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Sam Aston Investigations #1
Primordial
Sometimes, the legends are true.
When eccentric billionaire, Ellis Holloway, hires renegade marine biologist, Sam Aston, to investigate the legend of a monster in a remote Finnish lake, Aston envisions an easy paycheck and a chance to clear his gambling debts. But he gets much more. Something terrible lives beneath the dark waters of Lake Kaarme, and it’s hungry. As the death toll mounts, Aston faces superstitious locals, a power-hungry police chief, and a benefactor’s descent into madness as he races to find the legendary beast of the lake.
When eccentric billionaire, Ellis Holloway, hires renegade marine biologist, Sam Aston, to investigate the legend of a monster in a remote Finnish lake, Aston envisions an easy paycheck and a chance to clear his gambling debts. But he gets much more. Something terrible lives beneath the dark waters of Lake Kaarme, and it’s hungry. As the death toll mounts, Aston faces superstitious locals, a power-hungry police chief, and a benefactor’s descent into madness as he races to find the legendary beast of the lake.
398 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2017
190 people are currently reading
344 people want to read
About the author
David Wood
100 books309 followersDavid Wood is the USA Today bestselling author of the Dane Maddock Adventures and many other titles and series. He also writes Science Fiction under the pen name Finn Gray and fantasy as David Debord. He is also a book reviewer, podcaster, and a member of International Thriller Writers and The Horror Writers Association. David and his family live in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Visit him online at www.davidwoodweb.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
March 14, 2017
Primordial is a straight-down-the-line, wildly effective creature-feature thriller, using a lesser known prehistoric throwback as its primary non-human antagonist. The nature of the creature/monster is no secret — it is beautifully illustrated on the cover by Dean Samed. As written by its two collaborating authors, David Wood and Alan Baxter (who together boast an extensive and growing history in the action-thriller and related fields), the novel takes a plot and plot structure familiar to any fan of SyFy Channel monster flicks and makes it live again. While the novel may not push the boundaries too much in terms of theme, characters or plot, the writing is clear and to-the-point, the characters convincing, and the storytelling adept and engaging. It moves from its opening stage-setting to full-on action adventure with skill, imagination and aplomb. The pace ramps up continually after the relatively quiet (though not dull) beginning, and drags the reader along for a spine-chilling ride, throwing more and more challenges at the protagonists, at least some of which will not be exactly what you were expecting. Primordial may not be a deep literary exploration of the human or non-human condition, but it is a thrilling and engaging entertainment that makes a lot more dramatic sense than most of its cinematic equivalents. Hollywood take note.
May 19, 2017
A better version of this review: http://bohomind.com/primordial-alan-b...
Primordial is an exciting creature-thriller science fiction with a solid plot, a well-constructed cast of characters, and a memorable predator.
David Wood and Alan Baxter have created a tale of two types of monsters and shown us how the line of monstrosity blurs between the two-legged species and the flippered ones.
The book primarily shows us an expedition funded by a billionaire interested in cryptids all around the world and teamed by people with similar interests locate and hunt down a prehistoric aquatic creature living a legendary life in the depth of the Lake Kaarme in Finland.
The creature has been identified by the marine biologist as a prehistoric marine apex predator (won't reveal the name read the book) which might have evolved over time to be able to frequent the freshwater lake and develop a taste for human flesh.
Though known to be an extinct species, this particular specimen managed to win against time (there were talks about breeding possibilities but the authors left it at that). How? We can't know from this book. There is a possibility of a sequel so keep your fingers crossed.
But 'it' or 'she'(according to our third person POV/marine biologist because the creature reminds him of his ex-girlfriend), has had help from a fanatic, a loony bin, who worships her, feeds her, and goes to great extent to protect her.
The description of our gigantic friend is sensational. Believe me, my eyes were stuck on my phone for those many minutes. At some point, I could visualize a smaller version of the thing swimming around the pool in our adjacent complex. Not that I have a bone to pick with them. Shhhh.
The tunnels, caves, long lost German Platoon playing an unexpected role (I had hoped our shady lead would get some treasure there), all that are narrated with clarity and superb imagery.
The confrontation of the beast and human is graphic.
I must admit that I actually started enjoying the book once we had reached the lake. The book begins at a good place, hinting at the thrilling adventure the mind-blowing book cover suggests. Then we spend some time in the lead character's head finding out about his shadowy habits and the consequences before we meet the whole crew. I was growing impatient, waiting for the main action.
Once our friends reach the Lake Kaarme, the suspense builds up and soon becomes intoxicating.
I liked the way backstory was narrated by the lead or the character Old Mo. It never cut the tension, only added to it.
The use of our marine biologist's 'gallows humor' is quite effective in diluting the grim nature of the subject.
The human characters created by Mr. Wood and Mr. Baxter follow the necessary formula of their film versions of monster thrillers. Biologists, filming crew, superior technology, and a billionaire to fund them, a few more questionable members, make a good mix of cast. Shady backgrounds, secret actions in the cover of night, strange and eccentric behaviors, zealots, missing people, everything remain true to the specific subgenre. The romantic angle plays off well. Thanks for not making it unreal like the 'bad creature movies.'
Like any science fiction movie with biology as a strong element, the thrill factor is high. As expected, there are twist and turns of the tale at regular intervals where human and monster go hand in hand winning some and losing some before the last round when escape or death becomes a possibility. The open-ended closure suggests a welcoming chance of a sequel. I have so many questions about the resident aberration of evolutionary history, and the people who finally survived.
A memorable line from one of the tensest scenes in the book:
He felt like a child trapped in an adult world, impotent in the face of one stupid door.
As you can assume, the hero was locked in a cage.
Thank you, Alan Baxter, for offering me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Primordial is an exciting creature-thriller science fiction with a solid plot, a well-constructed cast of characters, and a memorable predator.
David Wood and Alan Baxter have created a tale of two types of monsters and shown us how the line of monstrosity blurs between the two-legged species and the flippered ones.
The book primarily shows us an expedition funded by a billionaire interested in cryptids all around the world and teamed by people with similar interests locate and hunt down a prehistoric aquatic creature living a legendary life in the depth of the Lake Kaarme in Finland.
The creature has been identified by the marine biologist as a prehistoric marine apex predator (won't reveal the name read the book) which might have evolved over time to be able to frequent the freshwater lake and develop a taste for human flesh.
Though known to be an extinct species, this particular specimen managed to win against time (there were talks about breeding possibilities but the authors left it at that). How? We can't know from this book. There is a possibility of a sequel so keep your fingers crossed.
But 'it' or 'she'(according to our third person POV/marine biologist because the creature reminds him of his ex-girlfriend), has had help from a fanatic, a loony bin, who worships her, feeds her, and goes to great extent to protect her.
The description of our gigantic friend is sensational. Believe me, my eyes were stuck on my phone for those many minutes. At some point, I could visualize a smaller version of the thing swimming around the pool in our adjacent complex. Not that I have a bone to pick with them. Shhhh.
The tunnels, caves, long lost German Platoon playing an unexpected role (I had hoped our shady lead would get some treasure there), all that are narrated with clarity and superb imagery.
The confrontation of the beast and human is graphic.
I must admit that I actually started enjoying the book once we had reached the lake. The book begins at a good place, hinting at the thrilling adventure the mind-blowing book cover suggests. Then we spend some time in the lead character's head finding out about his shadowy habits and the consequences before we meet the whole crew. I was growing impatient, waiting for the main action.
Once our friends reach the Lake Kaarme, the suspense builds up and soon becomes intoxicating.
I liked the way backstory was narrated by the lead or the character Old Mo. It never cut the tension, only added to it.
The use of our marine biologist's 'gallows humor' is quite effective in diluting the grim nature of the subject.
The human characters created by Mr. Wood and Mr. Baxter follow the necessary formula of their film versions of monster thrillers. Biologists, filming crew, superior technology, and a billionaire to fund them, a few more questionable members, make a good mix of cast. Shady backgrounds, secret actions in the cover of night, strange and eccentric behaviors, zealots, missing people, everything remain true to the specific subgenre. The romantic angle plays off well. Thanks for not making it unreal like the 'bad creature movies.'
Like any science fiction movie with biology as a strong element, the thrill factor is high. As expected, there are twist and turns of the tale at regular intervals where human and monster go hand in hand winning some and losing some before the last round when escape or death becomes a possibility. The open-ended closure suggests a welcoming chance of a sequel. I have so many questions about the resident aberration of evolutionary history, and the people who finally survived.
A memorable line from one of the tensest scenes in the book:
He felt like a child trapped in an adult world, impotent in the face of one stupid door.
As you can assume, the hero was locked in a cage.
Thank you, Alan Baxter, for offering me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Read
February 23, 2017Can't rate or review, as I work for the publisher. Let me state the obvious though... this book is mean as hell. Formidable storytelling and monster madness.
November 13, 2018
Very fun, found a new series. Well done monster in the water book that's not overly cheesy. I actually liked the childlike billionaire for the most part until he got all twisted and showed his villain colors. The lead was realistic and I also warmed up to him. The monster was a creative twist. Full review to come.
May 24, 2018
With a cover like this book has, I couldn't resist. Giant sea monster that looks like it's about to eat someone? Yes please!
This book doesn't waste time and starts out with a bang (or a gulp?). Valuable chomping time isn't wasted learning much of the life histories of characters but enough is doled out in bits and pieces (heh) that you get to know them well enough.
The action starts early and alternates well with suspense; I never had a dull moment reading this and always wanted to get back to it the few times I *had* to put it down.
The ending surprised me; I was expecting the same old tired stuff but it went in a different direction, hopefully leading to a sequel, which I would welcome.
All in all, a great monster story and it's enough to keep me away from any lakes in Finland, or even any shallow water in Finland.
Recommended for those brace souls that thrive on monster stories, especially aquatic critters that will eat anything and everything.
This book doesn't waste time and starts out with a bang (or a gulp?). Valuable chomping time isn't wasted learning much of the life histories of characters but enough is doled out in bits and pieces (heh) that you get to know them well enough.
The action starts early and alternates well with suspense; I never had a dull moment reading this and always wanted to get back to it the few times I *had* to put it down.
The ending surprised me; I was expecting the same old tired stuff but it went in a different direction, hopefully leading to a sequel, which I would welcome.
All in all, a great monster story and it's enough to keep me away from any lakes in Finland, or even any shallow water in Finland.
Recommended for those brace souls that thrive on monster stories, especially aquatic critters that will eat anything and everything.
November 20, 2021
Trigger warnings: death, gore, blood, animal death, gun violence, explosions, death of a friend, stabbing.
I've been in a reading slump this month so I figured I'd pick this up because a) it helps me towards my goal to read 150 books set outside the US and the UK (this is set in Finland) and b) it sounded so utterly ridiculous that I figured it would be a fast read. And I was right.
This is pretty ridiculous. The characters were a little bit cardboard cut out-y and I definitely don't think the romance element was necessary. But there was action aplenty and I flew through it and I enjoyed it enough that I'm pretty much immediately going to start the second book. So we'll call it a win.
I've been in a reading slump this month so I figured I'd pick this up because a) it helps me towards my goal to read 150 books set outside the US and the UK (this is set in Finland) and b) it sounded so utterly ridiculous that I figured it would be a fast read. And I was right.
This is pretty ridiculous. The characters were a little bit cardboard cut out-y and I definitely don't think the romance element was necessary. But there was action aplenty and I flew through it and I enjoyed it enough that I'm pretty much immediately going to start the second book. So we'll call it a win.
February 11, 2020
When marine biologist, Sam Aston, is hired by an eccentric billionaire to search for a lake monster, he assumes it's a wild goose chase. But then, at a remote lake in Finland, unexpected evidence starts to mount to support the existence of a large unknown creature. When people start to disappear, Sam and his crew find themselves in a fight for their lives against a monster that shouldn't exist.
This is a fun one! Not scary but it's a good thriller that does Loch Ness better than Loch Ness! I'm looking forward to the next in the series.
This is a fun one! Not scary but it's a good thriller that does Loch Ness better than Loch Ness! I'm looking forward to the next in the series.
September 19, 2017
I'm such a sucker for a good underwater adventure, or indeed any adventure that has prehistoric creatures trying to eat you!! So upon seeing this, I dived in. And, as I kind of guessed before starting, I found myself immersed in an action packed, enthralling, underwater adventure, that ticked all the right boxes.
Plot wise, I loved it. Sam Aston is called upon by an eccentric billionaire, Ellis Holloway, after one of Ellis's previous employees disappeared. He left behind some compelling evidence to show that there may be something in the lake in a Finnish village. Sam knows the guy is crazy, but with a chance to clear his growing gambling debts, he decides to entertain the man. Easy money, right? Nope, there is something lurking in the lake and it's hungry!!! The plot was fast paced, entertaining, actually quiet believable (when it came to how the beast came into the lake) and a rollicking adventure!!
All the characters were well written and developed. Sam is the lovable rogue whom you can't help but love. We have a hot tv host whom is also quite smart, and we have the eccentric billionaire whom loves all things cryptids and is willing to fund the trip to find the proof of a prehistoric creature, and we have other characters who all add up to make the book interesting and intriguing.
It's also not just about the beast. We see and hear things from the small village to question whether the creature is there by choice. There seems to be other beasts around... the two legged kind, and it just goes to show that beasts aren't always just animals. I was intrigued about the books in the basement and need to know more about their origin and what they are!! I really, really hope there's more to come!!
In all, this was awesome. I flew through it and absolutely need more!! I will definitely check out more from both authors and can only hope they have some creature feature books written!!!
Jeffrey Kafer is one of the best in the business. He has narrated numerous books, in numerous genres and never fails to deliver. It's the same here!! He is so easy to listen to and nails the performance. He had me on the edge of my seat all the time but especially during the tense moments. He just knows how to bring a story to life!!
I was voluntarily provided this audiobook for free from the author, narrator, or publisher. This in no way affected nor influenced my thoughts.
Plot wise, I loved it. Sam Aston is called upon by an eccentric billionaire, Ellis Holloway, after one of Ellis's previous employees disappeared. He left behind some compelling evidence to show that there may be something in the lake in a Finnish village. Sam knows the guy is crazy, but with a chance to clear his growing gambling debts, he decides to entertain the man. Easy money, right? Nope, there is something lurking in the lake and it's hungry!!! The plot was fast paced, entertaining, actually quiet believable (when it came to how the beast came into the lake) and a rollicking adventure!!
All the characters were well written and developed. Sam is the lovable rogue whom you can't help but love. We have a hot tv host whom is also quite smart, and we have the eccentric billionaire whom loves all things cryptids and is willing to fund the trip to find the proof of a prehistoric creature, and we have other characters who all add up to make the book interesting and intriguing.
It's also not just about the beast. We see and hear things from the small village to question whether the creature is there by choice. There seems to be other beasts around... the two legged kind, and it just goes to show that beasts aren't always just animals. I was intrigued about the books in the basement and need to know more about their origin and what they are!! I really, really hope there's more to come!!
In all, this was awesome. I flew through it and absolutely need more!! I will definitely check out more from both authors and can only hope they have some creature feature books written!!!
Jeffrey Kafer is one of the best in the business. He has narrated numerous books, in numerous genres and never fails to deliver. It's the same here!! He is so easy to listen to and nails the performance. He had me on the edge of my seat all the time but especially during the tense moments. He just knows how to bring a story to life!!
I was voluntarily provided this audiobook for free from the author, narrator, or publisher. This in no way affected nor influenced my thoughts.
March 20, 2021
This novel was a discovered gem for me. I love creature features and this one was no disappointment. A must read for fans of Kronos Rising and of course Jaws.
4 Stars ****
4 Stars ****
December 1, 2021
Thought I'd give this one a shot after not thinking much of Steve Alten's The Loch and still being in the mood for some lake monster nonsense. I read Baxter's The Roo earlier in the year, which was ace, so figured this one would be a safe bet. Nope, it's a bit shit.
Goes for the Jaws structure, lots of "off screen" kills early on with barely a glimpse of the beast. Unfortunately that doesn't work unless your characters would be interesting to watch interact regardless of whether there's a predator out there or not, nor when you put a massive fucking picture of the monster you're being so teasing about on the cover and spoil the reveal before the reader reaches the first page. Pacing is rotten, I think it's trying to do a slow build with the threat and the insanity of the leader of the expedition gradually ramping up, but it doesn't work. Instead it feels like they mill around for 3/4 of the book and then everything shoots straight to 11, characters lurching from kind of on edge to homicidally insane and the monster going from a book long no-show right to back to back climactic action sequences.
It's not terrible, which might even be a point against it. None of the unintended comedy of the truly shit monster horror novels, it's just all a bit dull.
Goes for the Jaws structure, lots of "off screen" kills early on with barely a glimpse of the beast. Unfortunately that doesn't work unless your characters would be interesting to watch interact regardless of whether there's a predator out there or not, nor when you put a massive fucking picture of the monster you're being so teasing about on the cover and spoil the reveal before the reader reaches the first page. Pacing is rotten, I think it's trying to do a slow build with the threat and the insanity of the leader of the expedition gradually ramping up, but it doesn't work. Instead it feels like they mill around for 3/4 of the book and then everything shoots straight to 11, characters lurching from kind of on edge to homicidally insane and the monster going from a book long no-show right to back to back climactic action sequences.
It's not terrible, which might even be a point against it. None of the unintended comedy of the truly shit monster horror novels, it's just all a bit dull.
July 2, 2018
K.D. McNiven
5.0 out of 5 stars A 5-star roller coaster ride
July 2, 2018
Format: Kindle Edition|Verified Purchase
Primordial by David Wood and Alan Baxter- David Wood is one of my favorite authors and he did not disappoint in this fiction thriller. The characters are believable and I have to admit I wanted to reach in, grab his antagonist by his throat, and squeeze tight.
The plot is fast and holds you until the very last exciting page, which has you biting off your nails by the way. I'm giving Primordial five-stars and if you enjoy speculative fiction and twists and turns that keep your head swiveling, this is the book for you.
5.0 out of 5 stars A 5-star roller coaster ride
July 2, 2018
Format: Kindle Edition|Verified Purchase
Primordial by David Wood and Alan Baxter- David Wood is one of my favorite authors and he did not disappoint in this fiction thriller. The characters are believable and I have to admit I wanted to reach in, grab his antagonist by his throat, and squeeze tight.
The plot is fast and holds you until the very last exciting page, which has you biting off your nails by the way. I'm giving Primordial five-stars and if you enjoy speculative fiction and twists and turns that keep your head swiveling, this is the book for you.
February 23, 2017
I loved this book, it was a cross between Jaws and Jurassic Park with a little Meg on steroids thrown it. Lake Kaarme host a legend, a legend of monster that has been talked about for hundreds of years but never really seen. Enter Ellis Holloway, an eccentric billioniare, who has assembled a an questionable scientist, a beautiful journalist and local Cryptozoologist to hunt and document this creature. what could possibly go wrong?
July 11, 2018
2.5 stars rounded up
April 4, 2023
🌟 3.5 🌟
This book is a 4 🌟 read but here's what's annoying...
The fucking misogynistic comments ALLLLLL THE TIME.
It starts meeting the ppl and the authors continuously make mention of the woman's looks, how she's judged for being just a pretty face, however she wants to branch out on her own.
1 of the men constantly has to "look away from her breasts" or "glance at her legs". Ok annoying but moving on.
So these 2 ppl have a 1 night stand. Cool, love that for them. They both agree, 1 and done so things don't get messy with their work. Afterwards she proceeds to still be friendly and was like we agreed we're done, let's just work. And the dude gets it but seriously EVERY TIME it's his POV he's "hoping she'll be looking for more later" or "wanting another go" and still staring at her, just SOMETHING.
BRO MOVE THE FUCK ON! It bothered me so much that his POVs just couldn't have a moment without reflecting, mentioning or staring at her.
It wasn't until the last hour of the audio when the creature was literally captured and starting to attack them that the comments/thoughts stopped...obviously so they could focus on not dying.
Anyways, so yea. Loved the story, but guys do better with the writing a bit, ok?!?
This book is a 4 🌟 read but here's what's annoying...
The fucking misogynistic comments ALLLLLL THE TIME.
It starts meeting the ppl and the authors continuously make mention of the woman's looks, how she's judged for being just a pretty face, however she wants to branch out on her own.
1 of the men constantly has to "look away from her breasts" or "glance at her legs". Ok annoying but moving on.
So these 2 ppl have a 1 night stand. Cool, love that for them. They both agree, 1 and done so things don't get messy with their work. Afterwards she proceeds to still be friendly and was like we agreed we're done, let's just work. And the dude gets it but seriously EVERY TIME it's his POV he's "hoping she'll be looking for more later" or "wanting another go" and still staring at her, just SOMETHING.
BRO MOVE THE FUCK ON! It bothered me so much that his POVs just couldn't have a moment without reflecting, mentioning or staring at her.
It wasn't until the last hour of the audio when the creature was literally captured and starting to attack them that the comments/thoughts stopped...obviously so they could focus on not dying.
Anyways, so yea. Loved the story, but guys do better with the writing a bit, ok?!?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 10, 2018
First of all, I'm a total sucker for "monster mayhem" books like this one. In addition, I've always enjoyed the work of both David Wood and Alan Baxter - reading a collaboration between the two was a real treat. Hope to see much more of it in the future.
- Characters are interesting and compelling, yet distinct and unique. Tropes need not apply.
- Depicted as flawed humans with virtues and strengths.
- The creature (not a spoiler alert - just LOOK at the cover!) is rendered as a biological entity which serves the same function as a force of nature. No malice, no hidden motivations - just a challenge to be overcome.
- They could have gone overboard to explain in unnatural detail all of the WHY's to the monster, but wisely avoid doing so, focusing instead on conflict from other sources which is compounded by the presence of the creature.
- I found it to be one of more entertaining novels I've read in quite some time. Sheer fun and over the top tension and action at its finest.
I'd consider this the ideal summer beach read...unless you get nervous thinking about the unknown lurking just off shore. ; )
- Characters are interesting and compelling, yet distinct and unique. Tropes need not apply.
- Depicted as flawed humans with virtues and strengths.
- The creature (not a spoiler alert - just LOOK at the cover!) is rendered as a biological entity which serves the same function as a force of nature. No malice, no hidden motivations - just a challenge to be overcome.
- They could have gone overboard to explain in unnatural detail all of the WHY's to the monster, but wisely avoid doing so, focusing instead on conflict from other sources which is compounded by the presence of the creature.
- I found it to be one of more entertaining novels I've read in quite some time. Sheer fun and over the top tension and action at its finest.
I'd consider this the ideal summer beach read...unless you get nervous thinking about the unknown lurking just off shore. ; )
October 6, 2017
People have been disappearing from a Finnish lake for years and there are myths of the existence of a giant lake creature. Billionaire Ellis Holloway has assembled a team to find and capture the monster - at any cost. Battling a creature with a taste for human flesh, who will survive and who will become its dinner?
Holy crap! This story scared the heck out of me! Primordial was an awesome thriller and had me captivated throughout. Not everyone is what they seem, adding to the intrigue behind the mission to find the creature. Ancient rituals, Nazis, a crazy billionaire and a really pissed off monster - what's not to love? Jeffrey Kafer's narration was excellent and kept me completely engaged. My only criticism - those poor sheep. If you're looking for a heart-pounding thriller, I would highly recommend Primordial.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review. This review is my honest opinion.
Holy crap! This story scared the heck out of me! Primordial was an awesome thriller and had me captivated throughout. Not everyone is what they seem, adding to the intrigue behind the mission to find the creature. Ancient rituals, Nazis, a crazy billionaire and a really pissed off monster - what's not to love? Jeffrey Kafer's narration was excellent and kept me completely engaged. My only criticism - those poor sheep. If you're looking for a heart-pounding thriller, I would highly recommend Primordial.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review. This review is my honest opinion.
July 28, 2018
I picked this up because I was tired of the blood and gore in serial killer novels. Little did I know this book would top them all in that category. If you like the Jaws movie (but not the book with that wasteland in the middle), you'll probably like this story. It avoided the cliches of giant predators in an environment that couldn't possible support them. It did a little dance around the whole issue of a breeding population.
My real beef is with the unlikable characters. I actually kind of hoped the Aussie would meet his end, or at least lose a limb. The American female was only slightly less annoying. There were a few too many villains, and way too many slaughtered innocent bystanders. Their loss didn't actually raise the tension. The dialogue seemed mundane and lacked sparkle. If you're looking for a silly beach read to give you a few thrills, this might be for you. If you want something with more meat or characters you can't wait to get back to, look elsewhere.
My real beef is with the unlikable characters. I actually kind of hoped the Aussie would meet his end, or at least lose a limb. The American female was only slightly less annoying. There were a few too many villains, and way too many slaughtered innocent bystanders. Their loss didn't actually raise the tension. The dialogue seemed mundane and lacked sparkle. If you're looking for a silly beach read to give you a few thrills, this might be for you. If you want something with more meat or characters you can't wait to get back to, look elsewhere.
September 29, 2017
This was a fun monster novel. It had the over-sized feel of something along the lines of Relic to me. I thought the narration by Jeffery Kafer was really well done. Just to be transparent, if I was asked to head out to look for a myth, I would do it. If the stuff that started happening to them started to happen with me there, I would have been gone like donkey kong. The story was good, the writing was built well. I didn't like a lot of the relationships that formed, it seemed a lot more high school than it needed to be. The plot developed pretty well, stalling only once in a while. I liked it enough to consider picking up another from David Wood and Alan Baxter for sure.
This book was given to me for free at my request for my voluntary and unbiased review.
This book was given to me for free at my request for my voluntary and unbiased review.
July 6, 2018
This book was pretty ‘meh’ for me. The characters, especially the leads were both rather unlikeable, so it made it difficult to really care about either of them or their plights. Neither one was particularly developed as a character.
The story telling was weirdly paced. At times it felt to drag on forever and then suddenly it would jump into hyper action to the point of unbelievability. I can suspend belief and enjoy a tale up to a certain point. Then it just gets outlandish and convoluted. And this book certainly did that.
I think I’d have rather read this tale from only one properly fleshed character’s POV, rather than a whole bunch of characters that really didn’t need to have their inner thoughts shared.
