The Deep Range, Arthur C Clarke, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich Inc, 1957, 175 pp
This captivating story comes from Clarke's other life as a deep sea explorer. Though it is set in the future, when much of Earth's food supply comes from algae and farmed whales, it also falls in the category of extreme adventure.
Don Burley is a whale shepherd, keeping the herds safe from predators. He gets unwillingly pulled off that job and asked to train the mysterious Walt Franklin, a former spacer with some undisclosed past incident that left him subject to panic attacks. The men eventually come to enjoy a friendship based on mutual respect and shared adventures in the deep ranges of the world's oceans.
So you get plenty of suspense, some tragedy, love stories, and another glimpse of a possible future. The underwater scenes were breathtaking, even for me who likes to stay on dry land.
(The Deep Range appears to be out of print. Try the science fiction section in your local library or used book sellers.)
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