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A review by shieldbearer
The Discovery by Gordon Korman
4.0
Gordon Korman has written many books in his long career and his skill shows in the entire Dive trilogy. In Discovery, four young divers have been chosen for an internship by scientists mapping a coral reef- although they are underqualified for the job. The kids soon figure out that this is because the "scientists" are actually treasure hunters, and the kids are being used as a cover to prevent others from watching the activities of the hunters too closely.
This is the first installment of a trilogy that that tells one solid story, and it is an easy, quick read. Dive has witty, realistic dialogue and even in moments where there's no "action", Korman keeps things engaging and interesting through his understanding of dynamic character interactions and by utilizing a sharp sense of humor that weaves through the entire novel but never breaks the tension.
One of Korman's real strengths is his ability to create nuanced, detailed characters. The four protagonists all have distinct personalities and motivations, and the side characters all serve a specific function in the narrative. Class and money are themes that lend themselves well to the "search for treasure" plot and while they are only hinted at in the first book- through the presence of Adriana, who is wealthy and whose access to money filters her worldview, but who is also a layered character- and through the historical subplot aboard the Griffin, where Samuel and an old farmer are forced to work on the ship in order to get the money to survive and to provide for his family, respectively. Korman sets the stage nicely for future developments. The author also touches on themes of disability with a protagonist who was selected for the fake internship because of her cerebral palsy, which the treasure hunters thought- incorrectly- would mean she was a bad diver.
I feel like the subplot that flashes back to the Griffin's cabin boy could have been better incorporated into the plot somehow- if nothing else, the pages of italic text was irritating to read, even if the subject matter was interesting. Samuel's subplot is sympathetic and a realistic look back at the life on a ship in the 1600's.
Dive: The Discovery is an excellent book, particularly if one is interested in the sea or in scuba diving. Korman's clearly spent time to do his research on the mechanics and dangers of both scuba diving and the ocean, and all these together make for a very strong story.
This is the first installment of a trilogy that that tells one solid story, and it is an easy, quick read. Dive has witty, realistic dialogue and even in moments where there's no "action", Korman keeps things engaging and interesting through his understanding of dynamic character interactions and by utilizing a sharp sense of humor that weaves through the entire novel but never breaks the tension.
One of Korman's real strengths is his ability to create nuanced, detailed characters. The four protagonists all have distinct personalities and motivations, and the side characters all serve a specific function in the narrative. Class and money are themes that lend themselves well to the "search for treasure" plot and while they are only hinted at in the first book- through the presence of Adriana, who is wealthy and whose access to money filters her worldview, but who is also a layered character- and through the historical subplot aboard the Griffin, where Samuel and an old farmer are forced to work on the ship in order to get the money to survive and to provide for his family, respectively. Korman sets the stage nicely for future developments. The author also touches on themes of disability with a protagonist who was selected for the fake internship because of her cerebral palsy, which the treasure hunters thought- incorrectly- would mean she was a bad diver.
I feel like the subplot that flashes back to the Griffin's cabin boy could have been better incorporated into the plot somehow- if nothing else, the pages of italic text was irritating to read, even if the subject matter was interesting. Samuel's subplot is sympathetic and a realistic look back at the life on a ship in the 1600's.
Dive: The Discovery is an excellent book, particularly if one is interested in the sea or in scuba diving. Korman's clearly spent time to do his research on the mechanics and dangers of both scuba diving and the ocean, and all these together make for a very strong story.