Creatures Of The Deep by Erich Hoyt | Book Review

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

In this updated and expanded edition of "Creatures of the Deep," award-winning nature and science writer Erich Hoyt gives readers a glimpse of the amazing variety of creatures found in the deepest parts of the ocean. Weaving together details from the latest scientific research about sharks, giant squid, dragonfish, huge tube worms, clams and tiny microbes of the deep-sea vents, Hoyt embarks on a magical journey roaming across the abyssal plains and descending into deep-sea trenches more than 20,000 feet down.

Hoyt unravels the complex predator-prey relationships, from "killer" copepods to battles between giant squid and sperm whales, presenting compelling portraits of animals that are superbly adapted denizens of a dark high-pressure world. There are life forms, independent of sunlight and photosynthesis, which flourish around the hot, sulfurous deep-sea vents in the magnificent rift valley of the mid-ocean ridge, the world's longest mountain range. Surviving in conditions that appear to be close to the very soup of primordial Earth, these microbes have become the basis for the latest research into Earth's origins. Fully illustrated with fantastic underwater imagery.

Why Did I Read This Book?

I have this irrational phobia of fish and the ocean. Reading books, however, offer me a way to conquer this phobia and to learn more than I had ever thought possible. Initially, I became interested in Creatures Of The Deep: In Search Of The Sea’s Monsters And The World They Live In by Erich Hoyt because of the cover which contains one scary looking fish and seems to promise all kinds of information on fish. I also held out hope that some of this book would be about whales, which I love, and krakens, which are awesome. For the most part, Creatures Of The Deep does deliver what I had hoped for.

What’s It All About?

Essentially, the title and subtitle say it all. Hoyt’s book, Creatures Of The Deep is all about the different creatures that live in the oceans of the world. It explores the different levels and depths of the ocean. It explores the different creatures. It also goes into depth on the geography of the ocean, the history of oceanography, and also what threatens the ocean.

What Are The Highlights Of This Book?

What really made Creatures Of The Deep worth my time were the pictures. Spread throughout the book are stunning photographs of ocean life. There are beautiful pictures of deep sea creatures that have bioluminescence. There’s a photograph of a white shark diving out of the water that definitely gave me pause and maybe some heart palpitations. I loved the various orca photographs. Just flipping through this book is a tactile experience that will set your imagination into high gear. I loved seeing creatures that were totally unfamiliar to me.

I thought that the parts of the book that explore the bad rap sharks get was really fascinating. It’s amazing just how interesting sharks are and how they came to be the sea’s foremost predator. I enjoyed learning about the really big open mouth sharks that live in the depths of the ocean and pretty much swim around swallowing things. Beyond sharks, there’s a particularly interesting chapter on giant squid and how the first HD video of the giant squid came to be. There’s some really fascinating parts to this book.

What Are The Lowlights Of This Book?

Unfortunately, the writing was a bit dry for me. The parts that explore the ocean’s geography and talk about the different depths took me forever to get through. It was like I had to force myself to care. I really would have liked more on the creatures like whales and sharks and squid and less on the archaeans. I also thought that the census of marine life chapter went a little long. That’s not to say I would not recommend this book, I just think that maybe it is not the sort of book you read all in one go, but the kind that you page through and examine a little bit at a time.

Who Would I Recommend It To?

• People who are scared of the ocean
• Anyone who has ever made an acrostic poem in the shape of a whale
• Science teachers looking to spruce up their classroom library
• Budding marine biologists
• Finding Nemo fans (if only because it’s cool to recognize fish from the movie in this book)

Sum It Up With A GIF:

Basically I still think whales are super majestic, okay.

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April (Books&Wine)

April is in her 30s and created Good Books And Good Wine. She works for a non-profit. April always has a book on hand. In her free time she can be found binge watching The Office with her husband and toddler, spending way too much time on Pinterest or exploring her neighborhood.

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