Cachalot

Cachalot was actually an old sailing ship, not just a cheesy title of a fish-world book for those interested :) I really enjoyed this one...unusual setting, a brief appearance of Flinx, freaky ending....most def a winner amongst the commonwealth series, probably the best stand-alone aside from Midworld (Bloodhype was priceless but I count that as a flinx tale)

I went through a monumental Alan Dean Foster phase as an early teenager, reading all of his books that the local B. Dalton booksellers had. Cachalot was picked up merely because he wrote it. Lucky me. In typically ADF style, he swiftly creates a wonderful new world, one that you would long to explore yourself: in this case, a beautiful pearl of a water world, a world that we gave to the sentient whale species that we almost destroyed on earth. Now, because we are humans and we tend to take back what we give, we've been exploring their world...and suddenly, humans seem to be getting attacked by whales! Unthinkable. Well, of course, the truth is far more complicated than that, and what a wonderful time we have getting to the end. Like Voyage to the City of the Dead, the end is very creative, a twist almost out of nowhere, and in this case, it is marvelous. This is right up there with Nor Crystal Tears or the Tar-Aiym Krang for my favorite ADF books, and is one that I have returned to with pleasure 3-4 times, and which I have also shared with my wife. We both still enjoy it--not bad for a book I read as a 12 year old originally. Oh, and every time I go scuba or snorkelling, every time I'm on a boat in Hawaii or at an aquarium, I think about this book. Cachalot and Startide Rising by David Brin both kindled my love for the sea, whales, and dolphins. ALso, pretty good for a sci-fi book. Four stars for the book, 5 stars for all the lasting pleasure it has given me over the years.

First read this when I was about 8... borrowed it outta my older sister's collection when she was babysitting and I was BORED. Forgot the author, forgot the title, remembered only that it was about a water world mostly inhabited by whales that were destroying cities. Found it again over a decade later and realized why it had stuck with me for SO long (the plot, obviously nothing else stuck)... it is a GOOD book. One of the very rare books that I've had to locate and buy multiple copies of... I keep wearing it out.

Typical Foster storyboard with some weird characters and animals, a lovestory, a tough woman, a world to safe ....... but a great book to read. Nevertheless, I think its not suitable for "Commenwealth" beginners. Own it since years and have read it many times.

At one time (circa the 1970s when this novel was written) Humans had hunted the sea dwelling mammals to near extinction. When other worlds had been discovered they were given a planet of their own, Cachalot (shades of Camelot?), to colonize and live on unmolested. However humans are now colonizing the planet and rogue warrior whales seem to be attacking and destroying the floating cities. Recommended.