Shadow Divers?
- Thread starter bdklein
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I'm having trouble getting into Shadow Divers. I find the subject interesting but it's the writing style that's putting me off; when it's not over dramatic it's totally stilted. Example:
Nagel reeled in the body when it surfaced. "You did a good job," he told Chatterton, "You are a good diver." After that, Nagel and Chatterton were friends.
That's a rough gloss-over considering the friendship between the two men is likely going to be a cornerstone of the story.
Compared to the no-nonsense tone Chowdhury used to write The Last Dive, Shadow Divers seems unnaturally pumped up with a lot of hype and hyperbole which I find unnecessary (the subject is interesting enough without all the embellishments, so they only serve to distract attention rather than focus it).
I've stopped near the beginning but I'll give it another try in the hope that it improves.
Nagel reeled in the body when it surfaced. "You did a good job," he told Chatterton, "You are a good diver." After that, Nagel and Chatterton were friends.
That's a rough gloss-over considering the friendship between the two men is likely going to be a cornerstone of the story.
Compared to the no-nonsense tone Chowdhury used to write The Last Dive, Shadow Divers seems unnaturally pumped up with a lot of hype and hyperbole which I find unnecessary (the subject is interesting enough without all the embellishments, so they only serve to distract attention rather than focus it).
I've stopped near the beginning but I'll give it another try in the hope that it improves.
CT-Rich
Contributor
I enjoyed Shadow Divers, in fairness to the book (I read it a while ago, so memory may be fogging it a bit). The divers that are willing to make these pretty insanely risky dives are not likely to be getting all touchy-feely about things. The writing style matches the psyche of the people involved. Give it a second try, I seldom read books more than once, but this one I have.
I think Last Dive is a good bookend to Shadow Divers because it is much more critical of the self destructive side of these high risk dives. It might be better if you read Shadow Divers without having read the more critical eye of the Last Dive. It might take some of the fun out of the read knowing the body count among these divers.
I think Last Dive is a good bookend to Shadow Divers because it is much more critical of the self destructive side of these high risk dives. It might be better if you read Shadow Divers without having read the more critical eye of the Last Dive. It might take some of the fun out of the read knowing the body count among these divers.
Avonthediver
Contributor
For me the last dive took a long time for me to get through but SD took no time at all about like Deep Descent & Fatal depth. I love those books and I know Gentile takes a lot to get used to but those books are what got me hooked on his stuff. I do wish Chatterton and Bielenda's point of view of all the years of diving would happen but thats a pipe dream.
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