Fantasy/SF Book Reviews
The Internet Writing Journal, July 1998Page Two of Two
MEG by Steve Alten
Bantam Books, June 1998.Paperback, 337 pages.
ISBN: 055357910X.
Ordering information:
Amazon.com. | Amazon.co.uk
Jonas Taylor, a paleontologist, an experienced
deep-sea pilot and expert of deep ocean caverns
is still tramautized by his last underwater journey
-- a secret exploratory dive headed by the
U.S. Navy -- which killed his two crew mates.
Jonas Taylor remembers seeing a giant shark coming
towards him, which caused him to propel
his ship upwards to the surface -- killing
the other two members of the crew. The
Navy disbelived Taylor and blamed him
for the deaths tarnishing his record
and his self-confidence. Since then he has
become a fanatic of studying the prehistoric
Cacharodon Megadalon, a sixty foot
shark that was nature's most vicious
killer during prehistoric times. Jonas can't figure out
whether he is trying to convince himself or
others that the Meg could still exist -- or does
exist and it is what he saw that terrible night.
Taylor gets the chance to find out when an old friend
Masao Tanaka, who is developing the largest
whaling sanctuary ever, asks for his help in
a dive into the deepest abyss on the
planet -- the Challenger Deep. Not only does Jonas
find the prehistoric killer, but it follows them up to
the surface where it begins to prey on whatever
it can find in this century's waters -- including
humans. Taylor and company are forced to
try and track the terrorizing Megaladon which
begans feasting on everything in sight, including
boat crews, surfers and whales.
This excellent debut from novelist Steve Alten is more than just a Jaws remake. While it will certainly please lovers of Jaws-type novels - it is also appealing because of its details on underwater exploration and the high-tech equipment involved. MEG is an exciting oceanic thriller about a vicious prehistoric killer that can sense one part of blood in a billion parts of water, smell its prey miles away and leap high enough out of the water to reach helicopters.
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