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Scorpion
A high shrill cry of terror ripped from her taut throat. Thousands of black scuttling insects curving tails arched their backs and pincered arms splayed out. In moments her body was covered by a flowing blanket of hungry scorpions.
160 pages, Mass Market Paperback
Published January 1, 1980
115 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
August 31, 2017
These scorpions hate women's breasts!
June 5, 2025
A poor choice of a title for a novel where over half of the plot is dedicated to the characters trying to figure out what is causing a series of mysterious and violent deaths! The reader is mostly just waiting for the protagonists to figure out what is already known.
But that's not much different from the many other animal-attack novels of the glorious horror paperback boom of the Seventies and Eighties. Fortunately for me, I'm a softie for this subgenre. I like my fantastical monster stories, but I find it genuinely scary when very realistic threats found in nature start giving humans a hard time. I particularly am scared of stinging things.
Several years ago, Steff and I were out hiking in Southern Illinois. There were no people around, because a tornado had just breezed through the area, and so the State Park was closed and technically off limits. We thought it was a perfect time to be completely alone in nature, and perhaps have a little romance in the woods where there was no chance of getting busted. So we snuck into the park and began exploring. In short, we were stereotypical horror story victims.
While descending a gorge, I felt something slap against my Achilles heel. I turned around to find an angry rattler that had been sunning behind the rock I just stepped over. Thank goodness I had been wearing my high boots, because I would have been in a lot of trouble. We weren't supposed to be there, and the tornado had knocked out all the cell towers in the area, so whatever chance we might've had for phone reception was shot. And we were deep in the forest, so it would have taken me a hell of a long time to get to civilization and aid. Steff would have had to do the old "suck the poison out" routine.
That's the kind of thing that freaks me out, because it is all too real. And that's what works about these vintage eco-horror novels. Yes, the scorpions in this story are mutations caused by nuclear radiation (what else?), but they actually belong to the very real species of "deathstalker" which naturally have some of the most powerful venom of any scorpion. The mutation just causes these already dangerous critters to be more aggressive to people.
So this novel is much more grounded and less OTP than Shaun Hutson's "Slugs", though it's still a bit campy at times. There are unnecessary sex scenes and characters written with cartoonish simplicity. But that's what we love about these books. We want cannon fodder unrealistically ripped apart by little pincers, and to open a door to find a wall of arachnids that topples over and smothers our hapless victims in a shower of stings.
The book was written by Mike Linaker, aka Neil Hunter, who is known more for a being a prolific purveyor of Western novels, but he's actually quite competent in horror.
This summer, I have been on an animal-attack kick, and "Scorpion" delivered exactly what I wanted. Of course, I may be a masochist for reading this stuff just before going out in the wilderness again this summer, but hey, maybe it will help me be more prepared this season so that I at least think to bring a snake bite kit!
SCORE: 3 venomous land lobsters out of 5
WORD OF THE DAY: Telson
SUGGESTED MUSICAL PAIRING: "77 Seven, I Guess" from the album Therapeutic Dreams (1986) by Blistering Moments
But that's not much different from the many other animal-attack novels of the glorious horror paperback boom of the Seventies and Eighties. Fortunately for me, I'm a softie for this subgenre. I like my fantastical monster stories, but I find it genuinely scary when very realistic threats found in nature start giving humans a hard time. I particularly am scared of stinging things.
Several years ago, Steff and I were out hiking in Southern Illinois. There were no people around, because a tornado had just breezed through the area, and so the State Park was closed and technically off limits. We thought it was a perfect time to be completely alone in nature, and perhaps have a little romance in the woods where there was no chance of getting busted. So we snuck into the park and began exploring. In short, we were stereotypical horror story victims.
While descending a gorge, I felt something slap against my Achilles heel. I turned around to find an angry rattler that had been sunning behind the rock I just stepped over. Thank goodness I had been wearing my high boots, because I would have been in a lot of trouble. We weren't supposed to be there, and the tornado had knocked out all the cell towers in the area, so whatever chance we might've had for phone reception was shot. And we were deep in the forest, so it would have taken me a hell of a long time to get to civilization and aid. Steff would have had to do the old "suck the poison out" routine.
That's the kind of thing that freaks me out, because it is all too real. And that's what works about these vintage eco-horror novels. Yes, the scorpions in this story are mutations caused by nuclear radiation (what else?), but they actually belong to the very real species of "deathstalker" which naturally have some of the most powerful venom of any scorpion. The mutation just causes these already dangerous critters to be more aggressive to people.
So this novel is much more grounded and less OTP than Shaun Hutson's "Slugs", though it's still a bit campy at times. There are unnecessary sex scenes and characters written with cartoonish simplicity. But that's what we love about these books. We want cannon fodder unrealistically ripped apart by little pincers, and to open a door to find a wall of arachnids that topples over and smothers our hapless victims in a shower of stings.
The book was written by Mike Linaker, aka Neil Hunter, who is known more for a being a prolific purveyor of Western novels, but he's actually quite competent in horror.
This summer, I have been on an animal-attack kick, and "Scorpion" delivered exactly what I wanted. Of course, I may be a masochist for reading this stuff just before going out in the wilderness again this summer, but hey, maybe it will help me be more prepared this season so that I at least think to bring a snake bite kit!
SCORE: 3 venomous land lobsters out of 5
WORD OF THE DAY: Telson
SUGGESTED MUSICAL PAIRING: "77 Seven, I Guess" from the album Therapeutic Dreams (1986) by Blistering Moments
January 18, 2022
I can't understand why everyone is hating this book. It is what it is. A 1980's horror/creature feature book. These things, when you enter into them, can be hell on your eyes, or a fantastic hidden gem. This being the latter to me. If this didn't have an author's name on it, I would have assumed it was penned by none other than Guy N. Smith. It runs along similar lines to his work. Mr. Linaker just swapped out crabs for scorpions. Really though, if you want top notch literature, go join a book club at your local BiblioTek and leave this kind of fiction to the functionally campy.
Oddly enough, a nest of scorpions is found under a British government nuclear plant. Of course, there is a leak, and the creatures start to mutate a bit. A journalist that is writing about the evils of nuclear power is stung and dies. His girlfriend, the head of a protest group against the plant wants answers. She muddles through with a doctor to find the answers.
Lots of scorpion attacks here. Including some couples in the middle of coitus. A poor man who can't find a woman for the night, so he steals a bottle and tries to relive his pent-up needs by hand, only to succumb to the fiendish beasties. Lots more graphic attacks ensue. Just wish this was a touch bit longer, with more details. Great while it lasted.
Oddly enough, a nest of scorpions is found under a British government nuclear plant. Of course, there is a leak, and the creatures start to mutate a bit. A journalist that is writing about the evils of nuclear power is stung and dies. His girlfriend, the head of a protest group against the plant wants answers. She muddles through with a doctor to find the answers.
Lots of scorpion attacks here. Including some couples in the middle of coitus. A poor man who can't find a woman for the night, so he steals a bottle and tries to relive his pent-up needs by hand, only to succumb to the fiendish beasties. Lots more graphic attacks ensue. Just wish this was a touch bit longer, with more details. Great while it lasted.
October 25, 2017
For a book that gets the majority of its plot from people wondering what creatures are killing everyone, the title might not have been the most carefully chosen.
January 20, 2009
A typical pulp novel from the 80’s, Scorpion is a formulaic short novel about – you guessed it – killer scorpions. One of the main problems I had as I read the book was that the author often changed the character point of view without a definite break, so it sometimes got confusing which character’s head we were in. Also, some of the bit characters seemed more defined than the main characters. Overall the story was interesting, but ultimately a little disappointing.
June 21, 2020
Just like the majority of the books from this era of horror, Scorpion is cheaply conceived, written, and produced. Storyline takes a back seat to as much death and destruction as Linaker could cram into its short 160 pages. And even then, in typical 80’s schlock fashion, the titular creatures take a back seat to over the top gore and cringe-worthy sex.
All complaints aside, I went into this book with low expectations, and, just as I expected, Scorpion did little to raise the bar. However, I’m usually a sucker for these kind of ridiculous creature-feature novels, so, I’m that respect, this one did it’s job.
