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Swamp Monster Massacre
The swamp belongs to them. Humans are only prey. Deep in the overgrown swamps of Florida, where humans rarely dare to enter, lives a race of creatures long thought to be only the stuff of legend. They walk upright but are stronger, taller and more brutal than any man. And when a small boat of tourists, held captive by a fleeing criminal, accidentally kills one of the swamp dwellers’ young, the creatures are filled with a terrifyingly human emotion—a merciless lust for vengeance that will paint the trees red with blood.
138 pages, Paperback
First published October 2, 2012
About the author
Hunter Shea
70 books1,016 followersHunter Shea is the author of over 25 books, with a specialization in cryptozoological horror that includes The Jersey Devil, The Dover Demon, Loch Ness Revenge and many others. As part of the new horror line at Flame Tree Press, his novel Creature has gained critical acclaim. His novel, The Montauk Monster, was named one of the best reads of the summer by Publishers Weekly. A trip to the International Cryptozoology Museum will find several of his cryptid books among the fascinating displays. Living in a true haunted house inspired his Jessica Backman: Death in the Afterlife series (Forest of Shadows, Sinister Entity and Island of the Forbidden). In 2011, he was selected to be a part of the launch of Samhain Publishing’s new horror line alongside legendary author Ramsey Campbell. When he’s not writing thrillers and horror, he also spins tall tales for middle grade readers on Amazon’s highly regarded Rapids reading app.
An avid podcaster, he can be seen and heard on Monster Men, one of the longest running video horror podcasts in the world, and Final Guys, focusing on weekly movie and book reviews. His nostalgic column about the magic of 80s horror, Video Visions, is featured monthly at Cemetery Dance Online. You can find his short stories in a number of anthologies, including Chopping Block Party, The Body Horror Book and Fearful Fathoms II.
A lifetime New Yorker, Hunter is supported by his loving wife and two beautiful daughters. When he’s not studying up on cryptozoology, he’s an avid explorer of the unknown, having spent a night alone on the Queen Mary, searching for the Warren’s famous White Lady of the Union Cemetery and other mysterious places.
You can follow his travails at www.huntershea.com.
An avid podcaster, he can be seen and heard on Monster Men, one of the longest running video horror podcasts in the world, and Final Guys, focusing on weekly movie and book reviews. His nostalgic column about the magic of 80s horror, Video Visions, is featured monthly at Cemetery Dance Online. You can find his short stories in a number of anthologies, including Chopping Block Party, The Body Horror Book and Fearful Fathoms II.
A lifetime New Yorker, Hunter is supported by his loving wife and two beautiful daughters. When he’s not studying up on cryptozoology, he’s an avid explorer of the unknown, having spent a night alone on the Queen Mary, searching for the Warren’s famous White Lady of the Union Cemetery and other mysterious places.
You can follow his travails at www.huntershea.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews
October 2, 2021
It was pretty good up until the end. I didn’t think that ending was necessary. Anyway, on your the next!!
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
July 19, 2022
I’m pretty sure this is my 3,147th bigfoot-related book. I’ve read about all types of yeti, bigfoot, skunk ape, abominable snowman, and any other version of the lost link. And I must say that Hunter Shea has mastered the art of writing a great creature feature. Now the first book of Shea’s that I read was Creature and it was a deeply personal and experiential variant of the normal bigfoot lore. And it was great. So Swamp Monster Massacre is not a real thinker, the characters are all fairly superficial and expendable, and the plot is bare bones…however, it is one helluva fun ride. It was written to be pure entertainment and it surely was. Lots of action, machetes and bullets flying around, blood and guts, and yes…even skunk apes throwing alligators at their targeted humans?! That alone should have you chomping at the bit to read this book. And the kill scenes were really creative, too, which is very important for a strong creature feature. So while it’s not a masterpiece, it is a very enjoyable, and I am continually thankful to Hunter Shea for cranking out so many memorable monster stories.
November 26, 2017
Never having resided in Florida, I was unfamiliar with the “skunk ape” legend and stories, except as referenced by GR author Adam Howe in his brilliant book “Die Dog, Or Eat the Hatchet” where he has a complete story about the Bigelow Skunk Ape.
Now I run across this novella by Hunter Shea titled “Swamp Monster Massacre” which is
about a herd of the skunk ape’s living in the everglades. Piquing my interest I looked up skunk ape on Wikipedia and found “The skunk ape, also known as the swamp cabbage man, swamp ape, stink ape, Florida Bigfoot” … “is a hominid cryptid said to inhabit the U.S. states of Florida,” … “ although reports from Florida are most common. It is named for its appearance and for the unpleasant odor that is said to accompany it”
The story begins with a shootout and an escape on one of those tourist propeller boats when things go awry and the boat load of tourists and the antihero crook run over and kill a baby skunk ape. Things never lets up from there.
This is a high speed, high energy old fashioned swamp monster book useful for its shear entertainment value alone, don’t be looking for no Shakespeare type of material ! After things get going blood and gore abound.
A nice way to spend an hour or two.
Now I run across this novella by Hunter Shea titled “Swamp Monster Massacre” which is
about a herd of the skunk ape’s living in the everglades. Piquing my interest I looked up skunk ape on Wikipedia and found “The skunk ape, also known as the swamp cabbage man, swamp ape, stink ape, Florida Bigfoot” … “is a hominid cryptid said to inhabit the U.S. states of Florida,” … “ although reports from Florida are most common. It is named for its appearance and for the unpleasant odor that is said to accompany it”
The story begins with a shootout and an escape on one of those tourist propeller boats when things go awry and the boat load of tourists and the antihero crook run over and kill a baby skunk ape. Things never lets up from there.
This is a high speed, high energy old fashioned swamp monster book useful for its shear entertainment value alone, don’t be looking for no Shakespeare type of material ! After things get going blood and gore abound.
A nice way to spend an hour or two.
November 14, 2021
Wow! This was a monster mess fun time!
A small backstory:
A tour boat full of people that takes tours out and around the Everglades is getting ready to depart when the boat is suddenly peppered with gunshots! A man by the name of "Rooster" jumps aboard the boat with guys chasing him and they are shooting at him.
Rooster commandeers the boat and takes the boat deep into the Everglades as he is headed for a house that his father had on one of the small islands. The tourists on board the boat though are upset that Rooster has taken control so they end up jumping him and fighting him to gain control of the boat, but in the meantime they end up crashing into a beach area and they hit "something" killing it.
What they hit is unlike an creature they have ever seen, but they all soon learn that there is a family of them roaming the island and they are ticked off that one of their own was killed which sends the creatures on a hunting/killing spree of the tourists!
What are the creatures? Do the tourists escape their clutches? Does anyone make it out alive? No spoilers here as you will just have to read the book!
Thoughts:
This was a great creature feature romp through the swamp of the Everglades! This was a classic creature story by author, Hunter Shea and when I started reading the book I knew there was going to be some "blood and guts" creature action that was laying in wait for me.
Sure enough, I was not disappointed as before too long the story was exploding with screams, howls, blood and gore as the story intensified with "fur" action! Giving this book five "Mad Monster" stars.
For more thoughts on this review, please see my blog:
https://booknookretreat.blogspot.com/...
A small backstory:
A tour boat full of people that takes tours out and around the Everglades is getting ready to depart when the boat is suddenly peppered with gunshots! A man by the name of "Rooster" jumps aboard the boat with guys chasing him and they are shooting at him.
Rooster commandeers the boat and takes the boat deep into the Everglades as he is headed for a house that his father had on one of the small islands. The tourists on board the boat though are upset that Rooster has taken control so they end up jumping him and fighting him to gain control of the boat, but in the meantime they end up crashing into a beach area and they hit "something" killing it.
What they hit is unlike an creature they have ever seen, but they all soon learn that there is a family of them roaming the island and they are ticked off that one of their own was killed which sends the creatures on a hunting/killing spree of the tourists!
What are the creatures? Do the tourists escape their clutches? Does anyone make it out alive? No spoilers here as you will just have to read the book!
Thoughts:
This was a great creature feature romp through the swamp of the Everglades! This was a classic creature story by author, Hunter Shea and when I started reading the book I knew there was going to be some "blood and guts" creature action that was laying in wait for me.
Sure enough, I was not disappointed as before too long the story was exploding with screams, howls, blood and gore as the story intensified with "fur" action! Giving this book five "Mad Monster" stars.
For more thoughts on this review, please see my blog:
https://booknookretreat.blogspot.com/...
November 17, 2021
3/3.5 stars!
Swamp Monster Massacre was action from the start! It had tons of gore, creature feature mayhem, and deaths.
The setting of the book with the Florida Everglades was great.
I loved the swamp setting with the alligators, snakes and all types of creatures that slink around at night. The heat, humidity and mosquitoes made the whole setting work for me.
The skunk apes were very brutal, smart, and descriptive!
I could smell them from flipping the pages.
I thought the overall plot of the book was okay and the characters weren’t bad. I loved the twin sisters the most and enjoyed their part in the book.
Rooster, the fleeing criminal that got everyone involved in the skunk ape massacre was okay as a character. I loved how Hunter Shea made him a Rage Against the Machine fan. I could get behind that!
Rooster seemed to be a good match for the skunk apes though and I loved how he turned savage at the end.
My one big issue was the end of the book.
It just ended and was unresolved. I turned the page thinking there was more and there wasn’t. That was a bit disappointing.
There’s also one part at the end of the book that was weird and gross but Swamp Monster Massacre is horror so that did bring the uneasiness for me. Hahaha!
Other then that, if you are looking for some action-packed skunk ape craziness, this might be the book for you!
Swamp Monster Massacre was action from the start! It had tons of gore, creature feature mayhem, and deaths.
The setting of the book with the Florida Everglades was great.
I loved the swamp setting with the alligators, snakes and all types of creatures that slink around at night. The heat, humidity and mosquitoes made the whole setting work for me.
The skunk apes were very brutal, smart, and descriptive!
I could smell them from flipping the pages.
I thought the overall plot of the book was okay and the characters weren’t bad. I loved the twin sisters the most and enjoyed their part in the book.
Rooster, the fleeing criminal that got everyone involved in the skunk ape massacre was okay as a character. I loved how Hunter Shea made him a Rage Against the Machine fan. I could get behind that!
Rooster seemed to be a good match for the skunk apes though and I loved how he turned savage at the end.
My one big issue was the end of the book.
It just ended and was unresolved. I turned the page thinking there was more and there wasn’t. That was a bit disappointing.
There’s also one part at the end of the book that was weird and gross but Swamp Monster Massacre is horror so that did bring the uneasiness for me. Hahaha!
Other then that, if you are looking for some action-packed skunk ape craziness, this might be the book for you!
September 1, 2017
SWAMP MONSTER MASSACRE, by Hunter Shea, is one of his spectacular "creature-feature" novels that I feel he really excels in. With this book, we encounter the fabled "Skunk Apes" deep in the swamps of the Everglades.
Mick Chella is about to take off with a boatful of tourists on a journey through the swamps, when he is run into--quite literally--by a man named Rooster Murphy. Unfortunately for all involved, those responsible for Murphy's initial flight aren't too particular about who else they harm in their single-minded, murderous attempt . . .
One of the things I appreciate the most in Hunter Shea's writing is his incredible characterization. No matter what "type" of book he's writing, you can count on getting to know the main characters in great depth and go away with a sense that you read about something that happened to a "real" person. In the case of Rooster Murphy, we also get a fantastic sarcasm-laced personality that adds some comic relief to an otherwise violent, emotional, and gory tale.
". . . No sense getting everyone killed just to see if some old guy had more fishing days ahead of him. It seemed like a good and proper justification."
What starts out with a bang, only gets faster and more complex as the story moves forward. Shea is--in my humble opinion--one of the best of the modern day authors when it comes to these "B-movie style creature-features". He can take just about any legend, urban myth, or other "monster" commonly thought of as "fake", and weave a tale that has the power to get you thinking about the possibilities.
". . . it was like watching a couple of little kids tearing a sheet of paper, except with blood spraying in every direction . . . "
In SWAMP MONSTER MASSACRE, even the other characters take on pertinent roles, making them memorable and--in some cases--getting the readers emotionally attached to them. Every scene we read serves to further the plot along; you won't find any filler or unnecessary info dumps here.
"'You must have been the smartest kid in your class'. . . said with unrestrained sarcasm."
As far as settings go, the swamps in the Everglades come alive in this book! I could picture the barrage of blood-sucking insects, hot and humid temperatures, and the wildlife dangers that could be just as deadly as the legendary Skunk Apes--namely, alligators and poisonous snakes lying hidden in the foliage.
". . . Rooster needed numbers, especially when they all had guns . . . "
Overall, this is a novel that held my unwavering attention from first to last page. Hunter Shea manages to tackle an almost unbelievable topic, and literally bring it alive with his words. Everything from the pacing, to the characters, comments, location, and blood-drenched gore fest felt possible throughout this read.
". . . Only humans had the capacity to hate, to seek revenge, to kill for the sake of killing."
After finishing SWAMP MONSTER MASSACRE, you may just find yourself questioning the validity of that last quote.
Highly recommended!
Mick Chella is about to take off with a boatful of tourists on a journey through the swamps, when he is run into--quite literally--by a man named Rooster Murphy. Unfortunately for all involved, those responsible for Murphy's initial flight aren't too particular about who else they harm in their single-minded, murderous attempt . . .
One of the things I appreciate the most in Hunter Shea's writing is his incredible characterization. No matter what "type" of book he's writing, you can count on getting to know the main characters in great depth and go away with a sense that you read about something that happened to a "real" person. In the case of Rooster Murphy, we also get a fantastic sarcasm-laced personality that adds some comic relief to an otherwise violent, emotional, and gory tale.
". . . No sense getting everyone killed just to see if some old guy had more fishing days ahead of him. It seemed like a good and proper justification."
What starts out with a bang, only gets faster and more complex as the story moves forward. Shea is--in my humble opinion--one of the best of the modern day authors when it comes to these "B-movie style creature-features". He can take just about any legend, urban myth, or other "monster" commonly thought of as "fake", and weave a tale that has the power to get you thinking about the possibilities.
". . . it was like watching a couple of little kids tearing a sheet of paper, except with blood spraying in every direction . . . "
In SWAMP MONSTER MASSACRE, even the other characters take on pertinent roles, making them memorable and--in some cases--getting the readers emotionally attached to them. Every scene we read serves to further the plot along; you won't find any filler or unnecessary info dumps here.
"'You must have been the smartest kid in your class'. . . said with unrestrained sarcasm."
As far as settings go, the swamps in the Everglades come alive in this book! I could picture the barrage of blood-sucking insects, hot and humid temperatures, and the wildlife dangers that could be just as deadly as the legendary Skunk Apes--namely, alligators and poisonous snakes lying hidden in the foliage.
". . . Rooster needed numbers, especially when they all had guns . . . "
Overall, this is a novel that held my unwavering attention from first to last page. Hunter Shea manages to tackle an almost unbelievable topic, and literally bring it alive with his words. Everything from the pacing, to the characters, comments, location, and blood-drenched gore fest felt possible throughout this read.
". . . Only humans had the capacity to hate, to seek revenge, to kill for the sake of killing."
After finishing SWAMP MONSTER MASSACRE, you may just find yourself questioning the validity of that last quote.
Highly recommended!
November 13, 2021
This was good. Typical Shea, great action and gore! But the ending scene changed it all, which is a shame. Some people won't care, but for me, it ruined the whole bloody gorefest.😕
December 2, 2015
My second ever Hunter Shea read and one I much preferred over Tortures of the Damned, Swamp Monster Massacre is fast-paced and occasionally brutal (in an over-the-top, almost goofy kind of way). It delivers everything you would expect from a novella with such a title, as a bunch of people become caught-up in a criminal's attempt to evade his pursuers and are soon being stalked though the Florida everglades by the titular creatures.
Make no mistake, this is no Laird Barron or Greg F. Gifune read. In fact, Shea annoyingly switches between characters POVs within sections, sometimes after only giving them two or three paragraphs worth of attention. But if you're looking for a fun, gory read with a likable anti-hero, you could do far, far worse than Swamp Monster Massacre.
3.5 (Rounding up to 4) Ripped-Off Limbs for Swamp Monster Massacre.
Make no mistake, this is no Laird Barron or Greg F. Gifune read. In fact, Shea annoyingly switches between characters POVs within sections, sometimes after only giving them two or three paragraphs worth of attention. But if you're looking for a fun, gory read with a likable anti-hero, you could do far, far worse than Swamp Monster Massacre.
3.5 (Rounding up to 4) Ripped-Off Limbs for Swamp Monster Massacre.
November 23, 2022
Well, this one lives up to the title... monsters and massacre in a swamp, just what I signed up for! Fun Floridian stuff, with extra salt and butter. Shea gives great cryptid!
September 1, 2017
"The fucking bigfoots were throwing alligators at them!" If that sentence makes you smile then this book is for you.
May 28, 2013
Clearly stays within the definition of B Movie Creature Feature---which is fine. It works. Well written by an skilled author that knows this genre and didn't try to make it into something it isn't. As a result you have a gory, fast-paced, action driven, monster romp with interesting and entertaining characters and absolutely vicious creatures. The icing on the cake with this one was that Shea does an very good job also of creating the atmosphere of the swamp and the environment. Well done and highly recommended.
July 1, 2013
I'm a salmon again!
This is getting exhausting. But, you know, I was enjoying this a great deal. I mean, I wouldn't have called it epic or raved on it, but it was bloody and fun. Rooster was a cool leading character and the twins rocked it so hard. It moved along quick and was entertaining. The alligator thing was made of win.
If it had stopped at the end of Chapter 25, this would have gotten four stars. But the more... grotesque scene in 26, shall we say, was just one step too far for me. It was unnecessary, and really felt "tacked on" and just irked the hell out of me. Ruined my whole enjoyment for the story.
Obviously, I'm the only one who feels this way, but hey, that's me, so I can't say much more than this story was "okay" to me.
This is getting exhausting. But, you know, I was enjoying this a great deal. I mean, I wouldn't have called it epic or raved on it, but it was bloody and fun. Rooster was a cool leading character and the twins rocked it so hard. It moved along quick and was entertaining. The alligator thing was made of win.
If it had stopped at the end of Chapter 25, this would have gotten four stars. But the more... grotesque scene in 26, shall we say, was just one step too far for me. It was unnecessary, and really felt "tacked on" and just irked the hell out of me. Ruined my whole enjoyment for the story.
Obviously, I'm the only one who feels this way, but hey, that's me, so I can't say much more than this story was "okay" to me.
May 21, 2022
A relatively quick and easy tour through 70's / 80's Bigfoot, cryptozoology retro trash. Very well done, I might add. Lots of blood and action is crammed into this short work to good effect.
A group of people are ready to tour the Everglades when a man storms onto the boat, fleeing some Cuban gangsters. He takes it over only to crash it deep in the swamp. Killing a young "Skunk-Ape" in the process. Needless to say, the mother Bigfoot is pissed. The monsters hunt and kill the group off. Some of the humans fight back and the action really gets going.
A group of people are ready to tour the Everglades when a man storms onto the boat, fleeing some Cuban gangsters. He takes it over only to crash it deep in the swamp. Killing a young "Skunk-Ape" in the process. Needless to say, the mother Bigfoot is pissed. The monsters hunt and kill the group off. Some of the humans fight back and the action really gets going.
July 8, 2015
What can be less appealing than the swamps of Everglades? How about the swamps of Everglades with homicidal swamp sasquatches. Can a group of mismatched individuals led by a muscle bound criminal with anger management crisis survive. That is the basic premise of this novella and it works well precisely because the author does exactly what he's suppose to, creates a balls to the wall action driven lean mean creature feature. It's essentially a B horror flick in word form without any pretentions. It's mindless, it's quick, it's brutal, it's fun. It's sure to appease horror fans.
March 16, 2016
An excellent example of sasquatch horror...well, in this case it's skunk ape terror.
A petty criminal is on the run after accidentally killing the son of a crime lord. He hi-jacks an air boat that is about to embark on a paid tour of the everglades. The passengers fight back, and the boat crashes...right into a baby skunk ape. Uh oh!
The skunk apes stalk and dismember most of the passengers in properly gory prose, and the passengers try to survive.
Better than any syfy channel movie, I'll tell you that!
A petty criminal is on the run after accidentally killing the son of a crime lord. He hi-jacks an air boat that is about to embark on a paid tour of the everglades. The passengers fight back, and the boat crashes...right into a baby skunk ape. Uh oh!
The skunk apes stalk and dismember most of the passengers in properly gory prose, and the passengers try to survive.
Better than any syfy channel movie, I'll tell you that!
January 27, 2026
What do you get when you cross a family of skunk apes that throw alligators, a criminal on the run, and an airboat full of tourist? You get a kick ass novel full of gore, guts, and veins in your teeth. Rooster is on the run because he's a dumb ass and thought stealing guns from someone else was one of his better ideas. As he is running like a bat out of hell he winds up crashing onto an airboat full of tourists who were just on their way to explore the Florida Everglades. Chaos happens, things get way out of control, and the airboat winds up crashing. Before it crashes it runs over a juvenile skunk ape. Mamma skunk ape is not going to let that shit go unpunished. She plans to fuck up everyone's world. With the rest of the family she stalks everyone who was on the air boat through the mangroves as they try to find a safe place to hole up and get help.
Hunter Shea is one of my favorite creature feature authors. His books are entertaining, humorous, and all around fun. Who else would come up with alligator throwing Skunk Ape? I have no idea why that part is so hilarious to me. Reading one of his books is like Christmas morning. You never know exactly what your gonna get. You know it's going to be enjoyable, but you are left completely surprised until it's unwrapped.
Hunter Shea is one of my favorite creature feature authors. His books are entertaining, humorous, and all around fun. Who else would come up with alligator throwing Skunk Ape? I have no idea why that part is so hilarious to me. Reading one of his books is like Christmas morning. You never know exactly what your gonna get. You know it's going to be enjoyable, but you are left completely surprised until it's unwrapped.
October 4, 2012
This was just an all around fun read! Lots of action, tense moments. Read like a movie. There is one scene in here that I have never seen before, dealing with gators, absolutely loved it. A nice, diverse cast of characters make this novella come to life, and the action and monsters only add to the fun. Like Shea's other novels, this one is well-written, but with this one you can see how he let lose and let the craziness fly. This must've been a blast to write! Very well done and highly recommended--especially for monster-loving fans.
November 23, 2018
Not Hunter Shea's best, but still a fun and bloody ride!!
June 9, 2019
Creature Feature!
I love a Hunter Shea story I hope he never runs out of Monsters to write about! Speed read with characters you actually care about! Rooster is on the lam and steals a airboat in the Florida Everglades with a tour group on board barreling into destruction and into the wilds. Injured and terrified they need a way out. Something else lives here and angry at at the death of one of its own.. they seek revenge.. but the humans will try to survive at any cost...so won’t they! No spoilers! Mad cap adventure you can read in a day, Shea brings the myths to reality as if you are right there in the action! Read now! I’m on a quest to read every Hunter Shea stories available and you should too! Enjoy!
I love a Hunter Shea story I hope he never runs out of Monsters to write about! Speed read with characters you actually care about! Rooster is on the lam and steals a airboat in the Florida Everglades with a tour group on board barreling into destruction and into the wilds. Injured and terrified they need a way out. Something else lives here and angry at at the death of one of its own.. they seek revenge.. but the humans will try to survive at any cost...so won’t they! No spoilers! Mad cap adventure you can read in a day, Shea brings the myths to reality as if you are right there in the action! Read now! I’m on a quest to read every Hunter Shea stories available and you should too! Enjoy!
July 24, 2022
Swamp Monster Massacre by Hunter Shea is a total gore-fest of a creature feature!
I have never once felt the urge to visit the Everglades, and this book certainly nails that coffin closed! Between the heat, the bugs, the gators, and the snakes, I’m already all set. But to think about what else could be lurking out there? Big no thank you!
Looking for an intense creature feature with many brutal scenes, but one scene specifically that will turn your stomach and make you rage right along with the main character? Then this will be a hit for you!
Check out my full review here: https://www.ericarobynreads.com/book-...
I have never once felt the urge to visit the Everglades, and this book certainly nails that coffin closed! Between the heat, the bugs, the gators, and the snakes, I’m already all set. But to think about what else could be lurking out there? Big no thank you!
Looking for an intense creature feature with many brutal scenes, but one scene specifically that will turn your stomach and make you rage right along with the main character? Then this will be a hit for you!
Check out my full review here: https://www.ericarobynreads.com/book-...
January 15, 2021
This gave me everything the title promised. Not a brain buster, but a really fun time.
March 7, 2017
Rooster loses his temper during a gun deal and kills the son of a Cuban gangster boss. Knowing he has to flee, he takes the guns and hijacks an unfortunate Everglades tour boat. Despite telling the people that he won't hurt them, they launch an attack on him that leaves the boat crippled, the people stranded and a young skunk ape dead. And its family are not very happy now and stalk the survivors with murder on their mind...
This is exactly the kind of book that I enjoy. It doesn't take long to get right into the story and we only get a short description of who everyone is and how Rooster got from killing the man to joining the boat with gangsters chasing him. We get a flurry of excitement as he races to get on the boat with the passengers in terror as the bullets are flying around them. It was an interesting start to the book and I liked the actual hostage drama. It goes on long enough to introduce you to the characters but not long enough to become boring. We quickly get to the attempt to overpower Rooster which sends the boat out of control and headed for the shore.
In the aftermath of the crash, they find the dead skunk ape who was hit by the boat, arousing the curiosity of the wounded and exhausted group. Rooster is frustrated with what the people have done as he had intended to get off the boat near a bolt hole in the Everglades that he knew, leaving them to go back in the boat but now it is too badly damaged to use. He indicates that he knows somewhere in the area that he can call for help for them but until then he wants them all to stay together so nobody gets lost. This becomes especially important when they see the other skunk apes for the first time and witness what they can do to a human. Now they are trying to outrun a tribe that know the woods well and can hunt them down one by one. Only Rooster's weapons will give any of them a chance to survive.
I actually liked Rooster which is unusual as I usually hate criminals as heroes in a story. In this case he is a guy who makes a stupid choice in the heat of the moment and kills a gangster. He knows he is in trouble and decides to flee into the Everglades where the men are unlikely to follow, giving him a chance to escape. He has no intention of hurting anyone else but those on the hijacked boat have little reason to believe him. It is a comedy of errors which leaves the boat crashed and everyone in a pile of doodah as the skunk apes begin to hunt them down. I also liked the twins Liz and Maddie, who are pretty but extremely capable of defending the group. That makes a nice change, not having them as dumb blonde bombshells that need to be saved all the time! As this is a shorter novel, the author ensures that there is enough character depth to tell the story but doesn't go into every detail of everyone's life. The author just gets on with the story.
I love Bigfoot related books and this was no exception. There is just so much menace in Bigfoot and Sasquatch horror stories! The skunk apes are huge and deadly, and seek revenge for the death of one of their own. You can of course understand why they are mad and they are brutal in their killing. There is plenty of tension as the group try to move quickly, sharing out the guns to those who are the best shots. It is a creepy and hostile environment that they are in and you are just waiting for the next attack. When the attacks come, they are brutal and gory and very entertaining. The action is fast paced and there is always something happening in the plot as you wonder if any of them are going to survive. There is also a bit of amusing plot where the survivors have to deal with airborn alligators!
This has got everything I enjoy in a horror plot-not over descriptive, gets on with the story, decent characters and a nice mixture of tension, scares and gore. It is the first book I've read by this author and I look forward to reading many more in the future!
This is exactly the kind of book that I enjoy. It doesn't take long to get right into the story and we only get a short description of who everyone is and how Rooster got from killing the man to joining the boat with gangsters chasing him. We get a flurry of excitement as he races to get on the boat with the passengers in terror as the bullets are flying around them. It was an interesting start to the book and I liked the actual hostage drama. It goes on long enough to introduce you to the characters but not long enough to become boring. We quickly get to the attempt to overpower Rooster which sends the boat out of control and headed for the shore.
In the aftermath of the crash, they find the dead skunk ape who was hit by the boat, arousing the curiosity of the wounded and exhausted group. Rooster is frustrated with what the people have done as he had intended to get off the boat near a bolt hole in the Everglades that he knew, leaving them to go back in the boat but now it is too badly damaged to use. He indicates that he knows somewhere in the area that he can call for help for them but until then he wants them all to stay together so nobody gets lost. This becomes especially important when they see the other skunk apes for the first time and witness what they can do to a human. Now they are trying to outrun a tribe that know the woods well and can hunt them down one by one. Only Rooster's weapons will give any of them a chance to survive.
I actually liked Rooster which is unusual as I usually hate criminals as heroes in a story. In this case he is a guy who makes a stupid choice in the heat of the moment and kills a gangster. He knows he is in trouble and decides to flee into the Everglades where the men are unlikely to follow, giving him a chance to escape. He has no intention of hurting anyone else but those on the hijacked boat have little reason to believe him. It is a comedy of errors which leaves the boat crashed and everyone in a pile of doodah as the skunk apes begin to hunt them down. I also liked the twins Liz and Maddie, who are pretty but extremely capable of defending the group. That makes a nice change, not having them as dumb blonde bombshells that need to be saved all the time! As this is a shorter novel, the author ensures that there is enough character depth to tell the story but doesn't go into every detail of everyone's life. The author just gets on with the story.
I love Bigfoot related books and this was no exception. There is just so much menace in Bigfoot and Sasquatch horror stories! The skunk apes are huge and deadly, and seek revenge for the death of one of their own. You can of course understand why they are mad and they are brutal in their killing. There is plenty of tension as the group try to move quickly, sharing out the guns to those who are the best shots. It is a creepy and hostile environment that they are in and you are just waiting for the next attack. When the attacks come, they are brutal and gory and very entertaining. The action is fast paced and there is always something happening in the plot as you wonder if any of them are going to survive. There is also a bit of amusing plot where the survivors have to deal with airborn alligators!
This has got everything I enjoy in a horror plot-not over descriptive, gets on with the story, decent characters and a nice mixture of tension, scares and gore. It is the first book I've read by this author and I look forward to reading many more in the future!
October 7, 2012
How bad do things have to be for the bogeyman to be the good guy? That is the question posed by Hunter Shea in Swamp Monster Massacre. The answer is a swift tour of an Everglades hell that includes violently severed limbs, a rotten stench, a masterfully disgusting combination of necrophilia and bestiality, and death. Lots of death. Swamp Monster Massacre is a breathless amalgam of action and horror with a higher than average gore content, but it is also an examination of the dark nature of revenge.
***
Rooster has a temper. A damn bad temper that’s caused him to put his fist through another man’s skull. Sure, it wouldn’t have killed the guy if he hadn’t done all that blow and rotted his own skull, but the simple fact is that Rooster killed a drug kingpin’s son. And what are drug kingpins notorious for if not avenging the death of their own? Rooster’s got a problem.
He’s also got a bag of money and a bigger bag of guns.
Rooster’s on the run in Florida, and he ends up on a pier. A amphibious tour plane is docked at the end, loaded up with tourists waiting to get a bird’s eye view of the Everglades. They get Rooster instead; Rooster and a barrage of bullets fired by angry drug dealers.
The passenger manifest is varied. There are two co-eds, blonde as the Doublemint twins and trained in Marine combat technique. A pair of slickly groomed guys from NYC are tough talkers. A couple of empty-nest snow-birds are trying to rekindle their romance. There’s a dork, skipping out on a conference. The guest list is rounded out by the grizzled pilot, who is no longer captain of his airship. Throw in Rooster with his guns, and things are about to get wild.
All of these characters have names, but there isn’t any need to know names in this story. Not only are names meaningless when fighting for your life, they are also meaningless if you lose that fight. Lots of characters lose, but not because they mutiny against Rooster and cause the plane to crash.
They lose because they crash land in the territory of the skunk apes, reeking beasts eight-feet tall and twice a brutal. These are the titular swamp monsters, and they live up to their terrifying name and stench. They hunt the humans, employing amazing battle tactics that will leave you in awe of both Shea’s inventiveness and his ability to make even the insanely bizarre believable.
(((( SPOILER ALERT: Read at own risk! ))))
(((( END SPOILER ALERT ))))
If you like monster stories, action movies, and some really fun lines, this is an excellent book for you. The point of view hops between characters, which prevents you from getting too invested in any one scenario, but that plays into the frenetic tempo of the tale well enough that it is a strength rather than a fault. Like the single-minded intent of revenge, Swamp Monster Massacre is a fast-paced read that doesn’t let up.
***
Rooster has a temper. A damn bad temper that’s caused him to put his fist through another man’s skull. Sure, it wouldn’t have killed the guy if he hadn’t done all that blow and rotted his own skull, but the simple fact is that Rooster killed a drug kingpin’s son. And what are drug kingpins notorious for if not avenging the death of their own? Rooster’s got a problem.
He’s also got a bag of money and a bigger bag of guns.
Rooster’s on the run in Florida, and he ends up on a pier. A amphibious tour plane is docked at the end, loaded up with tourists waiting to get a bird’s eye view of the Everglades. They get Rooster instead; Rooster and a barrage of bullets fired by angry drug dealers.
The passenger manifest is varied. There are two co-eds, blonde as the Doublemint twins and trained in Marine combat technique. A pair of slickly groomed guys from NYC are tough talkers. A couple of empty-nest snow-birds are trying to rekindle their romance. There’s a dork, skipping out on a conference. The guest list is rounded out by the grizzled pilot, who is no longer captain of his airship. Throw in Rooster with his guns, and things are about to get wild.
All of these characters have names, but there isn’t any need to know names in this story. Not only are names meaningless when fighting for your life, they are also meaningless if you lose that fight. Lots of characters lose, but not because they mutiny against Rooster and cause the plane to crash.
They lose because they crash land in the territory of the skunk apes, reeking beasts eight-feet tall and twice a brutal. These are the titular swamp monsters, and they live up to their terrifying name and stench. They hunt the humans, employing amazing battle tactics that will leave you in awe of both Shea’s inventiveness and his ability to make even the insanely bizarre believable.
(((( SPOILER ALERT: Read at own risk! ))))
(((( END SPOILER ALERT ))))
If you like monster stories, action movies, and some really fun lines, this is an excellent book for you. The point of view hops between characters, which prevents you from getting too invested in any one scenario, but that plays into the frenetic tempo of the tale well enough that it is a strength rather than a fault. Like the single-minded intent of revenge, Swamp Monster Massacre is a fast-paced read that doesn’t let up.
October 14, 2012
I’m not sure what I expected from this novella, but Swamp Monster Massacre was one hell of a fun book to read. As typical of monster novels (and movies) there is a very large cast in the beginning of the book and a much smaller cast by the end. There are some characters that didn’t have much opportunity to develop before they suffered a very painful and gory death, but the ones that survived until the end definitely had my vote. I won’t spoil the ending, but I will say that I liked it. And as much as I love horror novels, I typically hate how stories in this genre end. Not so with this book. It ended perfectly. There was just enough closure to know that the worst could be over for the survivors.
I did enjoy the fact that the characters had a different flavor than what I’m used to. The star of the show was the original bad guy. The rest of the cast is different and enough is said about them to know that they’re typical people who got on the wrong boat. I’m pretty sure that none of them will ever decide to tour the Florida Everglades again. I did have a hell of a fun time reading it, but I wasn’t scared. This is more focused on the gore and if you like brains and dismembered limbs, than this is a perfect book for you.
*I received a copy of this book as part of a blog tour in exchange for my honest review.
I did enjoy the fact that the characters had a different flavor than what I’m used to. The star of the show was the original bad guy. The rest of the cast is different and enough is said about them to know that they’re typical people who got on the wrong boat. I’m pretty sure that none of them will ever decide to tour the Florida Everglades again. I did have a hell of a fun time reading it, but I wasn’t scared. This is more focused on the gore and if you like brains and dismembered limbs, than this is a perfect book for you.
*I received a copy of this book as part of a blog tour in exchange for my honest review.
May 28, 2013
I have been reading a lot of quiet/visceral horror lately and needed something to recharge my batteries and get me back on track. I may have found it with Swamp Monster Massacre. Just what the doctor ordered. Not too deep – just a fast and fun read. Exactly what I was looking for.
Hunter Shea puts together an excellent monster romp with Swamp Monster Massacre. A B-movie horror classic with good time gore galore. Quick and fun, I enjoyed every minute of this one. The characters were fleshed out very well for a novella and the story was non-stop action. Highly recommended!
Hunter Shea puts together an excellent monster romp with Swamp Monster Massacre. A B-movie horror classic with good time gore galore. Quick and fun, I enjoyed every minute of this one. The characters were fleshed out very well for a novella and the story was non-stop action. Highly recommended!
June 20, 2014
Lots of fun.
If you grew up watching 80's horror films, this book is for you. There's no fat, no page padding. Shea hammers the accelerator down and doesn't let up until the very end. The style of the prose is fitting and humorous, giving it a great feel for horror. If you buy this, expect nothing less than a gory Swamp Monster Massacre.
If you grew up watching 80's horror films, this book is for you. There's no fat, no page padding. Shea hammers the accelerator down and doesn't let up until the very end. The style of the prose is fitting and humorous, giving it a great feel for horror. If you buy this, expect nothing less than a gory Swamp Monster Massacre.
November 6, 2020
It started out as a fun yet badly written creature feature book.
The writing of the dialogue was not good, the romance was idiotic, and the rape of a corpse by animals scene was grotesque and unnecessary.
And then there is no ending. It just stops.
The writing of the dialogue was not good, the romance was idiotic, and the rape of a corpse by animals scene was grotesque and unnecessary.
And then there is no ending. It just stops.
October 23, 2020
A fun, gory romp of a story. Really great creature feature story.
October 30, 2018
A skunk ape is Flprida’s own version of the big hairy guy, Sasquatch. They’re a private creature, until they get riled. And a group of tourists are about to stir the hornet’s nest.
I’m a huge fan of Hunter Shea’s books and this comes in as one of my favorites. While a shorter story, I’d call it a novella, he packs it with some compelling, original character’s and nonstop action. Then he brings on the horrendous in all it’s fury.
It surprised me how much I came to like Rooster. He’s not your typical hero. After killing a gangster, he hijacks a boat full of tourists in the Everglades. They seize an opportunity and try to take back control. When the boat crashes, they kill a young skunk ape. And thus begins a bloody dash as the rest of the apes come for retribution. He tried to do the right thing for these people. It was his fault they were in this situation. He really tried.
I must mention the twins. The girls had that blond beauty thing going on and I immediately thought, no brains so they must be chum for the beasts. Actually, they were double tough and I was so enamored of them that I was hoping Hunter would let them live. He’s known for knocking off characters willy nilly.
This story moves fast. The author introduces his characters. The how and why is told. And then it goes insane. The apes are monstrous. Just look at the cover. They’re mad and have only thing thing on their mind. Get the humans who killed one of their own. Kill the humans. And that’s what they proceed to do. Hunter doesn’t spare on the gory bits and actually had this one scene with alligator missiles that had me me cringing and laughing out loud.
If you like crazy, gory horror and creatures straight out of nightmares, step right up. Hunter delivers in oh so many ways.
I own a copy of this book. My review is voluntarily given.
I’m a huge fan of Hunter Shea’s books and this comes in as one of my favorites. While a shorter story, I’d call it a novella, he packs it with some compelling, original character’s and nonstop action. Then he brings on the horrendous in all it’s fury.
It surprised me how much I came to like Rooster. He’s not your typical hero. After killing a gangster, he hijacks a boat full of tourists in the Everglades. They seize an opportunity and try to take back control. When the boat crashes, they kill a young skunk ape. And thus begins a bloody dash as the rest of the apes come for retribution. He tried to do the right thing for these people. It was his fault they were in this situation. He really tried.
I must mention the twins. The girls had that blond beauty thing going on and I immediately thought, no brains so they must be chum for the beasts. Actually, they were double tough and I was so enamored of them that I was hoping Hunter would let them live. He’s known for knocking off characters willy nilly.
This story moves fast. The author introduces his characters. The how and why is told. And then it goes insane. The apes are monstrous. Just look at the cover. They’re mad and have only thing thing on their mind. Get the humans who killed one of their own. Kill the humans. And that’s what they proceed to do. Hunter doesn’t spare on the gory bits and actually had this one scene with alligator missiles that had me me cringing and laughing out loud.
If you like crazy, gory horror and creatures straight out of nightmares, step right up. Hunter delivers in oh so many ways.
I own a copy of this book. My review is voluntarily given.
September 28, 2021
This was such an awesome, violent read!! I really enjoyed the characters and the changing up of usual stereotypes. This book was so brutal, I just loved everything about it! 5/5 skunk ape skulls 💀
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