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Specimen
Science often creates miracles. Every so often, it also leads to unspeakable horror.
Hired by the U. S. government, a team of mercenaries led by Sergeant Major Whitmore infiltrate an island in the South China Sea. Their eliminate the hostile terrorist force known as the Red Lightning and retrieve all data from the laboratory on site.
Their straightforward mission quickly turns complicated as the enemy force is found already decimated by some unknown force. As the team investigates, they quickly learn the truth of the experiments taking place here, and the extent of the danger they are now in.
Something is on this island. A creature so evil, even nature deemed it unfit to exist, until science brought it back.
A specimen.
Armed with razor-sharp claws and a scorpion-like tail, it devotes itself to the slaughter of every living thing in its path. As cunning as it is aggressive, it seeks to escape this island and inflict its wrath on the rest of the world.
Only Whitmore and his men stand between it and the rest of humanity.
Hired by the U. S. government, a team of mercenaries led by Sergeant Major Whitmore infiltrate an island in the South China Sea. Their eliminate the hostile terrorist force known as the Red Lightning and retrieve all data from the laboratory on site.
Their straightforward mission quickly turns complicated as the enemy force is found already decimated by some unknown force. As the team investigates, they quickly learn the truth of the experiments taking place here, and the extent of the danger they are now in.
Something is on this island. A creature so evil, even nature deemed it unfit to exist, until science brought it back.
A specimen.
Armed with razor-sharp claws and a scorpion-like tail, it devotes itself to the slaughter of every living thing in its path. As cunning as it is aggressive, it seeks to escape this island and inflict its wrath on the rest of the world.
Only Whitmore and his men stand between it and the rest of humanity.
156 pages, Paperback
Published August 9, 2023
About the author
Michael R. Cole
40 books129 followersMichael R. Cole is an author of creature horror and science fiction. He was born in Toledo, Ohio and grew up in lower Michigan. He has a profound love for monster movies and book as well as the action genre. In addition to writing, his hobbies include martial arts and fishing.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
November 22, 2025
Anyone up for the nostalgia of being a kid and turning on Sci-Fi channel, sitting down with your doritos and a bologna sandwich... about to indulge in a creature feature that your parents warned you would keep you up at night? But you watched anyway and still slept like a baby...
Here you go. :)
Here you go. :)
September 7, 2023
This books is no masterpiece and a fairly off the shelf horror story but it is a fairly okay one.
It is the usual story of science experiment gone awry releasing a alpha predator. As the blurb says our protagonist is tasked with infiltrating an island where, in their usual irresponsible fashion, the Chinese communists are performing biological warfare experiments. Sounds familiar?
Of course our main protagonist don’t know what’s lurking on the island and just for good measure a squad of commie special forces operatives comes to the island at the same time. As I wrote, pretty standard story bordering on boring.
So, to make a short story shorter, after a lot of surprises, deaths and gore the usual horror story show down between the main protagonist and the evil monster takes place. Who won? Well, read the book for that.
However, over all, I liked the action, the monster was pretty cool, the book did build up properly instead of just revealing everything in the first chapters and the go all gore for the rest. I do not read horror books that often but this was a decent interlude between my usual reading.
One thing irks me with the book blurb though. “A creature so evil, even nature deemed it unfit to exist…“. No way. This thing is (was) intelligent. If such a thing had evolved before modern man then it would be ruling the planet now. Nature doesn’t “deem” anything. Evolution is the survival of the fittest and this thing would have been fitter than anything else. But then I have a bit of a compulsion to nit-pick.
It is the usual story of science experiment gone awry releasing a alpha predator. As the blurb says our protagonist is tasked with infiltrating an island where, in their usual irresponsible fashion, the Chinese communists are performing biological warfare experiments. Sounds familiar?
Of course our main protagonist don’t know what’s lurking on the island and just for good measure a squad of commie special forces operatives comes to the island at the same time. As I wrote, pretty standard story bordering on boring.
So, to make a short story shorter, after a lot of surprises, deaths and gore the usual horror story show down between the main protagonist and the evil monster takes place. Who won? Well, read the book for that.
However, over all, I liked the action, the monster was pretty cool, the book did build up properly instead of just revealing everything in the first chapters and the go all gore for the rest. I do not read horror books that often but this was a decent interlude between my usual reading.
