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Beast
MAN UP.
MFEC-19, aka "The Beast," is an offshore oil platform behemoth in the Pacific Northwest. Kyle Hamilton, an experienced derrickhand who has survived a brush with death, is its newest resident. Forced back into the drilling world to pay for his wife's cancer treatment, Kyle is thrilled and terrified to be part of the team that keeps the monster in check.
But the Beast bows to no man.
One slip, one mistake, and hell breaks loose above the storm-swept water. Kyle and his crew find themselves in the fiery jaws of death as the Beast thrashes itself apart, unleashing an industrial cataclysm unlike anything the world has ever seen. Using his quick wits, hoping for good luck, and praying for a miracle, Kyle tries desperately to save himself and those around him, but the will to survive comes with heavy costs.
And the Beast will show no mercy.
MFEC-19, aka "The Beast," is an offshore oil platform behemoth in the Pacific Northwest. Kyle Hamilton, an experienced derrickhand who has survived a brush with death, is its newest resident. Forced back into the drilling world to pay for his wife's cancer treatment, Kyle is thrilled and terrified to be part of the team that keeps the monster in check.
But the Beast bows to no man.
One slip, one mistake, and hell breaks loose above the storm-swept water. Kyle and his crew find themselves in the fiery jaws of death as the Beast thrashes itself apart, unleashing an industrial cataclysm unlike anything the world has ever seen. Using his quick wits, hoping for good luck, and praying for a miracle, Kyle tries desperately to save himself and those around him, but the will to survive comes with heavy costs.
And the Beast will show no mercy.
211 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 29, 2015
1 person is currently reading
235 people want to read
About the author
Mark Carver
26 books74 followersMARK CARVER writes edgy, intense Christian fiction that illuminates the truth of the Gospel while not shying away from dark and challenging topics. He also writers lighter, more inspirational stories under a pen name to avoid confusing his readers. Mark lives with his family in north Georgia, where he enjoys art, literature, nature, and gardening.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
March 20, 2016
Beast: A Must Read!
Before reading Mark Carver’s novel, Beast, I had taken a long hiatus from reading Christian books and stories.. Why? Well, how do I say this nicely? Because if I wanted to hear three verses, sing a hymn and listen to your basic social sermon, I could go to any one of a hundred churches and do that for free. In fact, I might even score a coffee and donut.
But Beast is not like that. No, Beast is a strong dose of reality. Kyle Hamilton, the tales protagonist, has a lot on his plate. His wife is sick with cancer, forcing Kyle to take the dangerous job of working as a derrick hand on a drilling platform. This one is in the Pacific Northwest, it is platform MFEC-19, aka: the Beast.
I liked Kyle right away. He’s willing to do what it takes to look after his family and he shows respect to the people around him and isn’t afraid to lend a hand as needed. And that’s just a few of the ways Carver uses to ‘show’ and not ‘tell’ the reader that this is a spiritual man. He does the things you would expect such a man to do. And when we do find out the depth of closeness Kyle has with his Creator, the context is completely believable. I can’t get specific without giving things away, but trust me, he’s not running all over the platform handing out tracts and sharing the four spiritual laws.
Kyle even thinks thoughts of his wife while he’s out living on the Beast to the point of arousal. These days people on the Left would say that’s politically incorrect, people on the Right would reach for smelling salts. But Kyle remains a real guy.
I loved how life on the platform is described. Carver did such an excellent job I felt like this place was real, like Carver himself had been there and interviewed people, its great!
But this is an exciting story about love, self-sacrifice and how God, in his complete understanding, finds a way for what we love to continue through our faith in Him.
I’m telling ya’, to read it is to love it! Mark Carver’s Beast. Get a Copy Today!
Before reading Mark Carver’s novel, Beast, I had taken a long hiatus from reading Christian books and stories.. Why? Well, how do I say this nicely? Because if I wanted to hear three verses, sing a hymn and listen to your basic social sermon, I could go to any one of a hundred churches and do that for free. In fact, I might even score a coffee and donut.
But Beast is not like that. No, Beast is a strong dose of reality. Kyle Hamilton, the tales protagonist, has a lot on his plate. His wife is sick with cancer, forcing Kyle to take the dangerous job of working as a derrick hand on a drilling platform. This one is in the Pacific Northwest, it is platform MFEC-19, aka: the Beast.
I liked Kyle right away. He’s willing to do what it takes to look after his family and he shows respect to the people around him and isn’t afraid to lend a hand as needed. And that’s just a few of the ways Carver uses to ‘show’ and not ‘tell’ the reader that this is a spiritual man. He does the things you would expect such a man to do. And when we do find out the depth of closeness Kyle has with his Creator, the context is completely believable. I can’t get specific without giving things away, but trust me, he’s not running all over the platform handing out tracts and sharing the four spiritual laws.
Kyle even thinks thoughts of his wife while he’s out living on the Beast to the point of arousal. These days people on the Left would say that’s politically incorrect, people on the Right would reach for smelling salts. But Kyle remains a real guy.
I loved how life on the platform is described. Carver did such an excellent job I felt like this place was real, like Carver himself had been there and interviewed people, its great!
But this is an exciting story about love, self-sacrifice and how God, in his complete understanding, finds a way for what we love to continue through our faith in Him.
I’m telling ya’, to read it is to love it! Mark Carver’s Beast. Get a Copy Today!
September 29, 2015
This is the second book of Mark Carver I have read and I must say, I am very impressed with this latest offering. This book is very different to Carver's other works notably the Apollyon Trilogy which is very dark, supernatural and very edgy Christian speculative based.
The reader will hit the road running in this novel. Carver grabs your attention and does not let go. Be prepared to feel the heat, smell the burning oil and struggle to get out alive as Mark and Michael Anatra transport you to the Beast that is in one explosive, bad mood!
Full review:
http://christianfictionreviewguru.blo...
Highly Recommended.
The reader will hit the road running in this novel. Carver grabs your attention and does not let go. Be prepared to feel the heat, smell the burning oil and struggle to get out alive as Mark and Michael Anatra transport you to the Beast that is in one explosive, bad mood!
Full review:
http://christianfictionreviewguru.blo...
Highly Recommended.
October 1, 2015
Beast is one monster of an action thriller. Fast-paced and firing on all cylinders, Mark Carver and Michael Anatra have created a realistic portrayal of a super machine that turns on its creators and crew in the most explosive of ways.
The characters are instantly relatable and tackle challenges with full knowledge of their mortality in the face of overwhelming odds. The strength of Beast lies in the development and interaction of its well-written characters that make us feel the danger, heat, exhaustion, and exhilaration as the story speeds towards its roller coaster climax.
Make no mistake that Beast will have you sweating right along with the rest of the book’s inhabitants who struggle with stubborn ferocity to stay ahead of the technological marvel’s many nasty tricks. Some monsters can be tamed, and some have a mind and will all their own. Beast is in a breed all by itself; sometimes providing a sliver of hope at just the right time, and sometimes convincing us that survival is just a futile illusion.
Will you ‘Man Up’ and face Beast? If you do, be prepared for a breakneck, action-packed adventure with twists and turns around every corner of the largest oil-drilling platform in history.
Please note that this is a ‘Blue Label’ rated title from The Crossover Alliance. ‘Blue Label’ titles contain Christ-centered themes amidst coarse language, sexual references and/or violence. Most of the content found in these titles is not appropriate for readers younger than 16.
The characters are instantly relatable and tackle challenges with full knowledge of their mortality in the face of overwhelming odds. The strength of Beast lies in the development and interaction of its well-written characters that make us feel the danger, heat, exhaustion, and exhilaration as the story speeds towards its roller coaster climax.
Make no mistake that Beast will have you sweating right along with the rest of the book’s inhabitants who struggle with stubborn ferocity to stay ahead of the technological marvel’s many nasty tricks. Some monsters can be tamed, and some have a mind and will all their own. Beast is in a breed all by itself; sometimes providing a sliver of hope at just the right time, and sometimes convincing us that survival is just a futile illusion.
Will you ‘Man Up’ and face Beast? If you do, be prepared for a breakneck, action-packed adventure with twists and turns around every corner of the largest oil-drilling platform in history.
Please note that this is a ‘Blue Label’ rated title from The Crossover Alliance. ‘Blue Label’ titles contain Christ-centered themes amidst coarse language, sexual references and/or violence. Most of the content found in these titles is not appropriate for readers younger than 16.
September 16, 2017
WHAT WORKED
Carver brings along Michael Anatra, who according to the back of the book was an oil worker himself, so the book oozes authenticity like…well, oil. While the terminology can get confusing, you still get a good sense of what’s going on, that the authors really know how an oil rig looks and works, and how to maneuver a disaster.
See that’s the trick with disaster thrillers: maneuvering the events. Knowing what can go wrong, how, where, and then orchestrating it. Kyle’s fight for survival brings us from the top of the rig, down into the belly, all the way to the legs, and back to the top as he limps from one catastrophe to the next. That means more excitement, less repetition.
It’s a gripping book, and I’m surprised how fast I went through it. Tension mounts as the situation goes from bad to worse and tempers flare between frazzled oil workers, and you wonder which characters will live and which will die.
Perhaps the most interesting point was the ending. While a careful reader can see a possible outcome, I didn’t think Carver and Anatra would actually go that route, but it’s set up well enough that it makes sense and adds to the book’s memorability.
WHAT NEEDED WORK
Honestly, not much. Like I said, the technical details will quickly lose the average reader, but you get the gist. A derrick hand works on a derrick, which is really, really tall and scary. And so forth.
The only reason I don’t give this book a rating higher than 8/10 is that it’s not aiming any higher than that (not on my scale, at least). It doesn’t want to be the next Great Gatsby; it’s more in line with a fun popcorn flick. Characters and plot lines are relatively basic, but not flawed in any great way.
And that’s not actually a problem in my book, as long as it accomplishes what it sets out.
FINAL VERDICT: 8/10–Worth buying.
Beast is a tense, exciting, and surprisingly moving read. I’m glad I own it and you will be glad you read it.
Carver brings along Michael Anatra, who according to the back of the book was an oil worker himself, so the book oozes authenticity like…well, oil. While the terminology can get confusing, you still get a good sense of what’s going on, that the authors really know how an oil rig looks and works, and how to maneuver a disaster.
See that’s the trick with disaster thrillers: maneuvering the events. Knowing what can go wrong, how, where, and then orchestrating it. Kyle’s fight for survival brings us from the top of the rig, down into the belly, all the way to the legs, and back to the top as he limps from one catastrophe to the next. That means more excitement, less repetition.
It’s a gripping book, and I’m surprised how fast I went through it. Tension mounts as the situation goes from bad to worse and tempers flare between frazzled oil workers, and you wonder which characters will live and which will die.
Perhaps the most interesting point was the ending. While a careful reader can see a possible outcome, I didn’t think Carver and Anatra would actually go that route, but it’s set up well enough that it makes sense and adds to the book’s memorability.
WHAT NEEDED WORK
Honestly, not much. Like I said, the technical details will quickly lose the average reader, but you get the gist. A derrick hand works on a derrick, which is really, really tall and scary. And so forth.
The only reason I don’t give this book a rating higher than 8/10 is that it’s not aiming any higher than that (not on my scale, at least). It doesn’t want to be the next Great Gatsby; it’s more in line with a fun popcorn flick. Characters and plot lines are relatively basic, but not flawed in any great way.
And that’s not actually a problem in my book, as long as it accomplishes what it sets out.
FINAL VERDICT: 8/10–Worth buying.
Beast is a tense, exciting, and surprisingly moving read. I’m glad I own it and you will be glad you read it.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews