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Beast by Peter Benchley
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First published January 1, 1991
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About the author
Peter Benchley
63 books1,407 followersPeter Bradford Benchley was an American author best known for writing the novel Jaws and co-writing the screenplay for its highly successful film adaptation. The success of the book led to many publishers commissioning books about mutant rats, rabid dogs and the like threatening communities. The subsequent film directed by Steven Spielberg and co-written by Benchley is generally acknowledged as the first summer blockbuster. Benchley also wrote The Deep and The Island which were also adapted into films.
Benchley was from a literary family. He was the son of author Nathaniel Benchley and grandson of Algonquin Round Table founder Robert Benchley. His younger brother, Nat Benchley, is a writer and actor. Peter Benchley was an alumnus of Phillips Exeter Academy and Harvard University.
After graduating from college, he worked for The Washington Post, then as an editor at Newsweek and a speechwriter in the White House. He developed the idea of a man-eating shark terrorising a community after reading of a fisherman Frank Mundus catching a 4,550 pound great white shark off the coast of Long Island in 1964. He also drew some material from the tragic Jersey Shore shark attacks of 1916.
His reasonably successful second novel, The Deep, is about a honeymooning couple discovering two sunken treasures on the Bermuda reefs—17th century Spanish gold and a fortune in World War Two-era morphine—who are subsequently targeted by a drug syndicate. This 1976 novel is based on Benchley's chance meeting in Bermuda with diver Teddy Tucker while writing a story for National Geographic. Benchley co-wrote the screenplay for the 1977 film release, along with Tracy Keenan Wynn and an uncredited Tom Mankiewicz. Directed by Peter Yates and starring Robert Shaw, Nick Nolte and Jacqueline Bisset, The Deep was the second-highest grossing release of 1977 after Star Wars, although its box office tally fell well short of Jaws.
The Island, published in 1979, was a story of descendants of 17th century pirates who terrorize pleasure craft in the Caribbean, leading to the Bermuda Triangle mystery. Benchley again wrote the screenplay for the film adaptation. But the movie version of The Island, starring Michael Caine and David Warner, failed at the box office when released in 1980.
During the 1980s, Benchley wrote three novels that did not sell as well as his previous works. However, Girl of the Sea of Cortez, a beguiling John Steinbeck-type fable about man's complicated relationship with the sea, was far and away his best reviewed book and has attracted a considerable cult following since its publication. Sea of Cortez signposted Benchley's growing interest in ecological issues and anticipated his future role as an impassioned and intelligent defender of the importance of redressing the current imbalance between human activities and the marine environment. Q Clearance published in 1986 was written from his experience as a staffer in the Johnson White House. Rummies (aka Lush), which appeared in 1989, is a semi-autobiographical work, loosely inspired by the Benchley family's history of alcohol abuse. While the first half of the novel is a relatively straightforward (and harrowing) account of a suburbanite's descent into alcoholic hell, the second part—which takes place at a New Mexico substance abuse clinic—veers off into wildly improbable thriller-type territory.
He returned to nautical themes in 1991's Beast written about a giant squid threatening Bermuda. Beast was brought to the small screen as a made-for-TV movie in 1996, under the slightly altered title The Beast. His next novel, White Shark, was published in 1994. The story of a Nazi-created genetically engineered shark/human hybrid failed to achieve popular or critical success.
Benchley was from a literary family. He was the son of author Nathaniel Benchley and grandson of Algonquin Round Table founder Robert Benchley. His younger brother, Nat Benchley, is a writer and actor. Peter Benchley was an alumnus of Phillips Exeter Academy and Harvard University.
After graduating from college, he worked for The Washington Post, then as an editor at Newsweek and a speechwriter in the White House. He developed the idea of a man-eating shark terrorising a community after reading of a fisherman Frank Mundus catching a 4,550 pound great white shark off the coast of Long Island in 1964. He also drew some material from the tragic Jersey Shore shark attacks of 1916.
His reasonably successful second novel, The Deep, is about a honeymooning couple discovering two sunken treasures on the Bermuda reefs—17th century Spanish gold and a fortune in World War Two-era morphine—who are subsequently targeted by a drug syndicate. This 1976 novel is based on Benchley's chance meeting in Bermuda with diver Teddy Tucker while writing a story for National Geographic. Benchley co-wrote the screenplay for the 1977 film release, along with Tracy Keenan Wynn and an uncredited Tom Mankiewicz. Directed by Peter Yates and starring Robert Shaw, Nick Nolte and Jacqueline Bisset, The Deep was the second-highest grossing release of 1977 after Star Wars, although its box office tally fell well short of Jaws.
The Island, published in 1979, was a story of descendants of 17th century pirates who terrorize pleasure craft in the Caribbean, leading to the Bermuda Triangle mystery. Benchley again wrote the screenplay for the film adaptation. But the movie version of The Island, starring Michael Caine and David Warner, failed at the box office when released in 1980.
During the 1980s, Benchley wrote three novels that did not sell as well as his previous works. However, Girl of the Sea of Cortez, a beguiling John Steinbeck-type fable about man's complicated relationship with the sea, was far and away his best reviewed book and has attracted a considerable cult following since its publication. Sea of Cortez signposted Benchley's growing interest in ecological issues and anticipated his future role as an impassioned and intelligent defender of the importance of redressing the current imbalance between human activities and the marine environment. Q Clearance published in 1986 was written from his experience as a staffer in the Johnson White House. Rummies (aka Lush), which appeared in 1989, is a semi-autobiographical work, loosely inspired by the Benchley family's history of alcohol abuse. While the first half of the novel is a relatively straightforward (and harrowing) account of a suburbanite's descent into alcoholic hell, the second part—which takes place at a New Mexico substance abuse clinic—veers off into wildly improbable thriller-type territory.
He returned to nautical themes in 1991's Beast written about a giant squid threatening Bermuda. Beast was brought to the small screen as a made-for-TV movie in 1996, under the slightly altered title The Beast. His next novel, White Shark, was published in 1994. The story of a Nazi-created genetically engineered shark/human hybrid failed to achieve popular or critical success.
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June 19, 2014
I need to re-read this; the last time I read it was when I was about 11. (I had actually sent Peter Benchley a letter about how much I loved his work. And--he wrote one back to me. :) )
July 5, 2023
"¿Que, en nombre de Cristo, tiene una boca que puede partir de un mordisco cuarenta y ocho hilos de acero inoxidable sin dejar ninguna marca?"
"Es extraño cómo las cosas que no comprendemos pueden hacer surgir demonios que ni siquiera sabíamos que tuviéramos"
"¿Se está dejando dominar, doctor? - dijo-, A veces es mejor si nuestros sueños no se convierten en realidad."
Peter Benchley publicó Tiburón, y después dijo "Tengo que hacer que todos aquellos que no se traumaron lo suficiente con el agua, le tengan miedo hasta al simple hecho de ducharse", y creó Monstruo. Si la idea de un tiburón monstruoso y totalmente vengativo, no hizo que te alejaras un poquito de las playas, capaz este título sí te ayude con eso. La historia transcurre en las Bermudas: poco a poquito vamos observando sutiles datos que nos avisan que algo anda mal por aquellos pagos. Hay una amenaza tentacular en lo profundo, y van a tener que actuar rápido para evitar que esto siga creciendo y provocando muertes.
Hay un millón de elementos ya usados en Jaws que aparecen en esta novelita. Y, sin embargo, se siente una vibra muy diferente a la vez. La amenaza es diferente, el peligro tiene otra forma. Benchley aprovecha para sacar un par de trapitos al sol y tirar un par de palos tras su éxito en el mundo editorial, pero un fracaso a nivel ecológico. Tras su ópera prima, el autor se dio cuenta que dejó un mensaje poco feliz en relación a los escualos. La gente enloqueció, y si ya de por sí el tiburón era un animal injustamente juzgado, tras la publicación de Jaws lo fue aún más. Esto es algo que afectó profundamente al autor, y la razón por la cual eventualmente participó de muchas actividades a favor de los tiburones. Y, volviendo a Monstruo, la razón por la cual en un comienzo de la novela tenemos varias cuestiones bastante claritas: el verdadero monstruo de la historia no es un tiburón blanco de 8 metros, ni un calamar gigante, sino el hombre y su infinita capacidad de arruinarlo y destruirlo todo.
No tengo mucho por agregar. La historia me encantó, aunque el final me pareció medio falopa (muy Tentacoli de 1977). No creo que sea la historia más original, pero, como dije anteriormente, tiene un gustito diferente, y por momentos se siente mucho más claustrofóbica que Tiburón.
"Es extraño cómo las cosas que no comprendemos pueden hacer surgir demonios que ni siquiera sabíamos que tuviéramos"
"¿Se está dejando dominar, doctor? - dijo-, A veces es mejor si nuestros sueños no se convierten en realidad."
Peter Benchley publicó Tiburón, y después dijo "Tengo que hacer que todos aquellos que no se traumaron lo suficiente con el agua, le tengan miedo hasta al simple hecho de ducharse", y creó Monstruo. Si la idea de un tiburón monstruoso y totalmente vengativo, no hizo que te alejaras un poquito de las playas, capaz este título sí te ayude con eso. La historia transcurre en las Bermudas: poco a poquito vamos observando sutiles datos que nos avisan que algo anda mal por aquellos pagos. Hay una amenaza tentacular en lo profundo, y van a tener que actuar rápido para evitar que esto siga creciendo y provocando muertes.
Hay un millón de elementos ya usados en Jaws que aparecen en esta novelita. Y, sin embargo, se siente una vibra muy diferente a la vez. La amenaza es diferente, el peligro tiene otra forma. Benchley aprovecha para sacar un par de trapitos al sol y tirar un par de palos tras su éxito en el mundo editorial, pero un fracaso a nivel ecológico. Tras su ópera prima, el autor se dio cuenta que dejó un mensaje poco feliz en relación a los escualos. La gente enloqueció, y si ya de por sí el tiburón era un animal injustamente juzgado, tras la publicación de Jaws lo fue aún más. Esto es algo que afectó profundamente al autor, y la razón por la cual eventualmente participó de muchas actividades a favor de los tiburones. Y, volviendo a Monstruo, la razón por la cual en un comienzo de la novela tenemos varias cuestiones bastante claritas: el verdadero monstruo de la historia no es un tiburón blanco de 8 metros, ni un calamar gigante, sino el hombre y su infinita capacidad de arruinarlo y destruirlo todo.
No tengo mucho por agregar. La historia me encantó, aunque el final me pareció medio falopa (muy Tentacoli de 1977). No creo que sea la historia más original, pero, como dije anteriormente, tiene un gustito diferente, y por momentos se siente mucho más claustrofóbica que Tiburón.
December 19, 2012
There are several things that set this book apart from most monster books I’ve read: subtlety, realism, and environmentalism, to name a few. Even though there weren’t pages and pages of carnage in this book, it was a compelling read and had very likeable characters with personalities.
This is not only the story of a giant, man-eating squid who terrorizes Bermuda, it is also the story of Whip Darling, a proud yet impoverished man doing what he needs to get by, barely scraping up enough cash to pay the bills. Whip had been a fisherman, until Bermuda’s waters were fished out, now not bearing enough fish for anyone to make a living. Whip uses his boat to make a buck any way he can: trapping deepwater oddities for an aquarium, tourist charters, salvage; whatever keeps the wolf from the door. Whip knows the waters of Bermuda like no one else, so when a giant squid starts eating people, Whip is given many offers to go after the beast, but he knows no amount of money is worth it if he’s dead. Media magnate, Osborn Manning, whose children were devoured by the squid, has to pull out all the stops, but even he and his squid expert prove to be no match for the monster from the deep.
The plot is nothing new to monster book lovers, but Benchley takes the time to craft some very likeable characters: Whip Darling, his first mate Mike, navy pilot Marcus Sharp, even the unlikeable characters are well-drawn, no matter how much or how little they appear. He does fall short of making the giant squid outright evil, but this character, too, has a malevolent personality. His no-nonsense environmental message is not preachy, and all the more powerful for it, as it is woven through the action while the tension builds.
If you’re new to the monster book genre, or if you’ve simply tired of over-the-top technology and stunts, Benchley is your man. He’s best known for “Jaws,” but his other work is well worth reading, and refreshing, even decades after it was first published.
This is not only the story of a giant, man-eating squid who terrorizes Bermuda, it is also the story of Whip Darling, a proud yet impoverished man doing what he needs to get by, barely scraping up enough cash to pay the bills. Whip had been a fisherman, until Bermuda’s waters were fished out, now not bearing enough fish for anyone to make a living. Whip uses his boat to make a buck any way he can: trapping deepwater oddities for an aquarium, tourist charters, salvage; whatever keeps the wolf from the door. Whip knows the waters of Bermuda like no one else, so when a giant squid starts eating people, Whip is given many offers to go after the beast, but he knows no amount of money is worth it if he’s dead. Media magnate, Osborn Manning, whose children were devoured by the squid, has to pull out all the stops, but even he and his squid expert prove to be no match for the monster from the deep.
The plot is nothing new to monster book lovers, but Benchley takes the time to craft some very likeable characters: Whip Darling, his first mate Mike, navy pilot Marcus Sharp, even the unlikeable characters are well-drawn, no matter how much or how little they appear. He does fall short of making the giant squid outright evil, but this character, too, has a malevolent personality. His no-nonsense environmental message is not preachy, and all the more powerful for it, as it is woven through the action while the tension builds.
If you’re new to the monster book genre, or if you’ve simply tired of over-the-top technology and stunts, Benchley is your man. He’s best known for “Jaws,” but his other work is well worth reading, and refreshing, even decades after it was first published.
February 11, 2020
Dedicated to my cousin Galloglass.
Ladies and gentlemen, although I still have a cold, I think, I'm a little better off, so I'll take the time to write another review. To remember is to live again, and I am very mindful when I wrote "Jaws" very influenced by two great ladies the journalist Cristina López Schlichting https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... and another lover of the monsters that ravages the sea Melika Danese Lux https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... i have not seen her. I don't know, I don't remember causing you any offense, but for some reason you won't let me be your friend. So he took advantage, to apologize if I've caused him any offense. As a friend of mine says, I'm sometimes hugely heavy, and that may have been the problem.
I remember my review of"Jaws" shark for these lares. It was one of my favorite reviews. I was full of intelligence, and a sense of humor https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... and what I can hardly overcome. I wrote it in a moment of euphoria and great inspiration. With everything,Beast has nothing to envy of sharks. In fact, one of the reasons, to read this novel is because my cousin liked it, despite the horrible translation. I had a slightly better translation by the publishing house Plaza & Janés. First of all, the note that this book has in Goodreads, although the user opinion in Goodreads is sovereign seems to me a little low. It is true that Peter Benchley will never be a Nobel prize in literature (although I don't know if winning the Nobel is a merit, it seems to me in these times a demerit). Important notice, if you didn't like"Jaws" or are looking for some kind of innovation from Peter Benchley. Forget it, and I looked for another novel. This isn't a book for you. The only difference from Shark apart from the fact that this novel didn't interest Steven Spielberg (by the way, when I wrote, and Read Shark hadn't seen the movie yet. I'm going to say blasphemy, which no one will forgive me and I liked the shark sequel, more than the original. Another thing, I'm going to say is that if we read the book, the actor Roy Scheider doesn't physically look like Brody. I imagined Brody played by a tough, tough man. An actor who looks like Josh Brolin, and not such a skinny actor. Nor did I imagine Richard Dreyfuss playing the adulterous Hooper, which is more of a yogurt. Of course you couldn't put that in the original movie. Instead Robert Shaw if he's an excellent Quint). The forte of this novel, and it's also a flaw, is that Peter Benchley is that he barely makes changes with regard to Shark. The approach is conservative, and for sure, if the formula works for you to change it, and since I went to look for that I really liked it. Of course there are some differences. For example Benchley was a monster. An undeniable success on Benchley's part is certainly to hold on to Greek mythology, and start with a quote from Homer's "Odyssey" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... who by the way is my sister's favorite book. . Benchley opens with a quote, describing Escyla, which appears to be, that it could be a squid. This makes your monster have a historical conformation, and makes it more fearsome. We can also see examples in the Nordic sagas when describing the Kraken, or when it is described by Bishop Pontopidan https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... (I think his studies on zoology are more interesting than his ramblings on the Lutheran heresiarch), and seemed in the nomenclature of Carl von Linnaeus. https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... We also have examples of Architeutis in Jules Verne's legendary novel "20000 Leagues of Underwater Travel" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3... A priori the one who described the book was right and The Jaws shark, which was related to the mythical megalodon, (for that we recommend the novels of Steve Alten that my cousin loves) https://www.goodreads.com/series/5010... almost look like a golden fish. A priori the Architeutis seems more fearsome. It is larger, has tentacles with skewers, teeth, ink, and a breath that would make that of a person with alitosis look like it smells like rose water. A priori it seems that the adorable selaceo has all the loss, but as we will see reading with the passage of the novel. We will see that although the friendly squid has more resources, this is not a foolproof weapon. Another success of Benchley is that he gets into the mind of the beast, which he did not in his previous novel. It is also interesting that Benchley returns to the ideas of the nineteenth century, and shows, that nature is not always beneficial, and that it has a dark and cruel side. Man to survive must sometimes fight against nature. This reminded me of what Donoso Cortés said https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... Marquis of Valdegamas https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... in his essay on "Catholicism, Liberalism and Socialism". This work was written, to challenge the liberal Guizot https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... This work, which I recommend, is very brave, because before the existence of Karl Marx https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... the brilliant Extremaduran aptofeit, like Edmund Burke https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... who saw the ravages of the French Revolution coming before the advent of Robespierre. In this book, which has much of theological (like every great book that was prized) the author alerted that since man committed the original sin. Nature became hostile to him, and he was trying to destroy man. Although Benchley ignores this religious principle, if it shows the dark side of nature, it ultimately becomes the law of the strongest. In fact, this book has an ecological concern that Shark didn't have, but Benchley's reflections may not please Greta and her plutocratic friends Because this novel that takes place in the Bermuda Islands (if where the famous Bermuda triangle is) considers that it is not so much climate change, nor environmental deterioration that has caused the disaster, but abusive fishing. There is also a social complaint, when the author criticizes the subsidies the government gives to fishermen, to compensate them for not fishing. Against this situation he worries and cries out the protagonist of the novel Whip Darling. . Here he does not have the pressures of the administration, who, if he had Brody with the councillor, although if there will be any regulations, prevent them from helping from the outside to hunt the beast. In fact, the beast hunts and roams, because indiscriminate fishing has wiped out the predators that could hunt it down, and the beast knows that there are human prey in droves. The advantage is that the squid moves instinctively, and being not a rational creature has that weak spot. In fact, it's his only weakness, and the one that leads him to make mistakes. Mistakes, he didn't commit his nice friend the shark. Anyway, he shows his power when he is able to effortlessly kill a whale calf. Regarding the protagonists we see that Whip Darling, despite having some problem with some local fisherman, who violates the laws. He doesn't have that social complex, that, if he had the tough Sheriff Brody, he felt complex. If there's a rivalry with Irish pedantic Liam St. Cross (I admit, that I didn't like that at first, because the Irish are Catholics and I have affection for them. Although it is becoming increasingly weakened by the passage of anti-Christian laws such as abortion, and others, and they have voted for a government of criminals and murderers. It is curious, as when a terrorist organization is left-wing, as it is bleached and moved heaven and earth to achieve peace without honor with them. Although in some cases the people objected to as happened in Colombia with the FARC. If the Badder Meinhof or the Red Brigades existed today, they would have been bleached and allowed to enjoy the democratic game. The same goes for the criminals of Sin Feinn, if I already know that England had been pursuing anti-Catholic policies in Ireland, and that some called for exterminating Ireland, and Wexford, Drogheda, and the Orangist march are still present. I am the first to lament these anti-Catholic aggressions against the Irish, but like ETA the Sin Feinn they are going to implement a communist system for Ireland, which will ultimately destroy what has made Ireland its Catholic religiosity great. Weakened by campaigns against clergy, globalist interference, and acceptance of impositions by anti-Catholic lobbyists who were and had sneaked into Christian Democratic parties. So now Ireland is as dirty as everyone else, and the dire effects of what I describe will be seen in two or three generations.) That's why my love for the Irish cause has been so weakened. So, I don't think the darling whip's pendency with Liam Saint Cross, which is a title boot, is so bad anymore. It is interesting another friend of the protagonist Marcus Sharp, who is tortured by an event of the past, and it is his friendship with Darling, that keeps him afloat. I also like the appearance of Terry Shallit, who plays the scientific champion, who in Shark was embodied by Hooper. In fact, it seems, this character unfolds in Lam and Shallit. There will be no milf or cougar women here as in shark. At least that's lucky, Darling Whip. Also, if you're a fan of Western movies, and you like Johny Guitar. I'll tell you that Johny Guitar and Darling Whip have one thing in common, and they're peaceful, prudent men (eye, not cowardly, risk-aking) and unlike Brody looking for a fight with the shark. Whip Darling, during the novel he does his best to shy away from the battle with the squid. He thinks it's wist to wait for the creature to get sat off, and retreat. Despite the promises of Tallit, and the millionaire Maning, who is the Achab https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... (in fact Tallit makes descriptions of the squid sacainded in Melville's novel, which reveals the great influence of the author in his work) of the group. Although in this case, more than a leg, it has a stronger motivation to want to hunt the little bug. They try everything to convince him, pray, pay generously (here you can see the inflation for what Maning pays me I would not go hunting a little fish), threats, in fact, not even a momentous moment of the novel. It has to be with a very dirty trick, which forces Whip Darling to make a deal with Tallit, who wants to hunt squid for the sake of science (his descriptions of squid are formidable and show Benchley's great knowledge of the seabed. In fact, the author takes the opportunity to make an allusion to his work, just as Burroughs made allusions to the Tarzan https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3... https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... Johnny Weissmuller film in one of his novels. This fact of Burroughs is courtesy of my friend Professor Manuel Alfonseca https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... By the way, who is very himself, Benchley). In fact, apart from hunting the beautiful mollusk, the best of the novels are Tallit's dissertations, and that a work of his authorship is made "The Last Dragon" quote about Scylla draws it out of that part, and it is interesting to reflect on how the ancients would see a monster like the Architeutis. Of course the best thing is the men's fight against the beast. The final third is the best of the novel, no doubt. It makes me want to drop the phrase of the goverous Richard Harris, you monster from the bowels of hell or some other nautical imprecation or From the heart of hell I stab you I had it as a kid. Seeing our four heroes against the beast (there is a moment when technology fails, you get to physical combat). It must be said that Benchley seems to soften, and that despite having so many resources to decimate people. The mollusc kills fewer people than the adorable selaceo. With everything is enough, to have an entertaining time. It is curious, but victory is provided by nature, and the path is left open for a continuation. Even if the duel doesn't end up on boards like sharks. In short, it is a highly recommended book, and entertaining if you don't ask for more than you can give. I really liked it, and I hope the Goodreads user likes it.
Ladies and gentlemen, although I still have a cold, I think, I'm a little better off, so I'll take the time to write another review. To remember is to live again, and I am very mindful when I wrote "Jaws" very influenced by two great ladies the journalist Cristina López Schlichting https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... and another lover of the monsters that ravages the sea Melika Danese Lux https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... i have not seen her. I don't know, I don't remember causing you any offense, but for some reason you won't let me be your friend. So he took advantage, to apologize if I've caused him any offense. As a friend of mine says, I'm sometimes hugely heavy, and that may have been the problem.
I remember my review of"Jaws" shark for these lares. It was one of my favorite reviews. I was full of intelligence, and a sense of humor https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... and what I can hardly overcome. I wrote it in a moment of euphoria and great inspiration. With everything,Beast has nothing to envy of sharks. In fact, one of the reasons, to read this novel is because my cousin liked it, despite the horrible translation. I had a slightly better translation by the publishing house Plaza & Janés. First of all, the note that this book has in Goodreads, although the user opinion in Goodreads is sovereign seems to me a little low. It is true that Peter Benchley will never be a Nobel prize in literature (although I don't know if winning the Nobel is a merit, it seems to me in these times a demerit). Important notice, if you didn't like"Jaws" or are looking for some kind of innovation from Peter Benchley. Forget it, and I looked for another novel. This isn't a book for you. The only difference from Shark apart from the fact that this novel didn't interest Steven Spielberg (by the way, when I wrote, and Read Shark hadn't seen the movie yet. I'm going to say blasphemy, which no one will forgive me and I liked the shark sequel, more than the original. Another thing, I'm going to say is that if we read the book, the actor Roy Scheider doesn't physically look like Brody. I imagined Brody played by a tough, tough man. An actor who looks like Josh Brolin, and not such a skinny actor. Nor did I imagine Richard Dreyfuss playing the adulterous Hooper, which is more of a yogurt. Of course you couldn't put that in the original movie. Instead Robert Shaw if he's an excellent Quint). The forte of this novel, and it's also a flaw, is that Peter Benchley is that he barely makes changes with regard to Shark. The approach is conservative, and for sure, if the formula works for you to change it, and since I went to look for that I really liked it. Of course there are some differences. For example Benchley was a monster. An undeniable success on Benchley's part is certainly to hold on to Greek mythology, and start with a quote from Homer's "Odyssey" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... who by the way is my sister's favorite book. . Benchley opens with a quote, describing Escyla, which appears to be, that it could be a squid. This makes your monster have a historical conformation, and makes it more fearsome. We can also see examples in the Nordic sagas when describing the Kraken, or when it is described by Bishop Pontopidan https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... (I think his studies on zoology are more interesting than his ramblings on the Lutheran heresiarch), and seemed in the nomenclature of Carl von Linnaeus. https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... We also have examples of Architeutis in Jules Verne's legendary novel "20000 Leagues of Underwater Travel" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3... A priori the one who described the book was right and The Jaws shark, which was related to the mythical megalodon, (for that we recommend the novels of Steve Alten that my cousin loves) https://www.goodreads.com/series/5010... almost look like a golden fish. A priori the Architeutis seems more fearsome. It is larger, has tentacles with skewers, teeth, ink, and a breath that would make that of a person with alitosis look like it smells like rose water. A priori it seems that the adorable selaceo has all the loss, but as we will see reading with the passage of the novel. We will see that although the friendly squid has more resources, this is not a foolproof weapon. Another success of Benchley is that he gets into the mind of the beast, which he did not in his previous novel. It is also interesting that Benchley returns to the ideas of the nineteenth century, and shows, that nature is not always beneficial, and that it has a dark and cruel side. Man to survive must sometimes fight against nature. This reminded me of what Donoso Cortés said https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... Marquis of Valdegamas https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... in his essay on "Catholicism, Liberalism and Socialism". This work was written, to challenge the liberal Guizot https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... This work, which I recommend, is very brave, because before the existence of Karl Marx https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... the brilliant Extremaduran aptofeit, like Edmund Burke https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... who saw the ravages of the French Revolution coming before the advent of Robespierre. In this book, which has much of theological (like every great book that was prized) the author alerted that since man committed the original sin. Nature became hostile to him, and he was trying to destroy man. Although Benchley ignores this religious principle, if it shows the dark side of nature, it ultimately becomes the law of the strongest. In fact, this book has an ecological concern that Shark didn't have, but Benchley's reflections may not please Greta and her plutocratic friends Because this novel that takes place in the Bermuda Islands (if where the famous Bermuda triangle is) considers that it is not so much climate change, nor environmental deterioration that has caused the disaster, but abusive fishing. There is also a social complaint, when the author criticizes the subsidies the government gives to fishermen, to compensate them for not fishing. Against this situation he worries and cries out the protagonist of the novel Whip Darling. . Here he does not have the pressures of the administration, who, if he had Brody with the councillor, although if there will be any regulations, prevent them from helping from the outside to hunt the beast. In fact, the beast hunts and roams, because indiscriminate fishing has wiped out the predators that could hunt it down, and the beast knows that there are human prey in droves. The advantage is that the squid moves instinctively, and being not a rational creature has that weak spot. In fact, it's his only weakness, and the one that leads him to make mistakes. Mistakes, he didn't commit his nice friend the shark. Anyway, he shows his power when he is able to effortlessly kill a whale calf. Regarding the protagonists we see that Whip Darling, despite having some problem with some local fisherman, who violates the laws. He doesn't have that social complex, that, if he had the tough Sheriff Brody, he felt complex. If there's a rivalry with Irish pedantic Liam St. Cross (I admit, that I didn't like that at first, because the Irish are Catholics and I have affection for them. Although it is becoming increasingly weakened by the passage of anti-Christian laws such as abortion, and others, and they have voted for a government of criminals and murderers. It is curious, as when a terrorist organization is left-wing, as it is bleached and moved heaven and earth to achieve peace without honor with them. Although in some cases the people objected to as happened in Colombia with the FARC. If the Badder Meinhof or the Red Brigades existed today, they would have been bleached and allowed to enjoy the democratic game. The same goes for the criminals of Sin Feinn, if I already know that England had been pursuing anti-Catholic policies in Ireland, and that some called for exterminating Ireland, and Wexford, Drogheda, and the Orangist march are still present. I am the first to lament these anti-Catholic aggressions against the Irish, but like ETA the Sin Feinn they are going to implement a communist system for Ireland, which will ultimately destroy what has made Ireland its Catholic religiosity great. Weakened by campaigns against clergy, globalist interference, and acceptance of impositions by anti-Catholic lobbyists who were and had sneaked into Christian Democratic parties. So now Ireland is as dirty as everyone else, and the dire effects of what I describe will be seen in two or three generations.) That's why my love for the Irish cause has been so weakened. So, I don't think the darling whip's pendency with Liam Saint Cross, which is a title boot, is so bad anymore. It is interesting another friend of the protagonist Marcus Sharp, who is tortured by an event of the past, and it is his friendship with Darling, that keeps him afloat. I also like the appearance of Terry Shallit, who plays the scientific champion, who in Shark was embodied by Hooper. In fact, it seems, this character unfolds in Lam and Shallit. There will be no milf or cougar women here as in shark. At least that's lucky, Darling Whip. Also, if you're a fan of Western movies, and you like Johny Guitar. I'll tell you that Johny Guitar and Darling Whip have one thing in common, and they're peaceful, prudent men (eye, not cowardly, risk-aking) and unlike Brody looking for a fight with the shark. Whip Darling, during the novel he does his best to shy away from the battle with the squid. He thinks it's wist to wait for the creature to get sat off, and retreat. Despite the promises of Tallit, and the millionaire Maning, who is the Achab https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... (in fact Tallit makes descriptions of the squid sacainded in Melville's novel, which reveals the great influence of the author in his work) of the group. Although in this case, more than a leg, it has a stronger motivation to want to hunt the little bug. They try everything to convince him, pray, pay generously (here you can see the inflation for what Maning pays me I would not go hunting a little fish), threats, in fact, not even a momentous moment of the novel. It has to be with a very dirty trick, which forces Whip Darling to make a deal with Tallit, who wants to hunt squid for the sake of science (his descriptions of squid are formidable and show Benchley's great knowledge of the seabed. In fact, the author takes the opportunity to make an allusion to his work, just as Burroughs made allusions to the Tarzan https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3... https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... Johnny Weissmuller film in one of his novels. This fact of Burroughs is courtesy of my friend Professor Manuel Alfonseca https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... By the way, who is very himself, Benchley). In fact, apart from hunting the beautiful mollusk, the best of the novels are Tallit's dissertations, and that a work of his authorship is made "The Last Dragon" quote about Scylla draws it out of that part, and it is interesting to reflect on how the ancients would see a monster like the Architeutis. Of course the best thing is the men's fight against the beast. The final third is the best of the novel, no doubt. It makes me want to drop the phrase of the goverous Richard Harris, you monster from the bowels of hell or some other nautical imprecation or From the heart of hell I stab you I had it as a kid. Seeing our four heroes against the beast (there is a moment when technology fails, you get to physical combat). It must be said that Benchley seems to soften, and that despite having so many resources to decimate people. The mollusc kills fewer people than the adorable selaceo. With everything is enough, to have an entertaining time. It is curious, but victory is provided by nature, and the path is left open for a continuation. Even if the duel doesn't end up on boards like sharks. In short, it is a highly recommended book, and entertaining if you don't ask for more than you can give. I really liked it, and I hope the Goodreads user likes it.
October 16, 2023
"...había llegado gradualmente a la conclusión de que no se podía confiar en la naturaleza; a menudo te revela su lado más siniestro."
La he disfrutado mucho, es una historia simple, pero eficaz y dinámica. Me ha entretenido la acción, los ataques,la trama, la reflexión, la crítica y sobre todo la tensión que va generando.
Le da espacio a la criatura y su contexto.
Tiene una buena ambientación y los personajes son funcionales.
Tiene algunas cosillas que se pudieron evitar para darle mas ritmo en ciertos momentos, pero de igual forma la disfruté un montón y vale totalmente la pena darle una oportunidad si les gusta este tipo de terror, naturalista.
La he disfrutado mucho, es una historia simple, pero eficaz y dinámica. Me ha entretenido la acción, los ataques,la trama, la reflexión, la crítica y sobre todo la tensión que va generando.
Le da espacio a la criatura y su contexto.
Tiene una buena ambientación y los personajes son funcionales.
Tiene algunas cosillas que se pudieron evitar para darle mas ritmo en ciertos momentos, pero de igual forma la disfruté un montón y vale totalmente la pena darle una oportunidad si les gusta este tipo de terror, naturalista.
March 24, 2023
Beast by Peter Benchley (Fawcett 1992) (Fiction - Thriller).
Peter Benchley scared me so badly with Jaws that I've been reading his stuff ever since - and hoping for another lightning strike.
Beast misses the mark. Here be dragons - or squid.
My rating: 6/10, finished 1993.
August 8, 2011
Just like "Creature" this is another one that I expected to be really really bad, but turned out to be rather fun in parts. Still corny and cliched as hell though.
November 2, 2019
When I was a kid, there was a made-for-TV movie about a giant squid that I loved to watch with my dad. Both of us longtime fans of creature features, it stuck in my head (as giant squids do), but it wasn’t until I was older and searching for a DVD copy that I realized it was based on a Peter Benchley novel. The movie holds up surprisingly well given its age and budget. It tries to be a little too much like Jaws at times, but it tells a good story, has decent shots of its mega-monster, and follows a likable/unlikely hero, and I don’t ask for much more than that out of my monster movies. I decided to go with reading Beast before Jaws because I was afraid that a) Jaws was wildly over-hyped, and I wouldn’t want to read any more Benchley after or, b) Jaws was as good as advertised, and no other Benchley novel would ever live up to it. Either way, I would never get around to Beast and my beloved childhood giant squid. Trigger warnings: death, drowning, implied body horror, broken bones, severe injury, claustrophobia, guns, fires, explosions.
Scuba divers, tourists, and local fisherman are turning up dead or missing around the Bermuda coast. Local fisherman Whip Darling has been struggling long before this with the rise of trapping and over-fishing and the subsequent decline of local marine life. When he’s approached to find this sea beast and hunt it down, he declines. Humans are no match for a monster of the depths, but as the situation worsens, Whip may have no choice but to get involved even if it kills him.
I hit a couple duds on my Halloween reading list, so Beast was a nice change of pace. Benchley had me at the first line: “It hovered in the ink-dark water, waiting.” That is how you start a novel. The writing is largely simple but effective, and Benchley is skilled at building tension in advance of the attacks, as well as creating atmosphere with the lurking danger of the ocean. I found myself on Wikipedia scrolling through articles on hagfish and anglerfish. The ocean is fucking terrifying. Surprisingly, the book isn’t really a gore-fest, as the actual attacks happen quickly and fade out before things get too gruesome. Most of the terror comes from the suspense, and there’s plenty of that, particularly in an iconic submersible scene. (I can’t help wondering if Mira Grant was inspired by novels like this when writing Into the Drowning Deep. Major vibes.) There’s also quite a bit of environmental commentary on sustainable fishing, trapping, and the Bermuda ecosystem in particular that I found really interesting.
The cast is overall good, although it’s primarily white male. (This is a change from the movie version, which treats its characters of color better and focuses much more heavily on Whip’s relationship with his daughter, Dana.) Whip Darling is a lot like his predecessor, Martin Brody, in being the gruff but competent hero, but it’s an easy archetype to like. Born and raised there and a fisherman for more than twenty years, few people know more about the island or its marine life than Whip. He’s the ideal choice for dealing with the squid when it starts eating tourists and local fishermen, but I really loved his stance that people should just leave it alone until it moves on (likely a reaction to Benchley’s regret over the effect Jaws had on shark populations). As in the movie, he had me with his, ah, spirited reaction when the local law enforcement tried to take his salvaged raft. His daredevil friend, Sharp, is probably the second most developed character, and we get a strong sense of his history and motivations. Benchley’s treatment of Whip’s best friend and first mate, Mike, is less favorable, as he’s portrayed as a kind of simple person of color who relies on Whip to make decisions for him.
While I enjoyed the chapters from the squid’s perspective, which add a sense of menace and suspense to the book, there’s a little bit of anthropomorphizing going on. There’s an overall sense that the squid is a hateful creature that likes to kill just for the sake of killing, whereas now (almost thirty years later) we’re more likely to argue that it’s an animal doing what an animal does. It’s starving thanks to over-fishing and global warming, and it’s been teased, attacked, and generally badgered in its own environment. Buddy, I’d be pissed enough to sink your ship with my bare tentacles too. That isn’t killing for the sake of it; that’s fighting for survival. (But, you know, when am I not on the side of the monsters?) It has its issues, but it’s an overall enjoyable read, and I’ll probably pick up copies of Jaws and The Deep at some point.
I review regularly at brightbeautifulthings.tumblr.com.
Scuba divers, tourists, and local fisherman are turning up dead or missing around the Bermuda coast. Local fisherman Whip Darling has been struggling long before this with the rise of trapping and over-fishing and the subsequent decline of local marine life. When he’s approached to find this sea beast and hunt it down, he declines. Humans are no match for a monster of the depths, but as the situation worsens, Whip may have no choice but to get involved even if it kills him.
I hit a couple duds on my Halloween reading list, so Beast was a nice change of pace. Benchley had me at the first line: “It hovered in the ink-dark water, waiting.” That is how you start a novel. The writing is largely simple but effective, and Benchley is skilled at building tension in advance of the attacks, as well as creating atmosphere with the lurking danger of the ocean. I found myself on Wikipedia scrolling through articles on hagfish and anglerfish. The ocean is fucking terrifying. Surprisingly, the book isn’t really a gore-fest, as the actual attacks happen quickly and fade out before things get too gruesome. Most of the terror comes from the suspense, and there’s plenty of that, particularly in an iconic submersible scene. (I can’t help wondering if Mira Grant was inspired by novels like this when writing Into the Drowning Deep. Major vibes.) There’s also quite a bit of environmental commentary on sustainable fishing, trapping, and the Bermuda ecosystem in particular that I found really interesting.
The cast is overall good, although it’s primarily white male. (This is a change from the movie version, which treats its characters of color better and focuses much more heavily on Whip’s relationship with his daughter, Dana.) Whip Darling is a lot like his predecessor, Martin Brody, in being the gruff but competent hero, but it’s an easy archetype to like. Born and raised there and a fisherman for more than twenty years, few people know more about the island or its marine life than Whip. He’s the ideal choice for dealing with the squid when it starts eating tourists and local fishermen, but I really loved his stance that people should just leave it alone until it moves on (likely a reaction to Benchley’s regret over the effect Jaws had on shark populations). As in the movie, he had me with his, ah, spirited reaction when the local law enforcement tried to take his salvaged raft. His daredevil friend, Sharp, is probably the second most developed character, and we get a strong sense of his history and motivations. Benchley’s treatment of Whip’s best friend and first mate, Mike, is less favorable, as he’s portrayed as a kind of simple person of color who relies on Whip to make decisions for him.
While I enjoyed the chapters from the squid’s perspective, which add a sense of menace and suspense to the book, there’s a little bit of anthropomorphizing going on. There’s an overall sense that the squid is a hateful creature that likes to kill just for the sake of killing, whereas now (almost thirty years later) we’re more likely to argue that it’s an animal doing what an animal does. It’s starving thanks to over-fishing and global warming, and it’s been teased, attacked, and generally badgered in its own environment. Buddy, I’d be pissed enough to sink your ship with my bare tentacles too. That isn’t killing for the sake of it; that’s fighting for survival. (But, you know, when am I not on the side of the monsters?) It has its issues, but it’s an overall enjoyable read, and I’ll probably pick up copies of Jaws and The Deep at some point.
I review regularly at brightbeautifulthings.tumblr.com.
May 30, 2021
The pulpy actions were a bit gripping but beyond that, I didn't enjoy this book as much as I expected.
December 7, 2023
Tres y media estrellas. Se las lleva por entretenido y porque tiene oficio con los personajes, pero es un calco de su novela “Tiburón”; hasta tal punto que él mismo lo reconoce hablando de la adaptación a peli a través de los personajes.
March 7, 2015
La luna nueva era una carcasa celeste vacía que iniciaba su viaje mensual para recoger las almas de los muertos, y a medida que pasaban los días se hinchaba e hinchaba hasta que al fin, atiborrada de almas, desaparecía para depositar su carga en los cielos y volver a aparecer luego, una carcasa vacía, para empezar de nuevo.Un libro heterogéneo. En ocasiones pesado, en otras fluido.
Empieza excelentemente; amé con todo mi ser el inicio. Es buenísimo. Luego la novela adquiere un matiz más profesional y militar, lo que no me gustó; se me hizo muy pesado y tedioso. También algunas partes son netamente relleno.
A veces es mejor que los sueños no se vuelvan realidad.
Tiene un final que no te ves venir.
En definición, la historia esta entre un inicio extraordinario y un final perfecto.
September 13, 2024
While Peter Benchley is most well know for his killer shark book, Jaws, I honestly think this was the better book. The protagonists are likable, the creature itself is unique in its perspectives, and the novel itself was just really well written.
When changes in tides and currents drive a gigantic squid from the depths into the shallower waters surrounding Bermuda, it must learn to adapt to its new surroundings to survive. And that means new prey. And what prey is more helpless in the ocean than man? Now, with tourism suffering, and the livelihood of the few fishermen still able to make a go in jeopardy, the government, scientists, fishermen, even the U.S. Navy all struggle to stop the beast before it kills again.
When changes in tides and currents drive a gigantic squid from the depths into the shallower waters surrounding Bermuda, it must learn to adapt to its new surroundings to survive. And that means new prey. And what prey is more helpless in the ocean than man? Now, with tourism suffering, and the livelihood of the few fishermen still able to make a go in jeopardy, the government, scientists, fishermen, even the U.S. Navy all struggle to stop the beast before it kills again.
November 27, 2018
DNF. I read just over a third and decided not to carry on. I gave the part I read 2 stars.
I'm sure this book would have been okay if I had continued with it but it just felt like the same story to Jaws except with a giant squid instead of a great white shark. The writing was fine but the objectification and sexualisation of the women characters was quite eye-roll inducing and the only characters of any substance were men. It felt formulaic and predictable instead of the fun and entertaining story I hoped it would be. After a third of the book I didn't feel like I would be missing out on anything by not finishing it.
I'm sure this book would have been okay if I had continued with it but it just felt like the same story to Jaws except with a giant squid instead of a great white shark. The writing was fine but the objectification and sexualisation of the women characters was quite eye-roll inducing and the only characters of any substance were men. It felt formulaic and predictable instead of the fun and entertaining story I hoped it would be. After a third of the book I didn't feel like I would be missing out on anything by not finishing it.
August 11, 2011
Peter Benchley thought he could simply rewrite Jaws and make a ton more money. Beast is essentially the same story as Jaws. Large and hungry sea creature terrorizes a small coastal town by eating everything in the water. In Beast, Benchley replaces the Great White Shark with a Giant Squid. I admit, a giant squid is much more formidable, but is also more difficult to develop into a fearsome villain like the shark from Jaws. Few people even know of the existence of the giant squid, so it becomes almost like Benchley has resorted to using a mythical monster or hostile alien for a villain.
December 6, 2022
Initially, I was very excited about picking this up and giving it a read. My instinctual response to the cover alone had me wondering what sort of treat I was in for. I think most everyone is familiar with Jaws, arguably one of the most instantly recognizable stories and a staple of marine-based horror. What I was super excited about with this book was the premise itself, a really freaking huge squid lurking out there in the ocean. Funnily enough, it made me think of the old maritime legends of giant sea creatures and such, which is directly referenced in this book. I should also preface this by saying, I am fascinated by stories about the sea and they genuinely frighten me. I’m a textbook sufferer of thalassophobia, so these stories simultaneously entertain and make me uneasy. Let me just say that the best scenes in this entire book about a giant squid eating people were scenes where people were stranded in the ocean. That’s a personal thing, but this book was able to capture some genuinely tense moments of claustrophobic conditions in a submarine and the absolutely terrifying idea of falling off a boat and not being found at sea. Okay, on to the review…strap in.
What I had hoped for: well, I'm not too sure but I was hoping for more monster vibes. Perhaps more of a feeling of being trapped and/or constantly pursued.
What I ended up getting:
Whew, well firstly I didn't account for the fact that Benchley was a journalist for many years as well as an outspoken advocate and ocean conservationist, especially later in life. I believe that this novel was written with quite a lot of those experiences and opinions in the forefront. I certainly didn't bargain for the first third of this book being a slow-crawling exposition with an underlying commentary on fishing poachers and conservation, and while it wasn't necessarily unwelcome, I just didn't really expect to have that in a monster book. Herein lies one of the biggest flaws with this book in my own personal taste, it has no idea what side of the fence it wants to rest on. In many ways and forms, it takes itself way to seriously for what it's actually trying to accomplish. Bearing that in mind, this book is not particularly long but it takes so long to get to the point that it feels like a slog. I think in my brain I had written this off as being more schlock horror and fun, but in reality it's a book that tries to communicate serious themes and ideas in an absolutely ludicrous and unbelievable manner. After Benchley finally finishes "floundering" (see what I did there, eh?) around with his paper thin characters, he finally gets to the big fun stuff towards the end. To be honest though, it's totally ridiculous I almost couldn't stop laughing. There's a guy with a machine gun on a boat just unloading into a giant squid, a goofy Dr. that says he will "lure the beast and kill it with sex", the skeptical John Rambo captain who just happens to have obscene quantities of explosives sitting on his boat, and a Navy Lieutenant that can rig up a detonator device in no time flat. By the end, the entire story had literally jumped the shark and I had clocked out. There just isn't much of a payoff here to justify the length of this book. Also, the number of times that Jaws is referenced as pop culture in this book alone was enough to make you gawk at the fact that Benchley had to have had major pipe dreams of this novel being only half as successful and relevant. It was laughable at best to resort to self-promotion in what really equates to a ripoff of your own work. Anyways, I digress.
So essentially here's your plot so spoiler alert. BIG SQUID comes out of nowhere and starts killing randos in Bermuda (of course its Bermuda). Grizzled old captain is down on his luck and not making enough money. He has a rival that is a big wig and a total moron, but people follow him because of his social status and power. These two get into a pissing contest of who is badder and who knows better, and you can guess how that winds up. BUT OH NO! There's these out of towner guys that are coming in, one wants revenge on the squid because it killed his family, so he's gonna hunt it down mafia style. The other guy just so happens to be... you guess it A GIANT SQUID EXPERT DR! Together, they form a dynamic duo of foiling our old captain friend that you're supposed to care about but you probably don't because he's as lifeless and likable as a sack of rocks. They essentially blackmail him to help them track down massive squid-icus after it has killed more people. Commence action scene of fighting big squid, THE END. If you can imagine The Expendables comprised of only incompetent dimwits going on a giant squid hunt, that's basically the second half of this book.
I guess in the long run I wanted something that did a full commit to what it wanted to be. Either A. 100% self-aware trash that is totally off the wall fun and madness OR B. Something that really harnesses that energy and brooding atmosphere of lost at sea with the great unknown stalking and lurking. It's clear that Benchley can write just fine, he knows his stuff about marine-life and sea-faring jargon. I also appreciate the fact that he made the conscious decision to make small scenes and craft them from the perspective of the squid. That reminded me a lot of one of my favorite novels, Cujo. However, these scenes depreciate in their relevancy over time and begin to feel like fluff as the book goes on. Despite the indications that Benchley can write, I'm not fully convinced he can create believable characters nor really pace out his plot. As pieces, there are parts in this that are good, and parts that are just a total waste of space. Overall, it's certainly not terrible but it is far from exceptional. Probably won't be revisiting this one and I can't say that I would really recommend it.
What I had hoped for: well, I'm not too sure but I was hoping for more monster vibes. Perhaps more of a feeling of being trapped and/or constantly pursued.
What I ended up getting:
Whew, well firstly I didn't account for the fact that Benchley was a journalist for many years as well as an outspoken advocate and ocean conservationist, especially later in life. I believe that this novel was written with quite a lot of those experiences and opinions in the forefront. I certainly didn't bargain for the first third of this book being a slow-crawling exposition with an underlying commentary on fishing poachers and conservation, and while it wasn't necessarily unwelcome, I just didn't really expect to have that in a monster book. Herein lies one of the biggest flaws with this book in my own personal taste, it has no idea what side of the fence it wants to rest on. In many ways and forms, it takes itself way to seriously for what it's actually trying to accomplish. Bearing that in mind, this book is not particularly long but it takes so long to get to the point that it feels like a slog. I think in my brain I had written this off as being more schlock horror and fun, but in reality it's a book that tries to communicate serious themes and ideas in an absolutely ludicrous and unbelievable manner. After Benchley finally finishes "floundering" (see what I did there, eh?) around with his paper thin characters, he finally gets to the big fun stuff towards the end. To be honest though, it's totally ridiculous I almost couldn't stop laughing. There's a guy with a machine gun on a boat just unloading into a giant squid, a goofy Dr. that says he will "lure the beast and kill it with sex", the skeptical John Rambo captain who just happens to have obscene quantities of explosives sitting on his boat, and a Navy Lieutenant that can rig up a detonator device in no time flat. By the end, the entire story had literally jumped the shark and I had clocked out. There just isn't much of a payoff here to justify the length of this book. Also, the number of times that Jaws is referenced as pop culture in this book alone was enough to make you gawk at the fact that Benchley had to have had major pipe dreams of this novel being only half as successful and relevant. It was laughable at best to resort to self-promotion in what really equates to a ripoff of your own work. Anyways, I digress.
So essentially here's your plot so spoiler alert. BIG SQUID comes out of nowhere and starts killing randos in Bermuda (of course its Bermuda). Grizzled old captain is down on his luck and not making enough money. He has a rival that is a big wig and a total moron, but people follow him because of his social status and power. These two get into a pissing contest of who is badder and who knows better, and you can guess how that winds up. BUT OH NO! There's these out of towner guys that are coming in, one wants revenge on the squid because it killed his family, so he's gonna hunt it down mafia style. The other guy just so happens to be... you guess it A GIANT SQUID EXPERT DR! Together, they form a dynamic duo of foiling our old captain friend that you're supposed to care about but you probably don't because he's as lifeless and likable as a sack of rocks. They essentially blackmail him to help them track down massive squid-icus after it has killed more people. Commence action scene of fighting big squid, THE END. If you can imagine The Expendables comprised of only incompetent dimwits going on a giant squid hunt, that's basically the second half of this book.
I guess in the long run I wanted something that did a full commit to what it wanted to be. Either A. 100% self-aware trash that is totally off the wall fun and madness OR B. Something that really harnesses that energy and brooding atmosphere of lost at sea with the great unknown stalking and lurking. It's clear that Benchley can write just fine, he knows his stuff about marine-life and sea-faring jargon. I also appreciate the fact that he made the conscious decision to make small scenes and craft them from the perspective of the squid. That reminded me a lot of one of my favorite novels, Cujo. However, these scenes depreciate in their relevancy over time and begin to feel like fluff as the book goes on. Despite the indications that Benchley can write, I'm not fully convinced he can create believable characters nor really pace out his plot. As pieces, there are parts in this that are good, and parts that are just a total waste of space. Overall, it's certainly not terrible but it is far from exceptional. Probably won't be revisiting this one and I can't say that I would really recommend it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 31, 2023
4.4, como fan del terror marítimo logró literalmente sumergirme en toda la historia, además que toda la historia es muy realista en muchísimos aspectos y genera un mensaje muy directo y contundente acerca del medio ambiente.
January 12, 2010
I chose this science fiction book Beast because of one, my interest in Squids and two because like many others, I enjoyed reading Jaws by Peter Benchley and watching the movie, Jaws. Since Peter was the same author for Beast, I was interested to see if he would follow the same story line or create a whole new type of mysterious adventure.
The novel basically followed the same sort of story line that Jaws did but instead of a giant shark attacking people, the giant squid attacks people, making it 8 times scarier (get it, 8 times like their 8 tentacles).
The story begins with the introduction of a giant squid, the antagonist, called, "Architeuthis dux" and the chilling description of him. Unlike Jaws Architeuthis is a more complicated force to deal with. The setting is in the seas off the Bermuda Island in the Atlantic Ocean. Since I know that giant squid are found in the Pacific Ocean in warmer waters this setting was interesting to me to think about finding monstrous creatures of the Atlantic waters. Whip Darling is the main character and protagonist of this novel, like the main character in Jaws who fought the man-eating squid and works to save lives. Other characters in the story looked to Whip to lead the battle between man and nature.
The conflict is definitely man versus nature. It is obvious because not only does Darlings crew go against Architeuthis, but they also have to deal with the unexpected challenges the ocean had to offer. One of the contrasts that the Squid had from Jaws is that people were not as familiar with the deadly and evil actions that could come from a creature even though it lacked hundreds of sharp teeth. The strength and agility of the tentacles and massive beak turned to be more frightening because this was a new type of unknown killer. It didn't take long to realize that the symbol of a squid was evil and deadly.
I recommend this book because although it seemed similar to Jaws, there are certain situations that leave you on the edge of your seat. You can't predict all that might happen with a giant man-eating squid just because you may have known what happened with a man-eating shark. There are different attacks and ways people had to fight to keep their lives.
As a reader, I enjoyed using my mind to paint a picture of what happens throughout the several chapters in this book. Movies, where visual presentations are obvious, take away from the creativity of the mind. If you enjoy sea life and nautical adventures slightly similar to 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea where the squid is the enemy, this book would be an excellent read. Now I have the basis for the story line, I am looking forward to seeing what producers can do to make this into a block-buster movie.
January 22, 2014
This novel represents a transitional stage as it were in the gradual redemption of Benchley from the guilt he suffered once he realised the dreadful practical result of Jaws (which is to say the mass-slaughter of sharks). The novel is a solid creature feature; these novels are always somewhat mired by formulaic nature (but what isn't, every novel's a formula in the end), but manages a few amusing twists. The ending is particularly satisfactory in that it avoids one of the common tropes of the genre in a pleasantly anti-climatic way.
The passages from the point of view of the animal are interesting and clearly illustrate the departure from the simplistic views readily apparently in Jaws. Unlike Jaws, where the shark is anti-scientifically portrayed as a brain-less sinister eating machine that gulps up everything, ecological themes and the overall context of the eco-system are here explored, and the motivation for the 'antagonist' as it were are clear. Then again, I just have a great affinity for squids.
I am ashamed to mention that I too had this novel brought to my attention by that dreadful television mini-series, which warps the story pretty brutally. The novel is however much better.
The passages from the point of view of the animal are interesting and clearly illustrate the departure from the simplistic views readily apparently in Jaws. Unlike Jaws, where the shark is anti-scientifically portrayed as a brain-less sinister eating machine that gulps up everything, ecological themes and the overall context of the eco-system are here explored, and the motivation for the 'antagonist' as it were are clear. Then again, I just have a great affinity for squids.
I am ashamed to mention that I too had this novel brought to my attention by that dreadful television mini-series, which warps the story pretty brutally. The novel is however much better.
Want to read
August 17, 2019*Freebie*
May 12, 2022
“If people would make an effort to learn about the wonders that did exist, he thought, their appetite for dragons would be well satisfied.”
Peter Benchley, Beast
🦑
Review: Beast
By: Peter Benchley
4/5 ⭐️
🦑
I loved this book so much. It was my first introduction to Peter Benchley and the world of ocean horror. As a horror book I would rate this a 2.5, but my love for learning about the ocean pushed this up to a 4. I love how the author went into detail about the history of the ocean, shipwrecks, creatures of the deep and how we destroy and nurture. I even learned of new sea creatures and the destructive consequences of trap fishing. I have a lot of Peter Benchley novels and I’m excited to learn more through his work.
Peter Benchley, Beast
🦑
Review: Beast
By: Peter Benchley
4/5 ⭐️
🦑
I loved this book so much. It was my first introduction to Peter Benchley and the world of ocean horror. As a horror book I would rate this a 2.5, but my love for learning about the ocean pushed this up to a 4. I love how the author went into detail about the history of the ocean, shipwrecks, creatures of the deep and how we destroy and nurture. I even learned of new sea creatures and the destructive consequences of trap fishing. I have a lot of Peter Benchley novels and I’m excited to learn more through his work.
June 1, 2018
My son loaned me this book and said "it is a great summer read". Let me be honest and say it is a great summer read if you have no plans to go to the beach or head out 10-20 miles offshore to go fishing - which I do. I may have to drop fishing from my plans.
This book is brought to you by the same author of Jaws and takes place off the coast of Bermuda in a small fishing community. About 10 miles offshore the ocean floor drops to depths unknown and in the abyss lies a sunken ship or two. For reasons unknown, except for a theory that about every 30-40 years there are sightings of (or signs of) a large sea monster in various locations, a giant squid appears to have taken up temporary residence atop a sunken ship. Sea faring sailboat owners mysteriously disappear from their boat, fishermen's boats are found with no sign of life upon them and fear is beginning to resonate among the locals.
I loved how the author gave a voice to, and nearly personified, the squid so that the reader could get a take on the mindset of both the fisherman and beast. Tastefully written, Peter Benchley has once again brought havoc and mayhem to all we cannot see below the water's surface.
This book is brought to you by the same author of Jaws and takes place off the coast of Bermuda in a small fishing community. About 10 miles offshore the ocean floor drops to depths unknown and in the abyss lies a sunken ship or two. For reasons unknown, except for a theory that about every 30-40 years there are sightings of (or signs of) a large sea monster in various locations, a giant squid appears to have taken up temporary residence atop a sunken ship. Sea faring sailboat owners mysteriously disappear from their boat, fishermen's boats are found with no sign of life upon them and fear is beginning to resonate among the locals.
I loved how the author gave a voice to, and nearly personified, the squid so that the reader could get a take on the mindset of both the fisherman and beast. Tastefully written, Peter Benchley has once again brought havoc and mayhem to all we cannot see below the water's surface.
January 15, 2025
this deserves the hype jaws got and i’ll die on that hill. team giant squid!
July 2, 2022
This is a classic, I love how Benchley writes sections from the animal's point of view, it give them more character
January 27, 2011
[image error]
The harpoon safely anchors into the belly of the beast, leaving it defenseless
to my super-b**tch chopsticks.
As much as I love tearing into floppy, unidentifiable sea creatures, I think I can leave this dish well enough alone. Unfortunately, I have a harder time doing that with books I hate, of which there are a humiliatingly large amount of on my bookshelves. What kind of tribute to society will my children be, being mothered by a slavenly book reviewer! What a cruel world!
The rub with these sorts of books is that the movie is scarier. And that is just wrong. I mean, look at the cold menace in this slimy fiends eyes!
[image error]
Such passion in their consernating careers. Whatever happened to literary psych-tainting? We all have come across at least one story that had us sleep with all the lights on. But only because of the implied insanity really. Ah, the good old reads.
Postcript
A beast is a beast. And slime is slime.
The harpoon safely anchors into the belly of the beast, leaving it defenseless
to my super-b**tch chopsticks.
As much as I love tearing into floppy, unidentifiable sea creatures, I think I can leave this dish well enough alone. Unfortunately, I have a harder time doing that with books I hate, of which there are a humiliatingly large amount of on my bookshelves. What kind of tribute to society will my children be, being mothered by a slavenly book reviewer! What a cruel world!
The rub with these sorts of books is that the movie is scarier. And that is just wrong. I mean, look at the cold menace in this slimy fiends eyes!
[image error]
Such passion in their consernating careers. Whatever happened to literary psych-tainting? We all have come across at least one story that had us sleep with all the lights on. But only because of the implied insanity really. Ah, the good old reads.
Postcript
A beast is a beast. And slime is slime.
October 1, 2020
A book about a big man-eating squid.
I was expecting something cheesier, some kind of boat sinking, Jules Verne, "release the Kraken" type affair.
This is not that.
This is a fairly realistic, grounded story about what would could happen if nature became out of balance allowing a giant squid free reign of the sea.
Oh my gosh the results are so boring.
Giant squids live at the bottom of the ocean where they rarely bother anyone.
Now with the sea over fished our titular character has to come to shallower waters where he/she encounters deep water tourists.
About 80% of the book is about how the sea is over fished and the main character has no money.
The squid just does squidy stuff, swims, stares, squirts ink, swims, and occasionally eats some clown who strays into its new territory.
It is quite well written and if you fancy something that is very low-key (perhaps you are suffering from nervous exhaustion or something) then this is a solid enough read.
I was expecting something with drama and horror not some old sailor bitching about the price of diesel and lamenting the depletion of some fish I have never heard of.
I was expecting something cheesier, some kind of boat sinking, Jules Verne, "release the Kraken" type affair.
This is not that.
This is a fairly realistic, grounded story about what would could happen if nature became out of balance allowing a giant squid free reign of the sea.
Oh my gosh the results are so boring.
Giant squids live at the bottom of the ocean where they rarely bother anyone.
Now with the sea over fished our titular character has to come to shallower waters where he/she encounters deep water tourists.
About 80% of the book is about how the sea is over fished and the main character has no money.
The squid just does squidy stuff, swims, stares, squirts ink, swims, and occasionally eats some clown who strays into its new territory.
It is quite well written and if you fancy something that is very low-key (perhaps you are suffering from nervous exhaustion or something) then this is a solid enough read.
I was expecting something with drama and horror not some old sailor bitching about the price of diesel and lamenting the depletion of some fish I have never heard of.
October 3, 2015
Here's the deal: the novel of "Jaws" is not all that great. The film is miles away better than the source material. Benchley, as an author, has many strengths but a lot of his material comes off as pedestrian. "Beast" is interesting enough as a story but the characters don't develop beyond basic archetypes and the whole of the text suffers for it. I remember watching the TV miniseries a few years ago and liking it but the adaptation changed a good deal from the source material, which seems like a smart move when looking at the original text.
September 22, 2016
It's hard not to like a book about a giant Squid, even though it's kind of hard to respect what I saw between the pages of this book. Shakespeare has nothing to worry about from Peter Benchley, but this one reads OK if you can take that Seventies feel. I also love the fact that the hero is named "Whip Darling."
December 31, 2014
Much scarier than Jaws, and much better writing in general. The plotting is better, and I loved the inclusion of chapters from the monster's POV. The characters are also much more compelling.
July 27, 2015
Fun beach read - essentially the same plot line as Jaws, but with a kraken. Also...Jaws exists as a movie in the universe of this book which seems kind of pretentious.
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