What do you think?
Rate this book
Hybrid
Once on your scent, it’s too late to run . . .
Dieter Harmon stared in shock at the hiker’s corpse, the head hanging only by a tangled ribbon of flesh. But what horrified him was the sight of claw marks on the victim’s chest. Something has gone terribly wrong with the government’s plan to return wolves to Yellowstone.
As Dieter seeks answers, he is drawn into an escalating battle with Jack Corey, the chief park ranger. This is Corey’s dream project. Wolves have been missing from the primitive beauty of Yellowstone for decades—it is past time to bring them back. For Jack Corey, this bitter fight is personal. And to his advantage, he knows well that in the remote backcountry tragic “accidents” happen.
That is where Dieter Harmon sets out to track a gruesome hybrid wolf that shouldn't even exist. But he soon finds that two predators are stalking him. They are very different in nature, but equally deadly.
Dieter Harmon stared in shock at the hiker’s corpse, the head hanging only by a tangled ribbon of flesh. But what horrified him was the sight of claw marks on the victim’s chest. Something has gone terribly wrong with the government’s plan to return wolves to Yellowstone.
As Dieter seeks answers, he is drawn into an escalating battle with Jack Corey, the chief park ranger. This is Corey’s dream project. Wolves have been missing from the primitive beauty of Yellowstone for decades—it is past time to bring them back. For Jack Corey, this bitter fight is personal. And to his advantage, he knows well that in the remote backcountry tragic “accidents” happen.
That is where Dieter Harmon sets out to track a gruesome hybrid wolf that shouldn't even exist. But he soon finds that two predators are stalking him. They are very different in nature, but equally deadly.
300 pages, Paperback
Published January 10, 2018
207 people are currently reading
1449 people want to read
About the author
James Marshall Smith
2 books209 followersJames Marshall Smith is a writer and scientist, whose novels are informed--and sometimes inspired!--by his varied research career, from space satellites to molecular biophysics. He was Chief of Radiation Studies for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta for over a decade and has served in consulting or advisory roles on nuclear-threat countermeasures for the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna, the G7 Global Health Security Action Group in Berlin, London and Paris, and for the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.
His debut novel—Silent Source—was one of three international finalists for the 2015 Clive Cussler Grand Master Award. His other novel—Hybrid, another suspense/thriller—was a short-list finalist in the William Faulkner-Wisdom Creative Writing Competition and a finalist in the annual Colorado Gold Novel Contest. James lives and writes in Georgia with his wife June and their bossy Maltese.
His debut novel—Silent Source—was one of three international finalists for the 2015 Clive Cussler Grand Master Award. His other novel—Hybrid, another suspense/thriller—was a short-list finalist in the William Faulkner-Wisdom Creative Writing Competition and a finalist in the annual Colorado Gold Novel Contest. James lives and writes in Georgia with his wife June and their bossy Maltese.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
February 11, 2018
Pretty good book, this one. Takes place in Yellowstone Park and it involves the Wolf Relocation Program, a true event that is ongoing there. The National Park Services are involved in trying to relocate and establish new wolf packs in North America, as their territories and hunting grounds are in such jeopardy.
This book is about a hybrid wolf who is born after a chance mating with a fighting breed of large mastiff-like dog, who gets loose after a dog fighting ring gets broken up. The hybrid is massive and begins to kill for no reason, and worse of all it has no fear of Man. Wolves are known the world over for being very fearful of Man and they avoid us at all costs. This hybrid begins stalking and killing whatever it wishes, that enters its grounds.
There is a veterinarian who becomes embroiled in this story and at odds very quickly with the man who is the advocate and runs the Wolf Program for the park. Add some other very interesting side characters and a really strange religious family who are not unlike the Waco/David Koresh cult, and you have a lot going on here. Some of it plays out within the book, while others are more of a side note. They all make for a good sub-plot and enjoyable reading. All in all an interesting book by an author I have never read before.
Danny
This book is about a hybrid wolf who is born after a chance mating with a fighting breed of large mastiff-like dog, who gets loose after a dog fighting ring gets broken up. The hybrid is massive and begins to kill for no reason, and worse of all it has no fear of Man. Wolves are known the world over for being very fearful of Man and they avoid us at all costs. This hybrid begins stalking and killing whatever it wishes, that enters its grounds.
There is a veterinarian who becomes embroiled in this story and at odds very quickly with the man who is the advocate and runs the Wolf Program for the park. Add some other very interesting side characters and a really strange religious family who are not unlike the Waco/David Koresh cult, and you have a lot going on here. Some of it plays out within the book, while others are more of a side note. They all make for a good sub-plot and enjoyable reading. All in all an interesting book by an author I have never read before.
Danny
February 6, 2018
The book is a great thrilling read and the title says it all. Hybrid is based on the theme of science where something goes wrong in creating a hybrid creature that is now off to creating havoc and killing humans. Scenes are descriptive, enjoyable and well written. I love thrillers so this was surely a good break. On one hand it highlights scientific progress, but on the other hand warns of the consequences, after impacts and dangers of the experiments. Messing with nature is not something we should intend as that could lead to nothing but destructions disturbing balance. I guess there is a reason why a creature on earth exists and the way that exists and only nature knows how to balance that!
February 6, 2018
Here is a story that just blows you away with the details and the plot line. I could easy see each location and felt as if I was standing in the middle of the scene. The author does a fantastic job with providing details and giving some great descriptions throughout this story. I really became involved with the main character right from the very beginning of the book and just had to find out what was going to happen to him if anything. This was a very difficult book to put down once I started it and it didn’t take me long to find out how it ended. Here was a thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat and kept me turning the page until I found out what happened at the end and what was truly going on. This is a book that I will want to read again.
January 16, 2019
3.5 stars. Not bad, it kind of lost cohesion a bit at the end, and had a thread or two that just wandered off on its own and resolved with a sentence or two.
For the most part though, decent story with great tension.
Again, thanks for the awesome present WCE *who I believe was M’rella? ❤️*
******
This book was a fantastic gift from Winter Cherry Elf and I'm so looking forward to reading it, thank you so much!! <3
For the most part though, decent story with great tension.
Again, thanks for the awesome present WCE *who I believe was M’rella? ❤️*
******
This book was a fantastic gift from Winter Cherry Elf and I'm so looking forward to reading it, thank you so much!! <3
February 2, 2018
A mountain thriller with great auspense
This story was very enjoyable. I like action suspense type books and this one does the trick. A young veterinarian discovers something has affected the wolves in the Yellowstone area. His journey will take him on the trail of a vicious hybrid that is stalking the high country wreaking death and havoc. The story kept me turning the pages from the start curious as to what would happen next. Good characters and descriptive scenes. Check this one out folks. It is a really good one.
This story was very enjoyable. I like action suspense type books and this one does the trick. A young veterinarian discovers something has affected the wolves in the Yellowstone area. His journey will take him on the trail of a vicious hybrid that is stalking the high country wreaking death and havoc. The story kept me turning the pages from the start curious as to what would happen next. Good characters and descriptive scenes. Check this one out folks. It is a really good one.
December 10, 2018
Um, two stars might be generous. I wouldn’t waste my time on this if I were you.
February 11, 2018
From the cover and the title you can easily guess what this book will be about – some sort of scary wolf-like hybrid creature that isn't particularly friendly, to say the least. If you want to read about that, this book delivers.
I like how unpretentious this novel is and how it knows exactly what it should be. The author wrote a really good thriller, and it has everything you want in that genre – it is exciting, it is fast-paced, it is easy to read, suspenseful, a little bit scary and a lot of fun. The characters are here to serve a purpose, you won't remember them fondly for the rest of your life, but the main character is written well enough so you care about him and others are fine to, especially the ranger who actually has some depth to him.
I could say that the plot is maybe predictable and it won't give you something you never saw before, but I don't think that is that much of a downside. It is still a very enjoyable thriller and every fan can be satisfied with what is offered on the pages of Hybrid.
I like how unpretentious this novel is and how it knows exactly what it should be. The author wrote a really good thriller, and it has everything you want in that genre – it is exciting, it is fast-paced, it is easy to read, suspenseful, a little bit scary and a lot of fun. The characters are here to serve a purpose, you won't remember them fondly for the rest of your life, but the main character is written well enough so you care about him and others are fine to, especially the ranger who actually has some depth to him.
I could say that the plot is maybe predictable and it won't give you something you never saw before, but I don't think that is that much of a downside. It is still a very enjoyable thriller and every fan can be satisfied with what is offered on the pages of Hybrid.
February 11, 2018
“Hybrid” delivers a fast-paced exciting read that holds your interest to the very end. It starts with an illegal dog fight where the unusual wolf-mixed dog is introduced. Then you are led to Yellowstone Park and its surrounding communities that have a challenge on their hands regarding the re-introduction of wolves into the wildlife.
With a touch of politics, cultural differences, sexual deviances thrown into the mix along with lessons about respecting wild-life, this story offers a lot to keep the imagination running. It is very well written with a different perspective that deserves attention.
With a touch of politics, cultural differences, sexual deviances thrown into the mix along with lessons about respecting wild-life, this story offers a lot to keep the imagination running. It is very well written with a different perspective that deserves attention.
February 8, 2018
Hybrid: A Thriller by James Marshall Smith is a compelling read about science run amok. Gene tampering may have taken place in some wolves, when a hiker's corpse is found with scratch marks. A vicious hybrid wolf may be attacking hikers and killing them in Yellowstone Park. It is the dream of the local ranger Jack Corey to bring back wolves into the Yellowstone area, but the discovery of a mutilated human body is at odds with his plan, and certainly creates friction with Dieter Harmon, the man who found the body in the first place. This is a well crafted story about the far reaches of science and how far one man will go to find out the truth about the hybrid wolves. A good amount of conflict, great characters, and a strong plot line round out the story for an exciting, fast-paced, and different read.
June 21, 2018
I thought this book was great. I love the outdoors, Yellowstone and have a strange fascination around wolf related horror/thriller stories. Here i was reading along, the plot built up to the big moments of the book and then it was over. It's as if i skipped an entire chapter at the end and i actually found myself backing up several pages thinking I must have dozed off or been in a twilight stage while reading several pages. Nope, I had it right. I guess I was looking for something more and it's left me a little disappointed. The rest was great though and really drew me in for a quick 2 night read.
February 7, 2018
I was not sure about getting this book or not: after all, the title pretty much sums it up, right? But I got encouraged by the good reviews and it sure didn’t disappoint me. Hybrid: a thriller is a very good book. There’s suspense, there’s drama, there’s fighting and there’s a delicate controversy surrounding the limits to human gene manipulation and what can it do to mankind. The author has a powerful writing and the set in Yellowstone Park is vividly described. His words certainly took me there and made my imagination go wild. This is an outdoor kind of book and a thriller, nonetheless. So, expect that in your next hiking your senses will be at full speed, paying close attention to everything around you. And all the dangers around you. The story is strong and so are our characters. Multidimensional, you’ll b fearing for them on every page turn. Highly recommend it.
November 22, 2018
This was a tough title to rate. It was quite a page turner, with an interesting cast of characters, a creative and thought provoking type of creature, but it felt like this story should have been longer. The ending was...different. In a way, I feel maybe a more realistic way of how things would really go down. For some reason, I wonder if there may be a way to revisit these characters in another book.
September 17, 2022
This review is also featured on Behind the Pages: Hybrid
After the loss of his wife, Dieter Harmon moves his family to Montana to start over. But as he begins to build his veterinarian business, he’ll find there’s something amiss at the local ranches. Vicious animal attacks are claiming livestock. Ranchers are convinced the Yellowstone wolves are to blame. When Dieter happens upon the body of a photographer near the national park, he begins to side with the ranchers. The further Dieter becomes involved in the investigation, the closer he comes to becoming a prime suspect on Jack Corey’s list. And Chief Park Ranger Jack Corey will do anything to make sure his wolves aren’t to blame.
James Marshall Smith chose the perfect point in history to introduce this story. Hybrid is set during the early days of the Yellowstone Wolf Project. Not only was he able to build into the story fear of the unknown monster, but he also drew in political apprehension from ranchers and families living near Yellowstone. Together these two elements created a solid story and connected to character actions.
And the fear of the unknown monster isn't the only thing that makes this a horror novel. The livestock kills were brutal. Listening to the audiobook, each description turned my stomach. There were moments I had to pause the book. When introduced to the creature actively hunting humans, I felt the build-up of terror as it stalked them, lurking ever closer until it chose its moment to strike. Capturing the victims' last moments from their point of view was an effective way to up the horror scale.
There were parts of Hybrid I felt needed a bit more flushing out. I would have liked to see Dieter working through the loss of his wife before the beginning of this story. While his decisions surrounding his children were related to her loss, there wasn’t a lot of time spent on his emotional state. A few flashbacks and reactions were based on her death, but I felt as though it wasn't fully integrated into the story. Dieter did not evolve as a character beyond her loss due to the events of Hybrid.
The prologue is also the biggest giveaway to what is happening within Hybrid. If the prologue were to be omitted, the fear of the unknown would have been much better. There would have been an overarching mystery of supernatural versus natural. With the way Hybrid is written, readers can easily put together conclusions and know what is occurring. But take the prologue away and readers would have been able to constantly guess if they were correct and feel more satisfied as they finally pieced together the correct answer in the end.
Hybrid focuses on the fear of the unknown, and the aptitude to blame creatures of the same species due to the actions of one. While it isn’t a fast-paced read, the pacing is consistent right until the end. I would recommend this to readers who enjoy horror novels with a literature writing style. If you enjoy Stephen King’s writing, you may also enjoy this.
After the loss of his wife, Dieter Harmon moves his family to Montana to start over. But as he begins to build his veterinarian business, he’ll find there’s something amiss at the local ranches. Vicious animal attacks are claiming livestock. Ranchers are convinced the Yellowstone wolves are to blame. When Dieter happens upon the body of a photographer near the national park, he begins to side with the ranchers. The further Dieter becomes involved in the investigation, the closer he comes to becoming a prime suspect on Jack Corey’s list. And Chief Park Ranger Jack Corey will do anything to make sure his wolves aren’t to blame.
James Marshall Smith chose the perfect point in history to introduce this story. Hybrid is set during the early days of the Yellowstone Wolf Project. Not only was he able to build into the story fear of the unknown monster, but he also drew in political apprehension from ranchers and families living near Yellowstone. Together these two elements created a solid story and connected to character actions.
And the fear of the unknown monster isn't the only thing that makes this a horror novel. The livestock kills were brutal. Listening to the audiobook, each description turned my stomach. There were moments I had to pause the book. When introduced to the creature actively hunting humans, I felt the build-up of terror as it stalked them, lurking ever closer until it chose its moment to strike. Capturing the victims' last moments from their point of view was an effective way to up the horror scale.
There were parts of Hybrid I felt needed a bit more flushing out. I would have liked to see Dieter working through the loss of his wife before the beginning of this story. While his decisions surrounding his children were related to her loss, there wasn’t a lot of time spent on his emotional state. A few flashbacks and reactions were based on her death, but I felt as though it wasn't fully integrated into the story. Dieter did not evolve as a character beyond her loss due to the events of Hybrid.
The prologue is also the biggest giveaway to what is happening within Hybrid. If the prologue were to be omitted, the fear of the unknown would have been much better. There would have been an overarching mystery of supernatural versus natural. With the way Hybrid is written, readers can easily put together conclusions and know what is occurring. But take the prologue away and readers would have been able to constantly guess if they were correct and feel more satisfied as they finally pieced together the correct answer in the end.
Hybrid focuses on the fear of the unknown, and the aptitude to blame creatures of the same species due to the actions of one. While it isn’t a fast-paced read, the pacing is consistent right until the end. I would recommend this to readers who enjoy horror novels with a literature writing style. If you enjoy Stephen King’s writing, you may also enjoy this.
December 23, 2018
A hybrid wolf escaped from a dog fighting ring and was later trapped with the wolves which were transferred to Yellowstone National Park. He became a single wolf and then he killed a man. Dr Dieter Harmon a new vet in Colter, Montana which is at the edge of Yellowstone Park, found the dead man and called it in to the sheriff. Dieter and his 2 children move from the east after death of his wife. The head ranger from the park swore that a wolf had not killed the man and suggested that Dieter had something to do with it. There are more killings to find out what happens and the causes behind every thing u must read the book but if u are looking for a scary book this isn’t it. That is what I expected but didn’t get.
April 14, 2019
What I liked?
Enjoyable and interesting premise surrounding wolves and hybrid creatures in Yellowstone Park. I’ve always loved stories with a lot of action, horror, and suspense and this one doesn’t disappoint.
What I didn’t like?
Would have liked more of the focus on Dieter Harmon and his journey tracking down the creature and less on other characters and their point of view. It was a little tough to follow with the antagonist’s and others’ point of view added in such detail. Personally, I felt like keeping the focus exclusively on Dieter would have allowed for greater exploration of the character and the situation in which they're involved.
Overall?
While I did have some issues with following the course of the story, there was enough action to keep me interested.
Enjoyable and interesting premise surrounding wolves and hybrid creatures in Yellowstone Park. I’ve always loved stories with a lot of action, horror, and suspense and this one doesn’t disappoint.
What I didn’t like?
Would have liked more of the focus on Dieter Harmon and his journey tracking down the creature and less on other characters and their point of view. It was a little tough to follow with the antagonist’s and others’ point of view added in such detail. Personally, I felt like keeping the focus exclusively on Dieter would have allowed for greater exploration of the character and the situation in which they're involved.
Overall?
While I did have some issues with following the course of the story, there was enough action to keep me interested.
July 9, 2022
A failed hybrid storylines
I though this would’ve been way better from the reviews. Instead the story jumps from murder mystery to religious cult family that bouth toke away from the story running the mood for me.
The book was good for the first 5 chs but has the story progressed it got over-feed in chacthers that toke away from the title of the story that became two separate short storylines fused together to make one big book. I kept reading then the final climatic end was overly heroic not Siri Al horror mood that it felt overly lightfull in that the story try to be something more when it lost it’s depth of meaning.
I though this would’ve been way better from the reviews. Instead the story jumps from murder mystery to religious cult family that bouth toke away from the story running the mood for me.
The book was good for the first 5 chs but has the story progressed it got over-feed in chacthers that toke away from the title of the story that became two separate short storylines fused together to make one big book. I kept reading then the final climatic end was overly heroic not Siri Al horror mood that it felt overly lightfull in that the story try to be something more when it lost it’s depth of meaning.
December 12, 2023
This book scared the @&$# out of me since it is almost conceivable it could actually happen. We are experimenting with similar wildlife relocation programmes in Europe, so the Yellowstone backdrop was timely. Hybrid delves into the speculative fiction realm, reinforced by the author's research bonafides coming through nicely (part of the book's believability). The ferociousness of the hybrid wolf (think werewolf level baddy, but still an actual wolf), is part of the book's charm, but equally the human dimension/conflicts over the original relocation programme's rationale. A good book for the cottage.
September 16, 2024
An enjoyable creature feature horror. Although anyone with even a passing interest in the genre will be familiar with the basic plot (rogue monster on the loose, authorities try to cover things up to keep the tourist dollars flowing) the story is original enough to keep the cliche from being too noticeable. If you like monster stories, I’d say that this one is definitely worth a look.
I listened to this on Audible, and the narration is decent enough, if a little clipped at times,
I listened to this on Audible, and the narration is decent enough, if a little clipped at times,
September 16, 2024
Unexpected horror fun!
Hybrid is a sci-fi/horror thriller about a rogue, hybrid wolf, as well as weaving in real concerns by those in the Yellowstone area unhappy about the reintroduction of wolves into the park, making the narrative that much more believable. Humans prove to be more dangerous than the rogue wolf, with behavior like sexualized violence by a polygamist included. The ending isn't what you expect out of such a book, but I'll leave that to you to find out yourself
Hybrid is a sci-fi/horror thriller about a rogue, hybrid wolf, as well as weaving in real concerns by those in the Yellowstone area unhappy about the reintroduction of wolves into the park, making the narrative that much more believable. Humans prove to be more dangerous than the rogue wolf, with behavior like sexualized violence by a polygamist included. The ending isn't what you expect out of such a book, but I'll leave that to you to find out yourself
December 16, 2018
SPOILER ALERT* This one had too many characters. Two bad guys, in unrelated stories, different plots with characters, just all over the place. The hybrid wolf from that cover is misleading. There is more story about a perverted cult leader, his victims, the attempt to replenish the wolf packs, and other unrelated events. Would have been a good story if it centered on the Hybrid
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 11, 2018
Thrills?
The title sounds good. Unfortunately the book isn’t. Has all the right ingredients, Montana, Yellowstone,Wolves & a hybrid . Almost half the book was one & for me no thrills.it just really never got going
The title sounds good. Unfortunately the book isn’t. Has all the right ingredients, Montana, Yellowstone,Wolves & a hybrid . Almost half the book was one & for me no thrills.it just really never got going
December 23, 2018
Good Read
Finally a story with interesting side roads that stay with the plot. Very well written characters with surprising twists. I thought it would be a werewolf story. Although it isn't, I was not disappointed.
Finally a story with interesting side roads that stay with the plot. Very well written characters with surprising twists. I thought it would be a werewolf story. Although it isn't, I was not disappointed.
August 4, 2018
Good story. Good character development.
August 11, 2018
Hybrid
A good take. Sometimes a tad too much history. Description of t the scenery is good. I will read more books by this author
A good take. Sometimes a tad too much history. Description of t the scenery is good. I will read more books by this author
August 12, 2018
A good summer read!
Recommended for suspense and biological foundations. I researched the animals in the story and found the reasoning to be sound.
Recommended for suspense and biological foundations. I researched the animals in the story and found the reasoning to be sound.
October 1, 2018
Great Book
Was very entertaining, didn’t want to put it down till I finished. Will order more of his books as they come available.
Was very entertaining, didn’t want to put it down till I finished. Will order more of his books as they come available.
October 30, 2018
Hybrid
A very good and entertaining read. While I found the ending just a bit of a letdown, overall it was well written and I am glad I selected this.
A very good and entertaining read. While I found the ending just a bit of a letdown, overall it was well written and I am glad I selected this.
October 31, 2018
A bit more research should have been done for the writing of this book. Rattlesnakes and ginseng in Montana? Other than that, it wasn't a bad book. Interesting concept
December 30, 2018
This was a good book. It really had two stories going at the same time. I really liked the second story of the Loudermilks running alongside that of the hybrid. I highly recommend this book!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews