What do you think?
Rate this book
Zone Unknown #1
Loch
Loch and his sister are with their father on a scientific expedition to track lake monsters. Their father's boss, Anthony Cavenger, a ruthless publishing mogul, is determined to prove that the legends are fact. Until now, it has been a fruitless exercise. But suddenly, on a routine exploration, a hideous water beast explodes out of the water, and a photographer, hoping to get the picture of a lifetime, loses his life instead. The plesiosaurs terrorize the secluded lake community, but Loch encounters a baby plesiosaur and realizes that the monsters only attack when threatened. So he risks his life-and the lives of his family and friends-to save the prehistoric creatures from destruction. 1995 Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers (ALA) 1995 Books for the Teen Age (NY Public Library)
228 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1900
34 people are currently reading
738 people want to read
About the author
Paul Zindel
83 books301 followersPaul Zindel was an American author, playwright and educator.
In 1964, he wrote The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds, his first and most successful play. The play ran off-Broadway in 1970, and on Broadway in 1971. It won the 1971 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. It was also made into a 1972 movie by 20th Century Fox. Charlotte Zolotow, then a vice-president at Harper & Row (now Harper-Collins) contacted him to writing for her book label. Zindel wrote 39 books, all of them aimed at children or young adults. Many of these were set in his home town of Staten Island, New York. They tended to be semi-autobiographical, focusing on teenage misfits with abusive or neglectful parents. Despite the often dark subject matter of his books, which deal with loneliness, loss, and the effects of abuse, they are also filled with humor. Many of his novels have wacky titles, such as My Darling, My Hamburger, or Confessions of A Teenage Baboon.
The Pigman, first published in 1968, is widely taught in American schools, and also made it on to the list of most frequently banned books in America in the 1990s, because of what some deem offensive language.
In 1964, he wrote The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds, his first and most successful play. The play ran off-Broadway in 1970, and on Broadway in 1971. It won the 1971 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. It was also made into a 1972 movie by 20th Century Fox. Charlotte Zolotow, then a vice-president at Harper & Row (now Harper-Collins) contacted him to writing for her book label. Zindel wrote 39 books, all of them aimed at children or young adults. Many of these were set in his home town of Staten Island, New York. They tended to be semi-autobiographical, focusing on teenage misfits with abusive or neglectful parents. Despite the often dark subject matter of his books, which deal with loneliness, loss, and the effects of abuse, they are also filled with humor. Many of his novels have wacky titles, such as My Darling, My Hamburger, or Confessions of A Teenage Baboon.
The Pigman, first published in 1968, is widely taught in American schools, and also made it on to the list of most frequently banned books in America in the 1990s, because of what some deem offensive language.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews
June 8, 2022
This is my FAVORITE book! An absolute CLASSIC read! The CHILLING tale of the plesiosaur family under attack really had my heart racing!!!! I would 100% recommend this book to school children EVERYWHERE! The book really had me on edge at points. I nearly WET myself around chapter 8. The WORST part of the book was page 209 there was NOTHING left for me to read!! If I'm being honest, I really relate to the plesiosaur called Rouge. Someday I wish to have the people in my life that I will care about like he does. To sum it ALL up, I LOVE this book with my entire heart and it has made an extreme impact on my life, my marital situation, and my current occupational path. THANK YOU FOR READING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
June 13, 2022
If you like horror stories, here’s one for you—prehistoric creatures lurking in the bottom of a deep lake, and no one knows for sure if they’re there or not.
So a company’s research team goes out to try to collect “samples” of deep trench lake life, and one of the researchers, who’s a bit on the cautious side, suggests they get stronger nets, maybe even steel nets, but the rest of the researchers laugh at him. There’s nothing down there but a few sturgeon, probably old and toothless ones, too, they say to the cautious guy.
They go out with their cotton nets, out on the deep, dark lake, and they cast around to see what’s down there. And suddenly up out of the murky depths shoots the biggest, scaliest monster they’ve ever seen with the longest teeth—and lots of them!
The company owner’s daughter is on a catamaran with a boy, and they’re out following the research team. Oooo! What's going on over there? The monster starts to rock their boat, tipping it, and one of the kids goes toward the edge for a better look . . . CRUNCH! He’s bitten in half by the giant beast!
(REVIEW: fluffy and lite; no meat, but appeals to middle school reluctant readers. Slightly gross descriptions of carnage. Like Jaws for middle school level, but in no way a classic. Get readers started on these, however, and they're likely to find other Zindel books they also like since many are similar in subject matter.)
So a company’s research team goes out to try to collect “samples” of deep trench lake life, and one of the researchers, who’s a bit on the cautious side, suggests they get stronger nets, maybe even steel nets, but the rest of the researchers laugh at him. There’s nothing down there but a few sturgeon, probably old and toothless ones, too, they say to the cautious guy.
They go out with their cotton nets, out on the deep, dark lake, and they cast around to see what’s down there. And suddenly up out of the murky depths shoots the biggest, scaliest monster they’ve ever seen with the longest teeth—and lots of them!
The company owner’s daughter is on a catamaran with a boy, and they’re out following the research team. Oooo! What's going on over there? The monster starts to rock their boat, tipping it, and one of the kids goes toward the edge for a better look . . . CRUNCH! He’s bitten in half by the giant beast!
(REVIEW: fluffy and lite; no meat, but appeals to middle school reluctant readers. Slightly gross descriptions of carnage. Like Jaws for middle school level, but in no way a classic. Get readers started on these, however, and they're likely to find other Zindel books they also like since many are similar in subject matter.)
June 9, 2022
An Absolutely STUNNING piece of art that gave me a brand new perspective of the story between Loch and the gorgeous creatures of the sea. Paul Zindel's take on this masterpiece was truly life changing. Anyone who hasn't read this book...well...WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR????????!!!!!!! The EPIC battle scenes towards the end of the book reminded me of the civil war and the artillery stands. I convinced all of my nurses at Patton State hospital to read this thrilling novel and they loved it as much as I did, if not more! They now consider Loch by: Paul Zindel their "Fave"! I even encouraged the hunky male specimen down the hallway to read and now we have a date on august 13th, 2029!!! It will be a long wait but it will be worth it because them I'll finally be an adult!!!!
Anywhoooooooo. This is the end of my book review. Like and comment!:):)
Anywhoooooooo. This is the end of my book review. Like and comment!:):)
June 10, 2022
This scrumptious masterpiece had me on edge!!!!!! A classic like this deserves to be read!!! Without reading this now I would have been dead!!! Around chapter 3 I hit my head!! It sent me into terrible dread!!! And now I must go to bed!! So now you always know to read Loch instead!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
June 22, 2009
What would happen if the Loch Ness monster really existed? What would happen if that monster lived in a lake in the United States? What would you do if it had a baby and that baby were being threatened by people who wanted it dead? find the answers to all of these questions by reading Loch; a great adventure about a Loch Ness monster in Lake Champlain and the kids trying to save it.
July 31, 2020
I remember reading this story as a child. A young boy finds a baby loch ness monster (plesiosaurus) and tries to keep it safe. I wanted my own so badly as well. The book is rather gory, as several people are eaten by the monsters, including a cameraman early on. I liked the tone of the book and the descriptions of cryptozoology- a rather fun albeit useless field of study.
December 17, 2009
I'm so facinated by this book. the detail on the landscape and monsters. The land scape is moutiness and rivers run in and out of caves. Water falls are every where falling every where from the rain that collects in little pools. that might have monsters in them.
February 4, 2020
It took me awhile to find this book! Read this as a kid and to this day I am pissed he named the damn lochness monster 'Wee Beastie'. Also the kid is like 13 and goes hang gliding alone, wtf.
July 25, 2017
I was lucky to find this book on Audible. After listening to it, I couldn’t help but feel like I’d just seen a really great movie because that’s what it feels like when you’re listening to it.
It’s an engaging and suspenseful tale of terror, fantasy, adventure and intrigue in Paul Zindel’s 1995 horror/thriller “Loch.” Ironically as you’d expect, the story takes place on the banks of the most famous lake in the world: Loch Ness, Scotland. Here, we are introduced to our young and adventurous hero Loch, whose inquisitive nature leads him to discover one night something terrifying and mysterious lurking in the depths as a herd of sheep becomes prey for a ravenous Plesiosaur. As the years pass, Loch matures into a 15-year-old who is being dragged along for the ride as his Biologist father Sam, sets up shop in Vermont not far from Lake Champlain. Drawn to mysterious creatures long believed extinct known as cryptics, he can’t shake the belief that there’s more to his lakeside home than meets the eye. Fate is about to prove his suspicions right as a series of mysterious and disturbing occurrences on the water sends the small lakeside community into a panic and the scientific community scrambling for answers as an aggressive expedition is launched with Loch’s father and his antagonistic boss at the helm. They quickly get more than they bargain for as a family of Plesiosaurs stirs up trouble with a malevolent alpha male known as a “Rogue” putting lives in mortal danger.
Interestingly enough, Loch is kept at arms-length from the expedition’s activities and its leader’s true intentions. While he continues to explore more of his enchanting surroundings, he happens upon a baby Plesiosaur who has wandered away from its herd and the pair forges a unique relationship. The only other humans that know of the creature’s existence are Loch’s sister Zaidee and his love interest Sarah. Together the trio sets out on an adventure of a lifetime to protect and reunite their beloved creature named “Wee Beastie” with its family, and bring order to a lakeside community that is being torn apart by greed, fear and nefarious agendas with the last of the dinosaurs marine cousins at the center of what will become the most daring and dangerous adventure of all time.
Paul Zindel crafts a young adult tale of adventure and suspense that’s right up there with Michael Crichton’s “Jurassic Park” and Steve Alten’s “The Loch.” Though not as engrossed with the science of what could be lurking beneath the surface of uncharted waters, “Loch” offers the reader an intriguing and exciting journey into the unknown. With subplots eerily similar to memorable blockbuster classics as: “Jaws,” “E.T.,” “Free Willy” and “The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep.” If you’re a fan of Steve Alten’s 2005 horror novel “The Loch” then Paul Zindel’s adaptation of “Loch” makes for a great companion book to read or listen. This should be a movie! Hollywood doesn’t know what it’s missing!
It’s an engaging and suspenseful tale of terror, fantasy, adventure and intrigue in Paul Zindel’s 1995 horror/thriller “Loch.” Ironically as you’d expect, the story takes place on the banks of the most famous lake in the world: Loch Ness, Scotland. Here, we are introduced to our young and adventurous hero Loch, whose inquisitive nature leads him to discover one night something terrifying and mysterious lurking in the depths as a herd of sheep becomes prey for a ravenous Plesiosaur. As the years pass, Loch matures into a 15-year-old who is being dragged along for the ride as his Biologist father Sam, sets up shop in Vermont not far from Lake Champlain. Drawn to mysterious creatures long believed extinct known as cryptics, he can’t shake the belief that there’s more to his lakeside home than meets the eye. Fate is about to prove his suspicions right as a series of mysterious and disturbing occurrences on the water sends the small lakeside community into a panic and the scientific community scrambling for answers as an aggressive expedition is launched with Loch’s father and his antagonistic boss at the helm. They quickly get more than they bargain for as a family of Plesiosaurs stirs up trouble with a malevolent alpha male known as a “Rogue” putting lives in mortal danger.
Interestingly enough, Loch is kept at arms-length from the expedition’s activities and its leader’s true intentions. While he continues to explore more of his enchanting surroundings, he happens upon a baby Plesiosaur who has wandered away from its herd and the pair forges a unique relationship. The only other humans that know of the creature’s existence are Loch’s sister Zaidee and his love interest Sarah. Together the trio sets out on an adventure of a lifetime to protect and reunite their beloved creature named “Wee Beastie” with its family, and bring order to a lakeside community that is being torn apart by greed, fear and nefarious agendas with the last of the dinosaurs marine cousins at the center of what will become the most daring and dangerous adventure of all time.
