What do you think?
Rate this book
Ferocity
Something is stalking the Northumberland moors, slaughtering sheep and other livestock. There have been sightings of a "big cat," a huge, feral creature that has so far managed to elude capture. Some of the locals are terrified, while others scoff that it's only a legend. Still, the killings continue.
Cath Lane is a young novelist and mother, eager to explore her new home in rural Northumberland. To her the legendary beast of the moors is excellent fodder for a new novel. How could she know as she begins her research that the beast is no mere myth? How could she foresee the terror that waits for her, crouching in the dark...
Cath Lane is a young novelist and mother, eager to explore her new home in rural Northumberland. To her the legendary beast of the moors is excellent fodder for a new novel. How could she know as she begins her research that the beast is no mere myth? How could she foresee the terror that waits for her, crouching in the dark...
- GenresHorror
337 pages, Paperback
First published January 2, 2007
6 people are currently reading
160 people want to read
About the author
Stephen Laws
58 books137 followersStephen Laws is a full-time novelist, born in Newcastle upon Tyne. Married, with three children, he lives and works in his birthplace. The author of 11 novels, numerous short stories, (collected in THE MIDNIGHT MAN) columnist, reviewer, film-festival interviewer, pianist and recipient of a number of awards, Stephen Laws recently wrote and starred in the short horror movie THE SECRET.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
February 17, 2025
What about ferocious big cats in the English countryside? In this novel the author introduces you to Cath, a novelist who mourns her murdered husband, Drew, who lost his wife in a farm accident, a group of thugs who killed the local gangster and some fearsome big cats. Sounds pretty intriguing and it definitely was the hell of a read. Especially the hostage scenes in the terrible storm were extremely nail biting. Nothing new under the sun but pretty exiting stuff. Really recommended!
November 19, 2023
A really fun b-movie of a novel. None of it is that original, but Laws weaves the different elements together well and creates some insanely tense scenes.
June 19, 2011
"Ferocity" is a fun thrill-ride; I wouldn't even call it horror, because there aren't really many aspects of horror - I honestly don't consider wild animals acting like wild animals DO to be horrific, but that's just me! Whomever wrote the description on the back of the book got it ALL wrong, so don't go by what it says. Here's the essential plot in a nutshell:
Cath and Drew are neighbors who haven't met. Both had spouses killed in tragic accidents - Cath's husband was stabbed while they were visiting New York to celebrate her first book being made into a movie and Drew's wife fell into a harvesting combine when the brake that was holding it on the hill vibrated free and it started moving. One night, while Drew is driving home, a reckless driver runs him off the road in front of Cath's house. Cath's housekeeper - Fay - who happened to have taught Drew while he was in school, comes out and hauls him into the house. Then Fay ropes them both into discussing their personal specialities - Cath is a novelist (one of the few things the description on the cover did right) and Drew has been tracking the Big Cats of the Northumberland Fells for several years. Many people believe the Big Cats to be a myth, but the farmers who are losing livestock are not among them. Drew has actually had an "up-close and personal" with one of the Cats and he recalls it as being much larger than the panther they are said to resemble. Apparently they also have some way of remaining unseen, even in areas in which they should be readily visible. After their talk they all go out to dinner and of course Drew and Cath hit it off.
A few days later Drew calls Cath over to announce he has hit a Big Cat with a tranquilizer dart but when they go to check on it, it has somehow escaped; leaving being a spitting, clawing cub that itself is two feet long and a foot high, even though it is only 3 months old (how they know this, I'm not sure - based upon its development, I guess). It unfortunately gets itself caught in the net that Drew had put up to keep the older one in and while they are trying to extricate the little one, the big one attacks. When they are forced to shoot the big one again - in the mouth - to save their lives, Drew is horribly afraid they might have given it an overdose, so they haul it home, putting it into a cage that Drew built over the years. A major storm is rising - one that no one has been able to forecast, which has happened increasingly over the past few years - and the two are overcome with passion, coming to themselves just in time to hear the Big Cat die, which upsets Drew, as he never meant to hurt it.
Add murderous drug runners into the mix, who take Cath and Drew hostage after Cath rescues them from a car accident of their own, and the momma Big Cat, who comes looking for her mate in the middle of the storm, and this book, especially the last half of it, is quite a page turner.
I admit I would have preferred this to be more in English-speak rather than Americanized, but it was still a terrific book and Stephen Laws knows, like no other, how to spin an eerie thriller. Don't miss it!
Cath and Drew are neighbors who haven't met. Both had spouses killed in tragic accidents - Cath's husband was stabbed while they were visiting New York to celebrate her first book being made into a movie and Drew's wife fell into a harvesting combine when the brake that was holding it on the hill vibrated free and it started moving. One night, while Drew is driving home, a reckless driver runs him off the road in front of Cath's house. Cath's housekeeper - Fay - who happened to have taught Drew while he was in school, comes out and hauls him into the house. Then Fay ropes them both into discussing their personal specialities - Cath is a novelist (one of the few things the description on the cover did right) and Drew has been tracking the Big Cats of the Northumberland Fells for several years. Many people believe the Big Cats to be a myth, but the farmers who are losing livestock are not among them. Drew has actually had an "up-close and personal" with one of the Cats and he recalls it as being much larger than the panther they are said to resemble. Apparently they also have some way of remaining unseen, even in areas in which they should be readily visible. After their talk they all go out to dinner and of course Drew and Cath hit it off.
A few days later Drew calls Cath over to announce he has hit a Big Cat with a tranquilizer dart but when they go to check on it, it has somehow escaped; leaving being a spitting, clawing cub that itself is two feet long and a foot high, even though it is only 3 months old (how they know this, I'm not sure - based upon its development, I guess). It unfortunately gets itself caught in the net that Drew had put up to keep the older one in and while they are trying to extricate the little one, the big one attacks. When they are forced to shoot the big one again - in the mouth - to save their lives, Drew is horribly afraid they might have given it an overdose, so they haul it home, putting it into a cage that Drew built over the years. A major storm is rising - one that no one has been able to forecast, which has happened increasingly over the past few years - and the two are overcome with passion, coming to themselves just in time to hear the Big Cat die, which upsets Drew, as he never meant to hurt it.
Add murderous drug runners into the mix, who take Cath and Drew hostage after Cath rescues them from a car accident of their own, and the momma Big Cat, who comes looking for her mate in the middle of the storm, and this book, especially the last half of it, is quite a page turner.
I admit I would have preferred this to be more in English-speak rather than Americanized, but it was still a terrific book and Stephen Laws knows, like no other, how to spin an eerie thriller. Don't miss it!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 28, 2018
I've read almost all of Stephen Laws' novels and on the whole, he is an artful writer who really knows how to amp up suspense and terror. Darkfall, The Chasm, Specter and Daemonic are particularly memorable. So it is a bit disappointing that this seems to be his last novel. It's a fine story, but the scope is extremely small for Laws and it feels more like an episode of a tv show than a movie, when compared to his other works, if that makes sense. The characters are deeper than you'd expect for a story like this, and the action with a group of criminals is exciting, if not really tied to the promised 'killer cat' plot in any way. It's hinted that the cats themselves have some supernatural attributes or may be some kind of genetic mutation or experiment, suggesting a bigger background plot, but this is never paid off, hence the slightly underwhelming scope. Still, it's been great to revisit Laws and if you're a fan, or just want a beach read, this one doesn't disappoint, but I'd definitely check out his other work first, or re-read Darkfall/Ghost Train/The Wyrm for some truly grueling horror and suspense (which I think I may do).
March 30, 2018
This book is a lot of fun. A lot of it is paint-by-numbers, but Laws is incredibly good at tense moments, like the first time Drew comes literally face to face with the Big Cat. Or when they're trying to get a Big Cat to a cage. And then there is Tully and his crew. It dragged in some places, but the tension is so thick that if you tried to cut it, it would cut you back. Probably maul you, too.
One thing: I will bet good money that the original title of this book was Ferocitors. Dorchester probably stepped in and said no one would know what a Ferocitor is, but everyone knows what Ferocity is. I think they also might have asked Laws to pad the book out a bit. The ending went on for just a little too long (but I love how things turned out).
One thing: I will bet good money that the original title of this book was Ferocitors. Dorchester probably stepped in and said no one would know what a Ferocitor is, but everyone knows what Ferocity is. I think they also might have asked Laws to pad the book out a bit. The ending went on for just a little too long (but I love how things turned out).
May 30, 2011
This is my second time reading Stephen Laws and my second time being bored and frustrated with his style. I guess he's not the writer for me, which saddens me because his ideas are pretty interesting. This looked so promising, the lovely cover that reflects my morning mood when I have to get up for work, the man eating beast idea with a twists, yeah ...I was bored to tears reading it, in fact it was one book that I wasn't in a rush to finish, it was dry, dull and uninspiring, I hate to describe a book in such a way but I disliked it even more when I finally finished it then when I was stuck half way through the ridiculous plotline...the lame characters, the strange cat creature one knows nothing about when the last page is turned, the flat and annoying bad guys at the end that only seemed to ruin the story...and never mind that at some points the tale is told form the view of the giant cat and even from the little girl's point of view, who's mom is one of the most boring characters ever created. That to me was a speed bump every time the story seemed to get somewhere...I wouldn't categorize this as horror, there's not one scary moment in here, and the writing was a bit tough to get through, I found it lackluster and a bit confusing at times, it read like a low budget movie that should have never been released.
Basically this book is about two people who have lost a loved one in the past. Neighbors who I guess never looked at each other before, who seem to suddenly make a match. Unfortunately a huge storm is coming and at the same time some drug smuggling whackos are in town, on top of that there's the big black cat mystery going around...all this gets stirred with a crooked spoon to make a batch of stinky bad story soup. Maybe, just maybe if Cath wasn't pathetic (who laughs at a bum on the street holding you up for money, so your husband can get stabbed and killed) and her love interest wasn't uninteresting and the giant cant didn't do invisible camouflage then the tale would be better but I disliked it tremendously and I think I'm done reading his books, I get no pleasure from his stories, that's quiet clear by now.
Basically this book is about two people who have lost a loved one in the past. Neighbors who I guess never looked at each other before, who seem to suddenly make a match. Unfortunately a huge storm is coming and at the same time some drug smuggling whackos are in town, on top of that there's the big black cat mystery going around...all this gets stirred with a crooked spoon to make a batch of stinky bad story soup. Maybe, just maybe if Cath wasn't pathetic (who laughs at a bum on the street holding you up for money, so your husband can get stabbed and killed) and her love interest wasn't uninteresting and the giant cant didn't do invisible camouflage then the tale would be better but I disliked it tremendously and I think I'm done reading his books, I get no pleasure from his stories, that's quiet clear by now.
March 15, 2015
Well it's a good few years since I've read any of Stephen Laws' books (the last was "Chasm" when it came out - in 1998! Can't believe it!)so I was really chuffed to get a copy of this as it's been on my "wishlist" for years. So what did I think? Well, I did enjoy it & the story was entertaining - if a little fanciful in parts but more about that later - but I was disappointed that the writers style seemed to have changed so much from what I remember. As I recall....& it's obviously well over 15 years since I read them..."Darkfall", "Somewhere South of Midnight" & "Daemonic", to name but 3, were supernatural/horror tales that you could really get your teeth into & this wasn't (despite featuring some very big teeth ha ha).
While the idea of a big cat roaming the moors was perfectly plausible, for me it fits into the thriller genre rather than horror. I guess the way the cat was to some extent "invisible" was a nod toward the supernatural but that for me it wasn't credible. The events where Cath & Drew were held by fugitives during the storm were quite tense in parts, although they were very stereotypical criminals (the "boss", the violent thug & the obligatory thick one who just does as he's told!)And is just me or did the writing seem a bit dated? Not that it affected my enjoyment at all...
Overall a good read but not the type of tale I was expecting from this author.
While the idea of a big cat roaming the moors was perfectly plausible, for me it fits into the thriller genre rather than horror. I guess the way the cat was to some extent "invisible" was a nod toward the supernatural but that for me it wasn't credible. The events where Cath & Drew were held by fugitives during the storm were quite tense in parts, although they were very stereotypical criminals (the "boss", the violent thug & the obligatory thick one who just does as he's told!)And is just me or did the writing seem a bit dated? Not that it affected my enjoyment at all...
Overall a good read but not the type of tale I was expecting from this author.
August 12, 2014
REALLY not what I was expecting. What I thought would be a wild-cat-on-the-loose tale, or possibly a werepanther fantasy ended up being an intense Last House on the Left type home invasion horror which downplayed the actual panthers and their very subtle supernatural element. A real pleasant surprise. Stephen Laws still has it.
