Devil Dragon

by Deborah Sheldon

Dr. Erin Harris may be a scientist, but she has an unscientific obsession: to find a living Varanus priscus. Cryptozoologists call it the Devil dragon. This giant Australian reptile went extinct some 12,000 years ago but like Bigfoot or Nessie, there are occasional sightings. Spurred by a credible witness, Erin cobbles together an expedition party consisting of herself, the witness, and his deer-hunting neighbours. They travel into the unexplored heart of a remote national park. Erin, believing the Devil dragon to be a larger version of the Komodo, is confident she can outwit a specimen. However, the terrifying monster that lumbers out of the bush is a savage and unpredictable predator the size of a campervan. To escape, Erin must transform herself from genteel university lecturer to hard-core survivalist.

Genres: Thriller, Action, Adventure, Horror

242 pages, Paperback

First published November 17, 2016

About the author

I'm a multi-award-winning author and anthology editor from Melbourne, Australia. I write poems, short stories, novelettes, novellas and novels across the darker spectrum of horror, crime and noir. My latest titles are the novel Nightmare Reef and the poetry collection The Broonie and Other Dark Poems.
My award-winning titles include the novella Redhead Town and the collection Perfect Little Stitches and Other Stories. My award-nominated titles include the novels Bodily Harm, Cretaceous Canyon, Body Farm Z, Contrition and Devil Dragon; the novella Thylacines; and the collections Figments and Fragments: Dark Stories and Liminal Spaces: Horror Stories.
My short fiction has appeared in many well-respected magazines, been shortlisted for numerous awards, translated, and included in various 'best of' anthologies such as Year's Best Hardcore Horror.
I've won the Australian Shadows 'Best Edited Work' Award three times: for Midnight Echo 14, and for the anthologies I conceived and edited, Spawn: Weird Horror Tales About Pregnancy, Birth and Babies, and Killer Creatures Down Under: Horror Stories with Bite.
Other credits include TV scripts such as NEIGHBOURS, feature articles, non-fiction books published by Reed Books and Random House, stage plays, award-nominated poetry, and award-winning medical writing including Better Health Channel.

Reviews

[Peter Topside · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this creature feature. And I very much appreciated the level to which Deborah Sheldon researched the komodo dragon and Varanus priscus. There was a good amount of action, but not so much that it overtook the story. A good deal of the plot focused on the hunt for the lizard, and the pretty enjoyable banter between Erin, Jamie, Megan, and Noel. Now Jamie was a ton of fun here, with a great amount of depth and character progression. She started out as this overly enthusiastic, know it all sort of scientist. And she finds out the hard way how much book smarts and lectures don’t compensate for field experience. And she’s forced to quickly learn, adapt, and evolve both physically and psychologically, too. So that was a huge focal point, as it should have been. The creature itself was thoroughly explored and a constant, looming threat. However, it wasn’t portrayed as just an angry animal. It was just trying to survive and thrive, as all animals do. And the kills scenes were all done very well, too. There were several times that certain scenes made me reminisce of Jaws and Predator (‘87), which are both amazing films that are worthy of having notes taken from. Now I didn’t love the very end, which went a bit flat after such an extraordinary chase sequence. It was left open-ended, but it didn’t seem like a sequel was imminent. I won’t spoil anything, but not only did I wish for a conclusive finale, but I wanted to see what the characters did once they were out of the wild and back in civilization. So not without some minor flaws, this was a really great experience that all fans of the likes of Hunter Shea should enjoy.

[Arun Divakar · Rating 3 out of 5]

The movies which hit a real high for me as a kid almost always had large animals running amok in them and these included Jurassic Park and it’s sequels, Jaws and Anaconda amongst others. What this has left me with (even in my 30’s) is an unreasonable love for monster flicks and this extends to the books I read as well. Deborah Sheldon’s novel falls totally into this territory where a seemingly extinct giant reptile wreaks havoc in the wilds of Southern Australia.

The story is fairly straightforward : a deskbound scientist – Erin Harris while on vacation comes across a half-eaten carcass of a heifer that she believes could be the handy work of Varanus priscus. This strange name belongs to a giant extinct mega lizard which was the ancestor of today’s Komodo Dragon. Erin is by no way a strong or a likeable person and she is overburdened with an immense inferiority complex and daddy issues. Her mind comes up with a rationale that if she were to find this lizard and present it in front of the world then that would be salvation from her own complexes. A rag tag group of hunters and farmers come together to mount a little expedition into the forest to search for the lizard. As expected, things go utterly wrong and that forms the rest of the story.

There aren’t much by way of details and if you have read a fair number of monster stories and watched Hollywood flicks then none of what happens would surprise you much. The gore element is less and the author focuses more on the central character of Erin and how she comes almost fully undone during the events. Enjoyable !

[Deborah Sheldon]

'Devil Dragon’ is available as an audio book, published by Beacon Audiobooks, one of the largest independent audio book publishing companies in the United States (and Grammy-nominated too).
https://www.amazon.com/Devil-Dragon/d...