One thing irks me with the book blurb though. “A creature so evil, even nature deemed it unfit to exist…“. No way. This thing is (was) intelligent. If such a thing had evolved before modern man then it would be ruling the planet now. Nature doesn’t “deem” anything. Evolution is the survival of the fittest and this thing would have been fitter than anything else. But then I have a bit of a compulsion to nit-pick.
July 30, 2023
Loads of fun
Wow. This one just took off and kept going, and going, and going. Like the Energizer Bunny of action and gore. Cole creates and delivers another great monster tale. Not many bad guys, just one nasty beastie. Lots of other gory creatures. Don't forget the worms! Would say the book had good characters, but alas, not many survive. This is one of Cole's best. Fun and quick read. Thank you. Can't wait for the next one. This one is highly recommended.
Wow. This one just took off and kept going, and going, and going. Like the Energizer Bunny of action and gore. Cole creates and delivers another great monster tale. Not many bad guys, just one nasty beastie. Lots of other gory creatures. Don't forget the worms! Would say the book had good characters, but alas, not many survive. This is one of Cole's best. Fun and quick read. Thank you. Can't wait for the next one. This one is highly recommended.
February 27, 2024
EWWWW!
The other day I accidentally mowed over the rotting, fly-blown corpse of a possum that had died in our back yard a few days earlier. The mower spread guts and maggots all over the place. I thought that was pretty disgusting, until I read this book.
Very graphic. Very gory. Very average writing. It was a fun read though.
I need a beer.
The other day I accidentally mowed over the rotting, fly-blown corpse of a possum that had died in our back yard a few days earlier. The mower spread guts and maggots all over the place. I thought that was pretty disgusting, until I read this book.
Very graphic. Very gory. Very average writing. It was a fun read though.
I need a beer.
April 9, 2026
This is a very solid Creature Feature novel that uses the best strengths of the genre and a well-written protagonist to entertain you from the first page to the last.
SPECIMEN covers the nightmarish expedition of six American striker mercenaries across South Fire Island. The plot reminded me a lot of the original PREDATOR, with a similarly sized team of mercenaries and plot beats, like the first firefight not even being between them and the monster. However, where I found that this and Predator differed was that Specimen is a story of freedom. Both the monster and our protagonist both yearn for a freedom that feels fantastical to them and it becomes an arms race to see which one of these battle-toughened characters will make it off the island alive. Specimen is very aware of the themes within it's story and let's you know that from the first chapter. With it's short length it doesn't try to be clever about hiding it's theme, but its not in your face every page either and it allows you to still take in this muk and fern filled bloodbath. The setting of South Fire island allows for easy and effective isolation that keeps the feeling of escaping the nightmare prevalent in your mind as well as within all the characters motives. It's nothing special, don't go in expecting every character to have the same depth as the protagonist, or redefining descriptions. But what you get is definitely a full meal...
As previously mentioned, the protagonist is as solid as the rest of the novel. However, the side characters can be a little shallow. The main character only goes by the name of Whitmore and he acts as the Sargeant for the pack of mercenaries. There are five other members, as well as a few smaller enemy characters that seek to capture the bug as a Bio-Weapon. However, I think these characters aren't the strongest and mainly act as extra pairs of hands for the Main Protagonist. Being a novel I find character voices to be a huge factor in being what helps seperate all the cast from one another, unfortunately Specimen doesn't have the strongest character voices. Aside from one, they all sound like the same tough mercenary. Which works realistically but as a novel, I found myself getting the names mixed up. Now, they do perform their roles well as each character performs in a different specialty, but in the end each of them fall before the super-insectoid, thankfully all in different gruesome fashion to make their deaths memorable. Which leaves only Whitmore and the specimen on the island to battle to the death...
This leads me into my next and final main critique, the heart of the novel's name, The Specimen.
The creature of the novel is never assigned a species name or a character name, aside from The Specimen, The Mother, or The Bug. In its wake there also Drones, zombie-like hosts that are controlled by The Larva which, like Whitmore's mercenaries, are only around to act as extra pairs of pincers for The Specimen. However, this makes for a lot of entertaining combat scenes and putting Drones and Larva in different biomes on the island elevate that further. But The Bug herself is also very present in the novel and has a very terrifying presence, as it can be out-muscled or out-gunned. One thing I was mixed on was the design and origin, as they clashed with each other to me. We learn it was a superpredator from the Mesozoic, however the limbs and weapons on The Bug feel alien-like, very reminiscent of Terminids, Tyranids, or Zerg. Although, since the origin of The Mother wasn't a huge part of the story, I didn't feel like the design took me out of the story. Lastly, we can see how The Specimen and Whitmore's fighting strategy adapts over time as they learn about each other more, and reading the bug grow more ferocious as Whitmore uses the toxic environment around them was fun.
