KRILL AMERICA

Ray Palla has been listed on Twitter as a writer to watch.

—Marsha Wright, BBC ★★★★★

Ray Palla takes us into a world he knows extremely well, giving our journey with him an emotional, insightful, impacting, and rich with descriptive depth. The environment of Antarctica's Southern Ocean with all its danger, challenge, and beauty is painted in fantastic gritty reality.

Ray’s characters have intensity and history which makes them thoughtful and multidimensional, lending their interactions and struggles a real, entertaining, and so deeply human in all their wants and desires “worth the read” grasp for life.

—Wes Chick, Playwright ★★★★★

Ray Palla’s KRILL AMERICA has it all... action, adventure, and suspense. Fast-paced and well-written, Palla introduces the research vessel, "Krill America" as she is impaled by an iceberg in the Antarctic. In icy waters, crew members know they have little time to repair the ship because slipping into the sea is certain death. As they regroup, the survival of the seven remaining members of the original sixteen depends on decisions [they make to] ensure they return to their families.

As the tension builds, the crew struggles with leadership issues as well as immediate survival problems. Since the captain perished and left the others to cope with his absence, Kat, the only female, struggles with the men about the best way to deal with their dilemma. Palla develops characters that capture the reader’s sympathy and compassion, and because the author pays attention to detail, the plot is eerily plausible.

The ship suffers after the incident by losing its ability to provide protection. With such stark environment, the challenges to the crew almost become unbearable until the author saves the reader's emotions by successfully supplying a stunning ending.

—Selma Wehrman ★★★★★

KRILL AMERICA, is certainly an interesting read from the very first sentence where we hear the command, "Come about!" Several things impressed me about the book. One was the author's challenge to recount a story like this by a narrator who is, as he says of himself, "not completely English literate." He may not be literate but he's usually got something interesting to say. I liked the technical side of the narrator and the book in general, e.g., facts about the vessels involved, the southern ocean currents, the seals, the icy condition of the sea, the rescue organization of Argentina, etc.; conveying a sense of reality about such a remote region. Also, it's quite deft how Max transitions. The crew is a rough-hewn lot but I appreciate the way the author develops their character as the story progresses.

Sometimes this book about struggles on the seas reminded me of MOBY DICK (especially the underlying technology layer). I noticed Ray even called Krill America the "whale". Palla is a good writer, handling vernacular particularly well (even if a bit rough at times for my taste), but also the discursive prose come across particularly well (in the observations Max makes).

—Bud Scott, Author ★★★★☆

An emotional roller coaster ride to the south pole. Palla captures his audience on the edge of their seat and doesn't let go until he completely shocks us with a brilliant ending. This novel made me think more about myself and my own place in life than any other book that I've read this year.

—DRP ★★★★★

Really well written; particularly a great study on personalities put into a life threatening environment and how to survive not only the disaster, but relationships.

Definitely has a surprise twist that flips many of the reader's assumptions! Loved how the author allows you a glimpse of post disaster personalities and life.

—Bobbie Davis ★★★★☆

For those of us who love adventure stories KRILL AMERICA has all the elements to keep us on the edge of our seats as the excitement mounts at breathtaking speed.

I literally couldn’t put the book down. Ray Palla’s characters evince depth and human warmth amid disaster as they face almost certain death.

The skillful and colorful descriptions made me feel as if I were actually there, right in the middle of all the unrelenting tension and suspenseful drama.

—Marian E. Omeara ★★★★★

KRILL AMERICA is one of those books that will stick with you for a while. It makes you think about the impact that you can make on others and how your life is defined.

The technical aspects are very well written and are insightful into what it must be like to make a living on a ship. The characters are likable and leave a lasting impression. The end solidifies the premise that what you do in life has meaning.

—Laurie Forehand ★★★★★