The Unsinkable Walker Bean, by Aaron Renier, is an exciting sea adventure, with a bit of science and magic as well. We follow the titular hero as he journeys to return a dangerous skull to its resting place at the bottom of an ocean trench to save his ailing grandfather who suffers from an affliction which befalls all those who look into the skull’s eyes. He faces many dangers, including issues of trust, pirates, a mysterious doctor, the dreaded sea witches, and even his own father, an officer in the navy.

The main problem with this story is a lack of closure of the plot threads. The book just ends with a lot of questions unanswered. However, the buildup is fantastic and the clever plans the characters come up with are impressive.

Another problem is the father, William Bean. This guy is a worse father than Darth Vader! Throughout the story, he pursues Walker for the skull which he intends to sell for his own benefit. He shows absolutely no love or caring for his son and is an absolutely unlikeable character. It seems like you’re supposed to want him to have a change of heart, but at the things in the book he does…

But overall, the adventure is fun, the thoughts of the characters are interesting, and the plot is so interesting that I’m legitimately disappointed that there is no continuation.