Killer Animals

In this novella from two of today's top horror authors, a plague of flies arises from Africa that is ending civilization. In our world, ravaged by a new strain of virus seemingly every day, the terror envisioned by Wilson and Pinborough seems all too plausible.

The plague arises from a mutation meant to help, not decimate, the world's masses. One bite from a fly dooms the victim to inglorious death three days later, as the saliva from the insects destroys the red blood cells in people, bringing each a slow but unstoppable death. Fingers are pointed, and terrorism is blamed, along with basic hubris and the will of scientists to play God.

Nigel, an investigative reporter, attempts to uncover a mysterious cure that may or may not exist, roaming England to find Bandora, a missing boy that could be the key to all. Abby, Nigel's wife and a nurse at the local hospital, believes the scourge to be the work of God, and seems intent on finding peace in joining Him. As the black swarms of deadly flies increase with each dead victim, both Nigel and Abby increase the intensity of their quests for the truth. Survivors are few, but the reason for their existence gives A Necessary End an edge that elevates it from standard apocalyptic fare.
This is far more than a horror tale. At times it feels like a medical thriller, adventure, and mystery set at the end of humanity. The relationship between Nigel and Abby, their divided views on religion, and their hope to sustain their love to the end, gives the story a dimension that draws in the reader. Religion is a major theme, yet the story never preaches or condemns any faith. Instead, A Necessary End focuses on how truth and belief are interpreted by the survivors.

Collaborations in writing are, at best, a mixed bag, no matter who is at the helm. For every Black House, Talisman, and Good Omens, there are a hundred misfires. Wilson, however, has been successful for decades writing with others, and eluding that pitfall, and has now found another partner with whom he clicks. This results in lean, strong prose that flows well, without drawing the reader’s attention away from the story.

A Necessary End is a tight and creative entry in the field of apocalyptic fiction that succeeds in melding the storytelling of rising star Sarah Pinborough with that of F. Paul Wilson, a familiar name and talented writer on the cusp of concluding the popular Repairman Jack series,
Recommended and likely to go far in this year's Stoker race.
Reviewed by: David Simms

In Professor Challenger: The Island of Terror, William Meikle brings to life Professor Challenger, a character created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle for his science fiction novel of exploration, The Lost World, narrated by journalist Edward Malone. Meikle’s tale begins with Malone going to the moors to help Professor Challenger investigate strange lights, cattle disappearances, and screams in the night. Upon his arrival, Malone finds that Professor Challenger has disappeared. On top of this, the locals, prompted by men in black trench coats and felt hats, stonewall Malone. Despite this, he manages to extract a hastily hushed mention of a “funeral parlor.” At the funeral parlor, Malone quietly chats with the undertaker, who tells him, amongst a tale of mysterious mutilated bodies, that Professor Challenger went into the moors at night, and has not been seen since. Malone follows the trail into the moors and finds the Professor, only to be arrested by the British Army. All is revealed when the two are transported to a secret government research facility where velociraptors are being raised in an experiment for new weaponry. The dinosaurs are under control, or so it would seem...

Not surprisingly, the story has a Sherlock Holmes feel to it, as it was told through the perspective of Professor Challenger's sidekick, Malone. The characters were strong and distinctive, and the various turns of phrase were fun to read. The action is good, and the combat sequences were well written, without getting gory. The writing style was very effective in setting the tone. All in all, Professor Challenger: The Island of Terror is an enjoyable read.

‘Kaiju’ is a Japanese term that, while it literally means “strange beast”, has become a term associated with incredibly large monsters, such as Godzilla. It has always amazed me that this genre, which has flourished in movies, has little available in terms of fiction. Jeremy Robinson has filled this void with his novel, Project Nemesis.

Jon Hudson is an agent for Department of Homeland Security's Fusion Center-P, a tiny division dedicated to dealing with supernatural and paranormal threats to the country. The only problem is Hudson has yet to run into anything paranormal or supernatural. When Hudson is on the trail of a supposed Bigfoot, he stumbles onto a secret research facility where an attempt to extend a dying man’s life has resulted in Nemesis, a creature that is growing exponentially, with a ravenous hunger. Jon, backed with the resources of government, must now try to stop a creature that towers amongst buildings and can sink ships without a second thought.

Anything involving kaiju requires suspension of disbelief. Jeremy Robinson has pulled off something remarkable in offering up a well paced, and entertaining kaiju thriller. Its only minor flaw was that it lacked the backstory necessary to explain why Hudson, part of an office that has little resources, developed the connections to be able to quickly command a large number of military units. The challenge in writing any monster story is describing the creature, especially when it is something that the reader doesn’t have a reference for. Robinson did a good job of describing Nemesis, but it is Matt Frank’s illustrations that make Nemesis come alive. Project Nemesis is a definite must have for public library collections, and I will be keeping an eye out for his future books. This book is a good media tie-in to the kaiju movie Pacific Rim.

I am a fan of killer animal books. When I got a copy of Mannheim Rex with the blurb on the back comparing it to Jaws, with a great cover promising some aquatic monstrosity, I was excited.

In Mannheim Rex, we are introduced to Gavin Corlie, a successful horror writer who has retreated to a remote lake after his wife's death. He meets Finn, a young crippled boy who lives for fishing on the lake. The lake has a nasty aquatic creature that has developed a taste for human flesh. The town around the lake has another monster, in the form of the demented local sheriff.

The whole book feels exaggerated. Gavin isn't just a successful writer but one of seemingly infinite resources. Finn isn't just crippled but has cancer raised only by his mother yet has a never say die attitude, as if the author dares you not to like him. Sheriff Pope isn't just a corrupt police officer but a human horror show that is far worse than what lives in the lake. With everything so over the top, it’s nearly impossible to suspend disbelief.

The aquatic terror makes surprisingly few appearances. The book has plenty of character development, and Finn is a great character. However, the pacing is slow--it takes a long time for the plot to get where it is going. Further, the resolution of the situation, in the case of both the creature from the lake and Sheriff Pope, is anti-climactic. With little space devoted to the lake creature and much more given to the sheriff, it feels like the book is miscategorized, and belongs to the category of human horror. In judging the book as human horror it is a stronger title and would be of interest to those readers. Books focused on killer animals aren’t as common as books in other subgenres of horror, so it may be worth it for fans of the subgenre to track it down, but there are better, if older, titles out there.

Savage Species is a new serial novel by Jonathan Janz that is being released by Samhain Publishing. There are five parts being released every two weeks starting June 4. This review covers only part 1, Night Terrors.

Night Terrors starts off with a flashback scene about Shane Dulin, who was helping build a walking bridge at a new state park that was getting ready to open. Upon waking from unconsciousness, Shane tries to think back to how he came to be wherever he is and wonders why he is in so much pain. Once he discovers he is in a cave and has been literally chewed on he starts to freak out and attempts to get away from the cave thinking that danger could still be lurking nearby. Unfortunately, he's right about something being nearby and his lack of legs causes him to not make it in time.

Janz then introduces us to Jesse, Emma, and Colleen, who are headed to the above mentioned state park to do a story on its opening. Colleen doesn't understand why they always get the "fluff" stories to write, however Emma tries to look at the bright side of things to make it look like a great experience for them. Jesse, on the other hand, seems to not care one way or the other as long as he gets to spend time with Emma, who he seems to have been harboring a crush on for quite some time.

Janz also branches off to a completely different setting, where a family of five is having some problems. Eric, the dad, is spending all of his time coaching and going over plays with his beautiful assistant, while his wife Charly is stuck at home taking care of everything, raising two young girls and a baby boy.

Lots of details are provided by Janz about the characters mentioned above, along with many side characters, to allow the reader to start feeling something for them, be it sympathy, hate, or amusement. Once both storylines are established, danger ensues. For the campers at the park, it's a massacre! Monsters have started viciously attacking everyone in the park and our three reporters are trying to find a way to both escape and save as many people as possible. As for our dysfunctional family, someone--or something--has kidnapped Charly's baby boy. She claims it wasn't human, but there is no such thing as monsters, right?

Janz doesn’t hold anything back. The reader feels like they are right there in the middle of the massacre at the state park, and possibly even one of the victims. This is definitely not a book for a reader with a weak stomach, but I'd definitely recommend it to those that can't get enough blood, guts, and gore.

Night Terrors is currently free on Amazon and I guarantee after reading it you will want to purchase the other segments to this novel. I know I'm ready to move on to part 2, The Children. A review of each segment will be forthcoming.

Something has been happening to the residents of Boggy Creek, Texas. For over thirty years men have been killed and mutilated, and women have been disappearing. Sheriff’s deputy Mark Klein knows the cause, but the sheriff either doesn’t believe it or chooses to ignore it. Mark decides to enlist the help of his friend Lyle to finally put an end to the brutality.

Jennifer’s father has died suddenly and violently, so to get some closure she goes to his cabin in Boggy Creek, taking some of her friends along for a vacation. Dustin, staying in a cabin nearby, tells Jennifer the story of how his wife was carried off by something. He intends to find it, and his wife, if she is still alive. Dustin warns Jennifer that she and her friends should leave before they are attacked. Jennifer thinks he’s crazy and ignores his warning.

What Mark, Lyle and Dustin believe is that a Bigfoot is roaming the heavily-wooded campsite of Boggy Creek. What is really happening is far worse than anyone could have imagined.

Boggy Creek: The Legend Is True is the novelization of a movie of the same name that was released direct-to-video in 2010. The movie was directed by Brian T. Jaynes, and the screenplay was written by him and Jennifer Minar-Jaynes. While I have not seen the movie, I can attest to the brutality and goriness of the story. Like most books by Eric S. Brown, it is extremely bleak and unpredictable in its ending. While elements of the story are a bit cliché—teens in a cabin in the woods—the story is a solid one, and satisfying to read. It’s scary, bloody and well-paced and has piqued my interest in the film. Character development was well-done overall, and I did find myself caring about what happened to Mark, Dustin and, in particular, Jennifer. Boggy Creek is a quick and entertaining read, and I recommend it to any horror fan—unless you don’t like Bigfoot. Recommended.

Cujo is a stand-alone novel by Stephen King. It concerns the most horrible event of a young family's life, when their devoted, loving dog, a St. Bernard named Cujo, is stricken with rabies. This makes an otherwise sweet and caring dog into a savage killing machine. Cujo was turned into a movie 25 years ago, and it stands the test of time as a gripping, sad and terrifying story both in book and movie form.

I have read this book many times. As a dog lover and pet parent, Cujo speaks to one of my scariest nightmares. I have a lovable, furry Chow- Golden Retriever mix, and I hope to the heavens it never encounters the dreaded disease known as rabies. This book is recommended for readers of scare-your-pants-off books and killer animal books. Also, if you enjoy werewolf books, you will probably get something out of this. This book also serves a good public service announcement as to why you should keep your dog's rabies vaccination current.

I'm not sure what should be expected from a book with a cover like this, even if it is supposed to be full of camp. Zombie Raccoons & Killer Bunnies is a collection of 15 tales of supernatural animals, from, um, zombie raccoons to killer bunnies and alien bats. Unfortunately most of the stories end up in the disappointing category. A handful of them suffer from a combination of humorous premise, but a lack of humor within the story makes them come off as kitschy. Another handful start well, but end very abruptly- the beginning of a great story suddenly wrapped up in half a page. Others aren't really fleshed-out, and have minimal plot or character development.

The only solid story in the bunch is ″Things That Crawl″ by Richard Lee Byers. Tim Waggoner's ″Bone Whispers″, ″Faith in Our Fathers″ by Alexander B. Potter and ″Her Black Mood″ by Brenda Cooper were good reads, but seemed like they'd have been a better fit for a darker, more serious collection of tales. Unless you just have to have this for fun's sake, there are better anthologies out there.

James Taylor is a small town Texas man with a painfully normal life, except for the visions. Even those are something he's become accustomed to, until he starts slipping into the mind of a dangerous predatory beast hulking through the woods near the town. His unique perspective puts him in a position to hunt down this dangerous foe, with or without the cops' help.

While it doesn't cover much different territory than your average horror-monster novel, Doppelganger easily sates the “dark-thing-in-the-night” hunger of horror fans. The pace clips along nicely, and James is a clear good guy who wants the best for his wife, friends and neighbors and is willing to put himself in danger to help others. The character building is somewhat thin, with most of James' friends, and even his wife not really breaking out of the role they play (the pregnant, dutiful wife who must be saved, the best friend who is well meaning but goes too far in joking, the Andy Griffith sheriff, etc). It's an enjoyable read, recommended for collections with insatiable monster-horror fans.

Within hours of the Babble Creek massacre from Bigfoot War, the Sasquatches are on the move. They are on the hunt for more humans, rampaging across the southeastern United States. A handful of survivors, along with the military, are attempting to make their way to safety when another horror surfaces—the dead are rising! It seems the creatures are carriers of some kind of virus. The military cannot defeat the giant hairy creatures or the hungry hordes of the dead. Colonel Drake and his ragtag unit of tanks and infantry are desperately trying to contain a virus that threatens the human race while trying to stay alive long enough to get out of the quarantine zone.

Continuing right where Bigfoot War left off, Eric S. Brown has upped the ante with Dead in the Woods. It’s no longer just tribes of giant Bigfoot—or is it Bigfeet?—that are out to get the humans. Brown, already a master of the zombie subgenre, has seamlessly blended Sasquatch and zombies to give a one-two punch that no one can duck or weave, and the twist towards the end is something I never saw coming. The action begins almost immediately and doesn’t let up until the book is finished. Bigfoot War 2 is fast-paced, action packed and in my opinion, bleak as all hell—and I loved every minute of it! Do not miss this book! Highly recommended.

Twitch is a new twist on a cool but not often used monster story, the carnival freak. In this fast-paced, breezy and compelling story, we learn of Twitch. McB – short for McBaily – a carnival owner is a man known for finding and taking care of the most awesome and gross freaks. Unlike many other carnival owners, McB values everyone who works for him. He discovers Twitch in a bar and soon puts him into his sideshow. About this point awful things start to happen, an extremely overweight woman dies on the Ferris Wheel, a drunk lands in a snake pit and is bitten to death by the snakes, and so on. All these people have treated Twitch badly, and the question is asked how can a body without limbs – no arms or legs – commit such acts of revenge?

This story is scary, haunting and reads very fast. This is truly a wonderful take on the monster story, where the monster is simply a torso without arms or legs and one gigantic white eye. Like all monster books, you will feel sympathy and maybe even compassion for Twitch. However, this is not Frankenstein: the action is much more intense. While the book is very edgy and dark, I would recommend it for older readers who want to take on stories that are very risky and daring.

Contains: Adult situations, rape, profanity, violence, and gruesome physical forms.

Gina Ranalli’s “nature run amok” novella is a welcome addition to the killer animal subgenre. The action starts right away, and doesn’t let up. Rebecca and her dog Lou find themselves in peril when, after a nearly a week of straight rain, sinkholes start to open up. Joe Morris, owner of the local grill, and Stacy, his only staff for the day, are thrown into chaos as more openings threaten to swallow up his town. They soon find that the sinkholes are not their only problem: what comes out of them is even more terrifying. Ranalli packs a lot into just 127 pages, and does a great job developing her characters while keeping the action moving. While readers may be familiar only with Gina Ranalli's bizarro tales (Chemical Gardens, Mother Puncher, and Swarm of Flying Eyeballs), It's clear with this novella that she also excels at writing with a straight horror tale.

Unearthed is a perfect read for a rainy afternoon. Some fun tie-ins include the Burt I. Gordon movie Food of the Gods and Irwin Allen's The Swarm. Recommended.

In his second book, Wormfood, Jeff Jacobson dons the narrative mantle of a sixteen-year-old boy who lives in one of the most deprived areas imaginable in Northern California. The narrative voice of the protagonist, Arch Stanton, is dead-on. However, Mr. Jacobson seems to confuse a sixteen-year-old’s narrative voice for a sixteen-year-old’s imaginary storytelling, and the resulting gaping plot holes and his reliance on tired stereotypes ultimately undermines the tale.

Arch Stanton is an orphan who lives with his grandmother and works at a restaurant owned by Fat Ernst, the unsuccessful, redneck equivalent of a mobster. Fat Ernst also employs two brothers with limited scruples, who torment Arch throughout the story. When a corpse fished from deep waters ends up in the local groundwater supply, nefarious creatures begin to spawn. Soon, with floodwaters rising, all of the characters, including Arch, are in danger.

Mr. Jacobson teaches fiction and screenwriting at Columbia College in Chicago, and it shows: the descriptions are quite illustrative, the storyline flows, and contextually it is an easy read. However, it confounds me that someone with such aptitude would sacrifice plot cohesion for a couple more measly pages of further gore. (For example, that progeny of sub-zero temperature aquatic life would survive the searing temperatures of a kitchen grill? Really?) Add to that plot elements that make a potentially credible story juvenile and ridiculous (Black Magic! Teenage Sex! Evil Mother of Evil Brothers! Torture! Monologuing that Leads to Destruction!), and the result is a story concept that had real potential, but was found wanting in the finished product. (This is surprising, because fellow reviewer Erik Smith recently commended Mr. Jacobson on the originality of his first book, Foodchain.)

I can make no recommendation, mostly because I’m not sure who this book was written for: it has too much graphic sexual torture to be considered YA, and it’s too cartoonish to be enjoyed by most adults I know. Those in the nineteen-to-early-twenties crowd may enjoy it, or someone who would like to read a well-written B-horror movie plot. I am looking forward to Mr. Jacobson’s next novel, because his talent is evident, but this particular work misses the mark.

This has been a great year for re-issues of horror classics: Douglas Clegg's Neverland, John Skipp and Craig Spector's The Bridge, and now Richard Laymon's novel Flesh. Richard Laymon sadly died too early, but his list of published novels is long, with almost 30 novels to his name.

I have not read Laymon as deeply as I have meant to. I read The Stake when I was younger and loved it. I read Savage a few years back and thought it was masterful. Flesh, although nominated for the Bram Stoker award, didn't really connect with me.

After a fantastic opening chapter which goes into every bicyclist’s worst fear (a driver who doesn't want you on the road) we are introduced to a small community filled with typical small town horror characters. The horror elements of the novel are handled with expert precision. Surprisingly, what didn't work for me were the characters. It's a surprise because Laymon has a knack for creating characters.

The plot involves some kind of evil worm that kills and spreads from one body to another. The worm borrows under the flesh and strips the characters of their humanity. There was a boring and totally irrelevant subplot about a graduate student who was dating her constantly horny professor. It took me out of the novel because it seemed every character was in heat and thinking sexual thoughts. Laymon is known for writing realistic characters, and I hope people are not that sexually motivated all the time.

To those who wish for their library to have a complete horror collection, this is a classic in the genre for sure. However, for my money I think Skipp and Spector's The Bridge and Douglas Clegg’s Neverland are the must-have classic re-issues of the year.

Babble Creek, North Carolina is as small and rural a town as you can get. Jeff Taylor was a normal twelve-year-old boy growing up there until the night he went with his Dad to investigate what killed their livestock. That night he witnessed his family’s murder at the hands of a sasquatch. Fifteen years later, Jeff, now an Iraqi war veteran, has returned to get revenge on the creature that changed his life forever. What happens when Jeff finds and kills his monster is something he could not have foreseen. He had no idea what he was unleashing when he let his hate lead him home. The sasquatch he killed isn’t the only one living in the deep woods around Babble Creek, and now it’s their turn for revenge.

Eric S. Brown has taken the story of Bigfoot and turned it on its head. These aren’t the peaceful human-like creatures that cryptozoologists have speculated about for years. The sasquatches in Bigfoot War are the stuff of nightmares. They are bigger, stronger, and faster than any scientific documentation may suggest. They are vicious creatures and can tear a man in half the way you’d tear paper. This is a fast-paced novella that grabs you by the throat starting on page one. A handful of characters are used to take the reader through the obliteration of an entire town.

Brown’s foreshadowing of Jeff not being wanted in town because of the media attention he caused all those years ago was brilliant. Bigfoot War is a bloody, gory, and fun read. If these monsters really exist then we’re in trouble because they are at the top of the food chain and they enjoy tearing flesh apart. This is exactly how I like my horror- messy as hell and lacking any trace of a happy ending. Highly recommended.

In the late 1980s Guy N. Smith introduced the world to his killer crabs. Virtually unstoppable malevolent killing machines that had a taste for human flesh, Smith’s crabs delighted a generation. In Crustaceans, William Meikle picks up the torch, with a satisfying entry. Once again, killer crabs menace humanity, but this time they cross the ocean to New York, and it is up to a Special Forces unit and a marine biologist to stop them. Meikle offers up much of the same blood-splattering killer crab action as Smith did, but in this tale, humanity is a bit more resistant. Crustaceans doesn’t try to be anything more than it is. Fans of the old creature feature movies and killer animal books will find it to be a wonderful guilty pleasure. Recommended

The Corpse King by Tim Curran
Cemetery Dance, 2010
ISBN:
Availability: New
Samuel Clow and Mickey Kierney are two grave robbers in Victorian England. They provide doctors and medical students with corpses of the recently dead for study and experimentation. They haunt the graveyards at night and dig up the dead, what they do is loathed and illegal. Clow and Kierney soon discover that there is something else inhabiting the graveyards at night. In whispers at the pub about others in their trade who have disappeared or been found dead there is talk that they were done in by The Corpse King.

Tim Curran has done a remarkable job with this novella. He has successfully created an atmosphere of grime and squalor of the section of town that Clow and Kierney live in, and captured the foreboding of the graveyards. The other enjoyable aspect of The Corpse King is the wonderful banter between Clow and Kierney as they try to make a living stealing corpses. The Corpse King is an engaging read, and while the protagonists are no angels and make their living doing despicable things, Curran manages to elicit a modicum of sympathy from the reader for them so we truly care about their fate.
Highly recommended.
Contains: Murder, violence, a little gore.

A group of high school kids looking for a secluded area where they can get drunk and party get more than they bargained for. Hiding away in a newly built bomb shelter, they hear noises overhead. When they go to check things out, the kids realize that the world as they know it is gone. They have to grow up quickly, as they have some major decisions ahead of them. Not only have they most likely lost their families, but other beings are hunting them. Whomever caused this catastrophe doesn't appear to want survivors
Nate Kenyon's Sparrow Rock is post-apocalyptic fiction at its finest. This novel will leave readers biting their nails and gripping the edges of their seats as they await whatever is around the next corner. Kenyon details how each main character changes and grows over the course of the story. Also, some of the characters have secrets in their past that slowly surface, allowing readers to connect with them further. Beyond the amazing characterization portrayed in Sparrow Rock, Kenyon also includes many "creep factor" scenes. Those disturbed by bugs, or LOTS of bugs, I should say, will definitely get the heebie jeebies while reading this book! Sparrow Rock is a definite must-read for all horror fans and is one of the best Leisure releases Ive read in recent time. I highly recommended it for the horror collection in all libraries.
Contains: Adult Language, Adult Situations, Sex, Violence, Mild Gore
Review by Rhonda Wilson

Jeff Strand's latest mass market release, Dweller, follows the life of a boy named Toby as he matures and ages. At the start, Toby is an eight year old boy who likes to explore the woods. One day he walks a bit deeper into the woods than his parents allow him, stumbles into a "monster", and runs! Seven years later, at age fifteen, Toby is dealing with the trauma of being tormented by the bullies at school and with being an outcast, and he still spends much of his time in the woods when not at school. One day he happens upon a cave and discovers the "monster" that he thought was created by his childhood imagination once again. Instead of running this time, Toby tries talking to him. The "monster" doesn't attack and Toby starts to visit him regularly, bringing him food, telling him stories, naming him Owen, and ultimately becoming best friends with him. Of course, can being friends with a creature such as Owen truly end well?
Dweller is noted as being Jeff Strand's second "serious" novel. However, I was pleasantly surprised that this release featured much more of Strand's humor than his previous release, Pressure, did. As stated above, the book is written over the course of numerous years, but is written in a format where certain years are focused upon. The other years are covered by chapters titled "glimpses" which feature snapshots from the years in between. This is a unique technique that I hadn't seen before, as most books just jump forward ten or twenty years, leaving the reader guessing at what occurred in the middle. Strand allows us to experience Toby's life as it progresses with these special chapters, and we watch Toby graduate, move out from home, get married, and so on. At the same time, we watch the continued friendship between Toby and Owen progress. So far this isn't sounding too much of a horror novel, now is it? Think again! There is a very dark storyline mixed within that will leave readers shocked. I would say more, but doing so may spoil the surprise. Let's just say that Owen doesn't JUST like ice cream for a treat! For readers who have yet to enjoy the works of Jeff Strand, Dweller is a great first book to read as it explores many elements of Strand's writing style. Many of his books are extremely humorous. In contrast, Pressure is dark and serious. Dweller, on the other hand, mixes these styles up and Strand churns out a story that is unforgettable. Highly recommended!

Contains: Adult Language, Adult Situations, Mild Violence, Mild Gore
Review by Rhonda Wilson

Note: Rhonda Wilson also helped proofread this book for Jeff Strand

Fishing. A relaxing pastime, spent in quiet contemplation? Not in this anthology. There are too many zombie fish, weresharks, killer millipedes, intelligent crabs, and other assorted deadly denizens of the deep, for any kind of relaxation.

Dead Bait contain 19 stories of a horrible and fishy nature. There are a few weak tales, but they are easily overshadowed by the many stronger pieces. In 'Noodlers' by Murphy Edwards, rednecks and carnivorous catfish make for an entertaining mix. Another standout is Aaron Paulson's "Grim Adaptations". Zombie fish. Need I say more? In Steven R. Southard's story "Blood in the River", two detectives question a suspect with a deadly secret about a series of grisly murders. In "Death Roe" by Mark Onspaugh, a man discovers a clutch of mermaid eggs and makes millions of dollars selling them to the highest bidder... but momma wants her kids back. In "Piraya", by Tim Curran, a fishing trip down the Amazon + a school of undead piranha = BLOODBATH!

There are many great stories of man using nature as an instrument of revenge, and nature taking revenge against man. If you are a fan of "creature feature" horror, as I am, or are just looking for some entertaining and chilling stories, you can't go wrong with Dead Bait. Highly recommended

Available: New and Used
Clickers takes one part Guy N. Smith killer crab book, one part old sixties B-movie with a little Cthuhlu added for good measure and produces a hell of a fun story. A army of killer crab type creatures come to shore of a small fishing town and start killing off the local town folks. However, what follows the crabs from the depths of the sea is a horror unimagined. I would consider Clickers to be part of the new critter horror core. Contains: violence. Originally reviewed in 2006 by the Monster Librarian.

In Clickers, what sounds like a B-movie plot becomes one heck of a wild ride. The protagonist is a horror writer who has come to Maine to

write his next bestseller. His plans are quickly derailed by an invasion of creatures resembling a cross between a crab and a scorpion on steroids. These monsters are nicknamed Clickers due to the noise their claws make. The Clickers are coming from the ocean and devastating everything in their path. Just as it looks like things can't get any worse, Gonzalez and Williams ratchet up the suspense and horror with the introduction of the Dark Ones. These are beings so horrifying the Clickers are fleeing from them.

What brings this story out from B-movie fare is the characterization. While the main characters at first seem to be nothing more than placeholders (Regular Joe thrust into heroism, Love Interest with a Past, Local Weirdo, etc.), the authors flesh them out and give enough backstory so the reader actually cares about them.

The book isn't without flaws. There are a few plot holes along the way, though none large enough to drive a truck through. The collaboration between Gonzalez and Williams is a bit uneven. The astute reader can tell where one "voice" ends and the other begins. But unless the reader goes looking for it, they may not notice. All in all, Clickers is a very enjoyable read.

While filming a science reality show aboard the ship Trident, a distress beacon is detected that leads the ship and crew to an unexplored island. When a landing party from the ship is killed by mysterious creatures that inhabit the island they summon help, and soon the scientific and military community is mobilized to investigate this island that has unique and alien plants and animals to determine what, if any, threat they pose to the world.

Fragment is an ambitious scientific horror read, and Fahy offers a good premise that has been well thought out. It is clear that he put plenty of thought and research into his island of beasts, and developed an explanation on how they came to be. This is his strength in the book, and yet it is also its Achilles heel. The consideration to the book is that Fahy often slips into scientific explanations that read like a science textbook. While those who enjoy science or have a scientific background will find it interesting, it will quite simply shut down other readers and, while it is possible to skim over them, many won’t make the effort. If Fahy spent less of the book filling it with jargon-ridden science sections and more time working on better development of his characters, it would have been a stronger title. That being said, for those looking for a new killer animal book Fragment does offer some good killer animal action, and the action can move fairly quickly between the scientific lecture speed bumps. Recommended for those who liked Natural Selection by Dave Freedman

Bats, rats, crabs, and spiders: whether they are big or small, they can create fear and terror. These stories play upon our basic fear of some of nature's neatest little critters. There have been a number of British authors n this subgenre, the end result being that England is second only to Japan in the category of "most stomped on island by various beasties" in the world of horror and sci-fi.

Under by Bradd Quinn tells the tale of a small American town complete with the characteristic small town personalities you will find anywhere. This small town has somewhat of a problem, though; it has something, many somethings, lurking beneath the shadows, deep under the cover of darkness, waiting to feed, and Jacob Drake is the first one to see them.

Just a couple months prior, the small town of Gaston endured a series of gruesome murders in a matter of hours. Now, in neighboring Jennisville, birds and small animal bones begin appearing across various lawns throughout the town, followed by the shredded corpse of a beloved pet. While the townspeople blame hungry wildlife, Jacob Drake remembers the instances leading up to the mass murders in Gaston. And then he spies the culprit. Drake has to overcome his debilitating fear of the dark to save not only his family, but the entire town, with precious little time left to do so.

Quinn effectively taps into the innate human fear of the dark. He cuts right into our lives, successfully describing our streets, neighbors, families, and friendships. It’s been a long time since I’ve read a horror book that kept me up until the wee hours of the morning because I couldn’t put it down, but the story’s intensely terrifying suspense forces the reader to make it through the each gripping page as quickly as possible without pausing to catch for breath until the very end. However, the typographical, grammatical, and spelling errors are glaringly obvious- missing words, misplaced punctuation, changing font size, words printed on top of each other, among others- and mar the text, making it difficult to read. In spite of these problems, though, the story holds true and keeps the reader in complete fear even after the book has ended. The many errors make it hard to recommend Under for libraries or even individuals to purchase, but for those willing to look beyond that, this really is an amazing story.

Readers advisory note: The writing is Stephen King in style, but uses language and context that will be familiar to 20-30 somethings, who may enjoy the book because they can relate more easily to the characters and their situations.

What a fantastic book! I really don't like science fiction and usually avoid it like the plague. Why I ended up reading this one I'll never know, but I am so glad I did.
Day of the Triffids was initially published in 1951, and that's the version I read. It’s a post-apocalyptic tale that begins with the end of civilization as we know it, then flashes back to the preceding events, Wyndham weaves a fantastic tale of survival, horror, and adaptation. We follow a survivor of a bizarre green meteor shower that blinded most of humanity. Vicious little (well not that little) plants, called Triffids, that humans had been cultivating, are quite happily munching on all of the blind folks that are now wandering around. Then there's the plague that seems to be sweeping through the survivors. That's quite a lot to deal with, especially when it turns out that some of the sighted survivors have gone a wee bit crazy in their attempts to rebuild civilization. Day of the Triffids is one of the oldest survival horror books that I have read (it's clear that many zombie novels written later took a few ideas from this). I absolutely loved this book. Highly recommended.

Contains: minor violence and references to methods of repopulation.

Monstrous is a blast from the past, a collection of short stories from some of the regulars of killer animal fiction, including Steve Alten and Guy N. Smith. Those who miss the killer animal books of the 1970s and 1980s won’t want to miss this one! The range of stories goes from traditional killer monsters, to the absurd and comical. Jeff Strand’s story “Big Bite” about a gigantic vampire run amok is hilarious. A notable tale is “The Island of Dr Otaku”, by Cody Goodfellow. Goodfellow has an obvious love of the Daikaiju, or giant monster genre, and lets his imagination run wild with enthusiasm; the story could have fit in a collection of bizarro fiction. Monstrous is an excellent collection for readers who enjoy their giant monsters and are open to a variety of styles and themes. Readers interested only in straightforward stories set in modern times, however, will find some stories not to their taste. That said, Monstrous is a wonderful collection of strong writing by solid authors, and a good addition to any library collection. Highly recommended!

Benjamin's Parasite by Jeff Strand
Delirium Books, 2009
ISBN: 978-1-934546-12-3
Available: New

Jeff Strand's novel, Benjamin's Parasite, starts off with a teenage boy, Brian, going through a series of strange events (yes, even strange for a teenage boy) that ultimately land him getting shot in the end. At Brian's funeral, his teacher, Benjamin Wilson, shows up to pay his respects and notices that Brian's body appears to have exhaled! He leans in closer and sure enough... he feels a gust of air hit him in the face! This would be enough to freak anyone out, but Benjamin tries to keep his cool and get out of the funeral home without causing a scene and avoids saying anything to anyone. Over the next several weeks however he starts getting several strange cravings and the next thing he knows he has a spell at school that lands him in the hospital. While in the hospital he gets "abducted" and soon finds out that this person isn't the only person that is after him. He learns that he is actually hosting a parasite that is of interest to several parties. Unfortunately for Benjamin, he doesn't know who has his best interest in mind so he isn't sure which person to trust in this situation where he is being fought over and is being pulled back and forth a lot. The question is... will he and/or the parasite come out alive at the end of the chase?
This is probably Strand's fastest paced book yet and is a lot of fun to read. It is full of action with the struggle between all parties involved within the book. In true Jeff Strand style there is also a ton of laughs to go around so his fans will not be disappointed. In particular, there is a scene where Benjamin visits a hardware store and has some very strange ideas that I just wouldn't believe anyone would even consider, but... Strand did! In addition to the humor, there are also the typical gory scenes that Strand always spaces out so perfectly to not disgust the readers TOO much. There are also dramatic scenes in the book that will allow the reader to sympathize with characters... especially a particular turtle name Tortie. Plus there is a feel for a bit of romance within the book as well! So... Strand really went all out with this book and crossed a bit of all genres. Highly recommended!

Contains: Violence, Mild Gore
Review by: Rhonda Wilson

Like most readers, I found Smith’s A Simple Plan to be an intense, tightly-plotted thriller that left me wanting more. This follow-up novel, however, is not.

The characters of The Ruins are American teens cut and pasted in from every bad horror film ever made. They are so flat and clichéd that as I write this, I can barely remember any of the details meant to distinguish one from the other. And that’s the fundamental problem with this book. The plot, outside of the addition of murderous flora, is straightforward, unoriginal, and uninspired, better suited to a short story than a full length novel. The story follows four hapless teenagers and two mysterious foreigners with murky motives into the South American jungle. They end up stranded there by vicious natives and killer vines. Smith makes a last minute bid to give this story a deeper meaning it doesn’t earn.

Smith seeks to shock us with his unwavering, unrelenting depiction of savage death in the jungle, but when the reader has to flip back through previous pages to remember which busty American teenager is the slutty one and which is the smart one, does anyone care what happens to them? There is nothing in this book that hasn’t been done elsewhere and more capably.

In the small Maryland town of Tyler, a virus is causing household dogs to suddenly turn vicious, killing men, women, and children in a violent frenzy. Former FBI agent Tessa Sanderson must discover the meaning of cryptic e-mails sent to her that seem to be tied to the dogs’ behavior. While Tessa works to solve the puzzle, Jess Langstrom, Tyler’s Animal Control officer, attempts to round up all dogs, infected or not, before the disease spreads outside of Tyler. In the process, he must face down pet owners who aren’t willing to give up their pets. Tessa is the main driver of the thriller aspect of the novel, working to discover who is behind the virus and what connection he has with her recently deceased husband. Dogs is a very good crossover book that will appeal to more than one audience. It could easily get those who normally read killer animal books hooked on thrillers and vice versa. The writing is solid, and the book is a page turner. Dogs is a step above the usual killer animal book in character development and overall writing, and the combination of the killer animal story with a thriller is unusual and refreshing. Highly recommended.

Dragon of the Mangroves takes place during World War II. The story tells of the desperate fight of Japanese soldiers against overwhelming British forces on the island of Ramree, near Burma. Another group of Japanese soldiers are sent on a rescue mission to retrieve their compatriots. When the soldiers are finally able to evacuate, their route leads them into a swampy, desolate area and, eventually, a river full of crocodiles. Told from a Japanese perspective, Dragon of the Mangroves reminds the reader that the guys on the other side are humans with hopes and fears. These soldiers aren’t the faceless army of a monolithic enemy: they are ordinary guys, with families back home, doing what they can to stay alive. Unfortunately, the author’s dry and journalistic style means that the characters come across as somewhat flat, making it difficult for the reader to relate to them. Kasai’s dialogue and action read almost as if they’ve been reported in a newspaper. The author does a fine job writing about the crocodiles, giving the story a breath of life in the last few chapters, but it is simply too little too late. It’s as if he didn’t really get into the book unless the crocodiles were involved. The story really falls more into a tale of the desperate struggle of war more than horror fiction, but the twist of the crocodile attacks adds a layer of terror that horror fiction readers will appreciate. Dragon of the Mangroves would make a nice addition to a war/horror section of any library.

Readers looking for a new tale of the oddities of nature run amok need to look no further than The Cage. Captain Omaha owns a traveling side show of deadly cryptozoological wonders, including the Wendigo, the Jersey Devil, the Chupacabra and others. In the town of Crowley’s Point, he sets up shop in the local zoo, known as The Preserve. At the same time, the Peters family is on vacation trying to regroup as a family, and Teddy Archer, who has been double-crossed by Omaha, has joined forces with a psychic former nun, Sister Mary. All of these people collide at The Preserve on a night when a severe storm has cut power and communication and the animals and Omaha’s creatures have been set free. The Cage is a fun creature feature, offering a nice variety of man-eating creatures for the reader’s enjoyment. While the Peters family doesn’t feel real, Omaha and Teddy Archer are interesting characters who capture the reader’s imagination, both breaking away from the typical two dimensional characters common to this genre . In addition, Sister Mary’s “hitchhiking” in Teddy’s head is a clever way of providing background on creatures and events in the story. Ultimately, The Cage is a wonderfully entertaining killer animal/monster book. Recommended for public library collections. Contains: violence and gore

Keene and Gonzalez continue the story from Clickers, A new hurricane threatens the eastern seaboard of the U.S. and this time the dread crab creatures are not just attacking a small town- they are attacking the East Coast of the United States. Even worse, is that these Clickers are larger than last time and cause destruction on a massive scale. Colonel Livingston, from the first book, has been called up from retirement to deal with the invasion of deadly crab creatures. However, his dangerous mission is made even more difficult as he conflicts with the President, who has a different perspective on the invasion. The icing on the cake is that behind the Clickers are the Dark Ones who have come to seek more victims. Clickers 2 delivers the same fun and gore that the original Clickers gave us, only on a grander scale. The pacing is good and the story starts off with quick action and does not quit until the last page. The one stumble is an attempted gay rape/molestation scene that doesn’t advance the plot- it is like a speed bump to the reader looking for good killer animal fun. Other than that, Keene and Gonzalez deliver a worthy sequel to Clickers, and fans of the classic nature gone amok movies and books will enjoy it immensely. Contains: Gore, violence, attempted rape.

In the small fishing village of Gloucester, Massachusetts, local painter and part-time lobsterman Richie Feehan comes across a strange creature comprised of sea shells and haunting eyes when he attempts to haul up his trap. Richie doesn’t tell anyone about the creature, and soon encounters another mystery: bodies of the recently deceased are being dug up and devoured. Richie’s brother, who runs the mortuary is trying to help the police track down the perpetrator. Golden gives the reader a well written creature-feature novella. While there is no origin story, Golden is able to give the reader a little history on the creature thanks to some usefully placed old men of the sea type characters. The pacing is good and one truly feels the confusion and frustration of Richie Feehan as he has to face this creature from the sea and potentially lose the love of his life. At 128 pages, The Shell Collector makes for an easy excellent read for someone who doesn’t have the time or desire to get in a longer book but is still looking for a good monster tale. Contains: creature violence, a little gore.

Huge intelligent carnivorous predatory flightless birds have survived thousands of years, living on a large, undisturbed parcel of land in Florida which once belonged to the army. However, development has finally come to the flock’s territory, with competing forces looking at the land. The Berg Brothers, a mega corporation, has developed a planned community, Salutations, USA, with expectations for expansion. Vance Holcomb, an eccentric billionaire, wants to preserve the pristine environment. Finally, Colonel Grisham, a retired Colonel, is forming his own private militia on the land. Ron Riggs from the Department of Interior is caught in the middle when he is sent to Salutations to investigate the disappearance of various pets. The players will feel familiar and are not fully developed. Smith’s book actually seems to have two protagonists. Ron Riggs is fleshed out with more history and personality than most other characters, and Walks Backwards, a member of the flock, who must deal with a rogue member of the flock and with the increasing human encroachment. What makes The Flock an original read is that Smith has actually interspersed chapters about Walks Backwards and the flock through the rest of the story. Instead of taking the easy way out and just saying that the flock is intelligent, Smith provides insight into the structure and history of the flock. Those looking for mass murder by Smith’s predators will be disappointed, as humans do as much killing of each other as the flock does. However, Smith has created an ultimate predator, and when it does kill it tends to be in impressive fashion. The care that Smith puts into describing the flock and developing the flock’s side of the story makes this novel a worthwhile read. Contains: violence, gunplay, and a little gore

Available: New (The Shocklines version is a limited edition autographed copy, also available in paperback form)

A team consisting of a national geographic explorer, two scientists, and an army guide fly down to a remote abandoned military base on a remote island to take pictures and study a small bristleworm . Upon arrival they find that a new breed of trichinosis worm that grows to gigantic proportions and breeds very quickly. As if this weren't enough Lee throws in a pair of brothers, one a gator poacher the other a drug dealer who rape and kill women for fun, a "military" unit who is conducting an experiment, and some random students there at the island to party. Lee throws in a fair amount of healthy exposition on the science behind his worms which ,depending on the reader, will either draw you into the story and make it more believable or put you to sleep like a high school biology lecture. Lee adds his usual does of sex and sexual violence, which isn't necessary for the story to hold together, but will make fans of Lee's other work feel right at home. While Lee's base story works just fine as killer animal horror, his additional plot twists are hit and miss. His character development is good and moves the story ahead at a decent pace. Note: this book has nothing to do with John Halkin's book or the same name nor the horror film with the same name that came out in 2006. Contains violence, gore, passages of rape and sex.

Millionaire John Stole decides to develop prime forest land into a a modern community. He proceeds to spray the area for with various chemicals to destroy the local insects. After the community was built, Jack Vyner and his wife Kathy and their son Alan moved in. was build one night a swarm of flesh eating moths that release acid on their prey attack Stole's dream community and Jack's wife and child succumb to the moths leaving Jack to try to try to survive. Sonder's killer moth books start fast and he keeps the action going. He doesn't mind killing off his characters that he has worked to develop. At the end of the day there is nothing new and innovative about Blight, it is just good brain candy read. This book would be finely paired with John Halkin's Squelch if you wanted to have a fun night's worth of killer catapiller/moth reading . Contains: gore

In Slither, TV cameraman Matt Parker is attacked in the sewers by legless lizards while filming for a TV show. He becomes obsessed with the lizards and tracks them as their attacks become more frequent. It is up to Matt to mobilize help before the lizards lay waste to all England. Halkin has written another fast-paced killer animal book. There is little attempt to discuss the origins of Halkin's killer lizards. He just jumps into action and doesn't stop. After reading a few of his books, Halkin's formula becomes apparent, down to having his protagonist be involved in the television industry. If you enjoy Halkin's other books you will appreciate Slither. Contains: Some violence, gore, and a few sexual passages.

A television producer has a flare-up at work, quits her job, and decides to move to a small cottage in the country. What she doesn't realize is that some experimental caterpillars have been accidentally released, and these caterpillars hunger for human flesh. The caterpillars multiply and wreak havoc on the countryside. To make matters worse, some of the caterpillars have turned into poison spitting moths! In the meantime, she is also embroiled in a variety of sexual relationships and involved in all kinds of psychological drama. After reading this third Halkin book, I have come to the conclusion that there is a hidden soap opera writer burning to get out. Halkin doesn't skimp at all on the killer insect violence in the book but the reader will find that the typical relationships found in this subgenre do not exist: instead of following a straight and narrow path, expect some twists and turns. Contains: Violence and gore.

Guy Archer searches an abandoned school for his missing daughter, only to be attacked by large flesh-eating beetles. During the attack, Archer sees something else, a giant white worm that feeds off human blood. While the school is destroyed, the flesh-eating beetles and the blood worms spread throughout England. Archer helps a group of government employees try to stop the horde of insects before all of England is consumed. A solid creature feature with some thought being put into the life cycle of the of the beetles/bloodworms. If the thought of flesh-eating beetles creeps you out or of worms burrowing through your flesh gives you the willies then this book is for you. Halkin has written other killer animal books Slither, Slime, and Squeltch. Contians: violence and gore.

Slime is a tale of an invasion of England by killer jellyfish where television actor Tim Ewing comes across a new species of deadly jellyfish. It isn't enough that these jellyfish have a deadly poision- they can also move on land and have some sort of group instinct. It turns into a battle of survival for the British as they try to survive the attack from a horde of the deadly jellyfish. Slime doesn't pretend to be an all time great horror novel. Halkin merely gives us a nature- run- amok story with an unlikely choice of creature. Reading Slime requires significant suspension of disbelief, but if you can overlook the huge logical leaps, such as the jellyfish effectively attacking anything on land, it is an overall fun story that challenges expectations. Contains violence and a few love scenes.

I have been looking forward to Natural Selection by Dave Freedman for some time. Killer animal books haven't been able to get much publishing love recently and it was nice to see a new entry. Natural Selection is about a group of killer rays (rays as in sting ray/manta ray) that have lived in the depths of the ocean undisturbed by man. When a virus starts to wipe out the rays' normal food supply they come to the surface and some of the younger ones start to evolve methods of finding another source of food that might end up making humanity next on the menu. It is up to Jason Aldridge and his team of ichthyologists from the failed Manta World theme park, owned by opportunistic businessman Harry Ackerman, to try to find the secret of the rays. What makes this book different from many that you see on the list of reviews from books in this subgenre is that he spends a fair amount of time explaining the science of his rays and the ecological principle of how they came to be. If you like scientific explanations in your horror fiction then you will be very happy. If you are just looking for another vicious animal kill, this is probably not your cup of tea. Freedman's main characters in Jason Aldridge and Lisa Barton aren't very sympathetic and the plot isn't anything new and innovative. If you have read much killer animal fiction or watch killer animal movies, you have been down this road before, while not exactly the same in execution to anything out there it is very similar in feel. Yet, the story is told well and captures the readers attention and doesn't let go also Freedman's killer rays are a new and different critter in this category of horror fiction which makes the book fun to read. With Natural Selection, Freedman adds a respectable entry to the killer animal field and worth reading for those whole like this type of book. Contains: violence.

When I finished reading Conqueror Worms I realized I had a dilemma on my hands, Brian Keene had managed to write a horror book that had an apocalyptic story that has some killer giant worms and Cthulhlu elements, and did it in such away that it would appeal to fans of any of those subgenres. He weaves a tale in two parts about the end of the world. It starts to rain and doesn't stop, which causes massive flooding putting most of the world underwater. The first part of Keene's book is narrated by Teddy Garnett, who lives on top of an mountain in Appalachia, and who finds himself and his friend Carl besieged by giant killer worms. Teddy and Carl are joined by Kevin and Sarah when their helicopter is shot down near Teddy's house by a deranged neighbor. The second part of the book is Kevin telling his story of living with a small group of people in mostly underwater Baltimore being menaced by a group of religious fanatics, mermaids, and a beast right out of the Cthulhlu mythos. The story concludes with Teddy, Carl, Kevin, and Sarah's battle with the worms. Keene does a fantastic job of making Teddy Garnett come to life for the reader, so you care about his fate. Conqueror Worms is a solid, action- packed story, and whether you go for killer animals, Lovecraft, or tales of the end of civilization as we know it, give this book a try. You won't be disappointed.

Available: Used
This installment of the Crabs series tells the tale of killer mutant crabs attacking a coastal town and oceanside resort and the military's attempt to turn them back. It is more good fun from Guy N. Smith with my favorite giant malevolent killer crabs on the march. A good tie-in movie would be “Island Claws." Recommended. Contains violence , a little sex.

This "origins" book, tells of the invasion of an English estate by giant killer crabs. The crabs in this book are presented not as just animals but as evil creatures that hunt humans. This is a fine addition to the series, Smith gives you just enough background on his characters that you care for them while they get diced up by the crabs. Contains violence.

Available: Used
Crabs: The Human Sacrifice, is the final book in the Crabs series. The series is about a group of malevolent man eating crabs that have been attacking England . This installment focuses on a psychopath who has started a death cult dedicated to the crabs and plans to sacrifice a young socialite to the crabs, and her lover's attempt to rescue her. This is probably my least favorite book in the series, as the focus is more on the demented leader of the death cult, his intended victim, and her rescuer, and less about my favorite group of marauding crabs. Out of print and hard to find. Contains violence.

Hunger by William Dantz
Tor, July 1, 1993
ISBN: 0812519574

Available: Used
Ah, nothing like a killer shark book. This time it is a pack of genetically engineered super sharks bred by the Sealife Institute. It is up to dive boat operator Tom, his wife Sally, and their two dolphins, Lois and Clark, to stop the sharks. It is a good fun read, fairly formulaic but well written. This book was written well before the enhanced killer shark movie Deep Blue Sea, and gives us a new twist on the killer shark theme. A recommended read for an afternoon. Contains violence.

Bats out of Hell by Guy N. Smith
New American Library, June 1, 1979
ISBN: 0451089251

Available: Used
Another killer animal book from Guy N. Smith, this is a quick little paperback of 153 pages that tells the story of bats infected with a deadly virus and accidentally released from a lab in England. Chaos ensues as the researcher responsible for the project tries to exterminate the bats and the body count keeps rising. This is a quick fun little read that is out of print but can easily be acquired at Amazon.com via the used section. Some fine tie-in movies would be the killer bat movies Fangs, Nightwing, and Bats. Contains: Animal violence, scene of rape.

The Spiders by Richard Lewis
Time Warner Books UK, August 20, 1987
ISBN: 0099383306

Available: Used
Originally copyrighted in 1978, this fun little 170 pages of eight-legged terror is a quick read. It is about an invasion of our mutant eight-legged friends. A hoard of flesh-eating spiders converge on England , with only biologist Alan Mason and crew to find a way to stop them. The plot moves quickly and the keeps you turning the pages. Movie tie-ins: Eight-Legged Freaks, Arachnophobia and Earth vs. the Spider. Contains: violence, gore, and scenes of sensual references.

Giant killer rats invade London, and it is up to a small group of government folk to find a way to stop them. Herbert's style of writing is easy to read and the story is by far superior to the many killer rat movies made over the years. Once it starts the plot moves very quickly and is engrossing. It is followed by Lair and Domain. Contains: violence.

Second in the killer rats trilogy by James Herbert, Lair continues the story of mutant killer rats invading England. The books doesn't break any new ground, but if you enjoyed The Rats then you will probably enjoy Lair. Sometimes, when reading a sequel it isn't that you are necessarily looking for something new, but rather you liked the first book and just want more of the same. This isn't a bad thing at all, just be aware of what you are getting. Contains: Rat violence.

Available: New and Used
Talk about having a bad day, the survivors of nuclear war in England have to face not only a lawless world with roving gangs of thugs but also a pack of killer giant black rats. This is a plain old-fashioned fun read. Herbert does a fine job of keeping his story moving along. It is a fine addition to his other giant rat books, The Rats and Lair. There is a movie tie-in, Rats. Contains: violence.

Slugs by Shaun Hutson
Time Warner Paperbacks,1990
ISBN: 0751514187

Available: New and Used
When you think of slugs, you normally don't think "here is a creature to be feared." Yet, Shaun Hutson does a fine job of turning these normally slow-moving pests into a mass of flesh-eating terror. The slugs attack England, and it is up to our heroes to stop the slimy foes from eating all of London . Hutson keeps the action coming fast. The book is followed up with more slimy action in Breeding Ground. The book was made into a movie, Slugs. Contains: violence, sexual situation.

The Nest by Gregory A. Douglas
Zebra Books, September, 1987
ISBN: 0821721666

Available: Used
Gregory Douglas spins a yarn of killer mutant cockroaches that develop in a garbage dump on Cape Cod. The book feels much like the wonderful old killer insect movies from the 1970's-1980's. It actually has two horror movie tie-ins, The Nest (1988) and They Nest(tv movie 2000). The book is fairly ruthless. No one is safe from these killer roaches, either children or adults. Contains: some gory passages.

Monster: Tale of Loch Ness by Jeffrey Konvitz
Ballantine Books, September 12, 1982
ISBN: 0345294475

Available: Used
A fun little tale of Scotty Bruce, an adventurer who finds himself caught between a vicious developer and the monster of Loch Ness. The book asks: what is deadlier- greedy psychopathic human beings or a giant multi-ton prehistoric monster? A good old-fashioned giant monster book. At 378 pages it isn't a quick read, but it rewards at the end. Contains: violence.

Saurian by William Schoell
Leisure Books, Reissue edition March 1, 1992
ISBN: 0843932481

Available: Used
Saurian is a tale of a young man who is the only survivor of a giant monster attack who later is haunted by the monster, on the rampage again. The twist is that this monster is intelligent and has been covering its tracks. What is the monster's secret, and can it be stopped? This book has some nice twists on the typical giant monster horror novel. It carries on a fairly decent pace and will keep you reading through. Contains: violence.

Clickers by J. F. Gonzalez and Mark Williams
Darktales Publications, April 1, 2000
ISBN: 0967202973

In Clickers, what sounds like a B-movie plot becomes one heck of a wild ride. The protagonist is a horror writer who has come to Maine to

What brings this story out from B-movie fare is the characterization. While the main characters at first seem to be nothing more than

placeholders (Regular Joe thrust into heroism, Love Interest with a Past, Local Weirdo, etc.), the authors flesh them out and give enough backstory so the reader actually cares about them.

Nothing like a good killer bat book. After several unusual attacks by our favorite flying furry friends it is up to Detective Robert Gentry of the NYPD and Dr. Nancy Joyce from the Bronx zoo are out to discover why the bats are attacking and devise a way to stop them. I recommend the book as a fun way to spend a couple of hours. I note on the back of the book it was supposed to be a "Major Motion Picture From Touchstone". I tried to see if it ever was made into a movie and as far as I could tell it was not, which is a shame. Contains: violence.

The Ants is about a horde of deadly army ants eating anything and anybody they come across, down to the bone. The heroine of this little tale of terror is Jane Sewell, daughter of anthropologist working with a tribe in Brazil. Upon returning to the tribal village from the city, Jane finds nothing but the skeletons. Tremayne's story moves along swiftly, and the character development happens as the story moves along. Contains: animal violence.

The Dragon is about an archaeological expedition of a lost city in the Mexican Mesa. Our story follows Eddie Drake, a photographer with the expedition, as he follows the expedition deep into a subterranean city, where it runs across different sorts of horrors waiting for them. A really good story that I enjoyed, though the cover art reminds me more of a pet iguana I had once instead of a dragon. Contains: violence.

Giant fire ants are attacking Florida !!! What more can a critter horror book lover want? Strand crafts a tale of evil scientists who want to destroy the world by unleashing a swarm of killer fire ants, and a small group of people who try to survive. Strand tells his story with an appropriate sense of humor which makes this is a fine addition to the genre. Contains: ant violence including little children getting consumed by ants.

In the 1690's a group of Puritans killed Granny Brind for witchcraft, but not before she summoned a group of small white worms that were rounded up and sealed in an iron box and buried. Hundreds of years latter the worms have escaped, grown, and are attacking the small town built upon the Brinds' land. The worms have a sting that transform their victims into worms as well. It is up to Felicity, one of the descendants of Granny Brinds, and her fiancé Paul, to find a way to survive, which has to do with the worms' mystical origins. Contains: violence.

The Trench by Steve Alten
Meg: Primal Waters by Steve Alten
Meg by Steve Alten
The Loch by Steve Alten
Jaws by Peter Benchley
Peter Benchley's Creature by Peter Benchley
Beast by Peter Benchley
Keepers by Gary Braunbeck
The Dogs by Robert Calder
Squirm by Richard Curtis
Hunger by William Dantz
The Haven by Graham Diamond
The Nest by Gregory Douglas
Natural Selection by Dave Freedman
Crawlers by Ray Garton
Clickers by J.F. Gonzalez and Mark Williams
Clickers 2 by J.F. Gonzalez and Brian Keene
The Pets by Charles L. Grant
Slime by John Halkin
Bloodworm by John Halkin
Slither by John Halkin
Squeltch by John Halkin
The Rats by James Herbert
Lair by James Herbert
Domain by James Herbert
The Swarm by Arthur Herzog
Slugs by Shaun Hutson
Breeding Ground by Shaun Hutson
Conqueror Worms by Brian Keene
Pitfall by Ronald Kelly
Cujo by Stephen King
Monster:Tale of the Loch Ness by Jeffery Konvitz
Slither by Ed Lee
The Spiders by Richard Lewis
The Visitor by Chauncey Parker III
Vespers by Jeff Rovin
Fatalis by Jeff Rovin
Leopard by Alan Ryan
The Worms by Al Sarrantonio
The Dragon by William Schoell
Saurian by William Schoell
Jaws 2: A Novel by Hank Searls
Prophecy by David Seltzer
The Cats by Nick Sherman
Gila by Les Simons
Crabs on the Rampage by Guy N Smith
Killer Crabs by Guy N Smith
Crab's Moons by Guy N Smith
Crabs: The Human Sacrifice by Guy N Smith
Bat's Out of Hell by Guy N Smith
Locusts by Guy N Smith
Snakes by Guy N Smith
Night of the Crabs by Guy N Smith
Nightwings by Martin Cruz Smith
Blight by Mark Sonders
Mandibles by Jeff Strand
Wolfen by Whitley Streiber
The Ants by Peter Tremayne
Extinct by Charles Wilson

Aquatic Killer Animals

The Trench by Steve Alten
Meg: Primal Waters by Steve Alten
Meg by Steve Alten
The Loch by Steve Alten
Jaws by Peter Benchley
Peter Benchley's Creature by Peter Benchley
Beast by Peter Benchley

Natural Selection by Dave Freedman
Clickers by J.F. Gonzalez and Mark Williams
Clickers 2 by J.F. Gonzalez and Brian Keene
Slime by John Halkin
Monster:Tale of the Loch Ness by Jeffery Konvitz
Saurian by William Schoell
Jaws 2: A Novel by Hank Searls
Crabs on the Rampage by Guy N Smith
Killer Crabs by Guy N Smith
Crab's Moons by Guy N Smith
Crabs: The Human Sacrifice by Guy N Smith
Night of the Crabs by Guy N Smith
Extinct by Charles Wilson

Killer Insects

Squirm by Richard Curtis
The Nest by Gregory Douglas
Bloodworm by John Halkin
Slither by John Halkin
Squeltch by John Halkin
The Swarm by Arthur Herzog
Slugs by Shaun Hutson
Breeding Ground by Shaun Hutson
Conqueror Worms by Brian Keene
The Spiders by Richard Lewis
The Worms by Al Sarrantonio
Locusts by Guy N Smith
Blight by Mark Sonders
Mandibles by Jeff Strand
The Ants by Peter Tremayne


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