The Monstrumologist
The Terror Beneath - Book I
by Rick Yancey
Dr Warthrop is a monstrumologist—a man who studies malevolent monsters and hunts them down.
Hunting at his side is twelve-year-old Will Henry, the son of Dr Warthrop’s former assistant and
housekeeper who both have recently died in a fire. This is Will’s story, told in his own words of
what happens when a grave robber comes to their house one evening with two bodies. One is a young
girl, and the other is an anthropophagus, a man-eating headless monster whose mouth is in its belly.
Now the pair have to discover how many of these creatures there are and destroy them.
This is certainly a tale for any young horror reader to get their teeth into, pardon the pun.
The author is adept at the late 19th century style, and manages to convey a tangible sense of terror
and darkness that permeates the whole tale like a miasma. Horror is heaped upon horror, as the grim
tale unravels and Will’s narrative draws the reader in from the first page. These monster hunters
live lives as dark and mysterious as their quarries, and everybody they meet seems to have the same
taint. This conveys a sense of realism that this type of story usually lacks, and although this is
not a tale for the squeamish it is never boring. I imagine too that the authentic Victorian style
could be a useful step between modern novels and older ones read in school for young readers. Not
that it is the type of novel that would only appeal to teenagers, but to horror fans of all ages.
Strong stuff, and effective for all the right reasons. |
The Book |
Simon and Schuster Children’s |
1 October 2009 (UK)
September 2009 (US) |
Paperback (UK) / Hardcover (US) |
UK: 184738546X / 9781847385468
US: 1416984488 / 9781416984481 |
Teen Horror / New England / 1888 |
More at Amazon.com
US ||
UK |
Excerpt |
NOTE: Gory
US edition is different and hardcover |
The Reviewer |
Rachel A Hyde |
Reviewed 2009 |
NOTE: |
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