Page Count:  463

Author:  Steve Alten

Author's Website:  www.stevealten.com

Publisher:  Forge/Tom Doherty Associates

ISBN:  0-765-34785-7

Category:  Fiction

Genre:  Suspense

Dove's (Personal) Review:  "Primal Waters," the third book (and hopefully not the last) in the Meg series, is ferociously gripping! A shark-infested adventure you will never forget!
     It's been eighteen years since Jonas' last Meg encounter. His fifteen-minutes-of-fame is over. He's a washed-up has-been in the eyes of science, and his collegiate peers. There's no more talk-shows, no more interviews, and no more money. Still married to Terry, he's also now the father of two: a son, David, and a daughter, Dani. His father-in-law, Masao Tanaka is in bad health. Masao's now eighty-two years old, suffering from a dying dream. His facility, The Tanaka Institute, is no more. It was closed years ago, after his beloved Angel escaped, and the money she brought in dried up.
     Jonas feels like a failure. He earns a small living now giving lectures during "shark shows" that tour through his area. He's in the process of writing a book about his life, of course including all his Megalodon adventures. He has high hopes for the book selling well, allowing the family to get out of debt.
     During Jonas' latest scheduled appearance at the Venice Beach Shark Tooth Festival, he's approached by Erik Hollander, the producer of the hit show Daredevils, famous for its remarkably dangerous stunts. Erik wants Jonas to join the cast of the show as a commentator. After a few days consideration, he decides he'll do it. After all, he needs the money. A paycheck is a paycheck!
     Terry forces Jonas to take their daughter along with him, to keep an eye on him. In the back of her mind, she fears he might be tempted by all the young-bodied stunt-women on the show. Dani is thrilled. David stays behind to manage what few things still need to be done at his grandfather's Institute.
     For the first week or two, the Daredevils filming goes well. They're out on the open ocean, performing a variety of water stunts. Smooth sailing (pun intended), until a shark shows up. A rather large shark. Jonas immediately jumps at the thought that it's a Meg. Could it be Angel? Could it possibly be another one?
     Back home, Masao decides to clean the now empty tank for old times sake. He wants one last swim before he dies. He gears up, and hits the water, heading slowly to the bottom to clean the filter. Suddenly, a black shadow looms over him. He looks up, to face the shadow maker, and in terror, his heart stops. He dies at the bottom of the tank. Athena Holman witnesses his death, and later comes forth with the truth that it was a shark, the shark, Angel, that had scared Masao to death.
     With Jonas at sea filming Daredevils, Terry receives a phone call from Joshua Bunkofske, from Vancouver Island. He works at the Marine Station in Bamfield. They've been experiencing numerous whale strandings which, for some time, seemed unexplainable. What prompted him to call, was a recently discovered bite mark on one of the beached whales. The bite-radius implanted the idea in Joshua's head it must be the Meg.
     Terry, once the fearless diver, is now terrified of the sea. She hasn't stepped foot near it since her experience on the Benthos almost twenty years ago. Even with this in mind, she allows Joshua to talk her into travelling to Vancouver to determine if Angel has resurfaced from the Mariana Trench.
     Upon hearing the news from Athena, David is convinced he can save his grandfather's facility from financial devastation by luring the Meg back home. He just has to get the gates of the tank working, so they can trap the beast once she's back. With both his parents out of town, he reunites with an old friend of the family, Mac, and convinces him to help.
     Many sub-plots combine to create a fascinating, heart-stopping thriller! And, as we come to find out, each plot has a Meg to call its own. It's not just Angel terrorizing man and beast now. She's managed to find a mate, and has produced offspring. They're now turning up in many of the world's oceans.
     Steve Alten has become the master of suspense! I've been an avid whale-watcher for almost twenty years. Never again will I sail the open sea without wondering what lurks beneath... without scanning the horizon for a stealthily sinister dorsal fin... without remembering the work of Steve Alten!
     Primal Waters is a "Can't-put-down" title! A "MUST READ"! You don't know fear until you've looked into the gaping jaws of a Megalodon! Steve Alten has given us that opportunity with his Meg series!
     Hands down, without a doubt, no question about it, Primal Waters gets a very deserving TWO-THUMBS-UP, GOLD-STAR rating from Dove!