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Crisis on Conshelf Ten #1
Crisis on Conshelf Ten
While visiting Conshelf Ten, an underwater colony on Earth, a young Moon boy becomes involved with dissident Gillmen whose plans threaten the whole world.
144 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1975
2 people are currently reading
181 people want to read
About the author
Monica Hughes
578 books115 followersMonica Hughes was a very popular writer for young people, and has won numerous prizes. Her books have been published in the United States, Poland, Spain, Japan, France, Scandinavia, England, and Germany. She has twice received the Canada Council Prize for Children's Literature, and was runner-up for the Guardian Award.
She is the author of Keeper of the Isis Light, an American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults, which also received a Certificate of Honor from the International Board on Books for Young People; Hunter in the Dark, also an ALA Best Book for Young Adults; and Sandwriter, among many other titles.
She is the author of Keeper of the Isis Light, an American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults, which also received a Certificate of Honor from the International Board on Books for Young People; Hunter in the Dark, also an ALA Best Book for Young Adults; and Sandwriter, among many other titles.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
June 25, 2011
I wish I'd read this as a child, when I read loads of other Monica Hughes books. This one, however, may have gone over my head a bit - there's a lot of interesting politcal stuff. I dunno, probably would have been good for me.
My 9 year old self would like to give this five stars, as it was an exciting book about equal rights, and standing up for what you believe in, and war being BAD. It also has dolphins in, which is cool. The gillmen creeped me out a bit though, as did the almost-death from pressure change when he surfaced too fast. Creeeepy.
My adult self says this has some interesting themes, although it's clearly aimed at children because it's preachy. Really, really nice concept - Monica Hughes has such fantastic ideas, but the book's so short that there's not much time for characterisation. I read this in an hour. (My 9 year old self says she also read it in an hour, and that includes the time it took to make 2 milkshakes. How slow are you.) The setting on conshelf ten was lovely, and the conflict betweeen Topsiders, Moon and Conshelf communities had a lot going for it. Didn't fall in love with any of the characters, and especially not with the dialogue. The gillmen didn't creep me out in the least, but almost-death from pressure change still does a bit, if I'm honest. And, yes, there were friendly helpful dolphins, but I'm an adult, dammit, and I need to talk about things like tone and register and stuff.
9 year old me: :P
My 9 year old self would like to give this five stars, as it was an exciting book about equal rights, and standing up for what you believe in, and war being BAD. It also has dolphins in, which is cool. The gillmen creeped me out a bit though, as did the almost-death from pressure change when he surfaced too fast. Creeeepy.
My adult self says this has some interesting themes, although it's clearly aimed at children because it's preachy. Really, really nice concept - Monica Hughes has such fantastic ideas, but the book's so short that there's not much time for characterisation. I read this in an hour. (My 9 year old self says she also read it in an hour, and that includes the time it took to make 2 milkshakes. How slow are you.) The setting on conshelf ten was lovely, and the conflict betweeen Topsiders, Moon and Conshelf communities had a lot going for it. Didn't fall in love with any of the characters, and especially not with the dialogue. The gillmen didn't creep me out in the least, but almost-death from pressure change still does a bit, if I'm honest. And, yes, there were friendly helpful dolphins, but I'm an adult, dammit, and I need to talk about things like tone and register and stuff.
9 year old me: :P
April 6, 2017
There's a long story behind this review, but I'll try to keep it short. I first read this book in grade 8, although, in typical teenage fashion, quickly forgot the title or author. I spend the next 20 years remembering it fondly, but with an increasing amount of frustration. My memories were too vague. I wanted to read it again!
I asked dozens (or more!) people if they had any memory of this book, but apparently it was not common required reading. In the end, I was scanning through lists of a Goodreads group dedicated to identifying forgotten books. And there it was. Just sitting there for me to find. Unbelievable.
The journey didn't end there, however. Now I had to find the book! The city library didn't have a copy, and it's out of print. Whatever will I do?! Lucky for me, my dad tracked down an old educator's copy at the university library. I feel like this was a whole community effort to get the book in my hands. And as an added bonus? There's a sequel! My dad snatched that one up for me as well, so I get to delve in a little deeper than I initially planned. I'm ridiculously excited! ;)
In the end, the second read through was not as outstanding as I remembered it to be. I think my initial love was all about timing. At the age of 13, I was reading a lot of Ray Bradbury, and this book was an ideal fit with my mood. It was a little outdated with the speculative technology, considering it was written 50 years ago. Also, a little more optimistic than would be realistic (yes, I know it's sci-fi, and doesn't have to be realistic, but we're talking about human nature!).
Overall, a great middle-grade read.
I asked dozens (or more!) people if they had any memory of this book, but apparently it was not common required reading. In the end, I was scanning through lists of a Goodreads group dedicated to identifying forgotten books. And there it was. Just sitting there for me to find. Unbelievable.
The journey didn't end there, however. Now I had to find the book! The city library didn't have a copy, and it's out of print. Whatever will I do?! Lucky for me, my dad tracked down an old educator's copy at the university library. I feel like this was a whole community effort to get the book in my hands. And as an added bonus? There's a sequel! My dad snatched that one up for me as well, so I get to delve in a little deeper than I initially planned. I'm ridiculously excited! ;)
In the end, the second read through was not as outstanding as I remembered it to be. I think my initial love was all about timing. At the age of 13, I was reading a lot of Ray Bradbury, and this book was an ideal fit with my mood. It was a little outdated with the speculative technology, considering it was written 50 years ago. Also, a little more optimistic than would be realistic (yes, I know it's sci-fi, and doesn't have to be realistic, but we're talking about human nature!).
Overall, a great middle-grade read.
July 28, 2012
As only to be expected with a book written in 1975 about the "future" (2005) I had to suspend my disbelief a little more than usual. Apparently by now we should be living on the Moon and on the continental shelves, and have abolished the internal combustion engine. Oh, and Czechoslovakia is still a country ;P
Other than that, I enjoyed the theme of this story, the struggle that every colony has had to go through to gain their independence from the corporation making the rules through government lobbies. You know, like the Tea Party *snerk*
The underwater scenes were nicely written and imaginative, but reminded me of the Pendragon book about the Lost City of Faar.
I think I like reading juvenile fiction because usually there is some sort of happy ending, but leaves the future for you to imagine.
Other than that, I enjoyed the theme of this story, the struggle that every colony has had to go through to gain their independence from the corporation making the rules through government lobbies. You know, like the Tea Party *snerk*
The underwater scenes were nicely written and imaginative, but reminded me of the Pendragon book about the Lost City of Faar.
I think I like reading juvenile fiction because usually there is some sort of happy ending, but leaves the future for you to imagine.
December 15, 2020
Read this book in middle school. Material went over a few class members heads but my teacher Mr Birch did alot of indepth chapter work with us and the class enjoyed the book so much that at the end of the book we got to go to the Pan Am pool and take a scuba lesson. Super cool teacher and really had a passion for Lit.
April 21, 2025
Kepler and his father, the leader of the Moon, travel back to Earth. Kepler's father is determined to speak up for the rights of the people of the Moon and help them obtain some basics, including free water, in return for all the minerals Earth is taking from the Moon. Kepler has some troubles adjusting to Earth's gravity, and he goes to stay in an underwater community called Conshelf Ten. But Conshelf Ten has its own problems.
A 1001 Children's Book first published in the early 1970s. Some things might be a bit surprising to a 2025 audience, like the presence of a wall phone for communication and the lack of computer technology. But it was reassuring to see that the gulf reverts in the future to its original name, the Gulf of Mexico.
A 1001 Children's Book first published in the early 1970s. Some things might be a bit surprising to a 2025 audience, like the presence of a wall phone for communication and the lack of computer technology. But it was reassuring to see that the gulf reverts in the future to its original name, the Gulf of Mexico.
September 2, 2022
Monica Hughes was and still is my favorite science fiction authors for teens. I can't believe this book was published in 1975, it's still so current! Fifteen-year-old Kepler Masterman was the first child born on a Moon colony. Needless to say, a visit to Earth is an "alien" experience for him, and to top it all he finds himself caught in a conspiracy that could cost him his and the life of the Moon colony. For 12 to 14-year-olds.
April 25, 2019
More pulpy goodness from my childhood. Even in 7th grade, I was ready for deeper sci-fi reading, but I do appreciate how it manages to be a great gateway into hard science fiction concepts for younger readers and neophytes to the genre.
May 19, 2023
high 2.5
too preachy near the end and the characters were not compelling enough
I have found out after finishing that this was intending for kids so that explains a lot of my complaints with it
too preachy near the end and the characters were not compelling enough
I have found out after finishing that this was intending for kids so that explains a lot of my complaints with it
February 23, 2017
I was eager to read this book from the "1001 Children's Books You Must Read" list because I love science fiction. This is an older sci-fi novel, however, and it shows. Both the technology and the politics date it terribly. (Physical Mail to the Moon! SUCBA diving to get to an undersea home!) Younger children my enjoy the story, but anyone old enough to be relatively literate in science and technology are going to have a hard time suspending their disbelief.
May 20, 2015
YA Fiction, written in 1975. YA has come a long way since then, but I'm going to rate this as if I were reading it as a young adult.
The science fiction is reasonably well imagined, and as a newish SCUBA diver I enjoyed the underwater settings and thought that went into setting a scene at 60 -100 feet, or 3 to 4 atmospheres. Comments about nitrogen narcosis and "the bends" were well done.
On the whole, it's a morality play with little characterisation, and with few pages to work with, interesting conflicts had to be quickly resolved.
The morals are good though, the science is pretty sound, and the setting is imaginative.
What I'm wondering, is where are all the other underwater sci-fi stories at? I loved having a setting that wasn't "space".
Definitely would read again and suggest to others, especially young ones with an interest in sci-fi, or alternately, those who think they might not like science fiction. Because Dolphins.
The science fiction is reasonably well imagined, and as a newish SCUBA diver I enjoyed the underwater settings and thought that went into setting a scene at 60 -100 feet, or 3 to 4 atmospheres. Comments about nitrogen narcosis and "the bends" were well done.
On the whole, it's a morality play with little characterisation, and with few pages to work with, interesting conflicts had to be quickly resolved.
The morals are good though, the science is pretty sound, and the setting is imaginative.
What I'm wondering, is where are all the other underwater sci-fi stories at? I loved having a setting that wasn't "space".
Definitely would read again and suggest to others, especially young ones with an interest in sci-fi, or alternately, those who think they might not like science fiction. Because Dolphins.
July 5, 2015
I read this as a teen, and it is ooe of the few books from that long ago I can still remember a lot of. Even who recommended it to me. And I remember loving it, and finding it really engaging!
For some reason it just popped into my head and I was actually able to find the title (long forgotten) because of the unusual theme! Funny, because I have thought of it a number of times over the years, but figured it would be hopeless trying to get a name for it.
For some reason it just popped into my head and I was actually able to find the title (long forgotten) because of the unusual theme! Funny, because I have thought of it a number of times over the years, but figured it would be hopeless trying to get a name for it.
June 12, 2012
Hard one to rate. My 11 year old son LOVES it, and I can see why - Moon colonization, undersea colonization, politics, intrigue, interesting well imagined environments, a well paced-plot. From the adult perspective, it's a little morality play with a lot of set changes. But it's a morality play I can get behind, perhaps. Violence begets violence, y'all.
May 31, 2017
The first time I ever read a part of this book was during a reading comprehension section of a standardized test in Middle School. I fell in love with the excerpt in the middle of the test and remembered what it said the book was so that I could look it up later. When I finally read the whole book, I was not disappointed. This will always be one of my favorites.
January 20, 2015
I read this as a preteen, having bought it at a book event my teacher signed me up for, along with Keeper of the Isis Light. Both books were ones I read over and over again as a kid. The idea of people living underwater was something I'd never encountered before, and helped turn me into a reader of mostly science fiction and fantasy.
July 11, 2008
This was one of the first science fiction books that I borrowed from the school library as a young boy, and it really sparked an interest in that subject.
March 31, 2011
I found the story to be a bit weak and the characters weren't all that interesting.
February 19, 2016
I read this as a young teenager, and loved it! Still a tightly - written and engaging story about the importance of non-violence in the struggle for equal rights.
October 28, 2016
Some nice ideas but dated delivery. Pace at times sluggish.
February 19, 2011
BEST BOOK EVER!!!!!!!!
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews