Menace from the Deep

Killer Species #1

by Michael P. Spradlin

A brand-new action-packed series from Michael P. Spradlin. Each book covers a genetically engineered super predator wreaking havoc on the environment.Emmet Doyle is not in the best mood when he arrives in Florida City. His father is a wildlife biologist, and has been summoned to the Everglades, dragging Emmet along with him. Though still in mourning from losing his mom a year ago, Emmet's trying hard to keep a good attitude. Upon their arrival, however, things quickly get weird. Dr. Rosalita Geaux, the Park Superintendent, wastes no time in revealing the reason she called Emmet's father to Florida. A strange creature was recently found dead in the park, and upon seeing it, it becomes clear to everyone that this is not a native species. This is man-made.Deep in the swamp, someone has been experimenting to create a new breed of apex predator. And they're about to set them loose.

Genres: Science Fiction, Adventure, Horror, Animals, Young Adult, Middle Grade, Thriller

Paperback

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

Michael P. Spradlin is the author of more than a dozen books for children.

Reviews

[Froggy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book!! It is really cool! I want to read more.

[Raul G. · Rating 4 out of 5]

My book is called Killer Species 1#.The author is Michael P. Spradlin.In this paragraph i will say things about the book.The book has 225 pages in it and the genre is action/adventure.Also in goodreads it has 4 stars and the author used author craft in one part.That part was when a poor man got up and talk to them and he did not talk not normal well what i mean is that he did not use proper grammar because he lives on the steets but the author doesn’t tell us that. I think he didn't go to school that much or something like that because he doesn't know that much grammar.
In this paragraph i’ll be telling you what I think.I think that this book has many parts that like what's going to happen next like suspense that keeps the book alive like . I got to one part where I didn't stop but I told myself I must stop.On a another note this is the first book in the series as you can see at the top but I think that this is 5 star book. what I found right after the book is has 2 pages of the other book. It tells you something about the book but I don’t want it to give it away.I have a prediction that the monsters are not dead and in the
last book.All of the monsters are going to come back for revenge and I have the crazy prediction that the monsters are going to combine together and be a super monster and it will have all of their ability in one.That remind me I saw a show that a guy goes and looks for river monsters and he finds like animals that I never seen before let me give an example there was like a swordfish that had spikes on it point and it swing to the side to kill and they call it the chainsaw.Thats what I think.

[Vidal Ovando · Rating 3 out of 5]

HAS SOME SPOILERS!!!!! I LOVE THE SERIES.THE ONLY THING I DIDN'T DO WAS READ IT IN ORDER AND I DIDN'T READ BOOK#3 BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE IT.THIS IS THE FIRST HYBRID DR.CATALYST HAS CREATED CALLED A "PTEROGATOR". EMMET DOYLE AND CALVIN GEAUX ARE THE FIRST TO SEE THEM IN ACTION AFTER A BOAT RIDE.DR.CATALYST WANTS THE EVERGLADES TO SHUT DOWN TO LET HIS HYBRIDS LOOSE.THEN,HE KIDNAPPS EMMET'S FATHER TO MAKE CAVIN'S MOM CLOSE THE GLADES,PERMANENTLY.WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO EMMET'S FATHER AND WHAT WILL HE AND CALVIN DO!?

[Sheila Myers · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thrilling sci-fi novel for kids and teens.

[Sherry Guice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really liked this book--science fiction great for struggling readers--lots of action, a cute dog, interesting mad scientist and short chapters. The vocabulary is rather difficult which lends itself to word work. The same characters are in the sequels I think...

[Cole · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this book was amazing and I loved how it was animals in it trying to do something good even thought they were hurting the environment. I cant wait to read the next one.

[Hunter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I actually really like these books by this author because he gets so into describing what they are doing an how. I don't think that this book is as good as the next book that I read but it still was good. I like the part when Dr. Catalysts thinks that his creatures wont be aggressive to humans but when the boys where on the island and he took the radio cord and made it so the boat didn't run and the 2 creatures were walking towards them. Dr. Catalyst made his creatures to get rid of the invasive snake named the Python. I think that someone should create a creature that wont harm humans but will eat the snakes so that the Everglades can go back to normal. The creatures in the book are called Pterogators. It has bird eyes and feet but the rest is like and alligator. Its really ugly. The mouth is like a beak with teeth.

[Logan Guerra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spoiler Alert!

Just imagine a terrible creature lives near you what will you do? The genre of this book is realistic fiction. I will give this book 4 out of 5 stars because of the tension it makes up.

This book takes place in The Everglades, Florida near a long strip of water that connects a river to a larger body of water. In the book a boy named Emmet Doyle moves to Florida his father is a wildlife biologist but, focuses mostly on birds. They moved to Florida for a long Family business trip. A couple days later they found out to examine a weird breed half alligator and half raptor that were made in a laboratory. The conflict of this book is Person V.S Animal. The reason its Person V.S Animal is because the weird breed is life threatening which could kill nearby people. In the book it says, the animal attacked Emmet and Calvin (Calvin is Emmet's friend). The theme of this book is believe in yourself. The theme is never give up because even after all those disasters they always believed in themselves.

The tittle relates to the book because Killer Species represents the breed because it is a dangerous breed. The character's motivation is a really strong part of the book because with out it Emmet would have never be able to save his dad. The author's word choice is another great thing about the book it shows how much Emmet has been through with so much detail which makes the book even more amazing because even after all his pain he always believed in him self and never gave up.

My favorite part was in the end when Emmet's dog was trying to beat the world record for the angriest barking. An interesting thing about this book is that even the most difficult problems have a simple solution. If I were the author i would have added more characters and more backstories.

I will rate this book 4 out of 5 stars because it was a great book but it did not have as much action that I was expecting. I will recommend this book to people who like dangerous creatures. Remember even a toothpick could save your life.

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Plenty of children's and YA novels can still be enjoyed by adults. The current state of the YA market is a perfect example of that. Sadly, this is not one of those books. While I probably would have loved it when I was 10, it certainly feels flat and overly simplistic as an adult.

It's about a young boy who has to move to a new place (the Florida Everglades) because his dad works for Fish and Wildlife Service and there are reports of strange happenings in the area. He has to deal with the woes of being the new kid in a place that is worlds apart from the mountains in Montana where he comes from. ...and then there are the genetically engineered mutant alligators concocted in a mysterious lab by an evil scientist. There's that too.

Despite the fact that the text and spacing are enormous, it took me awhile to get through this. I can acknowledge that it's a children's book intended for middle-grade students, so I don't expect it to offer literary depth, but there isn't much about this book I could really get into. I even disliked the main character, who is your stereotypical simple-minded little twit who thinks science is lame and confusing. Why do authors of these types of books always feel it is necessary to discourage children from intellectual pursuits? Why is ignorance and stupidity such an admirable quality among so many authors?

I'm over-analyzing. At the end of the day, Menace of the Deep is a perfectly okay middle-grade book. I doubt I'll be continuing with the series, though.

[Mari Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a VERY hot book at our latest school book fair ,which we just wrapped up. I bought it to see if it was going to live up to the hype. It did not disappoint. This MG novel reads somewhat like a juvenile version of a Michael Crichton novel, filled with rabid enviromentalists, steady wildlife scientists, genetically engineered monsters and the kids who have to save the world. The writing was tight and descriptive and to top it all off there was a lot of great science info in the book which didn't feel obviously "educational". Lots of action, a great (if fantastical) plot based on fact AND current events (the disruption of the Everglades ecosystem by non-native snakes). I really enoyed this and think kids in grades 3 - 8 will too. This will probably appeal mostly to boys, as the two main characters are middle school boys, but girls might like the action too!

[Ashley W · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid 4 star book.
I really like Emmet and Calvin together. They complement each other well. Where Emmet is impulsive and acts without thinking, Calvin is methodical. Emmet needs Calvin's know how and Calvin needs Emmet to give him that extra push to take a chance.
Beyond a cool science fiction story, there's also a good mystery here. Who is Dr. Catalyst and did he survive at the end?
The science behind this story was great too. I've always been fascinated by prehistoric creatures and their ecology. This is a perfect combination of the two. I still want to know more about these creatures and how they were made.
I think the plot was well paced and moved along at all the right times. The creatures had a good introduction and it was a good example of showing vs telling. I like that even though we didn't find you've who Dr. Catalyst was, he still got his page time through the story.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this in paperback, so here goes.

It's a well-plotted and well formatted book, with large print and some nice illustrations.

What sucked me in was excellent, funny dialog. Not to give away any spoilers, this book is for anyone with an "inner child" who wants to tickle his/her funny-bone, try to guess who-done-it, and come away with a "clean" read. No foul language, nudity, or sex; just an excellent story for all ages. Buy it for your grandchild if you must, but read it yourself first--too much fun to ignore!

[Angel Sandoval · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book because it has a huge alligator. The book is about these two boys and finds a man going to kill his father which is dead or is he. I would recommend this book to Edgar because he likes long books.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

it was a little confusing

[Chris Velazquez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Recently, I decided to do a little deviation from cozy mysteries and try out a different book. I was in the mood for some light-hearted thrills, and I remember having heard about this series. Kids having to face off against a mad scientist and his mutated animals? That premise and the great cover art for the four books made me want to get the first and check it out. So, how did this book fare?

If anything I can say about this book, it's that it really sets everything up. We get to meet main character Emmet, his father Dr. Benton Doyle and pet dog Apollo, as well as Dr. Rosalita Geaux and her son Calvin, and of course, the mysterious scientist that goes on to name himself Dr. Catalyst due to his personal mission and a fondness for that particular word. It was nice to see the third person narration working well with some chapters focused on Emmet's point of view and others on Dr. Catalyst's, the author explored their thought processes well.

We get to know the how and why Dr. Doyle and Emmet moved from Montana to Florida and also why Dr. Catalyst is doing what he's doing and his actions and reactions as complications arise for him, making for a well written villain, and though his identity remains a mystery, the book does a decent job at setting up two suspects as to his true identity and doesn't reveal it by the end, leaving it a mystery for a future book, so that was appreciated. As for the other characters, Benton and Rosalita are well written adults, with the former being a good father yet also a bit meek and awkward, and the latter being a reasonable authority figure and very caring, especially as the book moves along and the situation gets more dire. Then there are the kids, Emmet and Calvin; Emmet is relatable for the most part, as he's still trying to cope with his mother's death and having to move to a new place at his age is difficult, especially without her; and though there were times where he could get a bit annoying because of a bit too much whining, he showed that he can have quite the sharp mind and keen instincts when push comes to shove. And then there's Calvin, who's quite serious, very intelligent and skilled in many things, the story often making it feel like he was the main hero, and his cool, calm, collected demeanor made a nice contrast to Emmet's more impulsive nature.

The action, when it gets to happen, is really pretty exciting, and I enjoyed reading Emmet's and Calvin's actions when faced with Dr. Catalyst's Pterosaurs, who are a hybrid mutant mix of alligator and owl, making for a cool and unique creature to threaten the heroes, and even cooler, after the story ends, we get to see gorgeously drawn pictures of what the creatures actually look like. The book felt to me like the author is a fan of Jonny Quest, what with two pre-teen boys and the main boy's dog going up against a mad scientist and threatening creatures, and even the protagonist's father is called Benton, much like in that cartoon. As a kid, Jonny Quest was one of my abolute favorite cartoons when I first discovered it on Cartoon Network, and I am still fond of it to this day, so this book was right up my alley.

As for negatives, there are a few. Like I said, the book is mostly to set up the series, and it feels like there's too much set-up and not enough action, so even though it's a fairly short book, it can drag at times. In terms of dialogue, there are times where characters go on these really long instances of speaking with many sentences one after another and it feels long-winded, plus Emmet and Calvin are 12 years old, but a bunch of times they speak in a way that sounds more like their scientist parents, a bit too eloquent and formal for their age. Finally, there's Emmet's dog, Apollo, who honestly feels rather superfluous to the story and doesn't really do much beyond barking a lot at the pterosaurs and be comforting when someone feels bad.

Overall, this was a fun read. It had very little in terms of action and thrills, but it had enough good things to enjoy and set up for what sounds like a fun series, especially since it's only four books. It's the kind of light-hearted fun that I enjoy even as an adult and would have enjoyed as a kid, same way I enjoyed cartoons back then and still do now, because I sure won't allow my inner kid to disappear. I'll definitely be getting the next book of this series.

[Robert Kent · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, Esteemed Reader, I've got a proper treat for you today. Killer Species is exactly the sort of series I would've wanted to read as a boy and adult me has had my eye on it for a while. If a cover wants to grab my attention, it needs to have a monster on it (or a zombie or a superhero). Menace from the Deep has a giant alligator on its front. It had me at "hello."

