Books Like The Black

From fantasy to science fiction, the ocean has always held a fascination for authors and readers. The ocean covers more than 70% of the Earth's surface, so it is no surprise that mankind has always wondered about what lurks in its dark depths. Authors have also found numerous ways to incorporate the ocean in their stories, from being a home to unseen threats to being a haven for humanity after fleeing the surface or a new frontier for exploration and resource gathering. For example, in The Black by Paul E. Cooley a drilling team finds more than they bargained for when trying to extract oil from a massive oil field under 30,000 feet of water. Here are just a few other books Like The Black where the ocean is central to the story.

The Swarm

by Frank Schätzing

The Swarm is a bestselling science fiction novel by German author Frank Schätzing. Its story is told from multiple viewpoints as the cast of characters investigates what they initially think are natural disasters. However, when these events continue to escalate it becomes clear that something sinister might be behind it all. Not only are the disasters actually attacks on humanity, but they appear to originate from a massive network of single-cell organisms living under the ocean. This entity, which is dubbed the Yrr, appears to be trying to wipe out humankind before they can destroy the ecological balance of the planet. An attempt is made to make contact with the Yrr, but not everyone is in favor of a peaceful resolution.

Silent City

by G. R. Matthews

Silent City by G. R. Matthews is set in a world where humanity has had to flee the surface of the planet in favor of cities that are built beneath the ocean. The protagonist, Corin Hayes, is a loner with very little to live for after losing his family and getting blamed for a major accident that killed a lot of people. Corin ekes out a living from job boards before drowning his pain in alcohol each evening. Since he has nothing to lose Corin accepts a well-paid job that sounds too good to be true and sure enough, he quickly finds himself in over his head. With everyone around him dead or dying Corin must fight for his survival while trying to figure out who the killer is.

Starfish

by Peter Watts

Starfish by Peter Watts is the first novel in his Rifters Trilogy and takes place in a future where huge international corporations are exploiting geothermal power from the ocean floor. One of these facilities is located along the Juan de Fuca Ridge at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean, which is where Lenie Clarke finds herself. Unfortunately, humans can't withstand the pressure down in the depths, which is why everyone signing up for the job is bio-engineered before being sent down to the experimental power stations. It also means that employees who are suitable for long-term employment under these extreme conditions are not exactly very sane. However, Lenie not only has her fellow crew members to worry about but also a looming disaster that threatens everyone on the surface.

The Deep Range

by Arthur C. Clarke

Although many readers associate Arthur C. Clarke with science fiction set in space his 1957 novel, The Deep Range, takes place mostly underwater. The protagonist in this story is a former astronaut named Walter Franklin who developed acrophobia after an accident during. His fear of heights ended his career, so Walter turns to the ocean for rehabilitation. He joins the Marine Division, which is an organization that harvests food from the ocean to feed the Earth's population. It is here where Walter becomes a "warden" and has to pilot a single-person scout sub while helping to shepherd whales and protect them from predators. The story follows his life as he explores more of the ocean and works his way up through the ranks of the Marine Division.

Abduction

by Robin Cook

Abduction is a 2000 novel by Robin Cook that combines his expertise in medical thrillers with an underwater mystery. A crew of oceanographers and divers attempt to drill into the earth's magma core to sample it for the first time when they pick up a mysterious transmission. It appears to be originating from the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, but venturing closer in their submersible causes the crew to become trapped inside an ancient undersea volcano. It is here that they make the most startling discovery of all time, an entire civilization of technologically advanced genetically engineered humans. Unfortunately for the crew, these underwater dwellers are not very keen on the surface world finding out about their existence.

Sphere

by Michael Crichton

 Sphere was the sixth novel that Michael Crichton wrote under his own name and features a psychologist named Norman Johnson. When a mysterious transmission from the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean is discovered, Norman, along with other scientists, and U.S. Navy personnel are sent to investigate. The source of the signal appears to be an enormous spacecraft, but it is completely undamaged despite being more than three hundred years old. Even worse, the spacecraft contains a very destructive force, which could spell disaster as conflict begin to brew among the crew investigating it.