imagine a mix of Jaws and Godzilla with a touch of Titanic thrown in, and you'll have some idea of the scope and ambition of this debut techno-thriller from Canadian oceanographer James Powlik.

Like in Jaws, something weird is killing people along a coast--in this case, the Pacific Northwest. Like in Godzilla, something we've done to the environment has caused simple creatures--in this case, tiny marine protozoa--to go crazy and mutate into a new killer entity. The Titanic touch comes when billions of these nasty creatures gather together to form a huge floating blob the size of an iceberg, which gives off a noxious gas that not only dissolves human tissue but also stops boat and plane engines dead.

By the time marine microbiologist Brock Garner and his ex-wife, whale sonar expert Carol Harmon, figure out just what the murderous agent is, the mucky mountain is caught up in a terrific storm that is pushing it toward Seattle. And the government isn't doing a lot to stop it, because they know who's behind the monstrous mutation--a former Defense Department consultant who happens to be Carol's father.

Powlik keeps this all from falling into the dangerous waters of "high camp" by making sure his characters are as reality-based and accessible as his scientific expertise. --Dick Adler

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