Prophecy

by David Seltzer

Twenty years ago..Fact: 100,000 people were wiped out in Minamata, Japan. Cause: A chemical neurotoxin. Effect: Sickness...Madness...Death. Source: Water. Now, in Manatee County, Maine, biological changes are beginning to occur. People are sick. Their minds are confused. Children are born dead...born deformed. And a family of campers has been found dead, mutilated by some indescribably brutal force. The Prophecy has been horribly fulfilled!

Genres: Horror, Fiction, Novels, Horror Thriller, Thriller, Science Fiction, Media Tie In

248 pages, Mass Market Paperback

Published January 12, 1979

About the author

David Seltzer (born 1940) is an American screenwriter, novelist, producer and director, perhaps best known for writing The Omen (1976), and Bird on a Wire (1990). As writer-director, Seltzer's credits include the 1986 teen tragi-comedy Lucas starring Corey Haim, Charlie Sheen and Winona Ryder, the 1988 comedy Punchline starring Sally Field and Tom Hanks, and 1992's Shining Through starring Melanie Griffith and Michael Douglas.

Reviews

[Graham · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good, solid pulp read. Seltzer wrote THE OMEN, so he knows what he's doing, and he creates a fine story of a rampaging monster with a scientific/technical edge that reminded me of Michael Crichton. This is a universe grounded in believable reality, where we learn about the workings of a paper mill and pollution, not the kind of slim and trashy pulp fare of the same era by Guy N. Smith.

Seltzer's characterisation is less remarkable, but sufficient for a novel of this scope. There's something unpleasant lurking in the woods that leads to some thrilling set pieces, including a horrifying encounter with the beast for some unwary campers who've chosen the wrong time to backpack through the wilds.

I found this far superior to Martin Cruz Smith's similar NIGHTWING.

[Josh · Rating 3 out of 5]

A creature feature similar to Snowman by Norman Bogner in its outbursts of gore soaked violence and terrifying otherworldly monstrosities which terrorise any human in their vicinity. Included some Native American verses corporate greed sub plot to flesh out the narrative and add a degree of plausibility to the perilous plot points.

[Simon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probably more relevant today than it was when it was released many moons ago.

[Beauregard Shagnasty · Rating 3 out of 5]

Find out the true evolution of South Park's "Man-bear-pig" right here, folks! Step right up!

[Tiffany · Rating 3 out of 5]

those five stars aren't because it's a great book; it's because I rate my campy horror novels on their level of silliness, and this one is pretty silly. but I still really enjoyed it.

[John Marrone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Im not gonna write a book here, but this was a favorite monster movie of mine from back in the day, and a good environmentally based horror tale topical to todays tribulations under these new lax environmental laws. This is what happens, and it has happened before, to the tune of 100,000 people in Minimata Japan.

This story takes polluters and denial and pits it against doctors and indians, all meshed together into a plot that centers itself around the damage done to the inhabitants around the Pitney Paper Mill, where methyl-mercury is being seeped into the fresh water system, poisoning the food chain, and causing deformities and abominations in births across natures spectrum. From fish, to raccoon, and humans.

And bears. In this case, what the native indians believe to be the legend Khatahdin - protector of the forest - unleashed as a result of the atrocities brought against it and its people. Whatever the true cause of its existence, it is 20-25 feet tall and inside out, with oversized, black, saucer like eyes, and massive razor claw talons, wielded by uncharted, monstrous rage. Anything in this beast's path is helpless and 100% an inevitable victim.

Its a little slow to get going but pretty much just keeps picking up speed until an exciting fight for understanding and survival that ends it all on an adrenalized final 30 pages. Coming in at under 250p its an easy read. Solid 4 stars.

[Aeryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really great read about what can happen if you don’t care for the land. A lesson teaching creature could emerge perhaps? Well written and entertaining.

[Nik · Rating 3 out of 5]

For the simple reason that his previous book The Omen was so good I had to read this.

Certainly not on the same level as The Omen but this is still very good, well worth reading.

I also checked out the movie on YouTube with its fantastic 1970's special effects (Remake due?) which was also pretty good but Id Definately advise reading the book first.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Over the top ecology disaster story thougherly enjoyable

[CozyCryptidReads · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5⭐

[Patrick Kiernan · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are literal parts of this book that are like my environmental and Eco Toxicology notes from college and other areas of toxicology

[Matias Cerizola · Rating 4 out of 5]

Engendro.- David Seltzer

“El movimiento en el follaje fue rápido, seguido por un ensordecedor berrido de cólera.
Isely no se volvió, pues no quería ver. Pero una fracción de segundo después que su cabeza dio contra el suelo, sus ojos registraron la visión de su torso decapitado que era descuartizado y hecho trizas”

“En los dramas ecológicos el término ciencia-ficción pronto será obsoleto. Nuestras imaginaciones tienen límite. Y nuestras realidades están a punto de superarlas”

Los bosques de Maine son un paraíso. Cientos de hectáreas poco exploradas por el hombre, y lo que explora es en miras de romper ese paraíso forestal con la tala de árboles. Pero todo paraíso tiene un infierno. Algo está sucediendo en las profundidades del bosque; los pueblos nativos están asustados, nacimientos de criaturas no naturales de vientres humanos se suceden unos tras otros. El bosque está tomando venganza. Y el terror no discrimina, va a llegar a todos por igual.

Engendro (Prophecy) fue publicado en el año 1979 y es una novelización escrita por David Seltzer (1940-), de la película del mismo nombre, dirigida por John Frankenheimer, con guión también escrito por Seltzer.

Engendro es una novela que sin ser perfecta, mantiene al lector interesado en su lectura y que a partir de la mitad del libro (que es cuando en la historia empieza el derramamiento de sangre, desmembramientos y demás cosas que nos encantan) va como un tobogán hasta el final.

Este es un libro que a pesar de tener sus añitos, lamentablemente no pierde su vigencia dado el trasfondo ecologista y de cuidado ambiental que tiene el desarrollo de su historia. Luego de más de 40 años de publicado el libro, hemos aprendido algunas cosas, pudimos cambiar un poquito, pero falta muchísimo.

🤘🤘🤘🤘

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I saw this movie when it first came out. I loved it! It made quite an impression on teenaged me. I know I saw it more than once. Recently I have been thinking about the books and movies I loved long ago. I remembered Prophecy and decided to search for the book.

I found the used book on Abe Books and purchased it. For a 39 year old paperback copy, it is in pretty good condition. So I eagerly started reading.

This book has a lot of backstory. What I remember most from the movie is the mutant creature. In the book it took quite awhile for things to get going. A lot happens before our heroes finally make it to the forest and things start getting strange.

The mutant is still super awesome, and the book does have a good message about respecting the earth and the dangers of pollution. I wasn't real impressed with the presentation of the indians in this book. And there is a lot of racism presented. I would still love to rewatch the movie and see if it holds up as well as I hope. The book, for me, was nothing special.

[Mark Speed · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book did the rounds when I was at school, hence it earns four stars. The author clearly knows how to deal with a story of this ilk. Personally I didn't find it that horrific or impressive, but I was an early Green and it gave me something to focus on. You have to admire the guy for being able to push the buttons from scene to scene - you know there'll be a romance, etc. Four stars for motivating people to change for the better.

(I now recognise that a lot of what is supposedly Green is hogwash, and a lot of what appears environmentally bad at first sight is actually good. Truth is the first casualty of war. But you need only look at the former Eastern Europe to see how bad the legacy of poor environmental policy is. You need a sensible environmental policy, but don't go all crazy.)

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't think this book was bad, but it didn't hit on the things that I most like horror novel. Seltzer took a real tragic and horrific environmental problem and wrote a monster story around it. The author of the Omen is very good at creating suspense and getting you to keep reading. However there's a very long section where the characters are simply investigating the environmental problems that they are experiencing and tracing the sources and it's quite a slog to get through. I understand the problems with writing a novel with a message and keeping it moving, so I don't envy Seltzer in this regard.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I nabbed this for a reading class in high school, I had no idea what it was about, who wrote it, etc... I read through it and was actually impressed. Even now it would stand up as a horror novel... YES a giant mutated bear killing campers MAY not appeal to today's MORE violent media... BUT in today's eco conscious world, the story holds up. ODDLY enough while telling my mom about the story, she went "I've seen that movie, has Robert Foxworth and Talia Shire in it"... AND wouldn't you know it, it was a film... THAT also starred Armand Assante.

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hokey at times, this is a fun read about a freakish aberration of nature that terrorizes a swath of land in upstate Maine, the result of man-made environmental degradation from a local timber pulp mill. The author is David Seltzer, a Hollywood screenwriter that penned the Omen as well. Published in 1979, its funny to read as it blatantly uses the then burgeoning environmental movement to revamp the "monster movie" theme. Not great, but not too bad.

[Christopher · Rating 4 out of 5]

I came upon a post a couple weeks back that featured five solid horror novels that were turned into crappy/disappointing movies, and Prophecy was one of them! Although this book won't change your life, it's a very well-written story with strong characters and some memorable action/gore set pieces -- and its warnings still resonate today.

[Cierra Wilfong · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just and amazingly breath taking science/horror. It makes you bend your mind trying to put the pieces together.

[J.A. Sullivan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun creature feature with environmental horror.

[Paulo "paper books only" · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to come 7/10

[Mauro · Rating 3 out of 5]

Podemos describirla como una novela ecológica, cuando salió no se si este término estaba tan en boga. Se desata una criatura monstruosa por la ineptitud/ ambición de una empresa papelera.
Engaña al principio, porque comienza como una novela social, donde muestra la pobreza extrema de los barrios humildes de los EEUU y un médico luchando inútilmente contra los molinos de viento.
Pero todo cambia cuando le encargan un trabajo en una zona virgen de la jungla, y se enfrenta a que la mezcla entre el progreso y la naturaleza puede ser doblemente peligrosa.
Va de menos a más y termina en un clímax absoluto. Como corresponde a una buena novela de terror. muy recomendable.

[Aimee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Prophecy focused less on the creature, which is a shame (Man bear pig!!!)

It's a heavily leaning more towards a eco-horror book focusing on the foresting of ancestral rightful land of native Americans in Maine back in, erm I'm guessing, the 1970s? And a tip to Minamata disease, which, thanks to the great American education system, I really had no clue about, so I enjoyed it because It gave me a chance to research what happened in Japan at that time that. But the title... I didn't really get why it's called prophecy? Maybe I missed something? Anyways it was an oldie campy good time.

[Titanio · Rating 3 out of 5]

Subgénero ecoterror. Una sustancia tóxica vertida en el rio causa conducta rara en los indios de una reserva, malformaciones en fetos y los peor de todo…un monstruo gigante!!! Se lee de manera dinámica, tiene ritmo, algún que otro giro ingenioso y un final típico de película de kaiju eiga. Cero literatura, pochoclo para todos. Me intrigaba que más había escrito el autor de La profecía. Con esta novela la intriga se terminó. 6/10

[Callum · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's over long (the monster doesn't really arrive until the climax) and is a little too focused on the ins and outs of ecological conservation than it is Eco-horror. But it's well written and never feels dull.

It's also better than the movie it's based on, as I don't have to look at the world's worst bear costume during the monster attacks.

[Wesley Rodgers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read it. Lived it. Loved it. What more is there to say.

[Gerd · Rating 4 out of 5]

An sich betrachtet war Die Prophezeiung ein solide mittelmäßiger Roman.
Es gibt wenig Gore, wenig Horror, aber die Geschichte ist solide Geführt und wird nie Langweilig. Alles in allem überzeugte mich das Buch mehr als es der Film tat als ich ihn mir denn Endlich einmal ansah.

Ich muss dabei hinzufügen dass als Die Prophzeiung als Film heraus kam, das Plakat, für mich (ca. neun oder zehn Jahre alt), neben Alien das erschreckenste seiner Zeit war. Ich erinnere mich wie ich das Filmcover später ehrfürchtig in der Videothek betrachtet habe und mir mit wohligem Schauer ausgemahlt habe um was darin wohl gehen könnte.
Kurz gesagt, der Film in meinem Kopf wurde letzlich weitaus Furchterregender als es der tatsächliche Film es wohl je sein konnte. :)

Genaugenommen beginnt der Roman eher unglücklich, mit Cartoon artig überzogenem Gore:
Aber als er vorwärtstrabte, hörte er hinter sich einen Laut. Es war ein abrupter, schriller Schrei, von einer Stimme, wie der Bär sie noch nie gehört hatte. Ein Schatten ragte plötzlich hoch auf, und der Bär fuhr herum und quitschte wie eine erschreckte Feldmaus. Er versuchte zu fliehen, wurde aber mit solcher Gewalt hochgerissen, daß sein Leib aus dem Fell gefetzt wurde, der hautlose Rumpf zu Boden prallte. Die Beine pumpten noch, liefen auf der Stelle, sebst nachdem der Kopf säuberlich von den Schultern abgetrennt worden war.
fängt sich danach aber.
Seltzer ist besser wenn er über Menschen schreibt, seine wenigen späteren Monsterangriffszenen wirken weniger durchdacht, nur von losem Detail beherrscht, aber glücklicherweise auch weit weniger Cartoon artig.

Aber Grauen stellt sich einem hier zumeist auch nicht aufgrund der Angriffe des Monsters ein, und soll es auch gar nicht, das wahre Grauen liegt im Handeln der Menschen die dieses Untier verschulden und dem leider nach wie vor brandaktuellen Thema der sorglosen Umweltweltvernichtung. Die von Seltzer gesponnene Geschichte ist weniger Ängstigend als die im Buch geschilderten Tatsachen und dem Roman zugrundeliegenden wahren Ereignisse.

Keine Geschichte für Gorehounds, aber es ist denke ich als Warnung angebracht zu Erwähnen, dass, wie das Covermotiv schon anzeigt, der Roman im Kern um fötale Schäden durch Umweltverschmutzung kreist.

[Grant Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was loitering around my favourite used book store the other day when I decided to pick my next read off the shelf completely at random. I have a 'to be read' list about a mile long so I'm not entirely sure why I thought this was a good idea, but nevertheless that is what I did. 'Prophecy' by David Seltzer is the book that caught my eye. I liked the cover. I liked the fact that it looked well used - well loved. I'd heard of the author before but not of this particular book. Sometimes it's nice to give yourself a little cheeky surprise every now and then to brighten up your otherwise pointless existence.

Anyway, I was pleasantly surprised with how much I actually enjoyed "Prophecy". I can tell that the environment is obviously something Seltzer is very passionate about and that passion seeps through the pages here, and considering this was written in the late 70's it's all still very relevant today. The research he has put into it is also top notch, even delving into a lot of the scientific aspects behind certain environmental disasters. It was a little reminiscent of Michael Crichton but without him bombarding you constantly with an overwhelmingly large amount of nerd shit.

Now 'Prophecy' probably isn't going to scratch the itch for you horror lovers out there - although there are some fairly gory scenes - it's really more suspenseful than horrifying. But I really enjoyed Seltzer's ability to create that suspense throughout the course of the novel. The pacing was incredibly well done and it made the book an absolute pleasure to read.

The characters were mostly OK. They were all relatively well fleshed out considering the novel only spans 247 pages. If I had any complaints at all it would be that some of the dialogue was a bit "wooden" at times. Which I guess is not surprising for a novel written in the late 70's.

Overall 'Prophecy' was a quick but largely enjoyable read!

[Scott Oliver · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not quite what I expected

An eco thriller with a monster or maybe monsters thrown in

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised with this one. I recently rewatched the movie, which prompted me to find the book. I wasn't expecting much, but the author delivered a fun and quick read.

I thought that Seltzer did an excellent job handling the environmental angle of the novel. You could feel his anger with humanity and how we treat each other and the planet. For something written in 1979, the themes are still very relevant today.

Unlike the hilarious practical effects in the movie, I feel like the monster is handled very well here. The film loses a little of its punch due to the laughably bad guy in a mutant bear suit effects. Thankfully the novel doesn't fall victim to the same issues. The monster is menacing and vicious, things go badly for the people caught in its path.

The characterization isn't going to blow anybody away, but the novel does deliver a fast and fun creature feature. Worth a read.