Post by Jim on Aug 22, 2009 18:31:41 GMT
You would think that a novel involving a long lost island where all the flora and fauna have evolved to such a point that they are deadly to the extreme, would be a brilliant read.
Don't get me wrong I love novels such as this, but this is a very poor example of this sort of novel.
Purely one dimensional characters with annoying names, Zero, the gung ho camera man, is a prime example of this. Imagine a clichéd extreme sports enthusiast and you have Zero.
Add to this what in essence is a good story, which is ruined with pages upon pages of scientific theory, a bit of background to the story is great, but when this starts moving up the region of 15% of the novel length, then enough is enough. One plus point is that he does at least acknowledge his source when he blatantly rips of the method by which to defeat the creatures, by name checking the Stacey Keach film which was based on that book.
The major plot points are signalled so far ahead, he should have just used a megaphone. This leads me to the biggest bug bear with this novel. I am all for plot twist, provided they don't make me want to through the book across the room. A good guy goes postal a new species is introduced from nowhere, and the survivors manage to defeat the US President and the Pacific fleet with the use of a handy cam.
This could have been such a great read, do yourself a service and read Rakie Keigs Terror Island is you want to read about a monster island, it's at leaxst a thousand times better.