Cosmic Roots & Eldritch Shores, June 2026

“The Diamond-Toothed Shark Hunt” by Jack Morton

Reviewed by David Wesley Hill

Science Fiction has long been fascinated by the idea of life, particularly intelligent life, developing under extreme (to us) conditions. In the “The Diamond-Toothed Shark Hunt” by Jack Morton, the outré environment is the upper reaches of the atmosphere of an extra-solar ringed gas giant, where the titular sharks feed on nautilus-like creatures while swimming through the “dense gas—mostly sulfur-hexafluoride.” With deft, impressionistic touches, the author paints a vivid picture of this strange place, while the protagonist—an outsider, a reporter on assignment—fills in just enough background to provide context for the story. I won’t say more except that it’s a thrilling tale with contemporary relevance, and reminds me of the best Golden Age SF in its rigor and stark moral clarity. Recommended.