What readers think of The Wave, plus links to write your own review.

Having read Susan Casey’s enthralling and gripping book, “The Wave,” I will view the ocean through a different lens, one that sees it as both powerful and mysterious. The author takes us on a journey that is as thrilling as the surfing challenges she describes. She travels with the select group of extreme surfers as they track down the seven most formidable waves, all of which have “a distinct character.” Interspersed between the wave chases are fascinating profiles of the scientists seeking to understand what causes the ocean’s unpredictable behavior. “The Wave” will not disappoint.

I expected a treatise and found a very readable (yet alarming) story of waves, tsunamis, climate, change, and concerned people.

I'm a native Southern Californian and have lived on the island of Oahu for 20 years and feel most comfortable at the ocean's edge. I know the places discussed in the book, e.g., Maui, Ensenada, South Africa, and especially the North Shore of Oahu. I saw the Eddie Aikau competition in 2009 and have hundreds of photos of North Shore swells and waves.

I finished this book in a day and recommend it to anyone interested in climate change and its effects on our earth and living conditions.

Susan Casey has led a life of outdoor adventure including surfing waves. Along with her and the world's greatest surfers the reader vicariously experiences the terror and exhilaration of riding waves all around the world including a 100 foot wave, the holy grail of waves. Reported by sailors and long seen as impossible, satellite imagery has verified their existence. Waves pose a danger not only to surfers who seek them out. The world’s most eminent wave scientists fear the rising sea level, which rose approximately 6.7 inches in the twentieth century, will create waves which not only threaten the world's coastal shores but some of our greatest cities. There is a sense in this book that not only surfers but all of us should as one scientist says, "Go grab a couple of those total 'now' moments, because that’s all there’s gonna be anyway."

I found this book to be interesting and informative. I enjoyed the way the author skipped between the technical aspects of waves to surfing. Not something I expected. This book would appeal to someone who was new to the topic of waves and unfamiliar to the subject matter. Since I knew nothing about either surfing or the mechanics of waves, this was an excellent beginning. The author did a solid job covering a a large number of avenues: shipwrecks, wave symposiums, weather experts, insurance specialists, etc. as well as top surfers. For those people who have more detailed background, however, I think this book would be a bit too summarized. Any one of the topics covered could become an in-depth book by itself. For a person who knew very little such as myself, though, this was an excellent way for me to learn something new!

The ocean has always been a mystery to me. It’s something that you show respect to and never turn your back on. Susan Casey has written a book about the people who race to ride the big waves, who study the science of the waves, the ships that disappear without a trace and those that have survived its extremes. She introduced me to Laird Hamilton, a surf god. You really need to check out Hamilton’s ride at Teahupoo on YouTube. It’s awesome. This book isn’t for everyone but I thought it interesting as well as suspenseful as I read the stories of men who have gone up against the volatile nature of the ocean, sometimes with tragic results. There is little room for error on a sea of 50 - 100 foot waves.

I really enjoyed this book. It discusses extra large waves from the viewpoint of both tow surfers who seek them out for pleasure, and that of scientists seeking to understand their creation and actions. This was presented in a highly readable style, utilizing dialogue and quotes. The science was not above my head, and was understandable. All in all, this was a good read, and I will look for more of the author's books.

I've always been fascinated by the ocean and its many personalities, so I couldn't wait to start this book. It did not disappoint, and I've been recommending it to friends and co-workers, who teased me about waiting until after our recent cruise to read the book! The combination of scientific data and "real-life" experiences kept it entertaining and educational at the same time.

As I began 'The Wave', I expected it to be more about rogue waves round the world and the damage that ensues, and at first that is what pulled me into the book. I am a big fan of cruising as a vacation choice, and while I never worry about getting seasick, I do occasionally think about those monster waves that appear out of nowhere for no reason. The first part of the book addresses those situations, and I was properly horrified and fascinated.

The author, Susan Casey, then moved into the world of surfing and the people who pursue the big waves for the thrill and glory of the ride. A flatlander for most of my life, I found myself both appalled and amazed at the risks surfers such as Laird Hamilton take to ride the big ones. An accomplished writer, Ms. Casey helps you understand the allure of surfing and the mechanisms of the giant waves. It was an informative and entertaining glimpse into to a watery world about which I knew very little before I read this book.