Paul Zindel crafts a young adult tale of adventure and suspense that’s right up there with Michael Crichton’s “Jurassic Park” and Steve Alten’s “The Loch.” Though not as engrossed with the science of what could be lurking beneath the surface of uncharted waters, “Loch” offers the reader an intriguing and exciting journey into the unknown. With subplots eerily similar to memorable blockbuster classics as: “Jaws,” “E.T.,” “Free Willy” and “The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep.” If you’re a fan of Steve Alten’s 2005 horror novel “The Loch” then Paul Zindel’s adaptation of “Loch” makes for a great companion book to read or listen. This should be a movie! Hollywood doesn’t know what it’s missing!
June 25, 2017
It is a personal rule of mine to finish any book I start, no matter how bad or good it is.
Sadly, I had to break my rule for this book. The dialogue is sooooo bad, it's sickening. It's also highly unrealistic. Don't get me wrong, I know I'm reading a book meant for children, but I don't see how even a child could enjoy this book... Well, an intelligent child that is. The book gave a bit of promise in the beginning but it just got to be too silly to take seriously. We have 8 year old girls driving cars, we have 15 year old boys hang gliding over a forest (oh how very safe that landing could be), and we have a man with a PhD who apparently doesn't realize his boss is the scum of the earth. The dialogue got on my nerves. The writer couldn't think of a better name to give a young Plesiosaur than "Wee beastie" ? What the heck? That just hits the tongue wrong. Not only that, but they literally gave the monsters a dog like attitude, making "Happy clicks" or "Sad songs" depending on its mood. It's an aquatic reptile, not a seal or a dolphin.
I've heard Zindel has some novels other than this one that are good...might give those a try, but as for this one? It's going in the donate pile.
Sadly, I had to break my rule for this book. The dialogue is sooooo bad, it's sickening. It's also highly unrealistic. Don't get me wrong, I know I'm reading a book meant for children, but I don't see how even a child could enjoy this book... Well, an intelligent child that is. The book gave a bit of promise in the beginning but it just got to be too silly to take seriously. We have 8 year old girls driving cars, we have 15 year old boys hang gliding over a forest (oh how very safe that landing could be), and we have a man with a PhD who apparently doesn't realize his boss is the scum of the earth. The dialogue got on my nerves. The writer couldn't think of a better name to give a young Plesiosaur than "Wee beastie" ? What the heck? That just hits the tongue wrong. Not only that, but they literally gave the monsters a dog like attitude, making "Happy clicks" or "Sad songs" depending on its mood. It's an aquatic reptile, not a seal or a dolphin.
I've heard Zindel has some novels other than this one that are good...might give those a try, but as for this one? It's going in the donate pile.
February 1, 2015
Yes, this is by the same Zindel who wrote The Pigman. No, it's not any good. If it were any other author I'd give it two stars, but with Zindel it deserves one.
The son and a daughter of an archeologist discover a family of ravenous plesiosaurs in a lake. The archeologist's boss, a tabloid magnate, wants the beasts captured dead or alive. The children befriend one of the young plesiosaurs. The plesiosaurs eat people.
There's not much drama to the book because the dinosaurs get revealed early. There's not much sense to the kids looking out for a baby one, mostly because they both witnessed mama literally dismembering a man. There's no commentary, and none of Zindel's skill in depicting young adults. It's a rather average YA novel written by someone who has done far, far better.
The son and a daughter of an archeologist discover a family of ravenous plesiosaurs in a lake. The archeologist's boss, a tabloid magnate, wants the beasts captured dead or alive. The children befriend one of the young plesiosaurs. The plesiosaurs eat people.
There's not much drama to the book because the dinosaurs get revealed early. There's not much sense to the kids looking out for a baby one, mostly because they both witnessed mama literally dismembering a man. There's no commentary, and none of Zindel's skill in depicting young adults. It's a rather average YA novel written by someone who has done far, far better.
June 11, 2018
Loch's father is working with a company to explore a local lake where reportings of a water monster have been made. As they search the lake, they find a family of plesiosaurs. Loch, his sister and a friend try to stop them from being killed. Different from the Zindel books I read back in the day but with the same spirit of adventure and growing up I always loved from them. Fun adventure story!
