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Book List: Killer Crabs

My mom is trying really hard to connect with the Monster Kid right now. It’s difficult for her, because she has no interest in Minecraft, Percy Jackson, Harry Potter, Godzilla, or B-movies, but I will give her credit, she is really trying. She is totally confused, and asks lots of questions, and he’s very impatient with her. And most recently, he started talking about killer crabs (pretty random choice, I know) and describing the plot of Attack of the Crab Monsters. She looked at me and said, “Killer crabs are a thing?”

Yeah, Mom, they are. There aren’t, to my knowledge, huge quantities of books out there about them, but Guy N. Smith’s Crabs books are well-loved in some circles. Dylan, the original Monster Librarian, was a gigantic fan of them. In his honor, and for unbelievers like my mother, I present a brief list of books and movies with killer crabs.

 

Night of the Crabs  and the Crabs series by Guy N. Smith

Night of the Crabs is the first book in the Crabs series, a killer animal cult classic. Giant man-eating crabs invade the Welsh coast, and mayhem ensues. Guy N. Smith is not a literary giant, but his reputation for killer animal horror is well-deserved.  I implore you to read the positive reviews on Amazon to see what I mean– the Crabs books are truly beloved by their readers. This fast-paced, quick read is the book that allowed Smith to become a full-time writer.

If you are willing to take the jump, or your original copies have crumbled, the entire series has now been released on Kindle. There are seven books in the series: Night of the Crabs, Killer Crabs, The Origin of the Crabs, Crabs on the Rampage, Crabs’ Moon, Crabs: The Human Sacrifice, and Killer Crabs: The Return.

Clickers by J.F. Gonzalez and Mark Williams

Giant crab-like creatures are invading the small town of Philipsport, Maine, and they’re fleeing even more terrifying creatures– the Dark Ones. Dylan absolutely LOVED this book, with fanboyish delight. It’s not for the faint of heart, though. Gory and violent, with a Lovecraftian tinge, this is an homage to killer animal B-movies that received praise from Edward Lee and Richard Laymon. Clickers is the first book in a series, and is followed by Clickers II: The Next Wave, Clickers III: Dagon Rising, and Clickers vs. Zombies, all co-written by J.F. Gonzalez and Brian Keene.

Crustaceans by William Meikle

I have to admit, it makes me giggle to see that our original review of this book is quoted in the editorial reviews on Amazon. Meikle dedicated this book to Guy N. Smith, and was clearly inspired by his books.

 

Want a movie with your seafood? Try one of these:

 Attack of the Crab Monsters (1957), unrated

An early Roger Corman film with giant, killer, papier-mache crabs stealing the show and knocking off the human characters fairly efficiently, but mostly off-screen.

 

 Mysterious Island (1961), unrated

Crab created by Ray Harryhausen– need I say more? 

 

 Island Claws (1980), PG

This evidently isn’t easily available, but reviews describe it as “relatively blood-free”, so it’s probably safe to watch with your 10 year old.

As always, not every book or movie is appropriate for every reader (or viewer). But if you are looking to dip your toe in the water of killer animal horror with lots of action, crabs might be a good place to start. Enjoy!


Posted on August 20, 2016 by , Reply

You Might Be In A Horror Novel If…

The 25 Best Gothic Horror Books

You are in an abandoned mansion in the middle of nowhere.

You are a governess, left alone with oddly acting or obviously evil children.

You are isolated from the rest of the world by weather, geography, and/or another outside force beyond your control.

You do not trust the evidence of your own senses.

 

You might be in The Turn of the Screw by Henry James,

or This House Is Haunted by John Boyne

 

It is stormy, dark and gloomy.

You are the captive of a scheming and sadistic governess, teacher, caretaker, or relative.

You are trapped in the walls, a basement, a closet, or an attic.

There is a hedge maze, Escher-style stairs, or carnivorous beast on the property.

Authorities are absent or unable to help you.

 

You might be in Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews,

or Misery by Stephen King

Your house is a former asylum or school, built over a graveyard, or the site of a cold-case murder.

You have specifically been told not to open a door.

Ghosts are either menacing you, possessing you, or asking you for help.

An inanimate object starts talking to you.

Someone is leading you through dark, underground tunnels or catacombs.

Your nightmares seem very, very real.

 

You might be in Down A Dark Hall by Lois Duncan,

or the stories of Edgar Allan Poe

 

It is bright and sunny, and everyone is very, very, happy.

 

You are uneasy without obvious reason.

You are uneasy with obvious reason.

Everyone in town is related to (or at least knows) everyone else.

There is a terrible secret in your town’s past (or present).

A disturbing community ritual, probably involving demon worship, is scheduled for the near future.

You are offered a favor in exchange for your soul.

You find a book or journal that clearly will summon an ancient evil.

 

You might be in  The Thirteen  by Susie Moloney

or The Stepford Wives by Ira Levin

 

A classified, experimental government program has gone awry.

An inexplicable and incurable virus has infected the majority of the population.

A malicious mythical creature attempts to eat you, assimilate you, or seduce you.

A vigilante or cult-like group is bent on destruction.

 

You might be in The Strain by Chuck Hogan and Guillermo del Toro

or The Fireman  by Joe Hill

 

Giant, mutated creatures are approaching.

Ominous, tentacled creatures appear on the scene.

The narrator or main character is showing clear evidence of insanity.

 

You might be in Maplecroft by Cherie Priest, Clickers by J.F. Gonzalez,

or the works of H.P. Lovecraft.

 

People are dying in brutal, horrifying, appalling ways.

Someone, or something, wants to eat you for dinner.

 

You might be in Succulent Prey by Wrath James White,

or Monster Island by David Wellington

 

Your perceptions are unreliable or distorted.

You can’t trust your memories.

You can’t trust the media.

You might be in A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay

 

You have a feeling of bone deep terror.

That unending sense of dread just won’t go away.

You hear a loud “slam” and things go dark…

 

You’re probably trapped in a horror novel. Let’s hope that your reader decides to open up the book again, and gives you a chance to escape!

 

 

Editor’s note: not all books are appropriate for all readers.. and I wouldn’t wish any of you to be trapped in any of these! 

 

 

 

Posted on July 10, 2016 by , Reply