The Trench

Rating:
Summary: The Angel of Death bites the dust...
Review: I enjoyed Alten's debut MEG, despite some 2D supporting characters and a bad epilogue. But it took an effort to finish this sloppy, worse-off sequel.

First off, Alten seems to love to weave in unnecessary sexual and drug scenes. It's getting really annoying, and it's showing up in all of his novels. I mean, we can't ignore the real world and how people really are, but Alten puts too much of the grimy real world into literature. Perhaps it's too attract more audiences, perhaps it's too spice up the boring, badly explained techno-babble, but I feel as if I'm reading a porn novel instead of good prose.

The rest of the book is okay; Jonas is probably the only character who I actually liked, Mac works well as the comedic Al Giordino buddy but somehow he's become sinister in a way. Some characters cuss too much, and Benedict Singer, the main villain, has interesting philosophies but is weak and more of an annoyance than a hateable character. Celeste, the second-ranked bad girl, is way too slutty and I actually laughed at Alten's pathetic attempt to develop her. Terry, Jonas' wife, is too cliche' and somehow makes you want her to die.

But, Alten's saving grace is what started his career: Carcharadon Megalodon (or something like that.) The shark scenes are well-done, and although they are overly gory, it was nice to see the Meg in some new situations. The only problem is that Alten kills off too many characters; I think he cares for the Meg more than he cares for the humans. MEG, Domain, and Goliath are his best, and he seems to be slipping off the track with this and the even dumber Resurrection, so hopefully Primal Waters will redeem him for these literary mistakes.

Rating:
Summary: Much Better Than Meg
Review: I was hoping that Steve Alten's sequel to "Meg" had something more to offer. I was very pleased to see that Alten has added to his talents, by adding some side storylines and cut down on the carnage of his first novel. This is by no means a stellar novel, it will keep you enticed enough to race through to the end.

This story also revolves around Jonas Taylor and his fears of the Trench. Taylor now works at the Tanaka Institute taking care of Angel. The offspring megaladon of Meg. Lawsuits have bankrupted the Institute and Masao Tanaka is forced to do business with a group of explorers interested in the deeps of the trench led by Benedict Singer, who has his own hidden agenda. Angel then escapes the institute and we are on a chase through the Pacific Ocean, ending in the Mariana Trench.

The side story with Singer makes this novel read like a techno-thriller. This is nice addition for Alten who does write great action sequences for the megaladons. However with "Meg" it was to overdone and the novel became almost comic book like. "The Trench" is more real and Jonas Taylor fighting his demons within himself are more believable in this on.

Rating:
Summary: Just as good as the first!
Review: I was reading an article updating the movie that is based on Steve Alten's first book "MEG" when I clicked on a link to the website and found that he had a sequel out called "THE TRENCH". I bought the book that very day and what a thrill ride.
"THE TRENCH" starts out a few years after the first novel with Jonas Taylor now watching over Angel, the baby shark born at the end of the first book. But Angel has grown significantly larger than her mother. She is 72 feet in length which is 12 feet longer than her mother and weighs several tons more. She is the main attraction at an aquarium owned by Masao Tanaka who is now his father-in-law. After repeated warnings about the shark banging her head against the steel doors that kept her from the ocean, she finally breaks free and goes on quest to return to her home in the trench. His wife Terry and her father Masao take his place aboard a mission in which subs plant mechanical type robots in the ground at the bottom of the oecean in the trench to record any activity that might alert them to a coming monsoon or earthquake. But there is secret plot involved in this.
With much suspense, action, and mystery, this book will not let you put it down until you find out what is really going on in the trench.
Just a wonderful book that will keep you wanting more, which you will get when the sequel comes out later this year or the next.

Rating:
Summary: A fun, fast and thrilling read!
Review: If you liked Steve Alten's NY Times best-seller, MEG, then you'll love THE TRENCH. It's a high octane, thrill-a-minute, pulse-pounding, heart-stopper of a read, with plenty of villains to hate, heroes to root for, and subplots to get caught up in.

THE TRENCH has something for everyone: for the science buff, fascinating details about deep-sea submersibles and the exotic life forms that lurk in the ocean's depths; for action lovers, literally dozens of action sequences that would be mind-blowing on the big screen; for the romantic at heart, a subplot that is a touching testament to the power of love.

Some people, such as "a reader from Philadelphia, PA" (see review below), seem to think that Alten is aiming for a Pulitzer Prize with THE TRENCH. To such people I say: "Lighten up, will ya?!" To any discerning reader it should be obvious that Alten has no such literary aspirations. If you're looking for a detailed examination of controversial social issues or profound insights into the human condition, look elsewhere. But if you want to be thrilled, entertained, and scared even, then read THE TRENCH. (About the only weakness in the book, and it's a minor one at that, is the occasionally sloppy editing.)

In short, THE TRENCH is a Hollywood blockbuster just waiting to happen. It's a fun, fast and thrilling read. But don't take my word for it. Check it out for yourself!

Rating:
Summary: 3.5 stars really
Review: The sequel to MEG loses something as author Steve Alten adds [human] violence, sex, and a rediculous plot to control the world to make THE TRENCH more mainstream. Taking place several years after the events of MEG, which saw a female Carcaradon megalodon escaping from the ultra-deep Mariana Trench and eating lots of unsuspecting folks, we find our hero, Jonas Taylor, severely distraught after years of playing nursemaid to Angel, the captive daughter of the original Meg. Angel eventually escapes, and is chased by Jonas and his crazy copter pilot friend Mackriedes while they simaltaneously battle Big Corporate Baddies. Like MEG, TRENCH's shark scenes are terrifying (especially if you're scared of sharks in the first place), but the Evil Corporation plot that takes up the other half of the book is stupid, though enjoyable. Despite its shortcomings, I highly recommend both it and MEG.

Rating:
Summary: A MEG-nificent Sequel!
Review: When I heard that Steve Alten was writing a sequel to MEG, my first reaction was "What For?" I mean, I enjoyed MEG, but it was just an updated version of "JAWS". A big killer shark on the loose. How original. (Charles Wilson did a much better job in his book EXTINCT.)

I knew how the sequel would read. The baby meg would grow up and escape from captivity and Jonas Taylor would be called out of retirement to capture it....... BOY WAS I EVER WRONG!

The Trench is an exciting undersea techno-thriller with non-stop suspense and unexpected surprises! There are two MEGS featured in this book! The 72 foot MEGalodon Shark, and a MEGalomaniacal villain who's just as dangerous. Jonas Taylor reluctantly returns to the Mariana Trench to rescue his wife, but there is something else besides the Megalodons lurking in THE TRENCH!

Way to go, Steve! GREAT SEQUEL!

Rating:
Summary: An Excellent Read!
Review: Wow! What can I say? The sequel to MEG is full of more action, plot twists, and terror! Steve Alten is one of my favorite authors. 'The Trench' is one of the reasons why! Happy swimming!