Sometimes you just need a dumb, mindless book to occupy your time. So, 2 stars for Scorpion at least being an easy,slightly entertaining read and for checking off every single horror cliche.
All complaints aside, I went into this book with low expectations, and, just as I expected, Scorpion did little to raise the bar. However, I’m usually a sucker for these kind of ridiculous creature-feature novels, so, I’m that respect, this one did it’s job.
Sometimes you just need a dumb, mindless book to occupy your time. So, 2 stars for Scorpion at least being an easy,slightly entertaining read and for checking off every single horror cliche.
September 14, 2023
i ADORED this book!
so much gore in such a short read, and though it was a bit predictable i still found myself wanting to read more and more.
just the right amount of detail, not too much and yet not too little, and as someone who doesn’t much enjoy sex scenes in books they were kept brief while still getting the point across.
the ending could’ve been a bit longer but i feel like it was a perfect way to finish the book off.
the whole time i was reading it felt like i could picture it in my head just like a movie. id even be ballsy enough to say i find it just as good as Jaws.
so much gore in such a short read, and though it was a bit predictable i still found myself wanting to read more and more.
just the right amount of detail, not too much and yet not too little, and as someone who doesn’t much enjoy sex scenes in books they were kept brief while still getting the point across.
the ending could’ve been a bit longer but i feel like it was a perfect way to finish the book off.
the whole time i was reading it felt like i could picture it in my head just like a movie. id even be ballsy enough to say i find it just as good as Jaws.
May 6, 2024
Stung, the fingers swollen like fat sausages, skin turning black, intense pain, screaming chilling the blood, the blackness reaching the face. A nuclear power plant on a quiet coastal town. The tranquil beach, a beautiful naked lady sunbathing. A sting inside her thigh, searing pain, escaping in her sports car, roaring down the road in a panic, car rolling, flung out, the body smeared into the road, blood and flesh absorbed into the ground, unrecognizable. A motor home engulfed with black long creatures, pinchers into eyeballs, popping fluid. Scorpions on the loose.
April 10, 2019
Must remind myself never to go to Kent. Half of these novel nasties seem to take place there. Anyroad, as has already been mentioned by another reviewer, this book seems to have been written to indulge a very particular fetish belonging to the author. Otherwise it's nothing you haven't read before - radioactivity + secret government research = giant killer bugs. In this case, scorpions. The only real mystery here is - why did Mike wait until page 71 to reveal the monster?
August 16, 2023
Pretty generic 'animals attack' paperback nasty, but an entertaining one, with lots and lots of what I crave--vignettes of quickly sketched characters who get messily disposed of by killer critters.
By the time the butt-naked supermodel crashes her sportscar trying to escape from the scorpion hordes, you know that you're in for a sleazy one.
By the time the butt-naked supermodel crashes her sportscar trying to escape from the scorpion hordes, you know that you're in for a sleazy one.
July 23, 2024
Another great animal attack novel to add to my growing collection, this time with mutant scorpions.
Damn that bloody nuclear boogeymen
Looking forward to reading the sequel
Damn that bloody nuclear boogeymen
Looking forward to reading the sequel
September 30, 2016
For such a short book, it seemed like it would never end. There was little development of the main characters, so it was difficult to feel any urgency to their situation. As another reviewer pointed out, minor characters were better fleshed out.
This book was about as compelling to read as a b-movie is to watch, and just as formulaic. The hero is foiled throughout by a shit-for-brains supervisor, while we get subjected to scene after scene of a new character being introduced only to fall victim, within the next 3 or 4 pages, to the menace.
The story never builds to a climax. The hero simply experiences a eureka moment, "discovering" the solution which was staring him in the face the entire time. And they all live happily ever after. The end.
This book was about as compelling to read as a b-movie is to watch, and just as formulaic. The hero is foiled throughout by a shit-for-brains supervisor, while we get subjected to scene after scene of a new character being introduced only to fall victim, within the next 3 or 4 pages, to the menace.
The story never builds to a climax. The hero simply experiences a eureka moment, "discovering" the solution which was staring him in the face the entire time. And they all live happily ever after. The end.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews