Zachary Wallace is a Scottish marine biologist who famously “discovered” exactly what kind of creature the Loch Ness Monster was. It’s hard to even summarize Vostok for you, but I’m going to give it a shot. (And that could be one reason Alten chose the self-publishing route: he didn’t want to compromise his story.) BUT if I were an editor at a traditional publishing house, I would have separated this story into two different books. But while the premise of Weir’s book can be summed up in one sentence, Vostok is a rather more complex plot that went in directions I would not have guessed in a million years! Bottom line? Alten is a very solid and seasoned writer with loads of imagination and has gone to great lengths to do research for this very science-heavy plot. Like The Martian, Steve Alten dumps his characters in a very dangerous and secluded location and forces them to use their wits to escape.

But I’m so glad that I got to experience this story, because it’s certainly given me a lot to think about! If you enjoyed The Martian by Andy Weir, then you will most likely enjoy this book too, although the stories are completely different. I decided to join the blog tour for Vostok rather reluctantly, since I don’t read indie books any more. The nitty-gritty: A thrill ride of a story from start to finish, but it might be just too much for one book.

The Loch by Steve Alten