I love writing about monsters. It’s what I do. And I’m sorry, I can’t change that no matter how long you keep me here or what you do to me. But the intriguing-looking upcoming Wii game Deadly Creatures has got me thinking, and I believe I may just have an alternative suggestion for you.
Will you let us out of here if we promise only to write books about monsters who allow themselves to appear in nature documentaries? Work with me on this, I’ve got some examples…
The original ‘nature bites back’ classic JAWS, by Peter Benchley is still a cracking read. But for my money his BEAST is even better: the chapters told from the giant squid’s point of view are just AWESOME. James Herbert‘s THE RATS books are also dead good, particularly the post-apocalyptic third in the series, DOMAIN. Sliding further along the scale from scary to silly, there’s SLUGS by Shaun Hutson. Even THE FUNGUS, by Harry Adam Knight is a great way to spend a rainy afternoon.
But I’m thinking that the ultimate, the ne-plus-ultra of ‘natural monster stories’ could well be something like THIS:
Now there’s a type of creature that’s yet to have justice done by it, I’d say. Yep: FROGS! As one of the other posters for this film said, ‘Today, the Pond. Tomorrow, the World!‘
Well, monsters? What do you think?
Hello?
Sigh. I’ll get back in my hole.
One last thing before I do. If anyone reading this is at school or you’re a school librarian, here’s something that may interest you: the fabulous Liz over at My Favourite Books is currently organising a Giant Children’s Book Giveaway! It’s sponsored by five major UK publishers, including mine: hit the link for all the details.
For further fine reading, as ever, check my LibraryThing profile. OK, now I’ll climb back into my hole. ;p
23/01/2009 at 6:45 pm Permalink
Ooh… my publishers – Walker Books – are in there, too!
23/01/2009 at 7:56 pm Permalink
I will see your “Frogs”, sir, and I will raise you a “Night of the Lepus” – a horror film about killer bunny rabbits, starring Star Trek’s Deforrest Kelly.
23/01/2009 at 8:00 pm Permalink
Incidentally, I have Night of the Lepus on DVD, but have never got round to watching it. Maybe I can get someone back at home to post it to us.
Along with a DVD player.
23/01/2009 at 9:17 pm Permalink
Aha! Impressed as I am by your bunnies, Baz, I hereby zap you back with some “Killer Shrews“. I, sadly, have watched this one, and it was pants. The scene where the useless humans had to hide in upside-down dustbins but evil shrew claws kept poking in under the rims wasn’t bad, though…!
23/01/2009 at 9:28 pm Permalink
Ah yes, I think I’ve seen Killer Shrews, too, although it may have been a dream.
Have you seen Kingdom of the Spiders starring William Shatner? Cinema gold. They couldn’t afford a big effect budget, so they just compensated by chucking buckets of live tarantulas over Shatner and his co-stars when they were least expecting it.
It’s worth watching for a whole host of reasons, but mostly to see Bill scream like a six-year-old girl whenever any of the spiders land on or near him.
25/01/2009 at 3:20 pm Permalink
I grew up on The Rats, The Fog and The Slugs – but one day I’ll tell you how it all started. How a copy of The Crabs by Guy N. Smith caused me to burn down my family’s tent while on a camping holiday…