Still, young me would've been skeptical. Is this book really populated by giant alligators, or is the cover a teaser image? If Spradlin had opened with 50 pages of exposition establishing his protagonist and all that good stuff, then introduced the monster, I wouldn't know about it because I would've already put the book down in favor of Super Mario. Fortunately, he opens his monster book in the finest way a monster book can open; with violence (naturally):

The python moved its head back and forth, slithering down the tree trunk. But it was too late. The Pterogators leapt from their perches in the nearby trees. As they jumped they spread all four legs and a flap of skin opened, connected to their bodies, just above their knee joints. It allowed them to glide from branch to branch, much like their reptilian ancestors, the archosaurs, navigated the canopy of the Cretaceous forest millions of years ago.
They fell upon the snake, their rakish claws carving into the python. The snake turned and struck the closest beast, trying desperately to sink its fangs into the hard, scaly skin. It had no effect. The python struck again and again but could not find purchase on the creatures about to destroy it.
The first bites from the genetically superior creatures were devastating. They bit down with a force equivalent to a one-thousand-pound sledgehammer crushing a watermelon, killing the snake instantly. Though it was already dead, the nerves and muscles throughout its body continued to twitch. The gators continued their work, and in less than two minutes the snake was a mass of twisted scales and flesh.

No people are harmed, of course, as this is a book targeted at children. But I can't promise no one gets hurt later as that would be a spoiler. And besides, alligator monsters so giant and so awesome don't need to hurt people right off to be interesting. Watching them tear apart a python will sate young boy's appetite for blood for a time--though eventually the pterogators will have to attack some people--and they do, they do:)

And if we're going to be worried about these pterogators attacking people, we're going to need to care about those people. Once Spradlin introduces the stars of the book, he introduces our protagonist in as succinct a fashion as I've ever seen:

“Sorry,” Emmet’s dad said. “Probably should have gotten the shocks replaced before we left Montana.”
“Probably,” Emmet muttered, looking out the window. He was twelve and moving for the fourth time in six years. His dad was most recently posted to Montana for just over a year, not long after Emmet’s mom died. Emmet liked Montana.

What I like about this paragraph is the way it downplays the most important piece of information. Emmet moving around a lot is important and I'm sure it will play a factor as the series goes on. His age is good to know. But by casually tossing the death of Emmet's mother amongst a discussion of Emmet's love of Montana, Spradlin is mirroring Emmet's desire to push that event to the side of his mind. Emmet doesn't want to deal with her death. Nor does the story. It wants to be a tale of monsters, and it is, but you can bet Mom's death will come up again before the book is done.

This is a master stroke. Of course the reader empathizes with a boy who's lost his mother. More, Emmet and his father have their own issues before the monster shows up. They're not monster bait waiting for the terrible thing to come knocking on their door. They're fully formed characters with their own concerns. Two men dealing with the passing of Emmet's mom and rebuilding their family would be an interesting book all on it's own. That way when the monsters do come, bashing down doors with their great tails, we care that they're not chasing monster bait, they're chasing Emmet!

But these aren't just alligators. Oh no, my friend. These are genetically altered monsters:

It’s fascinating, really. Someone with a tremendous knowledge of molecular and cellular biology has created a hybrid species. In this case, they’ve recombined the DNA of an alligator and a bird of prey. The result is a creature similar to some types of archosaurs that existed millions of years ago,” Dr. Doyle said.

Emmet hooks up with Calvin, a Florida native who's not the least bit concerned with alligators, or even pterogators, and Calvin's mom (her husband is also conveniently dead) makes eyes at Emmet's Dad. There's a mad scientist (naturally), and the book is soon overrun with monster attacks. I loved it. I had a great time, I feel like I got my money's worth, and I'll be reading Killer Species #2.

No review would be complete without mentioning Emmet's dog, Apollo. I was worried he might get chomped from his introduction (and he might--I'm not saying either way). Authors who include cute dogs in their stories are absolutely pandering to readers, and it totally works:) I've viewed Air Bud and looking forward to Super Buds. I know I'm silly, but I'm reading Killer Species to be entertained. There's no monster story a cute doggie can't make better:

When he opened the door, Apollo catapulted out of the truck. He climbed out slowly, his muscles stiff and achy. The little mutt went right to a bush by the front door, sniffed at it, declared it suitable, and then did what dogs do. The two of them stretched and tried to stifle yawns.

There's plenty of science in Menace From the Deep, but it's mostly outlandish. To compensate, Spradlin pays extra attention to the details of real science--which is very Michael Crichton of him. In alternating chapters, we're treated to the villain's perspective, though he remains anonymous for a time. These chapters reminded me a bit of the Voldemort chapters in Harry Potter and they build suspense nicely because we know how formidable Emmet's enemy is before he does. Also, we get to learn just how much work goes into being a super villain:

FROM A COMPOUND HIDDEN NEAR THE NORTHERN EDGE of the Everglades, a man sat at a bank of computer screens and monitors. The building was prefabricated and set deep into the swampy soil. Construction crews he flew in illegally from South America brought the structure here in pieces. Once it was assembled he sent them back home. And from his secret hideaway, his work began in earnest. It was from here he set out to stop the destruction of the Everglades.
No one would ever find this place. The building was dark concrete and the outside walls and roof were covered with native vegetation. The roof was too thick for heat to escape, and the power came from a place no one would ever suspect, more than a mile away. He used specially designed waterproof cables to carry the electricity beneath the swamp to his compound. Even if someone were to uncover the deeply buried cables, it would still be a Herculean task to trace them this far. At night, two wind turbines emerged from specially built shafts at the rear of the building and wind energy generated power to backup batteries that could keep the compound running for nearly three days, should the generators go down. Long enough for him to fix the problem or evacuate to a backup location much like this one but in a place just as hard to find.

And that's going to do it. Buy yourself a copy of Menace From the Deep and be prepared to buy the entire Killer Species series. They're good time books of the sort I wish we had more. I hope Spradlin keeps his monsters coming.

As always, I'll leave you with some of my favorite passages from Killer Species #1: Menace From the Deep:

Calvin just shrugged again, and Emmet thought he was pretty low-key for someone who spent his whole life surrounded by alligators.

He thought maybe Dr. Geaux was crushing on his dad a little bit. The thought made him queasy, so he tried hard to think of something else. Alligators! Alligators chasing me! It only worked a little bit.

Emmet sat in the boat. Apollo was poised, trembling, on the edge of his seat, his nose working the air. He was desperate to jump out and follow Calvin, and give the island a good smelling-over.

“And you’re sure it was taken? It didn’t just come loose?” Dr. Geaux asked.
Calvin looked at his mother and blinked a few times before answering. Emmet wondered if this was the Calvin equivalent of a tantrum.
“Yes, Mom. Somebody took it. It would need to ‘come loose’ on both ends. And besides, whoever did it also took the radio mic to make sure we couldn’t call for help.” Calvin looked down at the floor then, as if to say that this part of the conversation was over.

[Andy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading about biology of animals is interesting but a realistic fictional book about a dangerous species in Killer Species: Menace from the Deep is even better. These killer species are no ordinary animals. They are unordinary because their engineered, devastating, and troubling animals like no other. This species make their home in the Everglades and destroy the ecosystem. Definitely this book catches my interest more than an informative biology book.
Emmet Doyle is a boy who lives in Montana with his scientist father who deals with wildlife biology. His father gets invited to Florida to assist a scientist that goes by the name of Dr. Rosalita Geaux with her son named Calvin. Emmet is reluctant to go but then decides to travel to Florida with his father. When he arrives, his world is changed by what he discovers. Under my own impressions, Emmet seems to have the potential to be bold and distinguished. My impression was confirmed when Emmet saves his father whom was taken hostage from a madman who is the antagonist whom which engineered the killer species – reptilian organisms that roamed loose within the circumstances of Spradlin’s novel. Emmet is not alone; he befriends Calvin. A character like Emmet who attempts to save his father in such a manner stops the devastation in the Everglades. Again, in my own opinion, Emmet is an embodiment of both bravery and heroism.
I think the idea of this book and its sequels are very unique because I like books that tell the biology of animals. Menace from the Deep’ engineered creatures are like no other story in which I’ve read; Spradlin’s book is just amazing for me. The author that wrote this book is Michael P. Spradlin; Michael P. Spradlin constructed very well done characters, plot, and story elements. However, I think there could have been more of a surplus of vocabulary to make this book more interesting. One thing I liked is how the author made the very heroic character, Emmet. Emmet resolves both difficult issues and environment surroundings that he survives through in Menace from the Deep. Although it can be hard for Emmet to keep a good attitude about things, he initially did not like going to Florida, which, in my own opinion, is something I personally dislike about Emmet; Emmet’s pessimistic attitude about Florida clashes with my own positive idea about Florida. Overall, Spradlin did a well-done job articulating the character Emmet’s significance to me in Menace from the Deep
I also had to mention how the Everglades National Park is a really beautiful setting for a book like this. It fits in with the killer species how they adapt to this environment. It does well because it is an aquatic scaly green reptile with webbed feet which fits a swampy environment. In addition the main characters Emmet and Calvin have to find methods to get through obstacles and troubles in the Everglades using the environment. The author really tied all the elements in this book well which is why it’s fitting to me. After I read this book I had the idea to really go to the Everglades one day and venture it myself. Observing the Everglades like how both Emmet and Calvin did when they adventured amongst the creatures in this novel entices me with curiosity about how the actual reality of the Florida Everglades might be.
Menace from the Deep was very menacing itself with what it contained. Characters were very diverse from each other in their own ways. Spradlin’s content in this book such as plot, characters, and other story elements were great. Setting was enjoyable with how the story moved around it and how characters interacted with it. I would definitely recommend this book if you’re into realistic fiction about an animal better than reading the biology of an animal!

[Nick · Rating 3 out of 5]

In Michael P. Spradlin's book Menace from the Deep opens up a new idea about what the Florida EverGlades could be like deep into the swamp. This book has wild adventures and scary animals as the characters explore the oddly acting swamp.
In this book there is a boy named Emmet Doyle and his dad goes by Dr. Doyle because he is a scientist with a particular specialty with birds and fish. They have moved around the country a lot because of the type of job Emmett's dad has, Dr.Doyle has been stationed by the government in the South Florida EverGlades because of the weird way the animals are acting. When they get to Florida Dr. Rosalita Geaux shows them their new house. Dr. Geaux has a son named Clavin who is introduced to Emmet at the same time. Clavin and Emmet talk in the backyard while the adults tour the house. One thing Emmet didn’t like was how Clavin warned him about the risk of alligators in the backyard with his dog. A few days later Calvin takes Emmet into the Everglades on a fan boat and what they get ambushed by is the unthinkable. Throughout the rest of this book both of the characters try to find out who or what created this creature they found.
Personally I did not enjoy this book that much because it felt like the beginning dragged on too much towards the middle of the book and you basically already knew what was going to happen because of this. An example of this is on page 60 it introduces a certain character (the main antagonist) in the book but it doesn’t tell you this information until pages 100 to 130. I like action and adventure books but I feel like this book didn’t give enough of it for its title to be so promising. The middle of the book is probably the best part of it because the beginning is a very slow building up to the middle and it dies off at the end with an expected and boring ending.
Micheal Spradlin’s ability to show character development in emotions is done very well with the main character Emmet. In the beginning Emmet has mixed emotions for Florida and gets freaked out when he hears that alligators could show up in your backyard. Throughout the story he adapts to the Florida swamp and isn’t as jumpy about the different creatures he sees in the Florida EverGlades.
This book would be best recommended for fourth and fifth graders. It isn’t that difficult and if you like action and adventure fiction then this would be a good easy book for you to read. There are many surprises in this book that change the plot majorly and that makes this a great book to read.

[Brady Georgia]

Brady Georgia
Mrs. Price
English level 2 period 3
2/10/22
In the story “Killer Species” by Micheal P. Spralin, we read about a man who created his own species of Alligators to save the Everglades and two boys who are thrown into the middle of this. The main character of the fictional story is Emmet Doyle who moves to Florida city Florida for his dad’s job. Emmet and his new friend Calvin try to stop Dr.Catalyst from persevering the Everglades with his dangerous new species and struggle along the way.
To start the book off the reader starts with the perspective of Dr.Catalyst who is testing his new species for the first time. We learn the species was created to kill big snakes that have taken over the Everglades to restore balance. The book suddenly cuts to a few months later where the reader meets the main character Calvin and his father Dr.Doyle. They are currently driving to Florida from Montanna for his fathers new job. The reader learns a little bit of background about the two as they arrive in Florida. When they arrive in Florida they meet Dr.Geaux who is in charge of the Everglades and her son Calvin. The two doctors discuss why Dr.Doyle has been stationed in the Everglades while the two boys go out into the Everglades. This is when the creatures are discovered.
“The Killer Species'' is action packed and has an interesting topic. I do think the book can be rather slow at times though. I feel as though the author spent too much time talking about Emmet at school in the beginning and middle where they could have done more than the creatures or even explained Dr.Catalyst a little more. Instead they talk about Emmet and his new friends. I personally believe that Micheal Spradlin should have spent more time writing about the conflict in the story and introducing more important characters, instead of giving the reader pointless and semi-useless characters that don’t do much for the story. The reader does not learn much about the antagonist at all. The reader doesn’t even learn his real name, instead the reader gets theories of who the mysterious villain is. What stood out to me about the author's writing style is the consistent change of perspective. I do like how he switched from the protagonist to the antagonist almost every other chapter. I did enjoy this book, I just believe certain things should not have been included and that it should have been sped up a tiny bit.
This story would be enjoyed by young teens and children alike. I believe that anyone who enjoys fiction would be able to enjoy parts of this book like I did.

[Joshua Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the story Menace From the Deep by Michael P. Spralding. The main character Emmet Doyle lives in Montana with his dad. His dad is a scientist and they have to visit another scientist in Florida to discuss the Everglades. When they get there Emmet meets nee friends named Duke, Riley, and Calvin. A couple days later Emmet hears his dog barking unusually so he walks outside and sees a massive alligator in his backyard. The dog sprints in the house and Emmet calls people to come and get rid of the alligator. Dr Doyle, Emmet’s dad, came to Florida to research about the invasive spices that are pythons and boa constrictors. A couple days later he realizes the number of pythons and boas are dropping. He and Emmet visit the Everglades to see what is happening then see a creature that looks as if it is a hybrid between a bird like creature and an alligator. The creatures are called ptrerogators. They noticed that the creatures were being controlled by a man. That man is Dr. Catalyst. He created the creatures and is angry that Emmet and Dr. Doyle got in his way so he programmed to attack anyone they saw. But it backfired and they attacked Dr. Catalyst and he was never heard from again.

I really liked this book because there was a lot of action in it. The only thing I would change is that how big they made the pterogators seem on the cover but in the actual book they are smaller than actual alligators. Otherwise this book was very good.

I would recommend this book this book to 6th to 8th graders because there has a lot of action in it. Also because the main character is a seventh grader and he is telling about his adventures in The Everglades.

[Christy Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my blind date with a book this month. And it's hilarious because I didn't realize that this was a book series and I ended up buying book two back in March.

Emmett and his dad moved to Florida because he's a specialist in raptors. The Everglades is having a problem where the alligators and other animals are moving out of the swamp area and they don't understand why. After this corpse of this creature is found Emmet's Dad gets called in and they have to move there. And from there it gets even creepier this new species of alligator has been created it's part bird part alligator descendant from dinosaurs that this mad scientist created to fix the Everglades problem of too many pythons and boa constrictors.

After Emmett's dad gets kidnapped him and Calvin another doctor's son set out to find him. They succeed yet we still don't find out who the actual mad scientist really is because he's wearing a ski mask when he ends up confronting the boys. The mad scientist calls himself Dr. Catalyst.

I had two theories but it didn't reveal who this guy actually was. So I'm intrigued to read book two which I do own and when I bought it I knew the cover had kind of looked familiar. Didn't realize why until I interrupt this blind date with a book. I hope to get to read book too soon because I want to know who the guy actually is. My theories were it was actually Calvin's dad whose body was never found. Or Emmet's it's science teacher.

Read for Spring Fling-o-ween and blind date with a book. I now have the urge to watch a couple or more of the Lake Placid movies.

[Brandon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emmett Doyle just moved to Florida because his dad was called there to research the wildlife there. This was not the real reason he was called to the everglades though. Recently an animal that looks like an alligator was found dead and it was not a natural animal. They discovered that it was man made and someone has made more than just one. Dr.Catalyst is the man that has made the species and he plans to shut down the Everglades so he can set the rest of them loose. When Emmett's dad gets close to discovering what Dr.Catalyst is doing Dr.Catalyst takes him hostage. Now Emmet and his friend Calvin need to find Emmett's dad and stop Dr.Catalyst from setting his hybrid species loose in the everglades and destroying the wildlife. I thought that this book was a great book. It had a lot of suspense that made me want to read more and there was never a dull moment.There are more books in the Killer Species series and I can’t wait to start reading them.

[Daisy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grades: 3rd and up
summary: Emmett Doyle and his father have to relocate to Florida City after his father a wildlife biologist is called urgently by Dr. Geaux. Dr Geaux who doesn't have time for chit chat or banter and reveals the true and very urgent reason the Dr. Doyle was called, a new genetically engineered reptile called the "ptergators," is soon to be released but why? and who created it?

Review: The book is great for an adventure seeker or reluctant readers. The book is chuck full of suspense with the fear of what's lurking under water, behind you, and anywhere else you can think of. It can even inspire new students to become science fanatics.

Uses: for reluctant readers, vocabulary, book study, parts of a book (theme, setting, characters)

[Ayezu Tamarapreye Okoko · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fictional prose on Emmet Doyle and his dad visit to researcher Dr Rosalita Geaux(Row sa Lee ta as pronounced) and his son Cal in in the Everglades where there is a canal of congregation of Gators(Geh-tours) and geh-to movements threats and receptive Gator (Geh-tours with Geh for go iñ German and Tor for take as a gift in engenni language of Nigeria.The story also shows crocodile species of Gators and python(pie-t-on symbolic of the pie formulae that shows a coming together of two of Roma numeral one pronounced won) in Florida which can live in both fresh water(fee-re-sh with re for your in yoruba language in Nigeria and pronounced yore) and salt(sa/sore-all-t with sa for great in ikwerre language) water unlike fresh water Gator creatures that were threatful to life.

[Joseph Remscheid · Rating 4 out of 5]

This a fantastic tail with elements of science, misery and adventure. The main antagonist of the book and main driver force is a massive genetically engineered predator in the everglade national park. And throughout the story there is a strong message to believe in yourself. I like to see that over the course of the book there is change in the characters and there feelings towards each other. The first half is a little boring but the end is very interesting and it really grabbed my attention. With the mystery of the scientist. Over all a very entertaining book 4/5.

[Paynen · Rating 1 out of 5]

The book is kinda boring I don't really recommend it because it's about this little kid with his grandpa on a boat in the swamp and an Aligator came up and bit off the little boys leg so now he does not EVER want to go to the swamp again cause he does not want his other leg bit off so he can not walk and I agree if you got your leg bit off in the swamp I would never want to go there EVER again cause I would not want to get my other leg bit off if it happened cause I would never get to walk again oI can only walk on the limbs I have on my legs and I would be way shorter than I am right now.

[Paul Lê · Rating 4 out of 5]

While a bit long for a junior novel, it was also well written for the kind of story it is and for the audience it targeted. This is a straightforward monster and "bad science" novel, albeit with no human casualties. Just plenty of dead snakes and one nasty "pterogator" bite on the arm. Nevertheless, it's a solid read that doesn't water down the science stuff too much, and the characters aren't particularly complex, but they're also not paper-thin. Overall a fast-paced and exciting YA adventure with a heavy "creature features" energy to it. A real pleasant surprise.

[Oliver · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emmet Doyle moved to Florida from Montana after his mom's death because of his fathers work when a strange alligator is there to greet them. Killer Species book one was an incredible read,there were so many cliff hangers your will have fallen off your seat by the end of the book. The middle school age children will be very easy to relate to. This thriller sci-fi book is a good read for any young book worm. I would suggest this book to anyone who love to read science fiction.

[CluckingBell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Aimed at grades 5-7, this is pretty tame fare compared to what I was reading in middle school, and the cover and title misrepresent the story a bit. But it's a pleasant enough read, especially because the kids are pretty smart and responsible (until the plot requires otherwise, of course, but even then they handle themselves well in a crisis), and the adults treat the kids like actual people, which I like.

[ashleigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Creature feature

This book was very entertaining, and hard to put down. Loved how the story progressed and ended in a “creature feature” kind of way. I think the only thing I would have to say bad about it is the author does repeat some details that I think are unnecessary. It didn’t turn me off from the story but if I’m reading it in one night I don’t need to be reminded of where the characters are at.