Thompson felt that the inclusion of slavery as a key theme led to this book being "one of Hergé's more adult-oriented adventures". Nevertheless, Farr noted that the story contained "a good measure of humour" to balance out these darker elements. Farr drew comparisons with Anthony Powell's "A Dance to the Music of Time", a series of novels that was contemporary to "The Red Sea Sharks" and which was similarly inspired by Balzac's "The Human Comedy". Hergé biographer Pierre Assouline believed that "The Red Sea Sharks" represented "the culmination of his golden age", which had begun with "The Blue Lotus". He also commented that "it almost seemed as if Hergé had regained the pace and rhythm of his most creative period" with this story.