OK, you should not judge a book by its cover but the cover of Dark Life is amazing! You really need to pick this book up and check out its cover. I kept running my hand over it as I read it.
Fortunately, Dark Life is also a exciting and well-written science fiction story. And it is also non-stop action!
Fifteen year-old Ty was born under the sea, where his parents and other settlers live and farm on the sea floor. Global warming and over-population have made "topside" a hard place to live, with people crowded into huge multi-story apartment buildings. The Topsiders look down on those living the Dark Life, under the sea, but they need the food the settlers raise and catch on their farms.
It's dangerous under the sea but Ty, his sister Zoe, and the other kids born undersea feel right at home. There are rumors of special "gifts" the kids are developing, perhaps due to the deep water pressure. When Gemma, a girl from the Topside, arrives in search of her missing brother, she and Ty suddenly find themselves facing new and surprising dangers - not all of them native to the sea.
I really enjoyed this new world found under the sea. From the slang and technology, to the way the kids zip around on manta boards, to the wonders of ocean life - it was all believable and compelling. Besides all the action there are several surprising twists and revelations. There is also a satisfying conclusion although I hope we can return one day to more adventures of Ty, Gemma, and Zoe in the Dark Life.
Click here to watch a terrific video book trailer about Dark Life!
Click here to read the first chapter of Dark Life online!