June 25, 2009
I literally hated this book. No drama, no action, i couldbarely understand what was going on and what they were working with. I couldn't prnounce the equiptments names and the story was mind- boggling. Hear my loud and clear when i say: "DON'T DON'T DON'T READ THE AWFUL TERRIBLE BBBBBBBOOOOOOOOOOOOOKKKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!!"
December 25, 2011
My son just read this book. He loved it. He's doesn't really like to read, and he couldn't put it down.It's about Loch Ness monsters in a lake in vermont. He read a few parts to me, sounded very exciting. Now he just ordered The Doom Stone, the next book in the series about a monster at Stone Henge. He's hooked! So nice to see him find something he likes to read.
July 29, 2009
I put this book down and thought, "they must make this into a movie starring leonardo dicaprio." well now, dicaprio is too old so they can use shia labeouf or zac efron. I just loved this book as a young girl. just loved it.
November 10, 2016
It perfectly portrays all that I support: The need to protect endangered species. It is the story of a boy who saves an innocent species who only want to defend themselves against a rich explorer who wants them dead
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 22, 2025
Check out my review on my blog! 🐉
https://overcuptea.blogspot.com/2025/...
https://overcuptea.blogspot.com/2025/...
January 15, 2024
Actual Rating: 4.5 ⭐
Content/Trigger Warning: Talk of cancer, loss of a parent (in the past), verbal abuse, death, blood, gore, gun use, explosions, grief
This was an incredibly fun time! I love a book where I'm rooting for the monster/s or creature/s to succeed, thrive, and destroy everyone. This was even more of a fun time because this was one of my spouse's favorite books to read when he was growing up. So it just has that little extra specialness to it. I probably enjoyed this so much because of my deep love for cryptids and the loch ness monster was the first cryptid I grew up with. That was my family's favorite cryptid and of course growing up with Scooby-Doo, you had Scooby-Doo! and the Loch Ness Monster which was a fantastic fun time. There were also moments when I was reading this book especially near the end that made me think of the movie The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep, which is of course another Loch Ness monster movie, but more wholesome and less murder/explosions.
One of the other things that really hit close was the particular scene where Loch calls his father out on not being very present as a paternal figure. The scene hit very close to home for me and hit me right in my soft spot. And learning about Dr. Sam's backstory a bit to seeing the way he changes by the end of the book was lovely to see. Speaking of the ending, the ending really shined the brightest for me. I cried, I cried so much. It was a very bitter sweet ending, but it was done so well and even though it was sad, I'm glad it ended the way it did.
Overall, this was a great time for me. I love cryptids, I love a good story that makes me root for any kind of creature that's involved. This was just a really fun time. I don't think everyone will love it, but I think if you're a lover of cryptids, horror, and the Goosebumps series then this might be a book you should give a chance to.
All thoughts, feelings, experiences, and opinions are honest and my own.
Instagram|Ko-fi|Throne
Content/Trigger Warning: Talk of cancer, loss of a parent (in the past), verbal abuse, death, blood, gore, gun use, explosions, grief
This was an incredibly fun time! I love a book where I'm rooting for the monster/s or creature/s to succeed, thrive, and destroy everyone. This was even more of a fun time because this was one of my spouse's favorite books to read when he was growing up. So it just has that little extra specialness to it. I probably enjoyed this so much because of my deep love for cryptids and the loch ness monster was the first cryptid I grew up with. That was my family's favorite cryptid and of course growing up with Scooby-Doo, you had Scooby-Doo! and the Loch Ness Monster which was a fantastic fun time. There were also moments when I was reading this book especially near the end that made me think of the movie The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep, which is of course another Loch Ness monster movie, but more wholesome and less murder/explosions.
One of the other things that really hit close was the particular scene where Loch calls his father out on not being very present as a paternal figure. The scene hit very close to home for me and hit me right in my soft spot. And learning about Dr. Sam's backstory a bit to seeing the way he changes by the end of the book was lovely to see. Speaking of the ending, the ending really shined the brightest for me. I cried, I cried so much. It was a very bitter sweet ending, but it was done so well and even though it was sad, I'm glad it ended the way it did.
Overall, this was a great time for me. I love cryptids, I love a good story that makes me root for any kind of creature that's involved. This was just a really fun time. I don't think everyone will love it, but I think if you're a lover of cryptids, horror, and the Goosebumps series then this might be a book you should give a chance to.
All thoughts, feelings, experiences, and opinions are honest and my own.
Instagram|Ko-fi|Throne
December 29, 2025
A young kid named Loch (who got his nickname because of the encounter he had with the infamous water beast the Loch Ness monster when he was five years old), and his sister Zaidee are on a scientific expedition with their father, Doctor Sam to track prehistoric lake monsters. Doctor Sam's boss is the ruthless, greedy mogul Anthony Cavenger, who wants to prove they do exist, and by any means necessary, even if it means killing them to do it. But Loch, Zaidee and even Cavenger's daughter Sarah don't want Cavenger to hurt the creatures, so they try to do whatever they can save the plesiosaurs. A good adventure story, some of the scenes are graphic in nature especially for a young adult book. I thought the father could've had a little more of a backbone and helped his children instead of obeying everything his awful boss told him to do. Kind of a cross between Anaconda, and Lake Placid.
March 4, 2023
I've owned this book for about 25 years. Bought it at a Scholastic Book Fair when I was in elementary school.
I decided to revisit it all of these years later. Still an enjoyable read. Definitively written with a young audience in mind. All of the main characters are young, the scenarios are a bit predictable, and the drama is teen-level, but it was still an enjoyable read.
I was actually surprised by how brutal a couple of the death sequences were and how detailed they were described.
Overall an enjoyable read and one of the books that hooked me on creature features / horror as a kid.
RIP to the late Paul Zindel.
I decided to revisit it all of these years later. Still an enjoyable read. Definitively written with a young audience in mind. All of the main characters are young, the scenarios are a bit predictable, and the drama is teen-level, but it was still an enjoyable read.
I was actually surprised by how brutal a couple of the death sequences were and how detailed they were described.
Overall an enjoyable read and one of the books that hooked me on creature features / horror as a kid.
RIP to the late Paul Zindel.
May 23, 2017
I am cleaning out my bookshelf, reading as I go. This book seemed a little violent for the intended age group. I felt like it read like an action movie with a teenage protagonist. Which is probably good if you are an 11 year old boy? Unfortunately it's a little dated, I think. Still, if I knew any 11 year old boys I might recommend it.
This one is going in the donate pile
This one is going in the donate pile
May 9, 2022
Though this book was entertaining at times, it was poorly written. It didn’t seem thought out or planned at all. The perspective changed over and over again throughout each chapter and was quite inconsistent. The word choice was strange. The author used words like “butthead”, but also used “damn.” I found that strange because it is a children’s book (I think???) and, again, it was inconsistent.
July 19, 2023
Read this as a kid, one of the first books j really liked so I got it again.
It’s a solid YA book for kids that like gore. The “villain” felt a bit one dimensional but what do you expect with a YA book.
Fondly remembered and then enjoyed again at more that 3x the age when I first read it.
It’s a solid YA book for kids that like gore. The “villain” felt a bit one dimensional but what do you expect with a YA book.
Fondly remembered and then enjoyed again at more that 3x the age when I first read it.
July 27, 2024
Paul Zindel was one of my favorite authors. His goal was to write books for kids who struggled or disliked reading. So the storylines are easy to follow, but this one helped me as a kid, and I still find it an imaginative story for young readers.
October 14, 2024
Still a classic. This was the book that got me into horror. While pretty tame as an adult, this isn't your silly Goosebumps children's horror. It's filled with death and gore. With one distinct scene living forever in my memory since I first read it in the 5th grade. A lot of fun.
July 27, 2015
Bookworm Speaks!
Loch
by Paul Zindel
****
The Story: Loch and his sister are with their father on a scientific expedition to track lake monsters. Their father's boss, Anthony Cavenger, a ruthless publishing mogul, is determined to prove that the legends are fact. Until now, it has been a fruitless exercise. But suddenly, on a routine exploration, a hideous water beast explodes out of the water, and a photographer, hoping to get the picture of a lifetime, loses his life instead. The plesiosaurs terrorize the secluded lake community, but Loch encounters a baby plesiosaur and realizes that the monsters only attack when threatened. So he risks his life-and the lives of his family and friends-to save the prehistoric creatures from destruction
The Review: A bit of background first: When Bookworm was in middle school, he became very fascinated with paranormal stuff with particular focus of UFOs and cryptozoology, the Loch Ness Monster was a favorite. He read every book about Nessie he could get his hands on, mostly non-fiction books. During this phase, he happened to come across this book among the shelves. It piqued his interest, but since it was fiction he passed it over in favor of books about the “real” Nessie. Eventually, Bookworm moved on to other things and this book was forgotten. Many years later, he came across it again and decided to finally give it a read.
How does it hold up? Well…he probably should have read it in middle school.
The primary audience for this book is in fact the intermediate level child. In particular, middle school boys. The monstrous cover is certainly what attracted Bookworm to this tome when he saw it. Unfortunately, this inside of the cover seems to cater to that one particular audience niche and the whole thing suffers for it.
The plot structure is exceedingly simplistic and what little growth occurs for the characters goes by so quickly that if one blinks they will miss it! When writing a shorter story it is important to by succinct and not try to shoehorn in plot elements that the reader will find unsatisfying, case in point, Loch’s father has become distant and sold himself out due to his wife’s death. Not only is that cliche but it is handled in such a way that the reader can’t bring himself to care about him. Any passage where he appears, Bookworm just wants it to be over.
The same problem extends to some of the other characters. The painfully stereotypical corporate overlord, Anthony Cavenger is an extremely boring villain. Just another ruthless, greedy, prick who is willing to do anything for money, power, and/or validation. We have enough of those in the real world, no need to make us suffer through it in a book about lake monsters.
Even the main protagonists aren’t that good. Loch is such a generic character that the only thing that is really interesting is how he got his name. His little sister is annoying but has a good heart, and a both a so full of youthful optimism that they are able to see the deeper truth that the adults are just too bitter and cynical to see unless they allow love back into their hearts. This has been done over and over again in these types of books that it’s not even funny.
One character that deserves mentioning though is Cavenger’s daughter Sarah, who is Loch’s girlfriend. She is obviously a spoiled child, if the dialogue from and about her is any indication. Nonetheless, she never really becomes insufferable and its clear she’s making genuine attempts at friendship. That was wise on the part of the author. Wealth does not always equal arrogance.
The author deserves some credit in portraying the plesiosaurs in a somewhat positive light. It would be all too easy to make the monster just that…the monster. The dragon for the heroes to slay. That does not occur here. They are portrayed as animals. Very fearsome animals mind you, but they are trying to retrieve their young and protect their food. Their motivations and clear and honest, if not very destructive. Of course…it begs that question of why the lake monsters weren’t noticed before if they were this active.
Which leads into the most glaring problem Bookworm had with this book: The gore. There is a lot of violence in this book and it is usually in the form of someone being bloodily devoured by the lake monster. Usually, the victim is some douchebag we don’t care about. Bookworm is somewhat insulted by the notion that someone being ripped apart and devoured was supposed to entertain me. Perhaps even the middle school Bookworm would not have liked it. Violence needs to be crafted in a special way in any form of media in order to be entertaining. The violence in this book is not crafted in a special way. The sole purpose of the gore in this book was to hook the prepubescent boy that was being forced to read it. It was unnecessary and way to over the top. Sometimes less is more when it comes to violence and this was too much.
Final Verdict: Perhaps it would have been better if Bookworm had left this book in his middle-school memories.
