Alligator

by Shelley Katz

The Everglades - Florida's Green Hell, a kingdom of infested swamps ruled by a hideous reptile king: ALLIGATOR!

The 'gator was a twenty-foot giant. His jaws could crush a powerful man to pulp. His lashing tail could smash a tree to matchwood. And his brutal, mindless lust for killing was insatiable.

No man who had gone hunting the devil of the Everglades had come back alive. But Lee Ferris and Rye Whitman were different. Violent death to them was a challenge and they were drawn inexorably together by a mutual hatred and need that would give them no rest. Until they had met—and conquered—the most savage nightmare the swamps had ever known...

ALLIGATOR is a drama-filled saga of savage action and nerve-wrenching suspense—the greatest novel of courageous man against murderous beast since JAWS.

Genres: Horror, Fiction, Nature, Animals

331 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1977

Reviews

[Justin Tate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Published in 1977 and now thoroughly out of print, Alligator is one of the bazillion killer creature novels to emerge shortly after the success of Jaws. Unlike other rip-offs, however, this one is actually good. Unexpectedly, almost shockingly good.

The first chapter is ablaze with rich characterization and delivers the chomps we paid for. Then there's about 75 pages of rubbish. But then, holy shit, the excess characters thin out and we're left with two guys battling the everglades, an evil alligator, and their own hyper masculinity. Through a fairly mainstream adventure lens, Katz takes this story to a literary level with perfect pacing and a sprinkling of symbolism. As death hangs in the air, the men are stripped raw and slowly reveal themselves at a core, almost pre-historic level. We wonder, in a Frankensteinian way, who really is the alligator. Is it a monstrous reptile they hunt, or something personal? You can imagine my immense delight when the hints of homoeroticism become substantial.

Although this book was presumably popular in its day (my edition has a sticker boasting "over 600,000 sold!") now it's only possible to find tattered old copies sold at a premium. Worth hunting down, however, if you're ever in the mood for a little enrichment with your creature feature.

[Jack Tripper · Rating 3 out of 5]

Full painting by Manuel Sanjulian, which was relegated to the back cover for some reason.

Think Jaws, only more eloquently written and with much better characterization. But, like that more famous novel, the characters here aren't very sympathetic, which made it hard to stay invested over 330 pages. I was rooting for the monster here (who probably just wants to be left alone), and that's not a good thing when the majority of the book is about the asshole characters out to kill it in the Florida swamps. It just deflates some of the tension.

Like some others here, the main reason I wanted to read this was because of the late David Foster Wallace having named it one of his all-time favorite novels. I'm not a huge Wallace fan or anything -- I've been stuck on page 400-something of his Infinite Jest for like 6 years -- but the fact that a revered, Pulitzer-nominated writer recommended this had me intrigued. It mostly delivered, even though the horror here comes in short, infrequent bursts.

Anyone going into this looking for a nasty, Hamlyn-style creature feature will most likely be disappointed, but fans of Jaws (the novel) will probably eat it up. Shelley Katz puts Peter Benchley to shame in the prose department, imo. I could barely get through Jaws, even though I love the film (Jaws 2 by Hank Searls, however, is much better than the entirely different movie version).

I probably went into this one with unreasonable expectations (thanks DFW!), but it was still an enjoyable read overall. Just not a riveting page-turner.

3.5 Stars.

Shout out to Bill for his kind donation. I'd been searching for this one for a while, so thank you.

[TK421 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This may be the quintessential nature vs. man, man vs. man novel. David Foster Wallace was soooo right in claiming this not only a good read, but a great read. If you can find this novel, read it.

HIGHEST POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATION

[Billy Vazquez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Storms, swamps, wild fires, a prehistoric sized alligator, men looking for fortune and primordial fear are the elements of this exciting story. Our protagonists are faced against each other and against nature. Their mutual hatred is the catalyst that energizes the plot. The hatred is fueled by their social, economic and moral differences. Lee is a Vietnam veteran trying to make a living as a hunting guide but with emotional and mental scars due to the things he experienced during the war. Rye is a manipulative, egomaniac, eccentric millionaire with a thrill for the hunt.

But where are we? No other place than the Everglades in Florida, US. Everglades City is full of the people that are intertwined in the lives of our protagonists and serves as the central hub for the story. The people of Everglades City fills the background story of our protagonists and serves as the killing zone for the prehistoric 20 feet long alligator.

The story is one of survival against the elements. The people of Everglades City against this massive alligator. The hunt is afoot among the denizens of the swamps and marshes of Everglades landscape. The vivid descriptions of the fauna and flora of the area are exquisite. The tension is thick throughout this adventure. The characters are not your typical heroes. These are gritty , fault-ridden people that I could relate to. Our protagonists hatred adds a dimension to the story that adds momentum to the page turning. In the end the book , delivers a truly believable survival story, filled with terror and fear.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well-written novel that has more in common with Moby Dick than Jaws. If you are expecting a rampaging alligator bloodbath, you'll be disappointed.

[Wayne · Rating 1 out of 5]

Very, very disappointing rampaging creature novel. It even came out in the golden days of animal attacks. This lacked in every aspect of a horror book. There was hardly no 'gator action. The characters were very unlikable and boring. I wanted the 'gator to eat them with no mercy. Or for that matter, any swamp creature to off these dummies.

First off, the main characters were less than thrilling. We have a corporate goon and his two yes men. We get endless chatter from the underlings about ass kissing and hating their boss. Will either have the bollocks to stand up to him. Who cares! Our guide in to the swamp is an uninteresting bore who hates the corporate goon too. We get his take on the man over and over as well. After awhile, I just grazed over this dialogue.

Another problem I had with this was all the background of the characters at the drop of a hat. There was so much of this that I found myself lost in the present plot. I understand developing your characters, but enough already. I put this book down countless times and walked away. And still no alligator! An almost total bomb.

[Graham · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've long had a fondness for monster books (as well as movies) and whenever I see one, I buy it. ALLIGATOR was a good find; a story of two men hunting a gigantic beast through the Florida Everglades, also known as 'Green Hell' - and for good reason!

The book begins slowly but kicks into gear with the alligator hunt, a mammoth event both thrilling and well-written. There are tropical storms, hunger, flash fires and the beast itself to keep our heroes busy, along with plenty of suspense and bloodshed. This one's a real treat for fans of books like JAWS and its imitators.

[Vincent Eaton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Got this from a "favorite books" from David Foster Wallace. So I had a look. Had to buy it online, as it is out of print. Garnish cover, like "Jaws" with a 'gator'. Turned out to be a richly evocative tale about masculinity and fear.

[Ralph Carlson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an awesome book. I loved every page of it. A very well written novel. The copy I just finished reading was the beautiful limited hardcover recently published by Centipede Press. The one pictured is the original 1977 paperback edition.

[Troy Tradup · Rating 2 out of 5]

To paraphrase Ian Malcolm: Now, eventually, you do plan to have an alligator in your alligator novel, right?

Note: I didn't make any notes during this reading, so no direct quotes from the text.

Full disclosure here: I bought the fancy Centipede Press edition of this novel while I was somewhat foggy with COVID, primarily because I was bored and it looked so damned pretty. A pretty edition it is, indeed — but, seriously, why?

Going in, I knew full well I wasn't going to be reading classic literature, but I was a little taken aback by just how clunky and inelegant the prose actually was. Even by schlocky 1970s paperback horror standards, this one was a bit of a lump.

The book's origins as a screenplay are particularly evident in the first third of the book, but even when the author spreads her wings a bit in the later sections, the characters never rise above stock drive-in second-billing redneck monster movie fodder. Katz mentions in an interview included in this edition that she'd like her book to be compared to Deliverance rather than Jaws, and that influence is definitely evident, but she simply doesn't have the writing chops that elevated the Dickey novel. She rarely even approaches the more pedestrian prose of Peter Benchley.

The main character is a macho millionaire with sexual problems and daddy issues, determined to kill the giant alligator threatening his Everglades home town for reasons. This might be more effective if the giant alligator actually WAS threatening the town, but the great reptile is largely off-screen (sorry, off-page) for the vast majority of the book.

What we get instead are what seems like dozens of reprehensible human characters, cliches that were hoary even in 1977, and a whole lot of hatred. Racism? Check. Homophobia? Check. Misogyny? Oh my god, so much misogyny! This book was written by a woman? It starts out extremely unpleasant toward every single female character and then turns actively rapey. Repeatedly rapey.

And, seriously, where's the goddamned alligator?

Okay. It's not all terrible. There's a great description of finding the remains of the first victims of the gator, and later Katz gives a very effective speech about the murder of a man to the dying father of the main character. There are some terrific moments in the final battle with the gator, once he finally deigns to make an appearance.

But mostly it's just a boring slog with a bunch of terrible people you'll be very glad you don't know in real life. I hope you don't know people like that, anyway, because we all deserve better.

And we all deserve way more alligator, damn it.

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m not sure if Alligator is a paean to hyper-masculinity or a criticism of it, but it’s a lot of fun to read either way.

[Horror Bookworm Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alligator by Shelley Katz is a great 70’s creature feature style novel spotlighting an Everglades dwelling titan that feasts upon all prey, including the human race. Not only do the inhabitants of Shelley’s fictional creation have to do battle with nature’s beast, but also are challenged by the environmental horrors that swamp conditions divulge. Enjoy this tale of terror wrapped with human emotion, unpredictable relationships and of course the strong jaws of a monstrosity.

[Jason Kron · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's weird that this is good enough to be one of David Foster Wallace's favorite books, but it's not good enough for me. It's decently written, and the beginning and ending are both great, largely because those are the only sections that prominently feature an alligator. But the middle is full of boring characters with boring backstories that don't go anywhere.

[Lizzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

While the main character, Rye, was an absolute d***, the writing of this book was superb. Bit of a slow start, but it then ramped up the action and certainly didn't slow down until the very last page!!

[Rob Smith, Jr. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've had a copy of this book since about 1980. I've only read it now. I sure see that my view of the book 40+ years ago would have been one thing. Since I've traversed all over Florida, know the state's history, tromped all over Everglades City, the Big Cypress and all over the area, I really appreciate Katz's writing of the area much more.

A great book. Katz did the research she wanted and does a mostly terrific job depicting the areas around Everglades City and the flora and fauna there. Most who have written of this area do a middling job of it. Katz, not from or living in Florida, does very well considering. She certainly makes giant errors, like rapids and using, the word, 'jungle' at one point.

She clearly didn't spend the time to know any other part of Florida. Her writing of Miami is empty. She does re-write Evergaldes City as it was in the '70s a bit. She correctly writes that there was a distinct end of the commercial area. That is still true today.

(I've more to add later..I hope...)

Bottom line: I recommend this book. 7 out of ten points.

[Laura Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love finding oldies like this when scouring the shelves at my favorite used book store. What a fun cover. Take a close look. It says $1.95. You can’t purchase it anymore unless you’re lucky like I was.

The Everglades. An inhospitable swamp where it seems like everything wants to kill you. I love it when the location and nature are a character all their own. In the beginning… the author gives you carnage. A huge alligator is munching on people. Then you’re introduced to a bunch of characters. Some aren’t that important but some play a pivotal role in pushing the story forward. And forward it races like a bat out of…. you know what I mean.

Two men. The Everglades. Danger everywhere. And a giant crocodile hunting them. It’s them against nature. It’s man against man. And it’s freakin’ wild.

[Ross McClintock · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alligator was unexpected, what started out as a rampaging beast thriller, eventually turns into a man vs nature tale. When a big ass alligator starts killing some Floridians, a big bounty is placed on the creature. The book focuses on the two leads, a cutthroat businessman, and a wilderness guide, as they hunt for the giant alligator. Gradually the book becomes a battle of wills, man vs man, man vs creature, man vs himself. These conflicts are fascinating and raise it above the typical Guy Smith killer monster fare. This would not be an insult to Smith, but rather to praise how Shelley Katz added a few extra elements that felt authentic to the story, that made me more enthusiastic about this book.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is less about a giant alligator, and more about the harsh environment of the Florida wilderness. I won't get caught up in how shitty the vast majority of these characters are because, well, it was written in the 70's where being a hyper-masculine douche was pretty standard. Still, I looked forward to each of them meeting a gruesome death.

[Shea Chen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A masterpiece of courageous man against murderous beast! Even more thrilling than JAWS. The protagonist in this book is fighting against the giant alligator, but also against the ever-changing nature - Rapids, Storms, Muck fires, and so on. The swamp environment is beautiful but dangerous. An unforgettable saga and my list of Animal Attacks Books #1!

[Scott Oliver · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to like this more than I did but not enough alligator for my liking.

If you like stories of good old boys in the swamps of Florida than this is the book for, just don’t expect much in the way of killer alligator attacks

[Jerry James · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the wildest ride you’ll ever take with a monster book. It’s a blast.

[Reevrb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bravo Shelley!!
Well written with adventure, human emotions and spirituality as well.

[Ian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this because DFW put it on a list of great books, I suspect to make some kind of point. Anyway, this book way outperforms its fundamentals of "post-Jaws cashgrab exploitation adventure."

[Leigh · Rating 1 out of 5]

Extremely disapponted in this book, as it took me years to get a copy. The characters are all either completely unmemorable (I had to keep flipping back and forth in an attempt to figure out who 'x' was when he/she was mentioned) or total jerks. The only main character who seemed remotely decent turned out to be a gang rapist. The story was rambling and incoherent, and the outcome unsatisfying (the only ending that would have redeemed anything would have been for the alligator to have killed everyone, and then carried on alone in the swamp).

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, this book was nowhere near as horrifying as I worried it would be. It was actually pretty good. It does have some thrilling aspects, but it took a bit longer getting going on that than I hoped. Still, there was a lot more going on emotionally than I thought. It still seemed like pointless human destruction on some level, but at least I could see some of what it was saying. I suppose I should be satisfied with that. After all, it was much better written than I expected.

[Hamed Pourkhorsandi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very nice adventure story, thought the characters have not been well made...

[DURTY · Rating 2 out of 5]

70's social mores are hilarious