I’ve recently gotten into “The Rig”, a gripping supernatural thriller series. It centers on a remote Scottish oil platform where the crew experiences bizarre occurrences, soon realizing an ancient, intelligent force from the deep ocean is retaliating against human environmental damage. It immediately brought to mind Frank Schätzing’s novel, “The Swarm,” a book I read years ago.

Frank Schätzing’s “The Swarm” is an epic eco-thriller. It opens with a series of bizarre and catastrophic events unfolding across the world’s oceans, from unusual whale behaviors to spreading toxic organisms and unprecedented geological shifts. To understand these escalating global threats, a diverse team of international scientists—including marine biologist Sigur Johanson and cetologist Leon Anawak—is assembled. They embark on a desperate race against time to understand the source of these threats, which point to a mysterious, intelligent force from the deep ocean retaliating against humanity’s profound environmental impact.

When I picked up “The Swarm”, I knew it was a big book – over 800 pages – but I quickly found it to be an ambitious and truly impressive achievement. It’s truly a “big idea” book that successfully blends the adrenaline of a disaster story with the intellectual rigor of hard science fiction. While I can see how its length and occasional detailed explanations might not appeal to everyone, if you’re someone who appreciates a well-researched, environmentally conscious thriller, I think you’ll find it a rewarding and thought-provoking read.

I haven’t re-read the novel since, but the profound impression it left has genuinely stayed with me through the years (which, to me, is exactly what a great book does). Because of that lasting power, I’m confident in giving it an 8.

– S –