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Save the Whales Please
A young, beautiful eco-terrorist, the American president's wife is determined to stop the overhunting of whales by the Japanese, the Norwegians, and others, so she embarks on a daring plan to drive a stranded herd of blue whales from the Arctic to the opposite end of the earth—the Antarctic. Her husband, the President, has promised to let the Japanese take the blue whales in exchange for their support in a looming economic crisis. On board a hijacked whaling factory ship, the First Lady defies her husband and—with the help of the ship's captain, a recently reformed whaling pirate—confronts the Japanese fleet and threatens to sink it. This big, bold rescue adventure blends romance with a generous dose of dirty politics.
432 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 2009
2 people are currently reading
61 people want to read
About the author
Sreescanda
8 books9 followersI've been writing since a wee-tot, but it's taken a few decades before a stranger liked my penmanship as much as I did. That would be Kunati, my publisher. "Save the Whales Please" is my first novel. Buy it because it's (1) a good read, of course; (2)squashes bugs; (3)adds inches to a low child seat; (4) holds a door open; (5) makes for a good weapon and (6) hell, turns you instantly "green."
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
April 21, 2009
Jan is the most famous eco-terrorist in the world--not only is she beautful and smart and daring, she also happens to be the First Lady of the United States. Her husband, Casten Everett, is the first independent to ever be elected to the highest office and nearing the end of his term, his re-election numbers aren't looking so hot. The couple are soon put at odds with one another when Jan discovers that Carsten has made a quiet deal with the Japanese that allows the country to harvest a huge, stranded herd of blue whales. Determined to save the whales herself, Jan sets off on an impossible mission--to drive the whales across the globe and protest them from the Japanese hunters. From the Wast Coast to the West, Alaska to Norway to Japan and back again, we see the story play out in politics and conservatism. The war between the two is unimaginable.
I thought this book was absolutely great. I've always liked whales and been against the hunting of the endangered species (yeah, I've never bought that "scientific research" bit, either). But it wasn't until I read the grisly descriptions of the whales being peeled apart (a few of the passages made my stomach turn a bit) that I really found my opposition. Some of the story is a bit over-the-top and you definitely have to suspend all notion of reality in regards to most of Jan's activities (the First Lady would NEVER have the kind of freedom that she enjoyed--and no matter what her marital problems, the Secret Service wouldn't stop surveillance of her). But the book reads like a movie (understandably, since the authors have a history in screenwriting)--the short chapters immerse one in the book, and the fast pace keeps you hooked. A good read with a gret message at the core of it.
I thought this book was absolutely great. I've always liked whales and been against the hunting of the endangered species (yeah, I've never bought that "scientific research" bit, either). But it wasn't until I read the grisly descriptions of the whales being peeled apart (a few of the passages made my stomach turn a bit) that I really found my opposition. Some of the story is a bit over-the-top and you definitely have to suspend all notion of reality in regards to most of Jan's activities (the First Lady would NEVER have the kind of freedom that she enjoyed--and no matter what her marital problems, the Secret Service wouldn't stop surveillance of her). But the book reads like a movie (understandably, since the authors have a history in screenwriting)--the short chapters immerse one in the book, and the fast pace keeps you hooked. A good read with a gret message at the core of it.
April 27, 2009
This was a really interesting and eye-opening book about the whaling business. The graphic descriptions of the actual whaling process and the corrupt politics that surround it definitely drive home the anti-whaling message of the book. I enjoyed the story, but sometimes found the story hard to follow amid all the facts and side stories. In the beginning, it seemed more like a non-fiction book than fiction. Although this made it a little bit hard for me to really get into the book from the beginning, it definitely showed that the authors really did their research and know this topic inside and out. After I got used to the style and the story really picked up, I enjoyed the second half of the book much better. Overall, it was a good read, and I enjoyed that it was on an interesting topic that I haven't read much about before.
May 9, 2009
First Reads review: Well, first things first... Due to several sexual scenes, violence, and rough language, I would not recommend this book to anyone under 17. That said, I am torn as to how to review this book. It seems almost like two novels, intersecting to further the plotline but distinct and unequal. On one side we have the outspokenly green, eco-minded story revolving around Jan, the first lady; on the other, an intricate and politically treacherous story revolving around Everett, the President. In a total upset from my usual tastes, I much preferred the political novel to the ecological one. For whatever reason, Jan and those immediately around her did not ring true to me. Some of the action scenes felt contrived and stretched credulity but the characters seemed to distract more from the story. For example, just before Jan collects her party to try and save the whales, her best friend Raquel's boyfriend (almost fiance) dies. It receives roughly three paragraphs and Raquel cries once. Two pages later there is a sniff, a cracked voice, and then nothing for the rest of the book. Even though there is a lot of action and turmoil packed into a relatively short timeframe, I would expect more reaction than that or at least a further reference or two (the opportunities abounded). The boyfriend was critical to the plotline but seems forgotten as soon as the plot turned that corner, a means to an end and nothing more. Several of the characters are equally one-dimensional. It is perhaps a symptom of a big story and the embedded drama, which rarely bogs down for more than a page or two and continues to almost the very last. There were a few mild twists and turns but they led to a fairly satisfying, if wholly predictable, ending. Two smaller contentions I had with the book: sound effects and punctuation. Don't get me wrong, sound effects can add a great deal of dimension and tension to a story ("Nothing sounded more dreadful than the soft clack of the space bar." p. 320) but in the story they were sometimes overused to the point of distraction. And as for punctuation... Exclamation points derive their import from rare usage! Normally they truly heighten a scene or statement! Or lend realism when someone is shouting! But seeing them misused in sentence after sentence is really annoying! Now, if you've read this far, you may think I didn't enjoy this book at all. But actually I did, especially the intricate political passages. I might not recommend it for a serious read but it would serve just fine for lighter fare.
May 29, 2009
I was really excited to receive this book as a "First Reads" winner. I've really fallen in love with whales since being here in Hawaii and knew I'd be interested in this story. I have to confess that it took me about 3 weeks to get through the first 100-150 pages of the book, though. The first chapter was MESMERIZING and then I felt like I was wading through acronyms and politics and organizations and propaganda for the next 3 weeks of pick the book up... put it back down. I couldn't get into it at all during all the set-up of people/places/politics. It was so thorough in it's description of those details that I felt compelled to research to see if those organizations were fictional or real. (I didn't follow through on that compulsion, though. I'd just set the book down for a few days and try tackling it again after a break.) Once everything was finally set up and the story got moving I was totally captivated. I stayed up WAY past my bedtime several nights in a row to finish it. The last 150 pages felt like a super action-packed movie :) The message of the book is clear: commercial whaling = bad, backdoor political deals = bad. I could have done without the romance/relationship stuff, and the language put me off (the first lady had a "potty mouth" as did the pirates, etc.) I wouldn't feel comfortable recommending it to most of my friends because of the language, but the story was fascinating. The writing was descriptive. The editor missed a few obnoxious typos (including punctuation errors! I've never seen that before.) Overall I really enjoyed the story.
February 22, 2010
Reads like an action-packed thriller movie. The first lady of the U.S. is a formidable Eco-Warrior who is on a mission to save blue whales that have been trapped in the arctic and have been sold out by her husband, the U.S President, to Japanese whalers. It has got political machinations, romance on the high seas, pirates, and more almost fatal thrilling moments than could possibly ever happen. It also has some errors in it, such as the first time the eco-warriors boarded the pirate ship they were all armed (except the cameraman), then only Jan was armed, then Jan and Raquel were armed - all within a couple of minutes. Also the First Lady's nose is described as "petulant". That is a puzzling description of a nose, I decided the authors must have meant "pert". And maybe I'm being picky but no one who is beat up severely, burned, shot or nearly drowned suffers physical consequences by the next scene, except Arlov the Pirate who limps once after being shot in the leg. Well that's the movies for you. What I liked best about the book is all the information about whaling and I found myself crying over the real whales and wondering why we human beings want to hunt and kill. Despite the errors and the fantastical action survival scenes I liked the book and cheer on our real eco-warriors who fight for the whales and conservation.
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
April 15, 2016
This was a hard one to rate. It's an interesting story, mainly involving international politics, environmentalism, and the struggle between the President of the United States and his wife, who are on opposite sides in a battle over 1800 blue whales. There's lots of action and intrigue and back-stabbing, and it's a pretty original idea, so there's plenty to entertain.
However...I also had some problems with it--mainly that it's clear that these guys had a TERRIBLE editor (or possibly no editor at all). The book is riddled with typos, faulty grammar and punctuation, and awkward sentences, which really should have been caught and corrected before the book ever made it to print. There are also times when what a character is really trying to say is unclear, or when things just get a little over the top and the story becomes unbelievable--too many miraculous saves or amazing coincidences. And a few threads kind of drop that lead to some confusion down the line.
Over all, it's a fun suspense/action novel, and the authors clearly did a lot of research on the politics of whaling, but I found the errors pretty distracting. Hopefully those issues will be fixed before this book goes in for a second printing. In any case, despite its faults, I definitely enjoyed the story!
Received this book through First Reads.
However...I also had some problems with it--mainly that it's clear that these guys had a TERRIBLE editor (or possibly no editor at all). The book is riddled with typos, faulty grammar and punctuation, and awkward sentences, which really should have been caught and corrected before the book ever made it to print. There are also times when what a character is really trying to say is unclear, or when things just get a little over the top and the story becomes unbelievable--too many miraculous saves or amazing coincidences. And a few threads kind of drop that lead to some confusion down the line.
Over all, it's a fun suspense/action novel, and the authors clearly did a lot of research on the politics of whaling, but I found the errors pretty distracting. Hopefully those issues will be fixed before this book goes in for a second printing. In any case, despite its faults, I definitely enjoyed the story!
Received this book through First Reads.
October 26, 2014
First Reads Review: Don't let the number of pages discourage you. This is a great, fast read.
The premise of the book has the First Lady, Jan, as an eco-warrier (aka "radical" environmentalist) and her husband is up for re-election. The minke and blue whales are the current target of the First Lady's passion. Her husband is doing what he can to get re-elected and he needs the support of Japan, the country responsbile for a majority of the whale deaths. The President makes a back room deal to give stranded blue whales, the last of their kind, to Japan in exchange for some key IWC votes. Jan and her friends find out about it and come up with a plan for a great whale drive.
The story has pirates, ruthless whale killers, politicians and environmentalists. There are as many subplots as their are characters, ranging from the need for political power to romance. The book is filled with detailed political drama and many facts on whales, their killing and conservation; both of which some may find long winded but do enhance the story. Some of story is not realistic but it isn't so far fetched it takes away from the story idea. The First Lady being the heroine is completely unrealistic but a nice idea. I enjoyed the ending and didn't see it coming.
The premise of the book has the First Lady, Jan, as an eco-warrier (aka "radical" environmentalist) and her husband is up for re-election. The minke and blue whales are the current target of the First Lady's passion. Her husband is doing what he can to get re-elected and he needs the support of Japan, the country responsbile for a majority of the whale deaths. The President makes a back room deal to give stranded blue whales, the last of their kind, to Japan in exchange for some key IWC votes. Jan and her friends find out about it and come up with a plan for a great whale drive.
The story has pirates, ruthless whale killers, politicians and environmentalists. There are as many subplots as their are characters, ranging from the need for political power to romance. The book is filled with detailed political drama and many facts on whales, their killing and conservation; both of which some may find long winded but do enhance the story. Some of story is not realistic but it isn't so far fetched it takes away from the story idea. The First Lady being the heroine is completely unrealistic but a nice idea. I enjoyed the ending and didn't see it coming.
Read
January 16, 2010 I read Save the whales Please by Sreescanda as an IR book. This book was about the First Lady saving the whales. She wants to stop the Norwiegans, Japanese and more to stop killing the blue whales. She has a plan to get a herd of blue whales from the Arctic and get them to the other end of the world, she wants to get them to the Antarctic. She totally disregards her husband and goes on with it.
I can relate with her through a text-to-self connection. Im sort of like her. I do want to save the blue whales. Not only them but pandas, and other species. Me and her hate how people kill these animals and its wrong. She is like a hero for doing that. Hopefully one day i can directly do that.
I give this book *****stars. I gave this book 5 stars because its inspiring to people. From children to adults. It tells us that animals are dying and we are the ones who can help them. By donating money, you can also join a team or something so you can actually go up to the animals. I suggest this book to people who love animals and want to change animals!!
I can relate with her through a text-to-self connection. Im sort of like her. I do want to save the blue whales. Not only them but pandas, and other species. Me and her hate how people kill these animals and its wrong. She is like a hero for doing that. Hopefully one day i can directly do that.
I give this book *****stars. I gave this book 5 stars because its inspiring to people. From children to adults. It tells us that animals are dying and we are the ones who can help them. By donating money, you can also join a team or something so you can actually go up to the animals. I suggest this book to people who love animals and want to change animals!!
February 11, 2010
This book is quite a fun romp in the eco-terrorist/thriller genre. It is not as well written as, say, Carl Hiaasen's novels about eco warriors off the deep end, but still quite fun to read, with non-stop action mixed with international geopolitics and whale conservation. I'm not sure a whale drive is really feasible biologically, in the manner described, but the use of whale acoustic and social behaviors to fuel the main plot device is creative and fun.
The book also has some memorable characters, especially Jan, the eco-terrorist first lady of the US. Now there's a real flight of fancy, isn't it, given the extreme reactions to even the moderate environmentalism of the Obamas?! Would that hard core environmentalists gain anywhere near this level of public influence...
Imagine if this feisty first lady were to get together with Hiaasen's ex-Governor Skink: that surely would be the makings of some really entertaining eco-mayhem!!
Disclaimer: I received this book as a free giveaway via Goodreads First Reads.
The book also has some memorable characters, especially Jan, the eco-terrorist first lady of the US. Now there's a real flight of fancy, isn't it, given the extreme reactions to even the moderate environmentalism of the Obamas?! Would that hard core environmentalists gain anywhere near this level of public influence...
Imagine if this feisty first lady were to get together with Hiaasen's ex-Governor Skink: that surely would be the makings of some really entertaining eco-mayhem!!
Disclaimer: I received this book as a free giveaway via Goodreads First Reads.
July 21, 2010
THIS IS THE 10TH BOOK I'VE WON ON GOODREADS. Initially I had thought I signed up to win a Non-Fiction Book, but this is more of a fictional suspense with some insight into Whaling.
The Title Alone "Save the Whales Please" gives this book a Thumbs up. I have always had this belief that Whales are "gods" of the sea with unsurpassed intelligence...The idea that human beings slaughter these beings is inhuman.
The Title Alone "Save the Whales Please" gives this book a Thumbs up. I have always had this belief that Whales are "gods" of the sea with unsurpassed intelligence...The idea that human beings slaughter these beings is inhuman.
Want to read
March 16, 2009This is going to be a fun, fascinating read!! An eco-thriller/adventure/romance!! I can't wait, and I'm going to have great fun recommending it to all my environmentalist friends--especially the ones who are whale lawyers, and who have traveled back and forth attending international conferences!! Woo hoo!!!!
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews