The World According To Quinn

Share this post

Book Review: MEAT EATERS (2022)

matthewwquin.substack.com

Book Review: MEAT EATERS (2022)

What happens if velociraptors had the metabolism of hummingbirds and get loose in cattle country? Problems happen, that's what.

Matthew W. Quinn
Jan 9, 2023
Share

On the advice of a friend long ago, I got a Kindle Unlimited subscription and found that for $10/month, I could borrow and return near-endless books, including a lot of the schlocky monster stuff I enjoy. Not only would this save me money, but would also keep my Kindle relatively uncluttered.

So here comes my latest read, the mutant-dinosaur saga Meat Eaters by Michael Cole.

The Plot

Out in cattle country, something is hunting and killing off first the wildlife, then the livestock, and finally the people. It’s a swarm of raptor-like creatures that have the appetites of hummingbirds—if they don’t eat multiples of their body weight every day, they’ll starve to death.

And did I mention the only thing they can eat is meat? Hence the title.

The Good

*The book is absorbing and never dull. It got me through a couple elliptical sessions without checking the clock. The descriptions are vivid and it’s action-packed.

*Modern horror fiction suffers from “the cell phone problem.” If people have cell phones, it is much easier for them to call for help if they’re trapped in a house with a serial killer, attacked by monsters, etc. An isolated back-country setting solves that problem, plus even if you can reach help, there aren’t many people and it’ll take awhile for them to get there.

*The creature concept is interesting and draws heavily from real-life science. They make for a dementedly dangerous group of antagonists.

The Bad

*The book could have used some stronger editing. There are some typos and usage errors here and there.

*One shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but the cover looks like an image collage. It certainly shows the reader what they’ll get (a dinosaur in a livestock barn), but it looks kind of cheap.

*As a Kindle Unlimited read it’s great. As far as a full-blown purchase is concerned, $5 for an e-book this short is a bit much.

*Toward the end I started getting serious Xenomorph vibes off the critters.

The Verdict

This would make for an entertaining, albeit extremely gory, movie. A few flaws, but entertaining. 8.5/10

The World According To Quinn is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Share
Previous
Next
Comments
Top
New
Community

No posts

Ready for more?

© 2023 Matthew W. Quin
Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start WritingGet the app
Substack is the home for great writing