Stick-Slip

The best way I can think to describe this book is as science fiction that’s heavier on the science than on the fiction. The premise is that, using a new form of technology, a team of scientists has detected a massive earthquake that will strike the Pacific Northwest. Their first step is to figure out whether the predicted earthquake will actually happen, and later, how to deal with the press and with all the publicity that gathers around them after word of their project leaks to the media.

The science of the book, so far as I can tell, is solid, and I learned a lot about earthquakes from reading it. There were a few places where the exposition of the science felt either repetitive or a bit too much for someone with little prior knowledge to follow, but for the most part, it was informative and interesting, particularly for someone like me who comes from a place where earthquakes happen rarely, if at all. However, the science and plot are the strongest parts of the book, making this a novel that readers with either strongly enjoy or strongly dislike. Personally, I enjoy novels that are character-driven, and in this one, the characters didn’t feel as fleshed out as I like. A lot of the dialogue felt as though it could be changed from one character to another, with the only discrepancy being not from voice but from how much knowledge that character has. For those like me, who prefer novels that have powerful characters that push the plot to its conclusion, I would advise passing on this book.

This isn’t to say that Stick-Slip is a poorly-written book. For those readers who enjoy novels where the plot is the central focus (as it would almost have to be in any novel about a natural disaster), I would recommend this one, especially for those who enjoy a lot of science in their fiction.