In March 2017, 'Devil Dragon' is shortlisted for Best Novel in the 2016 Australian Shadows Awards, run by the Australian Horror Writers Association: https://www.facebook.com/AustralianSh...

In December 2016, Helen Lowe, award-winning NZ poet and fantasy author, invited me to write a guest blog post on world-building for ‘Devil Dragon’: http://helenlowe.info/blog/2016/12/02...

In November 2016, Tarran Jones, Australian writer and book publicist, invited me to write a guest blog post on the inspiration behind ‘Devil Dragon’: https://taliesin13.wordpress.com/2016...

[Christian · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love monsters, especially cryptids, so when a book comes along set in Australia featuring a big arse lizard, I have to read it. And Devil Dragon doesn't disappoint. What stands out is how authentic everything feels, from the characters to the said big arse lizard. And that chase scene after the heroine stumbles upon the nest, ooh boy, Tense and Thrilling in capital letters.

From the little I've read of Deborah Sheldon's work I've yet to be disappointed and will continue to seek out more.

[wayne peters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of this book.

Great job of writing this book. I wanted to slap the woman Erin. All she could think about was how famous she would be. Not about all the deaths that occurred. The story was spellbinding. I literally could not put it down until I was finished with the book. Fantastic job of writing!

[Alex Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Deborah Sheldon is a talented writer, she writes characters very well and that is the strength of the story here. The characters, each on with a distinct voice and personality. Which gives the book much of its flavour. That said the creature scenes don't disappoint. The title monster is scary and it leads to some very intense and surprising moments, including certain death scenes that were very surprising and unpredictable. The book is however just a touch on the sluggish side in the middle, while the character building is good and it's extremely necessary the lack of creature action throughout this section kinda bogged it down a little. However the climax itself was fantastic and tense. As many reviews for this book have called the heroine Erin annoying. I didn't find that. I thought she was realistically portrayed and wasn't unlikeable at all. Her internal dialogue and regret helped to keep that from happening which was a wonderful feature from Sheldon. I have to take another point off for the abrupt ending. While the events of the story had been resolved I still felt that the book was unfinished. All in all however, Sheldon is a great writer and I look forward to reading more of her creature stories

[Margaret Scharf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Scary, do you like that feeling?

This is a really good story. It takes place in Australia and is believable because any country that lays claim to a platypus may indeed have a dinosaur-type lizard in its interio.

[Anne Mccluskey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved reading "Devil Dragon". It is an exciting, fast paced book featuring a truly terrifying monster. Deborah's characters are very human & believable. A strange thing happened while I was reading "Devil Dragon"-I found I disliked the main character Dr. Erin Harris. But that only increased my enjoyment while I read the book. I think she is an anti-heroine. I almost rejoiced in her trials.
"Devil Dragon" is beautifully written. It is a genuine pleasure to read such a free-flowing narrative.
The storyline develops in a roller coaster of events, each one accumulating until the appearance of the monster & then things just get worse!.
The creature is superbly described, with wonderful & realistic word pictures that are actually believable. While reading the description of the monster I was able to imagine that the horrific animal was real. Then the action becomes non-stop. Thrilling chapters follow with things happening so rapidly it made me eager to see what was next. It is completely engrossing.
The ending of the book is so unexpected. I did not see it coming. What a very fitting finale for Erin.
After reading this book, I am so glad I have found Deborah Sheldon's work. I have bought more of her books & I have made it my goal to read all of her writings.

[Deirdre · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ancient Prehistoric Komodo Dragons 🦎
Wow thank you Deborah Sheldon for such a wild crazy entertaining ride in Australia's Outback! I love creature features with Gators, Crocs, Sharks, and Komodos. This one was amazing. The tension was pumped up so high like approaching the top of a huge roller coaster and suddenly you are careening down at breakneck speed. There are sudden sharp turns, loops, additional climbing then that terrible helpless drop -OMG! The unexpected kept happening.
I'm so glad Amazon suggest books based on what you've been reading or I wouldn't have found this gem. I read it slowly because it was exciting and interesting. I didn't want it to end.

I couldn't guess where the author was going to take us next. You get the most underprepared MC in a battle for her life and those who accompanied her on her expedition. The ending was a cliffhanger - good! I needed an opportunity to catch my breath. I am hoping the author writes a sequel to this very exciting story.

[Terry and dog · Rating 4 out of 5]

The fact that I love creature features brought me to this book. What keeps me reading and thrills me to no end is when I read something in the beginning of the story that brings hope for a good creature encounter, in this case it was the simple words "septic pathogens". This had good characters and monsters and a lot of action. Really enjoyed this.

[Patricia Kaniasty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really liked this story. Scary and gross. Not for the faint of heart. Reminded me a bit of "Jurassic Park".

[LYALL L WATSON · Rating 5 out of 5]

Little slow starting out but then I couldn't put it down. Wish there was a sequel .

