Early 70s sci-fi novel

[Suzakk]

When I was a kid (in the early 70s), I read and loved a novel that I'm now trying to remember...
There was some kind of aquatic alien who had been preserved, in a cave underwater, for millenia. A diver found the alien and brought it back to the lab, where it woke up. Somehow or other, people figured out how to communicate with it. Then--and I'm not sure how this fit with the first part--there was a part with other aliens like the first one traveling along through molten rock in a ship.
I don't think this book was written especially for kids, although I can't guarantee that.
Does anyone know what this book might be? Thanks. 8)

[jackokent]

Haven't the faintest idea but welcome to Chronicles Suzakk.

[Suzakk]

*bump*

I may be wrong, but I'm thinking maybe it was _Stranger from the Deep_, or _Visitor from the Deep_... Anyone? I loved this book so much that I used to draw scenes from it, in crayon. 8)

[j. d. worthington]

With that in mind, I'm wondering if it may not be this one, which had a full version and a Scholastic Books abridged version -- the original in 1967, the abridged version (for YA) 1970:

KrazyDad » Blog Archive » Childhood Reads

This gives more information on it than anything else I've found so far, plus a picture of the cover (YA, I think). The original was published by Nelson Doubleday....

[jbum]

Yes, J.D. nailed it. It's definitely "Stranger from the Depths" by Gerry Turner. I know it well. I'm the "krazydad" of the above blog post...

What a great book that was!

- Jim

[Suzakk]

Oh my God! That is definitely it! I can never forget that cover art. Thanks a million, guys. 8)

[j. d. worthington]

Originally Posted by jbum

Yes, J.D. nailed it. It's definitely "Stranger from the Depths" by Gerry Turner. I know it well. I'm the "krazydad" of the above blog post...

What a great book that was!

- Jim

This is really odd... I'd put in a response to this... now it's disappeared.

Essentially, my thanks for having the information up on your site, as I'd not have been able to identify it so well without. Kudos, and welcome to the Chronicles!

(Now, let's hope this message sticks....)

And Suzakk: Glad we could help!

[jp306972]

Originally Posted by Suzakk

When I was a kid (in the early 70s), I read and loved a novel that I'm now trying to remember...

Same here Suzakk. I was about 8 or ten years old which makes it the early to mid 70's. In the story I'm trying to remember there were humans that had been modified to have two thumbs on each of their hands. These modified humans were highly trained in the martial arts as part of their culture and were forced to live apart from the strictly human population.

As I recall the main characters were a strictly human male accompanied by a modified female. In one scene she was defending her strictly human companion from one of her own kind and suffered a broken arm. The battle took place on board a grounded starship.

Does anyone remember this story?

Thanks - JP

BTW - I look forward to exploring this forum.

[Suzakk]

I wish I could keep the good karma going and help you... But I don't know this one. Terribly sorry. 8(

[duplica123]

Originally Posted by jp306972

Same here Suzakk. I was about 8 or ten years old which makes it the early to mid 70's. In the story I'm trying to remember there were humans that had been modified to have two thumbs on each of their hands. These modified humans were highly trained in the martial arts as part of their culture and were forced to live apart from the strictly human population.

As I recall the main characters were a strictly human male accompanied by a modified female. In one scene she was defending her strictly human companion from one of her own kind and suffered a broken arm. The battle took place on board a grounded starship.

Does anyone remember this story?

Thanks - JP

BTW - I look forward to exploring this forum.

Could it be "Keeper of The Isis Light" by Monica Hughes? I read this back in Middle School and remember the main character Olwen and her robot Guardian were the only ones who could live on the planet until some new colonists came. She befriends one of the young men, and at some point she has to defend him. Sorry I can't remember more!