science fiction

The story of the conflict and characters introduced in There Will Be Dragons is continued in Emerald Sea.

The people you love, hate and love to hate are all back - along with new characters in interesting situations.

As with the first book in the series, there is a solid plot and excellent characterisation. Villians that are human and heroes that are as well. Look for the author to poke gentle fun at himself and the previous volume.

Buy the book, heck buy two of them and an extra There Will Be Dragons so you can loan them out. Its a new twist on Science Fiction/Fantasy bluring the lines of both.

Emerald Sea has something Ringo's work has been missing for some time -- sheer whimsy. It's FUN.

The prequel to this wonderful book, There Will Be Dragons, read a bit like a Ren-Faire recreationist's dream of saving the world when technology fails (and TWBD will become known as the prequel, I am sure -- while a fine book, it never even aspired to the wonder of Emerald Sea).

In contrast, reading Emerald Sea is a complete immersion in the sense of wonder to which all speculative fiction aspires, and which so few manage to achieve.

This book is more focused than There Will Be Dragons, and the focus works. The main character is definitely Herzer Herrick, who has come into his own as a mature warrior between the two books. Herzer has completely left behind his "poor little abused rich kid" origins, and become an interesting, thoughtful, warrior with tremendous depth. While favorites from the earlier book are present, particularly Duke Edmund, the book moves to a new part of the world -- above and underneath the waters off the Florida coast.

Add in some classic-feeling-but-original elements like a wood-built dragon-carrying aircraft carrier and a really nasty set of underwater monster-villains, and you've got a blazingly original fantasy-with-scientific-underpinnings. Then you've got tons of innovative little low-powered future-tech nifty-bits like the quantum-surveillance gadgets. And did I mention the really cool underwater monsters?

I won't go more into plot or neat things, because I don't want to dilute readers' enjoyment. Trust me, they're there.

Yet the book doesn't take itself too seriously. You need only read the Prologue to realize that Emerald Sea won't match your preconceptions. It's going to lead your mind down unexpected and delightful twisted paths.

This book is a HUGE and welcome departure for Ringo. While there's plenty of Ringo's trademark conflict and mayhem, Emerald Sea has depth of character, surprisingly original ideas, and a sense of unadulterated sheer whimsy which will surprise and delight Ringo's earlier fans, and should give him a whole new set.

This book has science-fictionally plausible dragons; literally slimy badguys; fannish in-jokes to make you howl; and a mini-lop rabbit. The body count's a bit low for a Ringo book, but quantity is made up for, with quality. Oh, yeah - AND, there's cute mermaids. Two thumbs up, and a pair of big toes as well.