Two out of Five Stars.
thecultureworm.blogspot.com
Loch
by Paul Zindel
****
The Story: Loch and his sister are with their father on a scientific expedition to track lake monsters. Their father's boss, Anthony Cavenger, a ruthless publishing mogul, is determined to prove that the legends are fact. Until now, it has been a fruitless exercise. But suddenly, on a routine exploration, a hideous water beast explodes out of the water, and a photographer, hoping to get the picture of a lifetime, loses his life instead. The plesiosaurs terrorize the secluded lake community, but Loch encounters a baby plesiosaur and realizes that the monsters only attack when threatened. So he risks his life-and the lives of his family and friends-to save the prehistoric creatures from destruction
The Review: A bit of background first: When Bookworm was in middle school, he became very fascinated with paranormal stuff with particular focus of UFOs and cryptozoology, the Loch Ness Monster was a favorite. He read every book about Nessie he could get his hands on, mostly non-fiction books. During this phase, he happened to come across this book among the shelves. It piqued his interest, but since it was fiction he passed it over in favor of books about the “real” Nessie. Eventually, Bookworm moved on to other things and this book was forgotten. Many years later, he came across it again and decided to finally give it a read.
How does it hold up? Well…he probably should have read it in middle school.
The primary audience for this book is in fact the intermediate level child. In particular, middle school boys. The monstrous cover is certainly what attracted Bookworm to this tome when he saw it. Unfortunately, this inside of the cover seems to cater to that one particular audience niche and the whole thing suffers for it.
The plot structure is exceedingly simplistic and what little growth occurs for the characters goes by so quickly that if one blinks they will miss it! When writing a shorter story it is important to by succinct and not try to shoehorn in plot elements that the reader will find unsatisfying, case in point, Loch’s father has become distant and sold himself out due to his wife’s death. Not only is that cliche but it is handled in such a way that the reader can’t bring himself to care about him. Any passage where he appears, Bookworm just wants it to be over.
The same problem extends to some of the other characters. The painfully stereotypical corporate overlord, Anthony Cavenger is an extremely boring villain. Just another ruthless, greedy, prick who is willing to do anything for money, power, and/or validation. We have enough of those in the real world, no need to make us suffer through it in a book about lake monsters.
Even the main protagonists aren’t that good. Loch is such a generic character that the only thing that is really interesting is how he got his name. His little sister is annoying but has a good heart, and a both a so full of youthful optimism that they are able to see the deeper truth that the adults are just too bitter and cynical to see unless they allow love back into their hearts. This has been done over and over again in these types of books that it’s not even funny.
One character that deserves mentioning though is Cavenger’s daughter Sarah, who is Loch’s girlfriend. She is obviously a spoiled child, if the dialogue from and about her is any indication. Nonetheless, she never really becomes insufferable and its clear she’s making genuine attempts at friendship. That was wise on the part of the author. Wealth does not always equal arrogance.
The author deserves some credit in portraying the plesiosaurs in a somewhat positive light. It would be all too easy to make the monster just that…the monster. The dragon for the heroes to slay. That does not occur here. They are portrayed as animals. Very fearsome animals mind you, but they are trying to retrieve their young and protect their food. Their motivations and clear and honest, if not very destructive. Of course…it begs that question of why the lake monsters weren’t noticed before if they were this active.
Which leads into the most glaring problem Bookworm had with this book: The gore. There is a lot of violence in this book and it is usually in the form of someone being bloodily devoured by the lake monster. Usually, the victim is some douchebag we don’t care about. Bookworm is somewhat insulted by the notion that someone being ripped apart and devoured was supposed to entertain me. Perhaps even the middle school Bookworm would not have liked it. Violence needs to be crafted in a special way in any form of media in order to be entertaining. The violence in this book is not crafted in a special way. The sole purpose of the gore in this book was to hook the prepubescent boy that was being forced to read it. It was unnecessary and way to over the top. Sometimes less is more when it comes to violence and this was too much.
Final Verdict: Perhaps it would have been better if Bookworm had left this book in his middle-school memories.
Two out of Five Stars.
thecultureworm.blogspot.com
September 3, 2018
Good book!! Good story!!
December 30, 2018
One of my favorite books as a kid. It used to scare the crap out of me. Reading it ~20 years later, it holds up well to the test of time.
December 4, 2019
loved this book when I was a kid, it didn't hold up as well as I thought it would but I still enjoyed some aspects of it.
May 6, 2021
Reckon that Paul Zindel should be more widely known. Very similar writing style to RL Stine with a lot more edge. Solid story and entertaining to an adult reader
Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews