Praise for The Brilliant Abyss:
Named a Globe 100 Book by the Globe and Mail
Named a Best Science Book of the Year by Library Journal
“The Brilliant Abyss, Helen Scales’s sweeping survey of the seafloor, is brave enough to risk a darker and, in some ways, more satisfying tone . . . Scales’s great gift is for transmuting our awe at the wonders of the deep sea into a kind of quiet rage that they could soon be no more . . . She urges us to err on the side of preservation: no deep-sea mining, fishing, oil drilling or extraction of any kind. The deep, she argues, is too vulnerable, and too crucial to the working of the planet to blindly ransack.”—Robert Moor, New York Times Book Review (cover review)
“Written by a highly articulate expert in the field, [The Brilliant Abyss is] so comprehensive and insightful that it will be a long time before it’s surpassed . . . In the first half of her book, Scales does an excellent job of animating the almost unbelievable panoply of life in the deep. As an explorer herself, she has seen things first-hand that few others will ever witness. But it is the second part of her book, devoted to the human impacts on the abyss, which brought gasps to my throat . . . It is hard to imagine a more timely or important book than The Brilliant Abyss. Carefully conceived and luminously written, it is certain to be a bestseller, which gives me hope that its urgent message might help save the world.” —Tim Flannery, New Statesman
“Fascinating . . . The book’s purview is technically all of history, but the incredible paucity of interaction people have had with the deep sea means that most of the information here takes the form of news delivered as a dire, last-minute warning . . . The Brilliant Abyss is a manifesto for change as much as it is a description of an ecological crisis. Its overall effect is not to clarify the waters . . . but to insist that what’s already down there matters, even or especially when it is hidden from our view.” —Jo Livingstone, New Republic
“Vivid . . . [Outlines] some of the staggering biological creatures that have already been uncovered—with the promise that many more await discovery . . . Stylish, eloquent . . . Enthralling and richly expressed and highlights how closely our lives depend on the deep.” —Robin McKie, Guardian
“An exploration of the deep sea’s biodiversity and the threats it faces . . . The author lucidly explains not only the geological contours of the deep but also the animals that inhabit it . . . Scales bids us to think of the deep not merely as a place to exploit for resources, but as a wondrous abode that we are compelled to protect—a precious realm that we should all care about.” —Benjamin Shull, Christian Science Monitor
“[Scales] has an astonishingly big, profoundly important story to tell and wisely gives it the pace and care it deserves . . . Extraordinary . . . It’s all so marvellous, astonishing, remarkable and compelling that readers can’t help but embrace Scales’s vision of a majestic and mysterious world mostly unsullied by humans . . . An important, powerful and hypnotizing tale of the deep, one that can’t be recommended enough . . . Scales is a brilliant writer.” —Gerald Flood, Winnipeg Free Press
“In The Brilliant Abyss, Helen Scales, a marine biologist whose previous books explored the shallower reaches of the sea, dives deep and revealingly into the realm below.” —Economist
“In The Brilliant Abyss, the erudite Helen Scales explains why the ocean is so important and valuable an asset to our planet and to our survival . . . Part of protecting the oceans involves fighting climate change. Scales joins activists around the world in demanding that the way the world does business has to change . . . If we do it the right way, Scales suggests that we will also be able to preserve the oceans as sanctuaries filled with wonder and beauty.” —Ed Meek, Arts Fuse
“An investigative foray into the world of deep-sea waters with a veteran marine biologist . . . [A] beguiling journey into the ocean’s deep, a wondrous landscape full of mystery and adventure . . . Scales offers crisp, engaging prose, linking everything together in an accessible, entertaining manner. With plenty of scientific research to back her up, the author displays legitimate concerns about a wide variety of maladies . . . A captivating nature tour and a convincing warning that ‘the deep needs decisive, unconditional protection.’” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“Marine biologist Scales tours the lightless depths of the ocean and showcases its denizens in this show-stopping work . . . This vivid survey hits the mark as an awe-filled paean to the mysteries of the deep.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Marine biologist Scales takes readers into the deep sea in this vivid and luminous title. With occasional forays into history, including Ernst Haeckel’s illustrative work on sea creatures, and references to Moby-Dick and whaling, Scales writes of the astonishingly small group of scientists who explore the ocean’s greatest depths . . . It is the author’s lush descriptive language and the breadth of her knowledge that truly stand out . . . The questions, Scales insists in this compelling title, should not be so much what the deep can do for us (feed us, cure us, save us), but rather what we must be willing to do for the oceans and every wondrous thing that lives there, given that our very existence depends on the health of the planet's seas.” —Booklist (starred review)
“Scales introduces readers to the deep ocean, which begins where photosynthesis stops, 660 feet below the surface. Humans have interacted almost exclusively with the ocean’s surface and edges, but the deep comprises far more of the ocean’s volume and is likely more vital to the continuation of life on earth, Scales writes . . . A fascinating international glimpse of Earth’s last frontier that will draw in readers concerned for the health of our oceans.” —Library Journal (starred review)
“Thanks to modern technology, especially unmanned submersibles, abyssal research is experiencing a golden age. Helen Scales, a marine biologist who is also a gifted storyteller, takes the reader on several expeditions that rely on these devices, and describes the bizarre life forms that have recently come to light.” —Natural History Magazine
“Weaving together the latest discoveries with well-known examples, [Scales] details the many fascinating adaptations that life has evolved to survive in a world unlike anything at Earth’s surface . . . The Brilliant Abyss is an enjoyable and accessible introduction to the deep sea, told with a passion that I found infectious. The stories of life’s struggle for survival beneath the waves are compelling and Scales is particularly evocative when describing hydrothermal vents . . . . Scales brings to life this important part of our planet.” —Eleanor Parsons, New Scientist
“It is, indeed, weirdness all the way down, and Scales’s bestiary is a wonderful introduction to its variety . . . Scales’s enthusiasm for her subject is matched by a gift for visual evocation . . .The book also has a crusading message, which is that we depend on the ocean more than we realise, and are harming ourselves the more we harm it.” —Steven Poole, Daily Telegraph
“Beguiling . . . With her light and engaging prose, Scales takes the reader on an introductory dive into the mysterious depths to reveal the myriad of life hidden within, from red and green bone-devouring worms that flourish whenever whales fall down to the abyss, to the world’s fishiest-smelling fish . . . The ideal plunge into the depths of Earth’s last great wilderness.” —Ian Randall, Physics World
“Scales details the astounding leaps forward we’ve made in the past 20 years in understanding this previously ignored realm. She shares the excitement that advances in technology and hard scientific graft have delivered in a relatively short time span. As with her previous best-selling books, Scales has an uncanny ability to make complex science engaging and entertaining.” —Geographical
“Helen Scales offers up an abundance of wondrous revelation and wise warnings in this mesmerizing consideration of the vibrant world of darkness under the sea. This is essential, unforgettable reading about our marvelous blue planet.” —Aimee Nezhukumatathil, bestselling author of World of Wonders
“Helen Scales is one of those rare scientists who can capture the excitement of science. The Brilliant Abyss has a thrill on every page as she explores the deep and little-known ocean. But this comes with a warning. Man’s destruction is now reaching the remotest corners of the planet and our survival depends on stopping it.” —Mark Kurlansky, bestselling author of Salmon: A Fish, the Earth, and the History of Their Common Fate and The Unreasonable Virtue of Fly Fishing
“Mind-blowing! From vampire squids to translucent octopuses, from marine snow to sea butterflies, from Yeti crabs who farm their microbial meals on their own hairy claws, to snails who build shells of iron in hydrothermal vents, Helen Scales blitzes us again and again with the deep sea’s staggering strangeness and arresting beauty. Studded with wonder on every page, The Brilliant Abyss is proof that, even as we consume and ruin our beautiful Earth in our greed, we hardly know our planet AT ALL! At this critical point in human history, Scales’s eloquent reporting underscores the urgency with which we must focus on saving the deep sea if our planet is to survive.” —Sy Montgomery, author of the national bestseller The Soul of an Octopus
Praise for Eye of the Shoal:
“A sprawling, ambitious underwater journey studded with fascinating tidbits.” —New York Times Book Review
“An engaging and informative bouillabaisse.” —Economist
“Scales's genuine appreciation and awe for fish are contagious. She continually entices the reader by introducing exciting aspects of fish in each chapter.” —Science
“A delightful book that provides a welcome invitation to enter the amazing world of fish.” —New Scientist
“This aquarium of a book is an eloquent reminder of how remarkable [fish] are.” —Natural History
“Enthralling and thought-provoking.” —Countryman
“Helen Scales invites us to dive below the waterline as she reveals the hidden but glorious lives of fish going about their rather fascinating business.” —Coast
Praise for Spirals in Time:
“A rewarding glimpse of another world, filled with strange and reclusive creatures . . . There is rich detail in all directions. One does not know what will come next. Often the descriptions made me see shafts of sunlight underwater, irradiating extraordinary places and creatures. That is just what the book does itself.” —Guardian
“Punctures assumptions with the power of a cone snail dart.” —Spectator
“Scales is a charming raconteur with boundless enthusiasm and an eye for detail that make her subject glow with life. Combining biology, history and ecology, this is nature writing at its most engaging.” —Sunday Express
“The stories in Spirals in Time—which range from slaves being bought for bags of shells in west Africa in the 1770s to ground-breaking medical uses of cone-snail venom—are gripping and unimaginable.” —Telegraph
“Takes us on a fascinating journey into the strange and captivating world of mollusks. Carefully researched and entertaining throughout . . . Relentlessly interesting.” —Science
“An informed introduction to this fascinating group. The author’s enthusiasm shines through the prose . . . An ideal book for a summer holiday, and beach finds will take on a new dimension because of it.” —Times Literary Supplement
“With the soul of a poet and a talent for finding the most intriguing trivia about familiar seaside sights, marine biologist Scales turns the mundane into the magical.” —Discover
★ 04/12/2021
Marine biologist Scales (Eye of the Shoal) tours the lightless depths of the ocean and showcases its denizens in this show-stopping work. She begins by pointing out that sunlight can't penetrate below 3,300 feet below sea level, and the average depth of the oceans is 12,500 feet. This zone beyond light's reach "is home to countless unimaginable life-forms," such as deep-diving sperm whales, gelatinous jellyfish, strange colony animals called siphonophores that can reach 150 feet in length, and extremely rare iron-shelled scaly-foot snails. Seamounts, huge underwater mountains that can dwarf their terrestrial cousins, also host a dizzying array of life. Scales stresses the importance that the ocean plays in maintaining human life as a critical part of Earth's climate mechanism and as a potential source of medicines, particularly antibiotics; she also warns of the many ways humanity threatens ocean life, such as overfishing, dumping toxic waste, and mining beneath the sea floor. Scales concludes with a convincing plea for creating "a sanctuary in the deep," an international agreement in which the unexplored depths of the ocean are protected from industry, but open to science. This vivid survey hits the mark as an awe-filled paean to the mysteries of the deep. Agent: Margaret Sutherland Brown, Folio Literary. (July)
★ 07/01/2021
Scales (marine biology, Cambridge Univ.) introduces readers to the deep ocean, which begins where photosynthesis stops, 660 feet below the surface. Humans have interacted almost exclusively with the ocean's surface and edges, but the deep comprises far more of the ocean's volume and is likely more vital to the continuation of life on earth, Scales writes. Her book is in four sections: "Explore," about the geography, chemistry, and life of the deep; "Depend," on the abyss that makes Earth habitable by sequestering carbon; "Exploit," which tells of overfishing, underwater strip-mining, and dumping (everything from plastics to dead livestock to a radioactive generator from Apollo 13; and "Preserve," which relates efforts underway to preserve the deep ocean from further exploitation by mining companies or the fishing industry. Scales concludes with a list of actions necessary to preserve the global abyss: pressuring governments to enact protective laws and treaties; supporting NGOs with the same goals; refusing to eat seafood that is extracted from the deep ocean; decreasing use of plastics; and lowering our carbon footprints. VERDICT A fascinating international glimpse of Earth's last frontier that will draw in readers concerned for the health of our oceans.—Rachel Owens, Daytona State Coll. Lib., FL
Author/narrator Helen Scales describes the ship PELICAN when she was part of its research crew, establishing her personal connection to the deep seas. The marine biologist brings a British accent and a sense of wonder to her observations of a creature called “a headless chicken monster” and many other life-forms that even scientists are still learning about. She adds drama to a description of a vampire squid and piques listeners’ curiosity about the purpose of throwing logs into the ocean. Scales keeps that excitement alive when quoting a researcher who compares the discovery of an undersea mountain to finding Atlantis. She shares her passion and concern when talking about deep-sea mining and climate change, which pose risks to the undersea frontier. J.A.S. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine
Author/narrator Helen Scales describes the ship PELICAN when she was part of its research crew, establishing her personal connection to the deep seas. The marine biologist brings a British accent and a sense of wonder to her observations of a creature called “a headless chicken monster” and many other life-forms that even scientists are still learning about. She adds drama to a description of a vampire squid and piques listeners’ curiosity about the purpose of throwing logs into the ocean. Scales keeps that excitement alive when quoting a researcher who compares the discovery of an undersea mountain to finding Atlantis. She shares her passion and concern when talking about deep-sea mining and climate change, which pose risks to the undersea frontier. J.A.S. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine
★ 2021-05-19
An investigative foray into the world of deep-sea waters with a veteran marine biologist.
“This is without a doubt a golden era for deep-sea exploration,” writes Scales in this beguiling journey into the ocean’s deep, a wondrous landscape full of mystery and adventure: “Here lie entire ecosystems shut away in the dark that are based around the chemical powers of microbes, where worms are nine feet long, crabs dance, and snails grow suits of shiny metal armor.” At the same time, however, the ever increasing knowledge of the abyss leads to further evidence that there is money to be made by harvesting the resources held there. Scales begins by describing the deep sea’s uniqueness and biodiversity. She examines many of its miraculous denizens, such as the “bone-eating snot flower,” found off the coast of Sweden; the ultra-black fish; and gossamer worms, which “wriggle elegantly in tight pirouettes through the water.” Scales also discusses such features as seamounts, coral beds, and hydrothermal vents as well as chemical reactions such as bioluminescence and chemosynthesis (the dark equivalent of photosynthesis). Tracking the massive circulatory patterns of the ocean currents, the author demonstrates how they are disrupted by the forces of climate change, and she looks into possible medical advances that could originate from the ocean floor, including chemotherapy ingredients, genetic-testing materials, and new antibiotics. As in her two previous books, Spirals in Time and Eyes of the Shoal, Scales offers crisp, engaging prose, linking everything together in an accessible, entertaining manner. With plenty of scientific research to back her up, the author displays legitimate concerns about a wide variety of maladies, including plastic waste, raw sewage, oil spills, radioactive elements, and deep-sea mining, which “pose[s] dangerous risks to biodiversity and the environment, on timescales and intensities that cannot yet be fully quantified but could be catastrophic and permanent.”
A captivating nature tour and a convincing warning that “the deep needs decisive, unconditional protection.
