First published 1984
Dr. Sarah Chen descends into the Pacific's deepest trenches, her submersible's lights cutting through absolute darkness. She studies the bizarre life forms that thrive without sunlight: translucent fish with their own lanterns, tube worms clustering around volcanic vents, jellyfish pulsing like alien hearts. Her research team maps these hidden ecosystems while racing against corporate interests that want to mine the seafloor. Chen must document species before they vanish, but the ocean guards its secrets fiercely. Equipment fails in crushing depths. Storms strand her crew on isolated research vessels. Ancient maritime myths seem to echo in the sonar readings. As Chen pushes deeper into uncharted waters, she discovers that the sea's mysteries run far beyond science. Her quest becomes both a race against time and a journey into humanity's oldest fears and dreams about the world beneath the waves.
Genres: science-fiction, adventure, mystery, thriller
Vibes: atmospheric, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: journey-of-discovery, race-against-time
Setting: Pacific Ocean, Seafloor
Period: Contemporary
120 pages · Hardcover · Dutton Juvenile