The story telling was weirdly paced. At times it felt to drag on forever and then suddenly it would jump into hyper action to the point of unbelievability. I can suspend belief and enjoy a tale up to a certain point. Then it just gets outlandish and convoluted. And this book certainly did that.
I think I’d have rather read this tale from only one properly fleshed character’s POV, rather than a whole bunch of characters that really didn’t need to have their inner thoughts shared.
October 16, 2017
An Absolute Blast
People disappear from this lakeside town in Finland a few times a year, but no one really talks about it. They think that there is something in the water, but to keep it at bay they just accept that people and animals may disappear. In comes an overzealous billionaire who wants to get footage of this beast that no one has ever seen (and lived to tell the tale).
I love a good “monster” book, and I love it, even more, when it takes place in the water. I think that it makes the books more believable because we’ve explored more in space than we have of our own waterways.
Primordial was an absolute blast from beginning to end. The main character is one of those ‘down on his luck’ protagonists that you want to root for and believe me, you’re given lots of opportunities to root for him. The TV crew that was brought in could have been hateable or likable and by the end, I’ll let you make up your own opinion.
The story itself was fun with lots of action intermixed with a little love and other scenes. It really kept me interested throughout and I kept trying to guess what was going to happen next and couldn’t. I love when a book can keep me guessing but also keeps me interested to find out what will actually happen.
Primordial was written by excellent adventure writers and you can tell, it’s not just about the monster, but also about the stories and history around it. I particularly enjoyed the Nazi history of the area too, that was an unexpected turn and a really interesting part of Primordial.
As I said in my “title” – an absolute blast from beginning to end.
Jeffrey Kafer provides the narration for Primordial. If you don’t know who he is yet, then I think that’s on you! Kafer is absolutely one of the best in the business and is one of my favorite narrators to listen to. He is able to add drama to an already dramatic book and makes reading Wood’s novels even easier.
People disappear from this lakeside town in Finland a few times a year, but no one really talks about it. They think that there is something in the water, but to keep it at bay they just accept that people and animals may disappear. In comes an overzealous billionaire who wants to get footage of this beast that no one has ever seen (and lived to tell the tale).
I love a good “monster” book, and I love it, even more, when it takes place in the water. I think that it makes the books more believable because we’ve explored more in space than we have of our own waterways.
Primordial was an absolute blast from beginning to end. The main character is one of those ‘down on his luck’ protagonists that you want to root for and believe me, you’re given lots of opportunities to root for him. The TV crew that was brought in could have been hateable or likable and by the end, I’ll let you make up your own opinion.
The story itself was fun with lots of action intermixed with a little love and other scenes. It really kept me interested throughout and I kept trying to guess what was going to happen next and couldn’t. I love when a book can keep me guessing but also keeps me interested to find out what will actually happen.
Primordial was written by excellent adventure writers and you can tell, it’s not just about the monster, but also about the stories and history around it. I particularly enjoyed the Nazi history of the area too, that was an unexpected turn and a really interesting part of Primordial.
As I said in my “title” – an absolute blast from beginning to end.
Jeffrey Kafer provides the narration for Primordial. If you don’t know who he is yet, then I think that’s on you! Kafer is absolutely one of the best in the business and is one of my favorite narrators to listen to. He is able to add drama to an already dramatic book and makes reading Wood’s novels even easier.
January 20, 2021
I'm torn between 3 and 4 stars for this book. Definitely 4 stars for the action, suspense and one darned scary monster. But 3 stars for the hero, Sam Aston, who is not a very likeable person. He is definitely money driven which I suppose was necessary because there was no other reason to put up with the positively horrible billionaire villain. I suppose I'm just not used to an action hero being motivated primarily by a big paycheck. Although, by the end of the book there was a glimmer of hope that he might change. So, I'm going with 4 stars. Grudgingly so but so be it. And yes, I'll likely read the next book in the series just to see if Sam actually does change his ways.
August 6, 2023
Spoiler free full review at https://robinknabel.squarespace.com/r...
Primordial is the first book in a series about Sam Aston, a renegade marine biologist who attracts sharks - loan sharks. Desperate to pay off some thugs, he reluctantly accepts a job offer from billionaire Ellis Holloway, a benefactor hungry for the glory of providing scientific evidence of a legendary creature in Lake Kaarme, a remote body of water in Finland. Like most exciting adventure stories, there’s a team of people with secrets, a town unwilling to give up its legendary monster to outsiders, and a fantastic creature that brings thrills, suspense, and a hunger for flesh.
Primordial is the first book in a series about Sam Aston, a renegade marine biologist who attracts sharks - loan sharks. Desperate to pay off some thugs, he reluctantly accepts a job offer from billionaire Ellis Holloway, a benefactor hungry for the glory of providing scientific evidence of a legendary creature in Lake Kaarme, a remote body of water in Finland. Like most exciting adventure stories, there’s a team of people with secrets, a town unwilling to give up its legendary monster to outsiders, and a fantastic creature that brings thrills, suspense, and a hunger for flesh.
October 24, 2017
"Primordial" (2017) by David Wood and Alan Baxter is a monster tale that takes its time to flush out characters and build suspense. Heavily in debt scientist Sam Aston signs on to serve as a consultant to a small group of investigators searching for a carnivorous creature reputed to inhabit a large lake in Finland. The story delivers on excitement toward the last third. It took some time to acclimate to the narrator dropping his voice modulation at the end of every sentence. Still, solidly recommended. Audiobook provided free in exchange for an honest review.
June 7, 2018
There’s a good book here involving a lake monster in Finland and a couple of protagonists we could learn to like. The beginning draws us in; the ending is tense and exciting. The lake, and secretive Finnish bush town it borders, are intriguing but underdeveloped. Primordial is competently written but lags in the middle due to uninteresting plot development and boring details. Moreover, the hell monster itself is given short shrift in favor of generic human villains. May be more enjoyable late at night with smoked Reindeer and a few shots of vodka.
December 25, 2021
Fabulous stuff! Great plot, strong characters, unpleasant baddies and a hungry monster. There are fun subplots, travel, loony billionaires and mysteriously dead Nazis. Put it all together and this is a thundering good read and creature feature. Really enjoyed this and naturally have moved straight to Sam Aston Book 2. I was getting really worried as finding a GOOD book with which to escape the Humdrum banality of a connected world seems to be getting harder but here it is! Wecome to Finland. Think of a supercharged Loch Ness adventure minus the tartan!
February 17, 2024
Classic creature thriller.
An easy five stars. This book is a must read for all fans of the monster horror thriller genre. Sam Aston is a charismatic though flawed hero, having fallen into debt with a loan shark. He is offered a lucrative pay deal by a mysterious billionaire who is convinced a leviathan inhabits a lake in Finland. The tension, pace, twists and undersea horror is vivid and relentless when the creature is discovered. I will certainly be reading more of the San Aston series.
An easy five stars. This book is a must read for all fans of the monster horror thriller genre. Sam Aston is a charismatic though flawed hero, having fallen into debt with a loan shark. He is offered a lucrative pay deal by a mysterious billionaire who is convinced a leviathan inhabits a lake in Finland. The tension, pace, twists and undersea horror is vivid and relentless when the creature is discovered. I will certainly be reading more of the San Aston series.
September 23, 2017
A rough around the edges protagonist, a looney gazillionaire, an ice water evil monster and more make this one scary adrenaline rush of a read! No spoilers, the publisher's blurb gives hints and there is no way to really prepare for this one. But keep the lights on!
Jeffrey Kafer gives this one of his best performances in his usual understated way.
I requested and received a free copy in a giveaway courtesy of AudioBookBOOM.
Jeffrey Kafer gives this one of his best performances in his usual understated way.
I requested and received a free copy in a giveaway courtesy of AudioBookBOOM.
July 28, 2018
Being a child that was scared shitless by Jaws (both story and movie), I started this story with the knowledge that these memories may be stirred. They weren't just stirred, they were shaken awake, slapped around and made to parade naked through my head. The action is lull-less (probably a made up word, but I'm proud of it), leaving little time to recover from the pacey chain of events. Just the way I like it. Humour, bad guys, good guys and an epic monster all make for a great read.
June 3, 2019
Who is more prehistoric man or beast ?
I did enjoy this book it was face Paced and had interesting characters. I do feel that there is a lot of unanswered questions such as how can a prehistoric animal still be alive or have survived the end of the dinosaurs era. It will be interesting to.see how the story develops. Of course I will need to read book to find out more !
I did enjoy this book it was face Paced and had interesting characters. I do feel that there is a lot of unanswered questions such as how can a prehistoric animal still be alive or have survived the end of the dinosaurs era. It will be interesting to.see how the story develops. Of course I will need to read book to find out more !
December 11, 2022
Sam Ashton is down on his luck and in debt to bad people, when an eccentric billionaire hires him for a monster hunt, he has a lifeline. Good story, that starts off with a happy group, but soon descends into chaos and double crosses, as they find the greatest discovery in a generation but leaves Sam fighting for survival.
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