5 Stars

Of all the supernatural main characters in any great YA series, mermaids are the best. They’re playful…or they’re not. They’re splashy…or they’re not. They sun themselves on rocks while they wait for Prince Eric to come around…or not. It all depends on the author, doesn’t it?

Douglas Sloan’s mermaids aren’t the “sun on the rock in the shell bra” variety of mermaids. Instead, they’re embroiled in a battle against evil forces, one that turns dark and deadly from the very first page. When a human scientist finds a mermaid washed ashore for the first time, it begins a world of discovery for  both of them. The Earthquest aspect to the storyline is fun and intriguing without all the preachy “look what you humans have done to my beautiful ocean” tropes of other mermaid tales.

Over all, it’s a dark but fun read, and as this is book one, the author seems poised to continue the saga. I can’t wait to see how it plays out!