DIVING THRILLERS ARE FEW and far between, then suddenly two turn up at once.
As John Bantin went off to Truk clutching Steve Turley’s Beyond The Light Zone (below),
I remained in Teddington, hoping to be transported to exotic underwater worlds by the sheer power of Howard Cunnell’s writing.
Cunnell is described on his book-cover as a former diving instructor with a University of London doctorate. His previous claim to literary fame was as transcriber of the “scroll” on which Jack Kerouac wrote the original version of the beat classic On the Road, and The Sea On Fire stays in related territory by dealing with bums, drop-outs and junkies On The Sea.
Its main protagonists are heavily tattooed and emotionally disturbed Kim, torn between family life in London and dive-instructor-style roaming, and his brooding South African buddy, Marineman-lookalike Garland Rain.
They find themselves working on a Red Sea liveaboard full of psychos lorded over by the outlandish Teddy King and his seductive PA Jodi. Never mind enjoying the pretty fish, it’s all drugs, booze and underwater snuff movies on this dive-boat.
I liked the idea of the invited lad’s-mag press party out for a jolly at any cost, and the inexperienced diving couple cowering in their cabin as the boat speeds down to the Brothers. And the image of the bloated King diving on the end of an extended octopus hose will stick in my mind.
It’s a set-up that can surely only end in murder and mayhem, though it doesn’t pan out quite as I expected. What I particularly appreciated was that the diving sequences, from the Red Sea to Stoney Cove, fitted seamlessly into the action rather than, as so often, appearing tacked-on.
Howard Cunnell has come up with a very readable book that veers between hard-man diving spirituality and slap-you-down vulgarity in a heartbeat. Pack it for your next trip.
Steve Weinman
Picador
ISBN: 9781447202400
Softback, 320pp, £12.99