This all comes together to make an entertaining novel, & with a sequel out I'll be reading that soon...
SPECIMEN covers the nightmarish expedition of six American striker mercenaries across South Fire Island. The plot reminded me a lot of the original PREDATOR, with a similarly sized team of mercenaries and plot beats, like the first firefight not even being between them and the monster. However, where I found that this and Predator differed was that Specimen is a story of freedom. Both the monster and our protagonist both yearn for a freedom that feels fantastical to them and it becomes an arms race to see which one of these battle-toughened characters will make it off the island alive. Specimen is very aware of the themes within it's story and let's you know that from the first chapter. With it's short length it doesn't try to be clever about hiding it's theme, but its not in your face every page either and it allows you to still take in this muk and fern filled bloodbath. The setting of South Fire island allows for easy and effective isolation that keeps the feeling of escaping the nightmare prevalent in your mind as well as within all the characters motives. It's nothing special, don't go in expecting every character to have the same depth as the protagonist, or redefining descriptions. But what you get is definitely a full meal...
As previously mentioned, the protagonist is as solid as the rest of the novel. However, the side characters can be a little shallow. The main character only goes by the name of Whitmore and he acts as the Sargeant for the pack of mercenaries. There are five other members, as well as a few smaller enemy characters that seek to capture the bug as a Bio-Weapon. However, I think these characters aren't the strongest and mainly act as extra pairs of hands for the Main Protagonist. Being a novel I find character voices to be a huge factor in being what helps seperate all the cast from one another, unfortunately Specimen doesn't have the strongest character voices. Aside from one, they all sound like the same tough mercenary. Which works realistically but as a novel, I found myself getting the names mixed up. Now, they do perform their roles well as each character performs in a different specialty, but in the end each of them fall before the super-insectoid, thankfully all in different gruesome fashion to make their deaths memorable. Which leaves only Whitmore and the specimen on the island to battle to the death...
This leads me into my next and final main critique, the heart of the novel's name, The Specimen.
The creature of the novel is never assigned a species name or a character name, aside from The Specimen, The Mother, or The Bug. In its wake there also Drones, zombie-like hosts that are controlled by The Larva which, like Whitmore's mercenaries, are only around to act as extra pairs of pincers for The Specimen. However, this makes for a lot of entertaining combat scenes and putting Drones and Larva in different biomes on the island elevate that further. But The Bug herself is also very present in the novel and has a very terrifying presence, as it can be out-muscled or out-gunned. One thing I was mixed on was the design and origin, as they clashed with each other to me. We learn it was a superpredator from the Mesozoic, however the limbs and weapons on The Bug feel alien-like, very reminiscent of Terminids, Tyranids, or Zerg. Although, since the origin of The Mother wasn't a huge part of the story, I didn't feel like the design took me out of the story. Lastly, we can see how The Specimen and Whitmore's fighting strategy adapts over time as they learn about each other more, and reading the bug grow more ferocious as Whitmore uses the toxic environment around them was fun.
This all comes together to make an entertaining novel, & with a sequel out I'll be reading that soon...
October 31, 2024
Fast moving, very interesting,and very Bloody
A very well written story that holds your interest till the end. About a group of mercenaries that works for
the government are sent to a island to destroy a lab. Instead they find the lab destroyed and find they have to
fight the thing that the enemy was working on. Very fast pace
A very well written story that holds your interest till the end. About a group of mercenaries that works for
the government are sent to a island to destroy a lab. Instead they find the lab destroyed and find they have to
fight the thing that the enemy was working on. Very fast pace
June 9, 2025
Stupid but fun. Something about the ending made me add a star; I can’t explain why.
December 3, 2023
This book is aggressively bland. I almost wish it was worse, because it being memorably bad would at least be Something. It's a hodgepodge of dead horse tropes done much better elsewhere and squished together without any particular verve or reason to exist.
Start off with a squad of mercenaries and one untrustworthy CIA agent (Predator--only without any of them being colorful, interesting characters. The only one who halfway makes an impression is the lead, Whitmore, and that's only because the author stops the plotline in its tracks to flashback to his boring backstory. Even Predator 2 knew not to cut away from Danny Glover fighting the Predator to dig into his daddy issues).
They're sent to an island where they fight bugs that impregnate their victims to death (Alien). The victims are also zombies before they chestburst (like, half of the movies ever made--although I think Night of the Creeps and Slither specifically beat the author to the punch). And the characters are actually aware of zombie movies existing in this universe, so I guess it's just a huge coincidence that these zombies can only be killed by headshots. It just seems lazy to me. Like if the characters on The Walking Dead started comparing their day-to-day lives to Night of the Living Dead. Save yourself some money and read somebody's Colonial Marines fanfic instead.
Start off with a squad of mercenaries and one untrustworthy CIA agent (Predator--only without any of them being colorful, interesting characters. The only one who halfway makes an impression is the lead, Whitmore, and that's only because the author stops the plotline in its tracks to flashback to his boring backstory. Even Predator 2 knew not to cut away from Danny Glover fighting the Predator to dig into his daddy issues).
They're sent to an island where they fight bugs that impregnate their victims to death (Alien). The victims are also zombies before they chestburst (like, half of the movies ever made--although I think Night of the Creeps and Slither specifically beat the author to the punch). And the characters are actually aware of zombie movies existing in this universe, so I guess it's just a huge coincidence that these zombies can only be killed by headshots. It just seems lazy to me. Like if the characters on The Walking Dead started comparing their day-to-day lives to Night of the Living Dead. Save yourself some money and read somebody's Colonial Marines fanfic instead.
February 10, 2025
A truly horrific creature for certain, but a little TOO much to be remotely realistic. I get it’s sci-fi, but slight spoilers ahead: the author refers to the creature as having been a resurrected species from the Mesozoic era. Though he never names it. I don’t think anything like this could have ever existed, and certainly not with the insane degree of intelligence it’s shown with. It HAD to have been severely genetically modified, though it’s implied this isn’t the case. That sort of ruined the immersion for me a bit. We also don’t get a very good visual description of the creature. I didn’t know really how to imagine it from the tidbits of info I did get here and there. Another thing was I didn’t find myself caring about any of the characters that died.
Overall, scary concept, but the execution was a little lackluster.
Overall, scary concept, but the execution was a little lackluster.
August 13, 2024
One star because I have never written a book so he gets that. Otherwise one of the worst books I have read in a long while. Nothing original at all. Not one character did you care about or root for. Alien/Predator/Zombie mash up that was just trite. No thought given to the plot by the writer I can find.
October 6, 2024
Great, fast paced, non stop action
Great story telling from Michael Cole, he’s becoming my favorite author, after reading Saurian I tried Specimen and wasn’t disappointed. I love the pace and the action, I’ll be purchasing Specimen 2 right after finishing this review, thank you Mr Cole.
Great story telling from Michael Cole, he’s becoming my favorite author, after reading Saurian I tried Specimen and wasn’t disappointed. I love the pace and the action, I’ll be purchasing Specimen 2 right after finishing this review, thank you Mr Cole.
March 31, 2025
Excellent. Awesome read
Michael Cole is my new favorite author for creature action books. lol. Instead of binge watching on Netflix I binge read his GORE books and then just finished this one. Highly recommend. This book was like watching Predator except more awesome since you got to use your imagination when reading. On my way to read the second Specimen Book.
Michael Cole is my new favorite author for creature action books. lol. Instead of binge watching on Netflix I binge read his GORE books and then just finished this one. Highly recommend. This book was like watching Predator except more awesome since you got to use your imagination when reading. On my way to read the second Specimen Book.
October 7, 2023
Fast
Before I knew it, I'd finished the book. Nice little story and the characters were well rounded, am an avid reader, 73 and still catching up. Thanks for the new twist on an old platform. Kudos Mr. Cole
Before I knew it, I'd finished the book. Nice little story and the characters were well rounded, am an avid reader, 73 and still catching up. Thanks for the new twist on an old platform. Kudos Mr. Cole
August 30, 2024
Interesting
This book is basically like your classic bug horror movie in book form. It was definitely interesting but at least the main character thought to get rid of the evidence so that no one could ever abuse it in the future.
