The Mountain in the Sea

I meant to read this when it came out last year in hardcover, I swear. It had great reviews and an even better premise—marine biologists of the near future discover that a deep-water octopus species has developed intelligence, language, and culture. This phenomenon obviously must be studied and, humans being what they are, exploited. The book got pushed to the bottom of my pile, though, until the paperback arrived and slapped me in the face with this spectacular cover. Such a fun novel for all kinds of readers: SF fans, thrill riders, nature lovers, science geeks, and you, probably. —James (from the Madison Books newsletter)