If you are one who adores well-written and expertly researched action adventures which can stand alongside the excitement and thrills of an Indiana Jones movie, you will want to have a listen to this new audiobook. Nick Sullivan is both the author and narrator of a recently released story in his ever expanding “The Deep Series” currently available on Audible. “Deep Roots” is the third and most recent story, at the time of this review, in the series bringing listeners to an original and exciting location full of action, adventure and intrigue found deep within the mangroves of Belize; a country located near Guatemala and Honduras. I can say that after finishing this book in the series, I’m looking forward to more explorations in the future from this team. If this type of audiobook seems interesting to you, I think you will enjoy joining Boone and Emily as they take risks which could reap great rewards or, instead, it could cost them their lives.
The story opens by bringing the listener right into an interesting and rather complex diving mystery. A body, some odd objects, and strange circumstances encompass the first few chapters quickly engaging the listener. While this portion of the story unfolds, we are also provided some good background details of events relating from some of the previous stories. As one would expect, Boone and Emily are back in this adventure where the couple relocates from a rather small island to a quite different region of the world having some of the best underwater cave systems. Plenty of warm water, dense jungle, expansive mangroves, caves, and abundant sunshine to enjoy. Along with the new location, our couple finds some new friends to join their team as well. In a place like this, how could this fun and light-hearted team of divers get into any real trouble? Little do they know; in a short amount of time they will become front and center to a dangerous and deadly plot which could be the end of future adventures forever.
As I have said in my previous reviews of Mr. Sullivan’s works, I find that he provides a level of edutainment (education and entertainment) not often delivered from other authors I have listened to. I’m not a diver, but I come away from his books with fun and interesting facts and trivia which seems to come up in conversation with others. You will learn about the dangers of cave diving (I wanted more), the importance of compressed air mixing, along with diverse jungle creatures. While listening, I found I gained a better understanding of just how treacherous the jungles and mangroves of this country can be. Very different from the likes of someone raised in the city. I found this book to contain a deeper focus upon archaeological details than the previous two; which I liked. Add to this the author’s detailed and descriptive scenic locations and you have a rather enjoyable and compelling story.
The characters are believable, likable, fun, and the well-developed banter between Boone and Emily is always good for a little chuckle. Our new antihero in this story is just as much a psychopath as seen in the previous books. The author also sprinkles in some pop-culture references which fans of TV science fiction will find enjoyable. Remember, those wearing red shirts are some of the first to be taken care of while doing any form of exploring.
As I have stated in previous reviews, I’m not often a fan of the author also narrating their own audiobooks. I can say that there are few exceptions I have had to this, and Mr. Sullivan is one of those. He started as a narrator with his deep and smooth voice and from there branched out in to writing. So, I can say that his ability to both write and narrate is what makes these books in this series worth listening too. He knows how to bring the characters to life because he created them, and he also knows why they act the way they do in specific situations. For me, unlike the others in the series, this book’s narration felt slightly faster paced than the previous. This is easily rectified by modifying the speed on the Audible application to meet your liking.
For parents and younger readers, the book contains vulgar language used by a few of the characters. Additionally, there are some mature-focused jesting and light romance materials included. As with most thrillers, there is also some rather graphic violence which may not be appropriate for younger listeners. If you can deal with these few items, it is an audiobook worth a listen.
In summary, the story aligns rather well with the previous two adventures. If you have enjoyed them, I know you will find this one enjoyable as well. It is a bit different from the previous book’s location and focus, but it adds a new level of excitement with deeper aspects of mystery and corruption. The majority of the audiobook’s plot lines are closed at the end of the book and each of the books could be read as a standalone if you would rather. However, I think we will be seeing more of Boone and Emily, hopefully, in the coming months. I would have liked a deeper emphasis on the cave systems of Belize, but the author in his closing chapter stated why this was not the case. I very much enjoy the afterword hearing how the author weaved in actual events, characters, and even had to do some modification to ensure items fit into the overall story. Again, if you enjoy thrilling adventures, I would pick up a copy of “Deep Roots” and give it a listen.
Quella Reviews 