This book is basically like your classic bug horror movie in book form. It was definitely interesting but at least the main character thought to get rid of the evidence so that no one could ever abuse it in the future.
August 30, 2024
Exciting
Without giving anything away.....you feel like you're fighting and running for your life while knowing that an intelligent creature is after you, wanting to eat you alive.....
Without giving anything away.....you feel like you're fighting and running for your life while knowing that an intelligent creature is after you, wanting to eat you alive.....
November 17, 2024
Sergeant Major Whitmore and his team infiltrate a remote island to find intel on a secret experiment. What they find is an island in disarray and a fight for survival against a long thought extinct creature. Good story, that moves at a nice pace.
January 24, 2025
Specimen reacgion
The action is fast moving.the characters are interesting and not boring. The plot of the story is a little redundjt, but the fast moving action makes up for it. A good,flowing read.
The action is fast moving.the characters are interesting and not boring. The plot of the story is a little redundjt, but the fast moving action makes up for it. A good,flowing read.
August 4, 2025
Great book
Although this was a tremendous story, l would have to say it was the grossest book I have ever read. Like I said it is a very good story and great cast of characters. I recommend reading this to all that love fiction and fighting.
Although this was a tremendous story, l would have to say it was the grossest book I have ever read. Like I said it is a very good story and great cast of characters. I recommend reading this to all that love fiction and fighting.
July 19, 2023
Great creature book
I get a lot of Michael Cole's creature books. This is my favorite so far. I loved the plot and characters. The creature is truly a horrific one.
I get a lot of Michael Cole's creature books. This is my favorite so far. I loved the plot and characters. The creature is truly a horrific one.
July 24, 2023
a great bug hunt
This is an action packed book. a genetic experiment gone wrong and team sent in to clean up. While not too long I enjoyed the characters and storyline.
This is an action packed book. a genetic experiment gone wrong and team sent in to clean up. While not too long I enjoyed the characters and storyline.
August 24, 2023
Not really my speed but could see how it would appeal to people who enjoy more military thrillers.
August 26, 2023
overnight read
Once I started,I couldn’t stop 😳 fast action. Twists. Brilliantly executed 💥 left me wanting more 😆 hopefully a sequel coming soon.
Once I started,I couldn’t stop 😳 fast action. Twists. Brilliantly executed 💥 left me wanting more 😆 hopefully a sequel coming soon.
August 27, 2023
Absolutely brilliant
Loved this book I love reading books with military people are up against monsters and the impossible. Loved the ending. Perfect
Loved this book I love reading books with military people are up against monsters and the impossible. Loved the ending. Perfect
September 12, 2023
Great action novel
Very fast paced, packed with excitement and twists. Great creature and a wonderful melding of different horror tropes. Really liked this book. Highly recommended.
Very fast paced, packed with excitement and twists. Great creature and a wonderful melding of different horror tropes. Really liked this book. Highly recommended.
September 30, 2023
Full of Action!
Short read but full of action. Impossible to put it down. Reminded me of Predator, which is always a fave!!
Short read but full of action. Impossible to put it down. Reminded me of Predator, which is always a fave!!
October 2, 2023
Another Mike Cole Winner!
Anything written by Michael Cole is a read worth reading. In fact, this one would be an outstanding movie as well! This one is another winner! You
Anything written by Michael Cole is a read worth reading. In fact, this one would be an outstanding movie as well! This one is another winner! You
November 5, 2023
Creepy Creature
This was a fun read, well written. Entertaining battle between imperfect hero and giant monster. Once again, man playing God goes awry and the costs are high.
This was a fun read, well written. Entertaining battle between imperfect hero and giant monster. Once again, man playing God goes awry and the costs are high.
November 6, 2023
Fairly good and enjoyable. I would recommend it.
January 15, 2024
specimen
This is a fast paced action packed story. There are explanations that are so descriptive that one could believe that you are watching a movie. 5*
This is a fast paced action packed story. There are explanations that are so descriptive that one could believe that you are watching a movie. 5*
January 31, 2024
Enjoyable Action, a Page Turner 👍 👍
Enjoyable fast paced action, excellent story line ,with a hero from the beginning who you want to be there at the ENDING👍😊
Enjoyable fast paced action, excellent story line ,with a hero from the beginning who you want to be there at the ENDING👍😊
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews