Author: Ashton Macaulay
Plot: Nick Ventner is a drunk with a blatant disregard for
others. He’s also damned good at hunting creatures that aren’t supposed to
exist. From amateur necromancers in the bayou to Sasquatch impersonators in the
Pacific Northwest, Nick’s seen it all. Even if some of the details might be a
little fuzzy.
My Review and Thoughts:
This is fun interesting story that plays with the true
imagination of the inner child and the adult exploration of the unknown. Think
Indian Jones with monsters. Your main character is a monster hunter. He is
hired around the globe to seek out monsters that are running amok and causing
problems.
This plays out like an action style pulp plot that brings
you the reader into the outrageous and perfectly created realities of this
fictional world of monsters. What I find fascinating about it, is that it’s
written with the reality that yes monsters exist, so what, or for your main
character Nick Ventner it’s a job that pays money, money to buy lots of booze.
There’s an underlining comical reality to the story. The characters are well
developed through back stories being told. The narrative leads you to
experience that Nick has done this for many years and has caught many
creatures.
What makes this stand out is the many different styles of
writing. You have action mixed with suspense and layered with humor. The writer
gives you a wonderful trip of emotions while reading the story.
The plot is that Winston a rich man is paying Nick to tell
him the story of how he went against the famous Yeti. So begins the tale in
flashbacks and a buildup of the plot. You the reader get to experience Nick’s
journey as he tells it.
This is like watching all the great creature feature films.
This is a monster book. If you love monsters and adventure, then this will
surprisingly satisfy you. It has all the working of a classic pulp novel, or as
I call them 5 and Dime Novels. Fun entertainment.
Also, what makes this book stand out is It’s basically an
introduction piece of this character. I can see this being a vast multilayered
series of adventures. This bleeds for another book and many more books. This
could go on forever. Nick the monster hunter. I loved this book because it
allows you to mingle with a monster hunter in all his fun, wild, very eventful
ways. It is written in away that places you there hunting the monsters.
Would I Return to it Again? I will return to this series if
it becomes a vast series of stories.
Would I Recommend: For lovers of old school creature feature
style films. For lovers of monster tales and adventures 101.
My Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Four Final Words: Fun, Wild, Pulpy adventurous.