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WORK TITLE: Ocean of Storms
WORK NOTES: with Christopher Mari
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE:
CITY:
STATE: NY
COUNTRY:
NATIONALITY:
https://bibliosanctum.com/2016/12/20/book-review-ocean-of-storms-by-christopher-mari-and-jeremy-k-brown/ * http://www.thebigthrill.org/2017/01/ocean-of-storms-by-christopher-mari-and-jeremy-k-brown/ *
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Married; children: sons.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer. WWE, Stamford, CT, deputy editor for WWE magazine, writer for television shows.
WRITINGS
Contributor of articles to publications, including TV Guide and the Discovery Channel magazine. Editor of a special issue of Newsweek.
SIDELIGHTS
Jeremy K. Brown is a writer and editor based in New York. He worked for the WWE, or World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., for a decade. Brown wrote for the organization’s television shows and served as a deputy editor for its magazine.
Ursula K. LeGuin
Brown has written and edited nonfiction books for the H.W. Wilson and Chelsea House publishing companies. Among his nonfiction volumes are Warfare in the Twenty-first Century, Stevie Wonder: Musician, Amelia Earhart: Aviator, and Ursula K. LeGuin.
In Ursula K. LeGuin, Brown profiles the celebrated science fiction writer. He offers details about her personal life, but his main focus is on analysis of her works. The book includes close readings of her best-known novels, as well as commentary on the key themes in her books. It also highlights writers who have taken inspiration from LeGuin’s works. Writing in School Library Journal, Rebecca Donnelly offered a favorable assessment of Ursula K. LeGuin. Donnelly asserted: “This title does a fine job of conveying … the story of an author’s long career.”
Ocean of Storms
Brown collaborated with Christopher Mari to write the 2016 novel Ocean of Storms. When a devastating electromagnetic event occurs on Earth, the U.S. and the Chinese governments attempt to find its source. They discover that an object on the moon may have caused the event. The Americans attempt to beat China to the moon to examine the object. In an interview with a contributor to the Big Thrill Web site, Brown discussed the message of the novel, stating: “The book is a reminder that we are all in this together. From coming together to return humans to the Moon to facing the future together with hope, optimism, and a better plan for humanity, the book illustrates that we are all united and this little ball of mud and rock is all we’ve got. So we’d better make our stand here and make it count.” Brown added: “I think this book presents some incredible thrilling moments as well as the twists and turns you might expect from a thriller, but also offers a little something to think over.”
Ocean of Storms received mixed reviews. A Publishers Weekly critic remarked: “The writing is mostly solid … but some distracting lapses and the well-worn plot are discouraging.” In a lengthy assessment of the volume on the Bibliosanctum Web site, a contributor suggested: “The book only stumbled in the second half, when the story shifted away from the big action and suspense to focus instead on convoluted government conspiracies, dubious physics, and going a little too overboard with paleoanthropological theory.” The contributor added: “Ocean of Storms was a damn fun read. … Let’s just say you aren’t likely to be bowled over by its literary merits, but if you’re simply looking to kick back with an entertaining, high-octane sci-fi thriller, then you’ve come to the right place.” The contributor concluded by describing the novel as an “enjoyable, if at times flawed, read.” A writer on the For Winter Nights—A Bookish Blog Web site remarked: “There’s a good chunk of Ocean of Storms that fulfils its promise. The beginning is thrilling and the momentum is maintained as America works to put together its mission to the Moon. … It felt believable as well as tense.” However, the same writer continued: “The second half didn’t live up to the first.” A reviewer on the Luxury Reading Web site suggested: “Ocean of Storms is like Armageddon, Independence Day, and The Core all wrapped up into a novel. The explosive action and political intrigue help make this novel a fast, enjoyable read, but don’t expect anything here to provoke any deep thought.” The reviewer also called the book “a ridiculous, improbable, and fun science fiction summer beach read.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Publishers Weekly, October 24, 2016, review of Ocean of Storms, p. 62.
School Library Journal, May, 2011, Rebecca Donnelly, review of Ursula K. Le Guin, p. 130.
ONLINE
Bibliosanctum, https://bibliosanctum.com/ (December 20, 2016), review of Ocean of Storms.
Big Thrill, http://www.thebigthrill.org/ (January 31, 2017), author interview.
For Winter Nights—A Bookish Blog, https://forwinternights.wordpress.com/ (November 21, 2016), review of Ocean of Storms.
Luxury Reading, http://luxuryreading.com/ (April 17, 2017), review of Ocean of Storms.*
Jeremy K. Brown has authored several biographies for young readers, including books on Stevie Wonder and Ursula K. Le Guin. He has also contributed articles to numerous magazines and newspapers, including special issues for TV Guide and the Discovery Channel, and recently edited a collector’s issue on Pink Floyd for Newsweek. He worked for 10 years for WWE, serving as Deputy Editor of WWE Magazine and as a member of the company's television writing staff. Jeremy published his first novel, Calling Off Christmas, in 2011 and is currently at work on another novel. He lives in New York with his wife and sons.
QUOTED: "the book is a reminder that we are all in this together. From coming together to return humans to the Moon to facing the future together with hope, optimism and a better plan for humanity, the book illustrates that we are all united and this little ball of mud and rock is all we’ve got. So we’d better make our stand here and make it count."
"I think this book presents some incredible thrilling moments as well as the twists and turns you might expect from a thriller, but also offers a little something to think over."
Ocean of Storms by Christopher Mari and Jeremy K. Brown
January 31, 2017 by ITW
10 0
In the not-so-distant future, an explosion on the moon generates a world-crippling electromagnetic pulse. Tensions between the US and China mount to an all-time high, as the two countries begin a renewed space race to discover what tore a huge gash into the moon’s surface. Renegade archeologist Dr. Elias Zell and his protégé, Alan Donovan, join NASA astronauts and train for the trip that could finally answer the question of whether we are alone in the universe. International conspiracy and intrigue force cooperation between the superpowers to give the mission any shot at success. For Donovan, completing the mission will give him closure with his father, a disgraced former astronaut from the Apollo program, as well allowing him to be first on an earth-shattering discovery that will change mankind forever. This fast-paced read will keep readers engaged to the final twist and turns as the conspiracy unfolds. Mari and Brown’s first SF collaboration is a good pick for those new to the genre as well as more seasoned readers.
Authors Christopher Mari and Jeremy K. Brown recently spent some with The Big Thrill discussing their novel, OCEAN OF STORMS:
What do you hope readers will take away from this book?
Christopher Mari: The fact that people have in the past and can in the future work together to successfully complete ambitious projects. We did it before—in abolishing slavery, in World War II, in curing polio, during the Civil Rights movement, landing on the Moon. And I genuinely believe we can do great things again if we set clear goals and apply ourselves.
Jeremy K. Brown: I second what Chris said and would add that the book is a reminder that we are all in this together. From coming together to return humans to the Moon to facing the future together with hope, optimism and a better plan for humanity, the book illustrates that we are all united and this little ball of mud and rock is all we’ve got. So we’d better make our stand here and make it count.
How does this book make a contribution to the genre?
Christopher Mari: For whatever reason, I tend to think of sci-fi and thrillers as separate genres. Hopefully this book helps to show that they can be complimentary and compatible.
Jeremy K. Brown: I think this book presents some incredible thrilling moments as well as the twists and turns you might expect from a thriller, but also offers a little something to think over when it’s all said and done. Once all the conspiracies are revealed, the key players unmasked and the central plot resolved, there is still plenty for our characters, and hopefully the reader, to mull over and consider.
Was there anything new you discovered, or surprised you, as you wrote this book?
Christopher Mari: I had no idea that a human being could survive being exposed to the vacuum of space for a short period of time.
Jeremy K. Brown: I think everything about evolution and our human history, where we came from, how we got here, what our shared ancestry may be. Delving into that subject and really learning as much as we did about it was a surprising and rewarding experience.
No spoilers, but what can you tell us about your book that we won’t find in the jacket copy or the PR material?
Christopher Mari: That there may be more to human history than we know…
Jeremy K. Brown: From the moment the signal is received until the final revelation, nothing is what it seems.
What authors or books have influenced your career as a writer, and why?
Christopher Mari: Walt Whitman showed me that it was possible to write with complete joy. Ernest Hemingway modeled how to write a clean sentence. Ray Bradbury’s books gave me my first literary experience with wonder. Philip K. Dick blew my mind and put it back together in a way that made me see the world from a different point of view.
Jeremy K. Brown: Stephen King is probably the writer who first made me want to try and do this for a living. Even though this isn’t a horror story, King showed how extraordinary events can happen to ordinary people and in ordinary places, and I drew on that when working on this story. That was a big help in making the events of this book feel real and grounded. Additionally, King has a very visual and epic style that brings the book vividly to life. Someone somewhere once described him as having “a projector I his head,” and I take the same approach to writing by using words to create large sequences and moments that would feel just as at home on a movie screen as they do on the page. Also, Arthur C. Clarke’s “Space Odyssey” books were a huge influence as well, blending hard science with incredible, wondrous imagery about what may await humanity in space. I also love Frank Herbert, Ursula K. Le Guin and especially J.R.R. Tolkien for their world-building abilities. To create a place like Middle Earth and have it feel completely real is truly awe-inspiring. Tolkien always said his books were meant to be read as a pre-history to our own history, and to me, that’s exactly how they feel.
*****
Christopher Mari was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, and was educated at Fordham University. He has edited books on a wide variety of topics, including three on space exploration. His writing has appeared in such magazines as America, Current Biography, Issues and Controversies, and US Catholic. His next novel, The Beachhead, will be published by 47North in 2017. He lives with his family in Queens, New York.
Jeremy K. Brown has authored several biographies for young readers, including books on Stevie Wonder and Ursula K. Le Guin. He has also contributed articles to numerous magazines and newspapers, including special issues for TV Guide and the Discovery Channel, and recently edited a collector’s issue on Pink Floyd for Newsweek. Jeremy published his first novel, Calling Off Christmas, in 2011 and is currently at work on another novel. He lives in New York with his wife and sons.
QUOTED: "The writing is mostly solid ... but some distracting lapses and the well-worn plot are discouraging."
Ocean of Storms
263.43 (Oct. 24, 2016): p62.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2016 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Ocean of Storms
Jeremy K. Brown and Christopher Mari. 47 North, $14.95 trade paper (410p) ISBN 978-1-5039-3877-9
Stock characters in a stock setting will disappoint readers of this near-future thriller. The entire Earth is rocked by a devastating electromagnetic pulse that kills thousands and creates global panic. After electrical systems come back online, scientists determine that the EMP was caused by something beneath the Moon's surface, probably the product of alien intelligence. The U.S. and China race to get there first and investigate. There are predictable setbacks along the way for the American effort, indications that not all Americans are on board with the plan, and escalating tensions between the two countries over Taiwan. The astronauts' discovery of what's on the Moon will feel anticlimactic to anyone familiar with the genre. The writing is mostly solid, suggesting that given a less derivative story the writers could produce a more satisfying novel, but some distracting lapses and the well-worn plot are discouraging. (Nov.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Ocean of Storms." Publishers Weekly, 24 Oct. 2016, p. 62. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA468771820&it=r&asid=ef637f97685007c8b39bbaa5d3099273. Accessed 4 July 2017.
QUOTED: "This title does a fine job of conveying ... the story of an author's long career."
Gale Document Number: GALE|A468771820
Brown, Jeremy K. Ursula K. Le Guin
Rebecca Donnelly
57.5 (May 2011): p130.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2011 Library Journals, LLC. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
BROWN, Jeremy K. Ursula K. Le Guin. 128p. (Who Wrote That? Series). photos. reprods, bibliog, chron, further reading. index, notes. Web sites. CIP. Chelsea House. 2010. PLB $35. ISBN 978-160413-724-8; ebook $35. ISBN 978-14381-3590-8. LC 2010006600.
Gr 6 Up-Le Guin's work raises questions about identity and morality, and Brown explores her treatment of these themes in a way that readers, whether they're reading for pleasure or for reports, will appreciate. He emphasizes her principled stands on race and gender in her writing, but concentrates more on her storytelling and her impact on the held, and on writers such as Orson Scott Card. Chapters cover Le Guin's background and her major works, and back matter includes source notes and a list of popular characters. There are one or two photos per chapter and sidebars on topics such as challenges brought against her books and an explanation of the Hugo and Nebula awards. This title does a fine job of conveying both the story of an author's long career and the vision that fuels it.--Rebecca Donnelly, Loma Colorado Public Library, Rio Rancho, NM
Donnelly, Rebecca
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Donnelly, Rebecca. "Brown, Jeremy K. Ursula K. Le Guin." School Library Journal, May 2011, p. 130. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA255494045&it=r&asid=5e893e0a79f05372fd49492213a82af3. Accessed 4 July 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A255494045
QUOTED: "the book only stumbled in the second half, when the story shifted away from the big action and suspense to focus instead on convoluted government conspiracies, dubious physics, and going a little too overboard with paleoanthropological theory."
"Ocean of Storms was a damn fun read. ... Let’s just say you aren’t likely to be bowled over by its literary merits, but if you’re simply looking to kick back with an entertaining, high-octane sci-fi thriller, then you’ve come to the right place."
"enjoyable, if at times flawed, read."
Book Review: Ocean of Storms by Christopher Mari and Jeremy K. Brown
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
ocean-of-stormsOcean of Storms by Christopher Mari and Jeremy K. Brown
Mogsy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Science Fiction
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: 47North (December 1, 2016)
Length: 400 pages
Author Information: Christopher Mari | Jeremy K. Brown
Impending apocalypse. A heart-pounding Space Race. Political thrills. Oceans of Storms has all this and more, and it is also a story made up of many different parts. With scenes and situations reminiscent of movies like Independence Day, Armageddon, or Jurassic Park, the book also felt to me a lot like a Hollywood summer blockbuster in prose form. Indeed, looking back at the notes I took while reading, the thing that kept cropping up in my comments and descriptions was the word “cinematic”.
It all began with the moon. But of course, when the massive electromagnetic pulse ripped across Earth, knocking out power globally, no one knew the cause. It wasn’t until later that scientists determined that the EMP originated from our planet’s closest neighbor, where a powerful explosion had exposed something buried deep beneath the lunar surface. Based on early findings and analysis, at the bottom of this newly created fissure is an extremely large and technologically advanced object that has been on the moon for at least two million years. Which means whatever it is, it couldn’t have been placed there by human beings. Moreover, the discovery was accompanied with a message: coordinates to a location somewhere on the vast lunar mare called the Ocean of Storms.
Not surprisingly, the news causes worldwide chaos and panic. In response, the US vows to launch a manned mission to the lunar coordinates to investigate the source of the power surge. Problem is, budget cuts over the years have gutted NASA’s space program, putting them far behind where they need to be to make that possible. Meanwhile, the Chinese are way ahead, sending rockets to survey the moon from orbit, though they lack the lander technology—technology that the US has. To prevent further widespread unrest, the two countries’ space programs have no choice but to team up amidst the burgeoning cold war between their governments because the answers on the moon are too important to let politics get in the way. Knowing as well that they might find the remnants of an ancient civilization, two American archaeologists and a Chinese forensic anthropologist also join the team in the hopes of finding out who or what might have been responsible for the mysterious signal.
Before I begin, I have a confession to make. Archaeology and Anthropology are my pet subjects and my college specializations so as soon as I saw that a couple of “maverick archaeologists” were among the main characters of this book, I knew I had to read it. Relatively speaking though, neither the scientific or technological aspects were really all that weighty here, but there’s certainly enough to tickle readers’ interests. I also found the story easy to get into, and I very much enjoyed the mashup of sci-fi elements together with the thrills and suspense.
I think if the authors had stayed on this course, the book would have been even more compelling. I loved how things started with a bang, and that burst of momentum was continued by the mystery of the discovery on the moon. As I mentioned before, there was also a cinematic quality to the story that I really enjoyed. Sure, the characters might not be all that deep, and the overall premise might be too farfetched or unconvincing, but I have I to say I didn’t mind too much. I picked up this book for the same reason millions flock to see the big-budget, special-effects laden films that dominate the box office every year—to be entertained. And for the most part, I think Ocean of Storms succeeded. Without giving away any spoilers, I would say the book only stumbled in the second half, when the story shifted away from the big action and suspense to focus instead on convoluted government conspiracies, dubious physics, and going a little too overboard with paleoanthropological theory.
To the book’s credit though, I never once found it boring. Suffice to say, I think the authors wanted Ocean of Storms to be the literary equivalent of the “big-budget, special-effects laden blockbuster” and had a boatload of great ideas to make it so, but ultimately they might have taken it a little too far. There’s just not enough room to make all these pieces fit together coherently, so while the end result is certainly captivating, it unfortunately also feels somewhat disjointed.
Still, in spite of my complaints, Ocean of Storms was a damn fun read and I do not regret the time I spent with it. I loved the concept, even if its execution was a bit off and the science was a little flimsy. Let’s just say you aren’t likely to be bowled over by its literary merits, but if you’re simply looking to kick back with an entertaining, high-octane sci-fi thriller, then you’ve come to the right place. Overall a really enjoyable, if at times flawed, read.
3-5stars
QUOTED: "There’s a good chunk of Ocean of Storms that fulfils its promise. The beginning is thrilling and the momentum is maintained as America works to put together its mission to the Moon. ... It felt believable as well as tense."
"The second half didn’t live up to the first."
Ocean of Storms by Christopher Mari and Jeremy K. Brown
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Ocean of Storms | Christopher Mari and Jeremy K. Brown | 2016 (1 December) | 47North | 410p | Review copy | Buy the book
Ocean of Storms by Christopher Mari and Jeremy K BrownIn the near future, a single moment changes everything. A catastrophic and mysterious event splits the surface of the Moon, opening a massive torn vent. The force of the explosion hits the Earth in the form of an enormous electromagnetic pulse that stops everything in its tracks – no power, no communication, nothing. Planes fall from the sky, people are isolated and frightened, everybody expects the worst. A cold war between America and China is about to reach the point of no return, with warships ready to strike, missiles armed, their targets selected. For a moment, as the lights turn back on, hostilities take a back seat as both nations try to find out the cause of the catastrophe but, when a signal from the moon suggests that forces neither natural nor human were behind it, a new space race is initiated as both countries compete to land on the Moon first.
In these uncertain days, nothing goes quite as planned, and it is soon clear that an uneasy, united mission is the answer to the problem of how to reach the Moon quickly and in one piece. But the crew comprises more than astronauts, there are archaeologists, too. Understanding what it is that has torn the Moon open will take all their skills. And all the time, an Earth on the brink of war watches and waits.
The moment I heard about Ocean of Storms I was so excited to read it. It sounded just like the kind of science fiction novel that I love, combining first contact, a mission into space and the hint of something apocalyptic on the horizon. And there’s a good chunk of Ocean of Storms that fulfils its promise. The beginning is thrilling and the momentum is maintained as America works to put together its mission to the Moon. I really enjoyed the detail of this. It felt believable as well as tense. The sections on the Moon are also excellent and intriguing as well as exciting.
However, this is a novel of two halves and, for me, the second half didn’t live up to the first as the science fiction fell away and we are left with a rather plodding and implausible conspiracy thriller, mostly based very firmly on Earth. This did feel a bit of an anti climax. The care that had been spent during the first half to make us empathise and understand the characters also falls away and the baddie, as this second half demands one, isn’t as interesting as the mystery of what lay on the Moon. As this is a novel with two authors, it makes me wonder how this affected the structure of the book. Nevertheless, I enjoyed a sizeable chunk of Ocean of Storms and parts of it are irresistible.
QUOTED: "Ocean of Storms is like Armageddon, Independence Day, and The Core all wrapped up into a novel. The explosive action and political intrigue help make this novel a fast, enjoyable read, but don’t expect anything here to provoke any deep thought."
"a ridiculous, improbable, and fun science fiction summer beach read."
Review: Ocean of Storms by Christopher Mari & Jeremy K. Brown
Rating:
ocean of storms book coverReviewed by Marcus Hammond
If you think about what makes your favorite summer blockbuster movie so much fun you’ll probably realize that a sound, well-developed plot and unquestionable logic aren’t the dominating attributes. Fast-paced, eye-popping action that defies all common sense intended to distract from reality is probably the more likely description. This second description is exactly what we get in Ocean of Storms by Christopher Mari and Jeremy K. Brown. This political sci-fi thriller grabs you by the eye sockets from the first 30 pages, slaps you around until you’ve forgotten what science is, and leaves you wanting more.
The story revolves around a worldwide EMP blast that knocks planes out of the sky, causes massive destruction on roadways, and sends the world into a general panic. The source of the EMP ends up coming from the Moon and in turn inspires a classic 1950’s style space race between the United States and China. Once on the Moon, the story takes a weirder move into the science fiction realm, as time-travel becomes the key to understanding what’s going on. We are then taken back to Earth for a heavy dose of political conspiracy and an explanation for mankind’s evolution.
The plot is very large in scope and really misses the mark on the logic behind the details, but its fast pace and explosive delivery makes you completely forget your common sense. Throughout the story there are details like the world recovering from a global EMP blast within hours, and humans from the distant future screwing up their calculations (twice) to change the past that make the reader really scratch their heads. Even if the reader is well aware that even if a global EMP blast were possible, such an event would take decades to recover from, but Mari and Brown cover up any scientific inaccuracies with explosions and political tension.
Character development isn’t really a strong point in the story either. There’s a fairly large cast of both major and minor characters, and there’s not really one that shines more than the other. Character development isn’t really an important aspect when the cast is being blasted into space in a hastily built rocket to uncover the mysteries of space and end up faced with a fairly convoluted “superior” race trying to change the future through time-travel. The story might seem less like the downward slope of a roller coaster for 400+ pages and benefit from some actually depth if the backgrounds of a few of the major characters where better developed.
Ocean of Storms is like Armageddon, Independence Day, and The Core all wrapped up into a novel. The explosive action and political intrigue help make this novel a fast, enjoyable read, but don’t expect anything here to provoke any deep thought. Pop some popcorn, grab a beverage, and get ready to read your way into a ridiculous, improbable, and fun science fiction summer beach read.
Marcus spends his days writing and developing content for a local financial institution. When he’s not on an adventure with his wife and son, he reads, enjoys pop culture, and is constantly amazed at what is considered vintage.
Review copy was provided free of any obligation by 47North. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.