March 1, 2023
I was impressed with this book, just expecting a average horror read. But I had a rude awakening in the best possible way. The book slowly built up the characters, made you care for them.
I loved the enviroment, its nice to read about places you can relate to, the english countryside, the village life something that seems to call out to our inner need for nature, especially when you were brought up in the city.
The bad guys were like people from Of Mice and Men, for the short while they were in the story they still managed to be realistic people even if you hated them.
Then there was the creature you came to see the big cat, something of a urban legend up and down the UK, where there are sightenings of a panther like big cat, stalking our countryside, hiding and never getting caught. Check it on the internet believe me its as interesting as this book.
Stephen Laws brings all this together in a chaotic, stormy end which shows much like Jaws that for all the ferocity that mother nature makes that the real evils lay in us humans.
Highly recommend this book.
I loved the enviroment, its nice to read about places you can relate to, the english countryside, the village life something that seems to call out to our inner need for nature, especially when you were brought up in the city.
The bad guys were like people from Of Mice and Men, for the short while they were in the story they still managed to be realistic people even if you hated them.
Then there was the creature you came to see the big cat, something of a urban legend up and down the UK, where there are sightenings of a panther like big cat, stalking our countryside, hiding and never getting caught. Check it on the internet believe me its as interesting as this book.
Stephen Laws brings all this together in a chaotic, stormy end which shows much like Jaws that for all the ferocity that mother nature makes that the real evils lay in us humans.
Highly recommend this book.
September 23, 2022
I picked this one up at a used paperback store down in FL. This was my first book by Mr. Laws and I'm a bit shocked that it took me as long as it did to hear about him as a horror author. Now I'm admittedly still not very familiar with his life's work but I definitely plan to be reading more from him. Good or bad, this one didn't have as much supernatural in it as I hoped but the way he describes action scenes pulled me in more than any other author that I can remember. To my knowledge, this was his last published fiction as of this date so looking forward at some point to reading some of his earlier work.
November 19, 2023
3.5
Fast paced and for the most part well written. Tense and unrelenting once the action hits but I really wanted more of the Big Cats.
Fast paced and for the most part well written. Tense and unrelenting once the action hits but I really wanted more of the Big Cats.
April 27, 2010
Well, this was a rather silly book, but still entertaining. The picture on the cover attracted me because it is so similar to the panther from "Garfield in the Rough." I found the characters to be likable, but the plot on the whole was rather average. I would have liked more explanation about these Big Cats of the Moors. I think it would have rounded the story out a bit more and made it more enjoyable. One small thing that did put me off to the wrong start with this book was a really surprising editing mistake- "you're" means you are... "your" indicates possession. Kind of a shocking mistake to see in not only a published book, but so early into a book as well. Usually the first 50 pages are edited with a fine-tooth comb so as to not put people off... Still, it was a pretty fun book and certainly a fast read. I do not, however, see myself going to any trouble to find any of this author's other books.
July 28, 2012
I really liked this book a lot. The characters were extremely likable, and although it took a little while for the suspense to start building, the climax was very satisfying. The animals were scary, and the human animals were even scarier. I was on the edge of my seat, wondering who would survive and who would not. This was almost a five-star book – I would give it five stars, but I try to save five stars for the books that are really incredible beyond incredible – this was a really good story.
January 15, 2016
For whatever reason, I really thought this book was going to be great. However, I had to force myself to read this book just a few pages at a time until I reached 200. I cannot take it any more. It is not holding my interest. I am moving on to another book. I am sorry, I am not trying to say anything bad about the author.
February 18, 2017
It was okay. I mean it tried to be climatic at the end ,but it left me wondering questions that did not get answered. I lost the book for a while,but found it again. I am already a slow reader but it got read.
July 11, 2008
Author moves to English countryside populated by large mutant cats. Please!
January 19, 2020
Tense
The story took a while to get going but stormy weather and a remote farm were a great combination for a suspenseful novel.
The story took a while to get going but stormy weather and a remote farm were a great combination for a suspenseful novel.
May 16, 2011
I have a bit of a soft spot for Stephen Laws and his writing. This was okay, enjoyable enough.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews