Title: Atomic Ocean
Author: J.W. DeLorie
Publisher: Westwood Books Publishing, LLC
ISBN: 978-1643615899
Genre: Fiction
Pages: 350
Reviewed by: Aaron Washington

Read Book Review

Atomic Ocean is an eventful book which certainly will have all readers entertained and intrigued. Author J.W. DeLorie knows very well how to capture the reader’s attention through the narration and development of the story. In the beginning of the novel, the reader is only introduced to a few characters who get to evolve as the story goes by. It is impossible to like the main characters, given how the author depicted each of them. Sam was the first character I found to be interesting as I liked how keen he was and how focused he would be if something caught his attention. The Sam who appeared calm at the beginning of the book, transformed into a different character with complex traits during varying scenes, whose mild aggression had me hooked on his story.

In Atomic Ocean, we follow Commander Samuel Jackson Knight as he tries to fight the challenges ahead of him. As sharp and stable as Commander Knight appears to be, he still has to confront some obstacles such as mutant and human enemies. Even with all that power, Commander Knight cannot defeat everyone who comes into conflict along his way. I particularly liked this character because the author made him both powerful and influential. Getting a crew which would help take care of his foes and handle every situation was not an easy task. The commander was, however, determined and nothing would make him back off. He has a task of healing Mother Earth among other things lest the ancestors get angry. Commander Knight was a favorite because even in unfamiliar territories, he used his skills and experience to get to his targets.

The book has several action scenes, aggressive activities and threatening nature of some characters make one appreciate science fiction. The author is excellent with the narration and makes the storyline more interesting as he expands the narrative. Every chapter has a character who gets to be the point of focus. Even in the chaos, J.W. DeLorie did not forget to make the plot engaging. It is amazing how one grows with each character from the start of the book to the end. The book may be full of action, but the storyline also contained other themes which make the book engrossing. The incorporation of death of characters was emotional on some parts, especially when characters openly showed how the deaths affected them. I sympathized with Josh, Sam’s young son, as the death of Sam’s wife. I admired Josh’s aunt as she brought warmth to the story.

Reading Atomic Ocean was a pleasant experience mainly because of the amazing flow of the story. J.W. DeLorie is the kind of author who makes every tale enjoyable. Everything from the creation of characters, development of the plot, suspense, themes, and general concept of the book makes the author one of the best in this genre. J.W. DeLorie gets you by surprise; you cannot predict his next move nor can you tell what will befall the characters at the end. He keeps you guessing and that is the inherent draw into the story of Atomic Ocean.