[Oliver Clarke · Rating 3 out of 5]

‘Devil Dragon’ is a solid, entertaining creature feature type novel, not desperately original or rich in meaning, but gripping and fun. It’s about a herpetologist (Erin) searching for a Devil Dragon (basically a massive Komodo dragon in the Australian outback. Uptight city girl Erin is accompanied by a local farmer, eager to get payback on the monster that has attacked his livestock, and a husband and wife duo of hunters. The urban/rural tension is familiar but fun and the action builds slowly but pleasingly to a brutal and rousing final third, although the very end felt like a bit of a swizz to me.
There’s not much here you haven’t seen before, but the combo of decent characters, a well described setting and a big fuck off monster make for a fun read.

[Robyn O'Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy reading books by this author. The writing is spare and direct. Devil Dragon is an exciting story with well-constructed characters who develop both personally and in relation each others as the tale progresses. There is some gritty edge-of-your-seat action and the protagonist brings the chain of events to a forceful and compelling conclusion. If you like a book that won't let you put it down, then get your teeth into Devil Dragon!

[Mildred Fontanez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting and entertaining.

Good story. Good tempo. I always like it when I learn something new. The Devil Dragon is a species of prehistoric reptile that I was not familiar with. I liked how the author then comparisons it with the Komodo dragon and then added new characteristics that gave the story new depth and made for new surprises. I also liked how she developed her characters. The ending was unexpected yet expected. All in all, and entertaining read.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Page turner

Wow what a scary adventure. A city girl used to university living explores the outback of Australia. She is looking for the devil dragon.

This book has some salty language and graphic details of gore. It is not for the squeamish reader. Lots of hunting violence. Also a lot of technical jargon.

Looking forward to the next adventure.

[Robin Knabel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was on the edge of my seat so many times, and I actually caught myself holding my breath during some of the more intense action scenes. It’s no secret that I’m a sucker for creature stories, and when the plot is pulled off so well that your mind can fathom the creature existing, that’s a win. I believe cryptozoology fans will love this story, as well as other science nerds like myself. Sheldon did a fantastic job researching for this book. You follow the main character Erin as she susses out facts from speculation throughout the story. All of those moments made Devil Dragon truly come alive on the page.

For my full spoiler-free review: https://robinknabel.squarespace.com/r...

[Allen James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Normally I'm a slow reader but I couldn't put this book down. It was very well written, good character development, lots of gore when it counted, pacing was perfect building up to a great ending. I liked the amount of technical jargon from the main character. I thought it was just enough to explain to the layman what a scientist would be thinking. The story made sense from the start. I would highly recommend this book to anybody who likes a believable action story.

[Brenda Ploegstra · Rating 1 out of 5]

Liked the devil dragon

The main character is a whining, egotistical, spoiled brat. The story could have been so much better if she had been eaten when she first crossed over the farmer's fence.
Too bad the dragon wasn't the main character.

[Cynthia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun read. Perfect for a weekend of sitting outside enjoying the early summer and relaxing. I greatly enjoyed it, I love books like this.

[Kayla · Rating 3 out of 5]

Noel Baines has no idea what he is getting himself into when he reports his sighting of a monster on the edge of his property. He becomes a laughing stock, the town joke—that is until Erin Harris, an evolutionary biologist, comes to town for an interview. After seeing the evidence (dead heifer) and getting her samples tested by the all-too-willing Russ Walker-Smith, Erin becomes convinced that the monster is the Devil Dragon (Varanus Priscus) which went extinct 12,000 years before. In her excitement, Erin ignore Russ’ cautions to wait, to return to the university and apply for a grant, and rushes into a deal with Noel to catch the predator. Noel enlists the help of his neighbours, the Robinsons, who know the area and are skilled hunters. They head off together with notions of killing the monster and gaining fame and fortune from its discovery—a discovery Erin intends to claim for herself.

Despite her lack of hands on experience Erin believes that her wealth of theoretical knowledge will be valuable in the hours to come—hours in which she will become the only scientist alive having had the change to look at the Varanus Priscus up close. But will she stay that way for long? The Varanus Priscus quickly disproves many of Erin’s theories (theories based on her knowledge of the Komodo dragon) and shows it’s much more dangerous than Erin could have possibly guessed.

Erin is going into the biggest expedition of her life completely unprepared and without the safety net of even a phone signal to call for help. She, Noel, and the Robinsons will be completely cut off. Can a city-girl handle the pressure of a hunt? Can she hold her beers and her face in face of the dangers to come?

The thrill of new knowledge paired with the almost completely alien world of evolutionary biology made this an engrossing read. While slow in places, it maintained its entertainment and pulled off something very difficult—an Australian outback horror that felt authentic.

[marlene hazeltine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good story lousy ending

Book was well written but the main character was just incredibly ignorant. Her unbelievable ignorance of anything doing with preparedness was greatly underdeveloped, even if she was a driven human being.. and please have an actual ending, not one of these up in the air jobs that often leave the reader without closure.