Rating: 
Summary: 470 pages of tedium
Review: I bought this because I was looking for some good, light fiction and I liked the cover of the paperback; it made me think of Hammer Films' THE LOST CONTINENT. SEA CHANGE started off reminding me of the movie THE FLESH EATERS; unfortunately, after a few introductionary deaths, you have to wade through over 400 pages of talk and speculation about "the slick". Amidst all the talk, there occasionally happens something that might be classified as "action", but don't expect the pace to pick up or the excitiemnt to mount; those moments are as dull as the endless conversations. All in all this is a reminder to pass any book whose singular cover endorsement is from Publishers Weekly.
Rating: 
Summary: Pfiesteria Hysteria.
Review: James Powlick's oceanographic and biological prowess certainly shines in this novel. He is definitely an author who has mastered the credo: "Write what you know." I was never a student of either of these schools, but after reading "Sea of Change", I feel as though I have just completed about fourteen credit hours in Advanced Oceanography/Biology Studies. It's this attention to detail that merits the well-deserved three stars. "Sea of Change" is a very well written novel.Doctor Ellie Bridges is on duty during the graveyard shift at a small Pacific Northwest hospital when she is delivered the bodies of two poachers, fished out of the water by local Indian residents. The wounds on the poachers are unlike anything Dr. Bridges has ever seen. Not long afterwards, a very sick young girl is brought in by distraught parents. Despite her attempts, the young girl also dies. Ellie is out of her depth as a medical professional. Meanwhile, out at sea aboard the Exeter, oceanographer Brock Garner and his team of scientists are nearly run into by what appears to be an abandoned ship, the Sato Maru. A quick survey of the derelict reveals the crew long since dead and in various states of decomposition. What's happening? From here the body count begins to slowly rise. Man and mammal alike are turning up dead. Among the dead is Brock's former brother-in-law Mark Junkers. Brock is called in for help by his ex-wife Carol who wants answers to her brother's death. He is regrettably teamed up with Carol's new husband, smiling Bob Nolan. Suffice it to say that neither man gets along very well. Mr. Powlick gives us a great cast of characters here. There was sufficient enough development in them that warranted my reading this novel to its conclusion. My middle of the road review concerns their nemesis. Try as they might, even this cast couldn't make the hunt for Pfiesteria overly exciting. When they're not onboard the Kaiku arguing over every little thing, the crew is searching the ocean for a floating slick of a biological nature. From an ecological standpoint, I thoroughly understand what the author's intent was, and it is admirable. What I really wish I could have given this novel was three and a half stars for its engaging writing with a heavy emphasis on marine biology. There's also a nice "tip-of-the-pen" to a rather famous novel by Peter Benchley that I found entertaining. Clearly a little something for everyone can be found in "Sea Change". Give it a read.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Addition To the Genre
Review: For sometime I have been awaiting the emergence of a new writer in the ocean thriller genre. With Peter Benchley's work slipping and David Poyer going mostly into techno-thriller, it was time for someone new. James Powlik does a wonderful job in "Sea Change". Powlik writes true believable characters and gives you a quick scary storyline that most will enjoy. "Sea Change" takes place in the Pacfic Northwest, where main character Brock Garner starts to find dead zones in the oceans. Large holes with no life forms in it. Soon victims start appearing on land with horrible injuries, that result in death. The deaths include Garner's best friend. Soon Garner realizes that he is following a plankton bloom carring a dangerous dinoflaglete that will eat the flesh off any warm blooded creature. A chase ensues to capture the bloom and to kill it before it reaches any highly populated seaport city. The action in the story is great, but does get bogged down a little with a lot of technical jargon that Powlik tries to get through quickly. The use of arconyms is a little troublesome, since there are so many you forget what each stands for. There are some very gory scenes in the book but, nothing that will make you stop reading. With the action and the information, it makes for a great beach read. Just don't go in the water!!
Rating: 
Summary: Everything a thriller should be
Review: 'Sea Change' gets off to a quick start and manages to maintain the pace through to a rewarding and enjoyable climax. The expectations set up by the book's beginning hold up extremely well, unlike any number of other books in this genre. The characters are likable and the science is introduced clearly without becoming preachy or too technical (in deference to the earlier reviewer, I am a biologist who enjoyed the book tremendously - lighten up!). Anyone looking for a great mystery or an environmental thriller with plenty of twists and turns along the way will not be disappointed by this one. I look forward to more from this author.
Rating:
Summary: "Sea Change" a satisfying yarn
Review: "Sea Change" is a scary and well written scenario by an author who clearly knows a lot about oceanography and biology. Kept me turning the pages! -- John Cullen (John Argo), author of "The Generals of October" (Clocktower Books)
Rating:
Summary: An Interesting Novel About The Treacherous Sea!
Review: James Powlick's novel, Sea Change, was about contaminated liquid that was dumped into into the Northern Pacific Ocean off the coast of Seattle accidently by a cargo carrier from the Orient. The liquid is a disease called Pfesteria, which is a deadly and dangerous disease. Many people throughout the novel are being killed if their body touches parts of the contaminated ocean. The body burn and sizzles and the person dies a painful death. A group of scientists and oceanographers are on the hunt to try and stop the contaminating fluid before the whole ocean is affected and the city of Seattle!
Rating:
Summary: Pfiesteria Mystery Satisfies
Review: This book blends real-life science and a compelling mystery that makes for terrific beach reading! The author, James Powlik, takes a true-to-life menace from today's headlines and spins an exciting tale of suspense. In the tranquil waters of the Pacific Northwest, an invisible, indiscriminate killer is loose. As the body count begins to escalate, a group of intrepid scientists is left to make sense of the mystery and find out what has gone wrong. The storyline is quite clever and all the more intriguing because of the possibility that this type of disaster could really happen. I recommend this book to mystery lovers, action-adventure aficionados, and anyone concerned about real-life ecological issues.
Rating:
Summary: Biologists will be disappointed, others will be fascinated
Review: The fearsome organism described in this book truly does exist, albeit far less dangerous. It can produce a neurotoxic airborne product, it can exit dormancy and enter an attack mode in a different physical configuration when it senses food (fish) in mass nearby. The story is a good read but I kept waiting for the explanation of how this colonial organism could swim against the current, and in extremely cold water to boot. How about details concerning navigation (why Seattle? Did the colony possess purpose?), propulsion organelles, and perhaps heretofore unknown means of extra-efficient energy production and storage (how else to manage the energy requirements to combat cold and currents)? Exactly how did the organism end up in the bilge of the Sato Maru anyway? We're told how it came to be devised but not its accidental/purposeful dispersion. Finally, Nolan is a ghost of a character and therefore unsatisfying. With just a little more meat on the bones this would be a superb bio-fiction novel. I would award 3 1/2 stars.
Rating:
Summary: Close to being a GREAT thriller but...
Review: This book would probably make an excellent movie. It was close to being a great read, except I think the author went 'overboard' with his technical information. As a Tom Clancy fan I appreciate and expect solid technical support to a story. However, this story loses the characters among the details. His heroes and heroines are no more than stereotypes/cliches at times. This is the disappointing aspect of the book. I will read more of Mr. Powlick's work in the future, but I will expect more character development as his style matures.
Rating:
Summary: It gives you goose pimples!
Review: This book caught my attention as I was walking in a book store, and I just knew I had to buy it. I went with my gut instinct, and I'm glad I did! This story is amazing, and what's more amazing is that it could become a reality! The author knows a thing or two about such scientific matters, and I'm sure that he didn't just write this story to scare us, but because we should always be careful about our environment. We never really know what's out there. That's what makes it great. I would recommend it to anyone with strong guts, and a mind for science and mysteries. I sure enjoyed it, and I'm sure that a lot of people will agree with me. Read it, and you will not be dissapointed!
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