Customer Reviews:
1 2
1 2