I had high hopes for this book after enjoying Casey's previous work, "The Devil's Teeth." However, she spends better than half the book hanging around with surfers, who undoubtedly have a unique perspective on big waves but make pretty dull interview subjects. I felt the science of big waves was given pretty short shrift. Still, the book has its good points and the photos are nothing short of spectacular.

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wish it had more science, less surfing....but overall enjoyable.

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Wow! What a ride of a book! This book is an examination of the rogue waves that haunt the world's oceans, tearing apart ships, and creating a dangerous playground for some of the best surfers in the world. These are no small waves; these are 60, 80, 120 foot waves. The author spends some time with oceangoing scientists trying to figure out why and how rogue waves happen, and also with shipping industry professionals who have braved the seas and lived to tell the tale (or not, in some cases). But the majority of this book is about the surfers who would tempt fate to surf that one great wave. I am not a surfing nor boating type of person, but I found this book to be immensely addictive reading. It reads less like a nonfiction book and more like an action-packed novel. This is not to be missed!

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