Lord of the Deep

Rating:
Summary: Boston Globe/ Horn Book Award Winner is misunderstood
Review: As the winner of the 2002 Boston Globe/ Horn Book Award for best fiction publihsed in the USA, LORD OF THE DEEP is surely misunderstood. Some readers seem to want pat answers. Others seem to want the book to "educate" their young readers. This book does neither. What it does is provide a glimpse at the gray areas in real life, and an opportunity to relfect upon one's own feelings about how to resolve a difficult issue. You have to read with more than gratuitous answers in mind to ride this book through its study in human nature.

Rating:
Summary: An okay book with disappointing ending
Review: For the most part, the story line of the book carries the reader along. There are parts when the fishing gets really exciting. However, I hate it when authors talk about boredom. When they write that their character is bored, I get bored reading it, and that's not fun. I thought the display of Mikey's trust and love towards his step father was touching, but I guess I felt betrayed at how the ending played out. I know that it's impossible to ask for perfect hero action out of Bill, and that's fine that he wasn't a hero, but the scene where Mikey confronts Bill is so unbelievable, it makes the entire book seem unbelievable. I put it down thinking I had wasted my time on a story that was pulling the wool over my eyes, and that doesn't make me feel good about myself. Rather disappointing.

Rating:
Summary: An okay book with disappointing ending
Review: For the most part, the story line of the book carries the reader along. There are parts when the fishing gets really exciting. However, I hate it when authors talk about boredom. When they write that their character is bored, I get bored reading it, and that's not fun. I thought the display of Mikey's trust and love towards his step father was touching, but I guess I felt betrayed at how the ending played out. I know that it's impossible to ask for perfect hero action out of Bill, and that's fine that he wasn't a hero, but the scene where Mikey confronts Bill is so unbelievable, it makes the entire book seem unbelievable. I put it down thinking I had wasted my time on a story that was pulling the wool over my eyes, and that doesn't make me feel good about myself. Rather disappointing.

Rating:
Summary: A great book.
Review: Graham Salisbury clearly knows is teritory, both the geographical territory of Hawaii and the territory of the human heart. During the two days of the novel, the thirteen year old main character must make difficult choices about truth and family. I couldn't put this book down. It's a terrific read and a story that stays in my mind. Highly recommend it.

Rating:
Summary: poor ending to a good story
Review: I don't want to spoil the story for those who haven't read it. I'll just say that I did not like the ending. It reminded me of the movie "Cheaters" which I saw on HBO last year (and which was about a high school teacher who allows his students to cheat).

My thumb is down for Lord of the Deep.

Rating:
Summary: Lord of the Deep spectaculur Review
Review: This is a great read! I would have never thought I could get caught up in the excitement of "landing the big one!" In this young adult book by Graham Salisbury, that is exactly what happened. Graham's description of events drew me into the drama of the moment, and I could almost feel the
salt air misting on me. Excellent!

Lord Of The Deep is a great action and adventure story, but it is more than that as well.

Mikey is growing up and on an outing with his father Bill, who charters his fishing boat, Mikey tastes young love ,stirring new emotions and feelings inside of him. Already struggling with new feelings, Bill makes a decision that goes against the rules after the catch of a 'big ' one, Mikey does not approve of Bill's decision and is troubled over it. He learns not all things in life are black and white.Not all decisions are made on what is correct.

Perhaps some readers will feel that this story should have had a different ending then the one it did. However, I believe the author wanted to show that what we feel are right decisions are not always made by the ones that we think the highest of.
Growing up is not easy and pretending that adults will always practice what they preach
is often a fairy-tale, as hard as we might try; decisions may be based on reasons unknown to others. Right or wrong!

I liked Lord of The Deep. It was a fast pace, quick read. Kept my attention from beginning to end,and that is what a good book is all about!

I recommend it.

Shirley Johnson/Reviewer

Rating:
Summary: MIDWEST BOOK REVIEW
Review: This is a great read! I would have never thought I could get caught up in the excitement of "landing the big one!" In this young adult book by Graham Salisbury, that is exactly what happened. Graham's description of events drew me into the drama of the moment, and I could almost feel the
salt air misting on me. Excellent!

Lord Of The Deep is a great action and adventure story, but it is more than that as well.

Mikey is growing up and on an outing with his father Bill, who charters his fishing boat, Mikey tastes young love ,stirring new emotions and feelings inside of him. Already struggling with new feelings, Bill makes a decision that goes against the rules after the catch of a 'big ' one, Mikey does not approve of Bill's decision and is troubled over it. He learns not all things in life are black and white.Not all decisions are made on what is correct.

Perhaps some readers will feel that this story should have had a different ending then the one it did. However, I believe the author wanted to show that what we feel are right decisions are not always made by the ones that we think the highest of.
Growing up is not easy and pretending that adults will always practice what they preach is often a fairy-tale, as hard as we might try; decisions may be based on reasons unknown to others. Right or wrong!

I liked Lord of The Deep. It was a fast pace, quick read. Kept my attention from beginning to end,and that is what a good book is all about!

I recommend it.

Shirley Johnson/Reviewer

Rating:
Summary: Lord of the Deep spectaculur Review
Review: This is the best book any one can read because it is filled with adventure and when you read this book, it really feels like you are in the ocean fighting and trying to pull up all the fish. This has got to be the best book i have ever read in my life. This is not only about fishing, it is about what a 13 year old boy is going through.

Rating:
Summary: Page turner that stays with you
Review: This story is full of the action and the details of deep sea fishing. Mikey greatly admires his step-father, Bill. He is proud of the confidence and trust that he has earned with his hard work for Bill's charter fishing boat business. When Bill offers to adopt Mikey, we feel the boy's happiness. He does not like their new charter customers though and Mikey's peace of mind is crushed when Bill makes a decision in favor his family over ethics.

The ending of the novel does come as a jolt but the more I have thought about it, the more it speaks to me. Young people view the world as very concrete, and it is difficult to come to terms with the hard choices adults must make. It is painful to understand the failings of people we love. What Mikey decides at the end of the story would make for a terrific discussion with young people who are just beginning to make personal decisions about their lives.

A fifth grade student told me recently that this book was his favorite Texas Bluebonnet book so far this year.

Rating:
Summary: A Great Platform for Discussion
Review: This was a truly terrible story of a boy who idolizes his stepfather only to learn that the stepdad is not honest. So what does the boy do? Crushed, he goes along, having no real choice, according to the author's telling. A generous reading would call this book amoral; I think bad is more accurate. So the point is? Kids who are better than their parents should go down with them? Let's get our kids really depressed and cynical? Let's let kids think it's okay to accept dishonesty, if it means not upsetting people? That it's okay to cheat? I want my money back.