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Hunter
A skilled tracker must take down a science experiment gone wrong in the Alaskan wilderness in this thriller from the bestselling author of Dark Visions. In an experiment to extend human life, scientists accidentally tap into the deepest recesses of the human mind and unleash a force that might well be a terrible curse. For in their desire to use a power they did not understand, they unintentionally unleash a force that will spell the end of Mankind if it cannot be destroyed. Now an infected creature is loose in the Alaskan wilderness, and the America military is forced to ask the world’s greatest tracker, Nathaniel Hunter, to locate the beast and destroy it before it reaches a populated area. Hunter can track anything, anywhere, anytime. But he is both horrified and shocked as he begins to follow the creature’s bloody path leading directly toward a city. For the beast is both more powerful and more merciless than any animal Hunter has tracked before. In fact, it seems to embody the most ancient and darkest heart of Man—a power that Mankind has always feared as the greatest Beast of Prey. And as Hunter closes on the beast and the final, bloody battle approaches, he frantically realizes that the scientists may have succeeded all too well in their experiment to extend human life for it may have become unkillable…. Praise for Hunter “Huggins pacing is nonstop; his visual imagination is so compelling….Pure entertainment.”—Publishers Weekly
502 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1999
515 people are currently reading
1209 people want to read
About the author
James Byron Huggins
24 books222 followersA veteran novelist and best-selling author, James Byron Huggins' life story reads more like fiction than fact. His career as a writer began normally enough. He received a bachelor's degree in journalism and English from Troy State University, and then worked as a reporter for the Hartselle Enquirer in Hartselle, Alabama.
Huggins won seven awards while with the newspaper before leaving journalism in 1985. With a desire to help persecuted Christians in eastern Europe, Huggins moved to Texas to work in conjunction with members of the Christian underground in that region.
From the Texas base, Huggins helped set up a system used to smuggle information in and out of Iron Curtain countries.
In 1987, Huggins was finally able to leave the United States to offer hands-on assistance in Romania. As a jack of all trades, Huggins photographed a secret police installation, took photos of people active in the Christian underground, and also continued his work as an orchestrator of smuggling routes.
Huggins was instrumental in smuggling out film and documentation that showed the plight of Christians in Romania. He even found time to create a code that allowed communication with the United States. As in Texas, Huggins' life had few creature comforts. To survive, he would often remain hidden in the woods or in secure basements for days at a time.
After his time in Romania, Huggins returned to the United States and took up journalism once more. He again worked for a small newspaper and won several awards as a reporter. Later on, he worked at a nonprofit Christian magazine before becoming a patrolman with the Huntsville Police Department in Huntsville, Alabama.
After distinguished service as a decorated field officer, Huggins left the force to pursue writing novels. His first three novels--A Wolf Story, The Reckoning, and Leviathan--achieved best-seller status in the Christian marketplace.
From there, Huggins broke into mainstream science fiction with Cain and Hunter, both of which were optioned for film rights. Huggins then released Rora, a historical novel depicting the harrowing life of a European martyr. His following book, Nightbringer, was met with critical acclaim and is in production for a movie.
Huggins won seven awards while with the newspaper before leaving journalism in 1985. With a desire to help persecuted Christians in eastern Europe, Huggins moved to Texas to work in conjunction with members of the Christian underground in that region.
From the Texas base, Huggins helped set up a system used to smuggle information in and out of Iron Curtain countries.
In 1987, Huggins was finally able to leave the United States to offer hands-on assistance in Romania. As a jack of all trades, Huggins photographed a secret police installation, took photos of people active in the Christian underground, and also continued his work as an orchestrator of smuggling routes.
Huggins was instrumental in smuggling out film and documentation that showed the plight of Christians in Romania. He even found time to create a code that allowed communication with the United States. As in Texas, Huggins' life had few creature comforts. To survive, he would often remain hidden in the woods or in secure basements for days at a time.
After his time in Romania, Huggins returned to the United States and took up journalism once more. He again worked for a small newspaper and won several awards as a reporter. Later on, he worked at a nonprofit Christian magazine before becoming a patrolman with the Huntsville Police Department in Huntsville, Alabama.
After distinguished service as a decorated field officer, Huggins left the force to pursue writing novels. His first three novels--A Wolf Story, The Reckoning, and Leviathan--achieved best-seller status in the Christian marketplace.
From there, Huggins broke into mainstream science fiction with Cain and Hunter, both of which were optioned for film rights. Huggins then released Rora, a historical novel depicting the harrowing life of a European martyr. His following book, Nightbringer, was met with critical acclaim and is in production for a movie.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 121 reviews
March 17, 2014
Miramira Endevall Presents: Hunter: The Cliff Notes Version.
***Spoiler warning: if you actually care about poorly-written action genra tripe, stop reading now!***
From the very second page it is clear that the protagonist, Nathaniel Hunter, is a MAN! (Manly Man!): "[Cahill] turned to the sound of sliding gravel and his mouth opened in surprise as a man, followed by a great black wolf, stepped from the door."
Yup, that's a MAN! alright - he has a freakin' wolf for a pet. A wolf named Ghost!
Page 3: "Hunter threw a coat over his shoulders. It was leather and strangely designed, coming midway down his thighs. It had double hoods that draped over the shoulders...[and] Cahill, who had always been amazed at the design, knew Hunter had made it himself."
See?! He even dresses like a MAN!
Page 4: "Deep in the forest, Hunter moved like a human tiger, bending to study the ground with a quick, keen alertness. In the distance behind him, he heard National Guard helicopters flying in a wild and desperate pattern."
Ayup, mortal army dudes can not possibly hold a candle to this fine specimen of a MAN!
But hark! Enter the antagonist stage left on Page 10: "A single horrific blow tore the first guard's head from his neck and another clawed hand rent a lung from the second...It required no effort - so easy it was...He stalked forward and when he reached the [door] he roared, hurling up gigantic arms to bring them down against the steel, thunderously sundering the panels."
Woah. Decapitation with a single blow, and sundering steel doors with his gigantic arms?!? Truly we have met EVIL!
Page 21: "...whatever did this has the strength of a grizzly, the speed of a Siberian tiger and, quite probably, the stalking skills of a tiger...Further, if it managed to evade the initial pursuit of your military, I would confidently surmise that it has unnatural intelligence."
Yes, all the hallmarks of EVIL! - unsurpassed strength, uncanny intelligence and, um, all the military evasion skills of Osama Bin Ladin. It's EVIL!
Page 53: "He knew in that moment that he could bring down a charging Rhinoceros with the strength of his arms, that he could kill anything living - anything - with the massive might and claws that found no resistance in earthly substance."
WOE UNTO THE HERO, HOW SHALL HE EVER SLAY THIS BEAST??????
Well, he's a MAN! of course. A MAN! with a Secret Strength. Page 67: "Then he tried to imagine what he himself would have done if he were attacking, killing, slaughtering - something not completely alien from the wild animal side he had been born with and cultivated through the years, yet kept in check. Though he never fully released the animal within, he never forgot it was there, so much stronger in him than in most...But it was part of him that he would never let go."
So *that's* okay, then. Whew!
To be clear: In the first 122 pages the awesome power of the EVIL! is described in great detail seven times, and the Secret Strength that the MAN! carries within is expounded four times. Furthermore, on Page 50 we learn that the EVIL! is ostensibly immortal, and on Page 65, the MAN! cleverly makes a garrot out of titanium alloy wire and a stainless steel peg that he happens to find lying in a random garbage heap at an Arctic base camp. And we meet a female named Bobbi Jo who's totally gonna get Refrigerated.
Now that we know everything of importance, we skip 398 pages to the final chapter which begins on Page 520: "A vast wall of rolling gray storm followed them through the canyon as if to terrify and isolate them during their final battle against the beast."
Oh good! We're right on time.
Page 541: "What's it take to stop that thing?"
I'm guessing a combination of the Secret Strength, the death of Bobbi Jo (to unleash the Secret Strength), and the garrot. Let's find out, shall we?
Page 554: "Then [Hunter's] arm uncoiled with smooth skill that sent a flashing silver thread through raging red air. And what he had hidden for so long was unleashed."
Well, there's two out of three. We continue...
Page 557: "Without surrendering hold of the coil that was slowly choking out the creature's life, Hunter leaped forward - a desperate move - and kicked volently to send a shower of burning oil into the air. And the blanket of blue-tinged fire hit the creature in a roar to set it fully aflame."
Oooh! Cleansing Fire! To drive out EVIL! How could I forget Cleansing Fire?
Page 585 (last page): "Yeah, but [Bobbie Jo] will be fine, Hunter. She's strong. Got a strong spirit, too."
Well, damn. The female lived. Didn't see that coming. Oh, and did I mention that the EVIL!'s name was Luther? ROFL
I actually did skip 398 pages of this book, and I'm leaving it behind in Vienna with only slight misgivings. On the one hand, I would hate for some Austrian to read this and think that it is actually representative of American fiction. OTOH, the words are small and the concepts tiny, so it would be a good ESL exercise.
I'll leave you with two final things. From the dedication: "I also thank Sylvester Stallone for his talent, which helped me immensely."
Wait, what? This makes no sense until you read the author bio, which states, "James Byron Huggins is now Hollywood's most sought-after action-film writer."
Of course, this *still* makes no sense until you look him up on IMDB and realize that the only screenply he's ever written was the adaptation of this book, which rights were purchased by Sylvester Stallone in 2009 with the intention of making it into Rambo V. Seriously.
You may now return to your side-splitting laughter. You're welcome.
***Spoiler warning: if you actually care about poorly-written action genra tripe, stop reading now!***
From the very second page it is clear that the protagonist, Nathaniel Hunter, is a MAN! (Manly Man!): "[Cahill] turned to the sound of sliding gravel and his mouth opened in surprise as a man, followed by a great black wolf, stepped from the door."
Yup, that's a MAN! alright - he has a freakin' wolf for a pet. A wolf named Ghost!
Page 3: "Hunter threw a coat over his shoulders. It was leather and strangely designed, coming midway down his thighs. It had double hoods that draped over the shoulders...[and] Cahill, who had always been amazed at the design, knew Hunter had made it himself."
See?! He even dresses like a MAN!
Page 4: "Deep in the forest, Hunter moved like a human tiger, bending to study the ground with a quick, keen alertness. In the distance behind him, he heard National Guard helicopters flying in a wild and desperate pattern."
Ayup, mortal army dudes can not possibly hold a candle to this fine specimen of a MAN!
But hark! Enter the antagonist stage left on Page 10: "A single horrific blow tore the first guard's head from his neck and another clawed hand rent a lung from the second...It required no effort - so easy it was...He stalked forward and when he reached the [door] he roared, hurling up gigantic arms to bring them down against the steel, thunderously sundering the panels."
Woah. Decapitation with a single blow, and sundering steel doors with his gigantic arms?!? Truly we have met EVIL!
Page 21: "...whatever did this has the strength of a grizzly, the speed of a Siberian tiger and, quite probably, the stalking skills of a tiger...Further, if it managed to evade the initial pursuit of your military, I would confidently surmise that it has unnatural intelligence."
Yes, all the hallmarks of EVIL! - unsurpassed strength, uncanny intelligence and, um, all the military evasion skills of Osama Bin Ladin. It's EVIL!
Page 53: "He knew in that moment that he could bring down a charging Rhinoceros with the strength of his arms, that he could kill anything living - anything - with the massive might and claws that found no resistance in earthly substance."
WOE UNTO THE HERO, HOW SHALL HE EVER SLAY THIS BEAST??????
Well, he's a MAN! of course. A MAN! with a Secret Strength. Page 67: "Then he tried to imagine what he himself would have done if he were attacking, killing, slaughtering - something not completely alien from the wild animal side he had been born with and cultivated through the years, yet kept in check. Though he never fully released the animal within, he never forgot it was there, so much stronger in him than in most...But it was part of him that he would never let go."
So *that's* okay, then. Whew!
To be clear: In the first 122 pages the awesome power of the EVIL! is described in great detail seven times, and the Secret Strength that the MAN! carries within is expounded four times. Furthermore, on Page 50 we learn that the EVIL! is ostensibly immortal, and on Page 65, the MAN! cleverly makes a garrot out of titanium alloy wire and a stainless steel peg that he happens to find lying in a random garbage heap at an Arctic base camp. And we meet a female named Bobbi Jo who's totally gonna get Refrigerated.
Now that we know everything of importance, we skip 398 pages to the final chapter which begins on Page 520: "A vast wall of rolling gray storm followed them through the canyon as if to terrify and isolate them during their final battle against the beast."
Oh good! We're right on time.
Page 541: "What's it take to stop that thing?"
I'm guessing a combination of the Secret Strength, the death of Bobbi Jo (to unleash the Secret Strength), and the garrot. Let's find out, shall we?
Page 554: "Then [Hunter's] arm uncoiled with smooth skill that sent a flashing silver thread through raging red air. And what he had hidden for so long was unleashed."
Well, there's two out of three. We continue...
Page 557: "Without surrendering hold of the coil that was slowly choking out the creature's life, Hunter leaped forward - a desperate move - and kicked volently to send a shower of burning oil into the air. And the blanket of blue-tinged fire hit the creature in a roar to set it fully aflame."
Oooh! Cleansing Fire! To drive out EVIL! How could I forget Cleansing Fire?
Page 585 (last page): "Yeah, but [Bobbie Jo] will be fine, Hunter. She's strong. Got a strong spirit, too."
Well, damn. The female lived. Didn't see that coming. Oh, and did I mention that the EVIL!'s name was Luther? ROFL
I actually did skip 398 pages of this book, and I'm leaving it behind in Vienna with only slight misgivings. On the one hand, I would hate for some Austrian to read this and think that it is actually representative of American fiction. OTOH, the words are small and the concepts tiny, so it would be a good ESL exercise.
I'll leave you with two final things. From the dedication: "I also thank Sylvester Stallone for his talent, which helped me immensely."
Wait, what? This makes no sense until you read the author bio, which states, "James Byron Huggins is now Hollywood's most sought-after action-film writer."
Of course, this *still* makes no sense until you look him up on IMDB and realize that the only screenply he's ever written was the adaptation of this book, which rights were purchased by Sylvester Stallone in 2009 with the intention of making it into Rambo V. Seriously.
You may now return to your side-splitting laughter. You're welcome.
December 10, 2018
Absolutely Awesome!!! This book was so hard to put down. All the characters were solid and had great personalities, and I loved the wolf, Ghost, that was Hunter's partner. This was a nonstop action, adventure, thriller, and horror. The creature in this reminded me of the Tank from the video game Left 4 Dead and it was just as brutal. I highly recommend this title to fans of James Rollins & Jeremy Robinson, and films like The Predator or The Relic. I will definitely read more by Huggins.
November 29, 2025
3.5/5
I'd read the original version of this book long ago and loved it. Although I couldn't pinpoint exactly what is different in this second edition, I can say that even though the book is short, it felt longer.
I'd read the original version of this book long ago and loved it. Although I couldn't pinpoint exactly what is different in this second edition, I can say that even though the book is short, it felt longer.
July 1, 2024
Слаба книга.
Долнопробен екшън, неубедителни научни факти и изтъкани от клишета герои, много зле.
Насилих се доста, за да я довърша.
"Чудовището" в книгата не заслужава никакъв коментар.
Долнопробен екшън, неубедителни научни факти и изтъкани от клишета герои, много зле.
Насилих се доста, за да я довърша.
"Чудовището" в книгата не заслужава никакъв коментар.
January 6, 2020
When will they learn. In the quest to have a longer life, perhaps even immortality, a scientist uses himself as a test subject. It all goes so horribly wrong and now something is out there, threatening all of humanity. A special team of military killers is put together to hunt it down, led by a legendary hunter and tracker, Nathaniel Hunter. Along with his gigantic black wolf, Ghost, they set out to find and destroy a creature that won’t go down without a fight.
I devoured this book in huge gulps. Only stepping away from it to sleep. And then immediately picking it back up to continue. I had to know who would survive. Who wouldn’t. And if they could bring down this monster.
The author gave me this awesome group of characters. Each had their own special hunting skills, from huge guns with grenade launchers and flame throwers to a man wielding a katana with a blade so sharp it could split a hair. But, the creature is force to be reckoned with. He’s come packing too, armed super human strength, long sharp claws to rend you with, a need to kill, and he’s driven by an ancient memory. There’s something he needs and he’ll go through everything to get it. You wouldn’t want to be standing in it’s way.
Egads. There are so many encounters with this creature. It saddened me that so many died heroically while trying to take it down. While I really liked the team, I loved Hunter and his wolf companion, Ghost. They had a special connection ever since he rescued Ghost as a pup. They work as one, always knowing what the other needs. It was glorious. And terrifying. Ghost would do anything for Nate and it scared me to think what would happen when the two huge predators clashed.
I loved Leviathan, another book by this author. It is one I’ve read over and over. Hunter is every bit as good. If you love tons of action, great characters, and a beast that walked out of a nightmare. you’ll want to read this one.
I devoured this book in huge gulps. Only stepping away from it to sleep. And then immediately picking it back up to continue. I had to know who would survive. Who wouldn’t. And if they could bring down this monster.
The author gave me this awesome group of characters. Each had their own special hunting skills, from huge guns with grenade launchers and flame throwers to a man wielding a katana with a blade so sharp it could split a hair. But, the creature is force to be reckoned with. He’s come packing too, armed super human strength, long sharp claws to rend you with, a need to kill, and he’s driven by an ancient memory. There’s something he needs and he’ll go through everything to get it. You wouldn’t want to be standing in it’s way.
Egads. There are so many encounters with this creature. It saddened me that so many died heroically while trying to take it down. While I really liked the team, I loved Hunter and his wolf companion, Ghost. They had a special connection ever since he rescued Ghost as a pup. They work as one, always knowing what the other needs. It was glorious. And terrifying. Ghost would do anything for Nate and it scared me to think what would happen when the two huge predators clashed.
I loved Leviathan, another book by this author. It is one I’ve read over and over. Hunter is every bit as good. If you love tons of action, great characters, and a beast that walked out of a nightmare. you’ll want to read this one.
March 4, 2014
I first read "Hunter" about 13 or 14 years ago, and loved it. I just read it again, this time on my Kindle. That may have been part of the problem, because there were so many errors in spelling and punctuation that it really detracted from the reading. I suppose the paper copy was scanned and then converted to ebook without anyone proof reading the file. Anyway, that's the negative.
The positive is that this is one kick-ass story! Nathaniel Hunter is the protagonist. He is a man born 250 years too late for he wears leather and moccasins, and is totally at ease in the deepest, darkest forest. His companion is a huge black wolf--not bad if you can pull it off. This "Deerslayer from the James Fennimore Cooper novels (Last of the Mohicans) and you'll have an appropriate image of Hunter.
I'm not going to give away any major plot elements, and there are loads of surprising twists and turns. The characters really contribute a lot to the success of Huggins work, plus the plot is packed with action sequences that will keep you awake into the wee early morning hours. Takakura is great, and Taylor too. But I really like Bobbi Jo--she handles a Barrett .50-cal like no one.
The bad are, well, bad. You'll be on the edge of your seat hoping they get done in. That's the way I like my bad guys. But arguably the star of "Hunter" is the monster--a genetic mutant, a derivative of an Ice Age form of man that has gone extinct. The science is believable (just barely), and the weaponry is mostly correct. But these are nits, just sit back or curl up, and let loose.
The positive is that this is one kick-ass story! Nathaniel Hunter is the protagonist. He is a man born 250 years too late for he wears leather and moccasins, and is totally at ease in the deepest, darkest forest. His companion is a huge black wolf--not bad if you can pull it off. This "Deerslayer from the James Fennimore Cooper novels (Last of the Mohicans) and you'll have an appropriate image of Hunter.
I'm not going to give away any major plot elements, and there are loads of surprising twists and turns. The characters really contribute a lot to the success of Huggins work, plus the plot is packed with action sequences that will keep you awake into the wee early morning hours. Takakura is great, and Taylor too. But I really like Bobbi Jo--she handles a Barrett .50-cal like no one.
The bad are, well, bad. You'll be on the edge of your seat hoping they get done in. That's the way I like my bad guys. But arguably the star of "Hunter" is the monster--a genetic mutant, a derivative of an Ice Age form of man that has gone extinct. The science is believable (just barely), and the weaponry is mostly correct. But these are nits, just sit back or curl up, and let loose.
January 17, 2020
3,6/5 Mich hat der schnörkellose und rasante Anfang direkt in den Bann gezogen. Es wurde nicht viel erklärt, ratzfatz war man mitten im Geschehen. Natürlich denke ich beim Lesen an das große Action Kino der 80/90er: Cliffhanger vs Predator vs Jurassic Park.
Ein Fun Ride, der ab etwa der Hälfte leicht an Fahrt verliert. Trotzdem tolle Unterhaltung!
Ein Fun Ride, der ab etwa der Hälfte leicht an Fahrt verliert. Trotzdem tolle Unterhaltung!
March 9, 2013
Nathaniel Hunter is a loner. He has plenty of money, but prefers to live in the wilderness, his only friend a coal black wolf named Ghost. Hunter rescued Ghost when he was just a pup and raised him in the mountains, never interfering when the adult wolf needed to establish his dominance with wolf packs living near their home. Their continued relationship was one built out of love and respect, for both man and wolf. Raised in the mountains, not many around can track better than Hunter. With the black wolf by his side there aren’t many creatures able to escape Hunter’s eagle eye, or Ghost’s nose.
When Hunter is called in by the military to track a wild beast in the Arctic Circle, one that has destroyed two secret research facilities, and killed every person in it, he can’t turn them down. But he soon learns the creature is much more than a rogue grizzly or mountain lion, it is a half-human abomination, created by scientist who can no longer control it. It’s only reason for living is to kill every living creature around it, regardless of whether they are of any threat to him. And the creature is headed straight for a third facility. After that, it will move into more populated areas and who knew how many would die before they could get it stopped.
Hunter doesn’t realize how dangerous the creature is when he first accepts the job to track it. He has a special group of military personal who are traveling with him. They believe they were sent in to kill the creature once Hunter gets them within range. But it proves to be much more cunning than anything Hunter has ever tried to track down, its instincts more along the lines of that of a tiger, more than capable of staying out of reach of their special high caliber sniper rifles. But then the beast turns the table on them. He is the hunter and now Nathaniel, with Ghost at his side, must pull out every trick he knows to keep him and the soldiers with him alive.
I loved reading about the relationship built between Hunter and Ghost in this novel. The attention to detail, with description of the land and animals in it, made me feel as if I was a part of their group. There are many action scenes with the beast and this small group of people and wolf, keeping the tingling of excitement going almost nonstop from start to finish. This is the second time I’ve read this novel, one of those I knew the first time through I would enjoy again. I read this rather lengthy story in two days because I couldn’t force myself to put it down, even the second time through.
There is a tendency to repeat wording over and over, using the same description in multiple fight scenes. Sometimes I found myself questioning Hunter’s ability to stay alive with a creature so fast, but they were slight irritations, or questions brought to mind, and I quickly moved past. The ending is also stretched out farther than I thought necessary. It’s the only reason I have to drop the score from a five to a four. Do I recommend it for those who like high tension in their novels? You bet. I have no doubt I’ll read my worn copy again in another couple of years. I plan to read Cain next by James Byron Huggins.
When Hunter is called in by the military to track a wild beast in the Arctic Circle, one that has destroyed two secret research facilities, and killed every person in it, he can’t turn them down. But he soon learns the creature is much more than a rogue grizzly or mountain lion, it is a half-human abomination, created by scientist who can no longer control it. It’s only reason for living is to kill every living creature around it, regardless of whether they are of any threat to him. And the creature is headed straight for a third facility. After that, it will move into more populated areas and who knew how many would die before they could get it stopped.
Hunter doesn’t realize how dangerous the creature is when he first accepts the job to track it. He has a special group of military personal who are traveling with him. They believe they were sent in to kill the creature once Hunter gets them within range. But it proves to be much more cunning than anything Hunter has ever tried to track down, its instincts more along the lines of that of a tiger, more than capable of staying out of reach of their special high caliber sniper rifles. But then the beast turns the table on them. He is the hunter and now Nathaniel, with Ghost at his side, must pull out every trick he knows to keep him and the soldiers with him alive.
I loved reading about the relationship built between Hunter and Ghost in this novel. The attention to detail, with description of the land and animals in it, made me feel as if I was a part of their group. There are many action scenes with the beast and this small group of people and wolf, keeping the tingling of excitement going almost nonstop from start to finish. This is the second time I’ve read this novel, one of those I knew the first time through I would enjoy again. I read this rather lengthy story in two days because I couldn’t force myself to put it down, even the second time through.
There is a tendency to repeat wording over and over, using the same description in multiple fight scenes. Sometimes I found myself questioning Hunter’s ability to stay alive with a creature so fast, but they were slight irritations, or questions brought to mind, and I quickly moved past. The ending is also stretched out farther than I thought necessary. It’s the only reason I have to drop the score from a five to a four. Do I recommend it for those who like high tension in their novels? You bet. I have no doubt I’ll read my worn copy again in another couple of years. I plan to read Cain next by James Byron Huggins.
March 13, 2014
I just re-read this great action thriller on my Kindle. I first read this thriller back in 99 or so. I loved it then and I still love it! From Hunter I branched out to all of his other thrillers like: Cain, Leviathan, and another of Huggins's thrillers I picked up a week ago: The Reckoning. I have all these thrillers in trade paperback format, except for Hunter wouldn't you know it. I plan to re-read The Reckoning one of these days (another Huggins book on my Profile Shelf).
I think I like this book because it has several elements of Predator in it: a hunt for a killer beast/monster, an elite military hand-picked squad, and the cold thick Alaskan forest instead of a hot steamy jungle. And then of course the cool character of Nathaniel Hunter himself and his companion "Ghost" (a rather large & powerful wolf). A bit macho at times. but I don't care. Hunter comes across as a no-nonsense type of guy. Reading the book you come to believe he COULD track this creature and he COULD fight it, and he COULD win!
I love the cast of supporting characters as well: Bobbi Jo, a tough as nails female sniper, Taylor, the big weapons expert, and Takakura, a Japanese soldier as good with a katana as he is with modern weapons (yeah, the whole honor thing, but it works here), and a couple of kick butt Marshalls who show up at the end and join in the fighting. This book is ACTION, ACTION, and more ACTION! Reading it for the 2nd time was just as fun/exciting as the first time. I am looking forward to re-reading The Reckoning.
I think I like this book because it has several elements of Predator in it: a hunt for a killer beast/monster, an elite military hand-picked squad, and the cold thick Alaskan forest instead of a hot steamy jungle. And then of course the cool character of Nathaniel Hunter himself and his companion "Ghost" (a rather large & powerful wolf). A bit macho at times. but I don't care. Hunter comes across as a no-nonsense type of guy. Reading the book you come to believe he COULD track this creature and he COULD fight it, and he COULD win!
I love the cast of supporting characters as well: Bobbi Jo, a tough as nails female sniper, Taylor, the big weapons expert, and Takakura, a Japanese soldier as good with a katana as he is with modern weapons (yeah, the whole honor thing, but it works here), and a couple of kick butt Marshalls who show up at the end and join in the fighting. This book is ACTION, ACTION, and more ACTION! Reading it for the 2nd time was just as fun/exciting as the first time. I am looking forward to re-reading The Reckoning.
December 16, 2013
10 Things That Makes An Awesome B Movie:
*****************. SPOILERS *****************
1. Amazing solemn Tracker who could be Native American or white or both. Check! (B movie instantly becomes an A movie IF... Ricky Mora {20 years ago} or Martin Sensmeier {present day} plays the lead)
2. Awesome mystical large wolf as sidekick. Check! (My favorite character)
3. Crazy white dude playing God. Check!
4. Military begging a civilian for help. Check!
5. Ragtag team of hit men and lone woman. Check! (Rangers, Seals, Special Ops, SWAT etc... They kick a$$ so in real life ragtag team wouldn't be needed)
6. Japanese dude or (minority) as Commander. Check! (I appreciate when authors go out of there element and add a rainbow coalition of cultures and races in their story)
7. Standard blonde hair, blue eyes white chic (that can melt hearts with one smile) as the lone female who immediately impresses and conveniently becomes the lead with main character. Check!
8. Generic white dude with racist overtones (but may not really racist) who blesses the lead character with his bad attitude and ability to aggravate. Check!
9. Reckless FBI / CIA AgentS who does what THEY please regardless of the consequences. Check!
10. Species that may or may not have been extinct for 20,000 years leaving dead bodies in its wake like bread crumbs. Check!
*****************. SPOILERS *****************
1. Amazing solemn Tracker who could be Native American or white or both. Check! (B movie instantly becomes an A movie IF... Ricky Mora {20 years ago} or Martin Sensmeier {present day} plays the lead)
2. Awesome mystical large wolf as sidekick. Check! (My favorite character)
3. Crazy white dude playing God. Check!
4. Military begging a civilian for help. Check!
5. Ragtag team of hit men and lone woman. Check! (Rangers, Seals, Special Ops, SWAT etc... They kick a$$ so in real life ragtag team wouldn't be needed)
6. Japanese dude or (minority) as Commander. Check! (I appreciate when authors go out of there element and add a rainbow coalition of cultures and races in their story)
7. Standard blonde hair, blue eyes white chic (that can melt hearts with one smile) as the lone female who immediately impresses and conveniently becomes the lead with main character. Check!
8. Generic white dude with racist overtones (but may not really racist) who blesses the lead character with his bad attitude and ability to aggravate. Check!
9. Reckless FBI / CIA AgentS who does what THEY please regardless of the consequences. Check!
10. Species that may or may not have been extinct for 20,000 years leaving dead bodies in its wake like bread crumbs. Check!
December 11, 2025
I’ve read this book a number of times. Great action adventure. Long been slated as film with Stallone. We’ll see.
That said, this is the first time I’ve read on kindle. Not a great experience. Chapters are very long but there are sections in each chapter. However, the e book failed to mark these divisions more than half the time. So a paragraph would be about a character in Alaska and the next paragraph was someone driving into D. C. Very disconcerting. I put e book a while back so maybe it has been updated.
That said, this is the first time I’ve read on kindle. Not a great experience. Chapters are very long but there are sections in each chapter. However, the e book failed to mark these divisions more than half the time. So a paragraph would be about a character in Alaska and the next paragraph was someone driving into D. C. Very disconcerting. I put e book a while back so maybe it has been updated.
June 10, 2018
I had high expectations for this one and the blurb really pulled me in.
Right off the bat there were lots of things that irked me. First and foremost, the writing was extremely bland and awkward. There was no sense of horror or disgust at the gory scenes because the writing did not make me feel anything.
Secondly, the dialogue was extremely awkward. The author also seemed uncertain about the style that his characters spoke with. There were "um's" and "ur's" weirdly placed and characters held conversations at the weirdest of times.
The character development was non-existent in my opinion. Hunter is a nearly textbook Gary Stew. The doctor (I don't remember the name of) was extremely 1D as were the rest of the cast. Their interactions were very awkward too and their actions were very out of place sometimes. Hunter, for example, smiles or frowns at the oddest of times and it makes me very confused because his thought process is going one way and then his expression makes the reader rethink whatever they understodd from his inner monologue. It's very annoying and jarring.
The monster itself and the science behind it seem very sketchy to me. I also found that the explanation behind it came a little too late, especially considering that the writing was doing a poor job of keeping me interested. I was also very confused by the monster's thought process. It is aware of what it is but for some reason also refers to itself as "we"? It also seems to have memories of be aware that it is partially a humanoid species and that it was a savage before modern humanity arrived. The whole science aspect was extremely strange and did not make a lot of sense.
The one thing I enjoyed was the character Chaney. His part interested me a tiny bit and his dialogue seemed somewhat better too compared to the other characters. Unfortunately, my patience had run out by the time he was introduced and I only read a chapter or two with him in them then stopped reading this.
I did not manage to finish this, I made it about 35% through.
---
Short review on Litsy
I had high expectations for this but was disappointed. The writing is bland and awkward, the characters are very 1D and the dialogue is stilted and awkward. Character interactions are very strange and the science behind the experiment is very sketchy. The beast's thought process is very confusing to follow and raises a lot of questions. Chaney is the only somewhat tolerable character in this. I read about 35% and then gave up.
1/5 stars
Right off the bat there were lots of things that irked me. First and foremost, the writing was extremely bland and awkward. There was no sense of horror or disgust at the gory scenes because the writing did not make me feel anything.
Secondly, the dialogue was extremely awkward. The author also seemed uncertain about the style that his characters spoke with. There were "um's" and "ur's" weirdly placed and characters held conversations at the weirdest of times.
The character development was non-existent in my opinion. Hunter is a nearly textbook Gary Stew. The doctor (I don't remember the name of) was extremely 1D as were the rest of the cast. Their interactions were very awkward too and their actions were very out of place sometimes. Hunter, for example, smiles or frowns at the oddest of times and it makes me very confused because his thought process is going one way and then his expression makes the reader rethink whatever they understodd from his inner monologue. It's very annoying and jarring.
The monster itself and the science behind it seem very sketchy to me. I also found that the explanation behind it came a little too late, especially considering that the writing was doing a poor job of keeping me interested. I was also very confused by the monster's thought process. It is aware of what it is but for some reason also refers to itself as "we"? It also seems to have memories of be aware that it is partially a humanoid species and that it was a savage before modern humanity arrived. The whole science aspect was extremely strange and did not make a lot of sense.
The one thing I enjoyed was the character Chaney. His part interested me a tiny bit and his dialogue seemed somewhat better too compared to the other characters. Unfortunately, my patience had run out by the time he was introduced and I only read a chapter or two with him in them then stopped reading this.
I did not manage to finish this, I made it about 35% through.
---
Short review on Litsy
I had high expectations for this but was disappointed. The writing is bland and awkward, the characters are very 1D and the dialogue is stilted and awkward. Character interactions are very strange and the science behind the experiment is very sketchy. The beast's thought process is very confusing to follow and raises a lot of questions. Chaney is the only somewhat tolerable character in this. I read about 35% and then gave up.
1/5 stars
May 3, 2020
"A beast from the heart of darkness" is the object of the 'hunter' in this book that grabs you in a choke hold first two pages. Huggins writes with a vivid flair and fast-paced fervor that captivates one's attention. This is perfect for the nerve-rattling and visceral tale of an unknown beast being pursued by an elite team led by a savvy hunter and his wolf. The dialogue is intelligent, emotional and ripe with tension when needed. The novel feels like the old African safari/monster movie on steroids because the action and tension are unrelenting.
The main character, Nathaniel Hunter and his sidekick, a massive wolf named Ghost and a colorful crew of characters grapple with a 'super immortal.' Opposing them are manipulative and evil doctors and the hunted, Luther, a beast from the past. This is fresh spin on the cat and mouse game with plenty of commentary on men of science playing god. There is even a love interest side story thrown in. But underneath all of this, this a superior adventure-horror monster novel.
The main character, Nathaniel Hunter and his sidekick, a massive wolf named Ghost and a colorful crew of characters grapple with a 'super immortal.' Opposing them are manipulative and evil doctors and the hunted, Luther, a beast from the past. This is fresh spin on the cat and mouse game with plenty of commentary on men of science playing god. There is even a love interest side story thrown in. But underneath all of this, this a superior adventure-horror monster novel.
September 7, 2018
A monstrous mutation kills at will in a remote area of Alaska, ripping apart research facilities and military personnel. Able to heal from nearly any wound and seemingly impervious to small arms fire, the beast with blended DNA leaves a path of destruction its government creators want to cover up at all cost. They put together a team of blooded special forces operatives, recruiting the most renown tracker in the world: Nathaniel Hunter. From the onset of the mission, Hunter realizes they stalk a nightmare creature never before seen.
The mutation, discovered during forensic tests, provide clues leading researchers to government secrets both dangerous to them and the world. A United States Deputy Marshal and his retired mentor search for the cause and effect at the direction of the Department of Justice, with each step mired in danger. Another master piece by James Byron Huggins.
The mutation, discovered during forensic tests, provide clues leading researchers to government secrets both dangerous to them and the world. A United States Deputy Marshal and his retired mentor search for the cause and effect at the direction of the Department of Justice, with each step mired in danger. Another master piece by James Byron Huggins.
November 18, 2025
I keep coming back to this book and reading again and again. I think it is the beauty of the wilderness described. The main character is a remnant from the days of H. Rider Haggard, Jules Verne, or Kipling. He's a flawed hero who has found his place among the wilds. He's a man with a particular set of skills that real men aspire to. There are no "Safe Spaces" in the wilds. There is only the darkness.
The monster in the book is highly implausible, and there are several holes in the story. However, the true strength of this book is the tracking. While other reviewers have complained about the repetitive battles and ambushes with the monster, I found those to be fascinating due to the tracking information the author injects into the story. That's what makes this book above average to me.
The monster in the book is highly implausible, and there are several holes in the story. However, the true strength of this book is the tracking. While other reviewers have complained about the repetitive battles and ambushes with the monster, I found those to be fascinating due to the tracking information the author injects into the story. That's what makes this book above average to me.
April 13, 2008
I really liked this book it was the perfect mix of adventure and science gone wrong. I never put it down from the time I picked it up to read it till I finished it.
December 1, 2018
Wellll
Wasn’t that bad... felt like those 90. What else. What do you expect when he dedicated the book to the “genius of Sylvester Stallone”...
Wasn’t that bad... felt like those 90. What else. What do you expect when he dedicated the book to the “genius of Sylvester Stallone”...
March 13, 2022
I could feel myself getting dumber with every paragraph. This is easily one of the worst written books I've ever read. While I'm all for a pulp thriller, what Huggins gives us is artless trash. It's a shame, as the concept had potential, but the author was not up to the task. Where was his editor?
Don't waste your time.
Don't waste your time.
June 5, 2018
This was the kind of book/movie that I adored when I was younger. Relentless action, superhuman (metaphorically) hero Vs superhuman (literally) monster. Matthew Reilly meets Michael Crichton.
Now though, I basically resent the days it has taken me to get through it. I had no idea it would be so long! The story would have been satisfying at half the length. I also assumed that it was a new release, but it was actually published in 1999, and is just being re-released now, with a (great) new cover.
Nathaniel Hunter (yes, really) is the world’s greatest tracker, and despite his vast wealth as a result of his scientific discoveries, is happy to live in a cabin in the wilderness, rescue lost children when needed, and stay away from people, needing only the company of his pet wolf, Ghost. Now that should’ve been my first clue, after all, if you were going to copy the name of fictions most famous pet wolf, surely you’d reference it in some way. But JBH obviously got there before GRRR...
Recruited on to a mission to hunt down a mysterious and vicious creature which has devastated several remote Alaskan research bases, he joins an elite group of international soldiers to hunt it down. It’s not really a spoiler to reveal that the monster is part man part Predator (except it’s not alien, it’s prehistoric) created my the mad scientists seeking immortality.
Like pretty much every action/horror movie of the 80s and 90s, characters will be picked off one at a time in as many gruesome ways as possible, and this is described in great detail. Actually, everything is, and this was my biggest problem with it. The hunt goes on, and on, and on, with each encounter involving a play by play description of every single move and shot taken, none of which seriously harm the monster, which then retreats, feeds, gets described all over again (in great detail, naturally), then we are reminded at how skilled, strong, heroic and downright manly our hero (Hunter) is, until the creature attacks again. The chapters are ridiculously long, but the paragraphs on the copy I received not well demarcated, so it would take a while to realise we’d changed scene. Then he’d go back to another long winded description of every single gun, lovingly named, and the shooting would start again.
My other big problem was the completely nonsensical science and medical descriptions. The author just throws terms into a word salad and invents others, when the boffins talk to each other. They are looking down an electron microscope, first looking at protons, then DNA sequences, then describing the characteristics of the monster from just looking at its genes. I don’t mind suspending disbelief to some extent in sci-fi, but this was ridiculous. It wasn’t even the book’s age that was the problem, it’s that he clearly didn’t ask anyone who knew anything about science for advice.
Eventually, I was just bored, and wanted it to be over, but the Kindle only gave me percentages rather than page numbers, so I kept going, and going, thinking surely something other than a gun battle will happen... Then the end, and a feeling of “is that it?”
Read this if you like action, lots of action, cheesy stereotyped characters, lots of guns and violence, and a completely predictable ending. It really would’ve been much better as a movie (and would’ve only wasted two hours of my life.)
Thanks to NetGalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.
Now though, I basically resent the days it has taken me to get through it. I had no idea it would be so long! The story would have been satisfying at half the length. I also assumed that it was a new release, but it was actually published in 1999, and is just being re-released now, with a (great) new cover.
Nathaniel Hunter (yes, really) is the world’s greatest tracker, and despite his vast wealth as a result of his scientific discoveries, is happy to live in a cabin in the wilderness, rescue lost children when needed, and stay away from people, needing only the company of his pet wolf, Ghost. Now that should’ve been my first clue, after all, if you were going to copy the name of fictions most famous pet wolf, surely you’d reference it in some way. But JBH obviously got there before GRRR...
Recruited on to a mission to hunt down a mysterious and vicious creature which has devastated several remote Alaskan research bases, he joins an elite group of international soldiers to hunt it down. It’s not really a spoiler to reveal that the monster is part man part Predator (except it’s not alien, it’s prehistoric) created my the mad scientists seeking immortality.
Like pretty much every action/horror movie of the 80s and 90s, characters will be picked off one at a time in as many gruesome ways as possible, and this is described in great detail. Actually, everything is, and this was my biggest problem with it. The hunt goes on, and on, and on, with each encounter involving a play by play description of every single move and shot taken, none of which seriously harm the monster, which then retreats, feeds, gets described all over again (in great detail, naturally), then we are reminded at how skilled, strong, heroic and downright manly our hero (Hunter) is, until the creature attacks again. The chapters are ridiculously long, but the paragraphs on the copy I received not well demarcated, so it would take a while to realise we’d changed scene. Then he’d go back to another long winded description of every single gun, lovingly named, and the shooting would start again.
My other big problem was the completely nonsensical science and medical descriptions. The author just throws terms into a word salad and invents others, when the boffins talk to each other. They are looking down an electron microscope, first looking at protons, then DNA sequences, then describing the characteristics of the monster from just looking at its genes. I don’t mind suspending disbelief to some extent in sci-fi, but this was ridiculous. It wasn’t even the book’s age that was the problem, it’s that he clearly didn’t ask anyone who knew anything about science for advice.
Eventually, I was just bored, and wanted it to be over, but the Kindle only gave me percentages rather than page numbers, so I kept going, and going, thinking surely something other than a gun battle will happen... Then the end, and a feeling of “is that it?”
Read this if you like action, lots of action, cheesy stereotyped characters, lots of guns and violence, and a completely predictable ending. It really would’ve been much better as a movie (and would’ve only wasted two hours of my life.)
Thanks to NetGalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.
February 17, 2023
Анотацията малко напомня за "Хищникът" със Шварценегер, където екип военни експерти преследват непознато същество, насред дивата природата. Само че този път лошият не е космически натрапник, а праисторически звяр-мутант, пред когото дори могъщият Хълк (супергероят от комиксите на Марвел, на когото авторът вероятно е голям фен) не би имал шанс. Ама видиш ли нашият мачо Хънтър–главният герой, който не знае какво е болка или страх, не би се спрял пред абсолютно нищо, докато не унищожи звяра.
Натаниел Хънтър е най-добрият следотърсач в целият свят. Той си живее далеч от хората в компанията на огромен черен вълк на име Призрак. Един ден Хънтър е помолен от Военните да поведе екип професионални войници, които да издирят обезумял звяр на север от Аляска. Само че това което преследват надминава и най-смелите им очаквания и скоро ловците стават плячка на кръвожадното същество..
Историята започна доста добре и определено имаше потенциал за приличен приключенски екшън. Макар клиширан по американски образът на Хънтър все пак беше интересен, а стилът на авторът ми напомни малко на приключенският стил на Ролинс. До средата имаше и интересни факти за поведението на различните животински видове и за разчитането на следите, които оставят. Ако трябваше да оценявам книгата до средата бих и дал между 3 и 4 звезди. След средата обаче абсурда и измишльотините взеха превес и всичко стана като в треторазряден холивудски екшън филм..Историята ми дойде твърде протяжна и спокойно можеше да е наполовина по кратка, като дори нямаше да изгуби нищо освен излишен пълнеж..
Ох, да изброявам ли, какво точно не ми хареса в книгата?
Безсмислено много фантастичен долнопробен екшън изпълнен с повтарящи се и към края вече банални схватки! Всичко в тази книга е по много - особено екшън! Лошия преследва добрите, умират един-двама статисти, добрите се спасяват ранявайки лошият. Съответно лошия може да се регенерира и това се повтаря пак и пак..
Всички герои бяха зверски клиширани. Добрите бяха супер смешни и захаросани, а лошите безумно зли, та чак глупави.
Ако трябва да опиша лощият или СЪЩЕСТВОТО, което преследваха просто нямам думи. Свръхестествена сила колкото на 30 мъже, бързина, ловкост и рефлекси като тигър, неизчерпаема издражливост, дебела и непробиваема кожа, устойчива на малокалибрени оръжия(макар и едрокалибрените само да го зашеметяваха)..И това съвсем не е всичко – съществото притежава още и свръх развити сетива, кръвожадност, адаптивност, почти моментална регенерация и дори е интелигентно...Толкова много преувеличени умения и нито една реална слабост, че Хълк пасти да яде..
Не ми стана ясно с каква цел авторът описваше оръжията и боеприпасите на героите при положение, че те само одраскваха съществото без да му нанасят тежки поражения?!?! А дори да успяваха да го ранят, звярът просто се хранеше и по този начин регенерираше раните си. И това се повтаряше безброй пъти.
Сюжетът беше съвсем детински и банален особено след средата!
Атмосфера също не беше на ниво. Липсваха достоверни описания на природата, които се надявах Хънтър да използва като предимство и да надхитри съществото. Да ама авторът беше решил да заложи на сигурното – лигав и безкрайно безсмислен холивудски бълвоч.
Чувствам се по много странен начин, прочитайки тази книга. Уж много напрегната и динамична история, нон-стоп екшън, а финалът страшно претупан. Толкова много безсмислен екшън, та чак започва да дразни и разваля идеята на цялата книга.
Въпреки ниските ми очаквания тази книга успя да ме разочарова много сериозно. В старанието си да направи историята по-интересна, авторът тотално е съсипал книгата, превръщайки я в обикновена тийн боза.
Натаниел Хънтър е най-добрият следотърсач в целият свят. Той си живее далеч от хората в компанията на огромен черен вълк на име Призрак. Един ден Хънтър е помолен от Военните да поведе екип професионални войници, които да издирят обезумял звяр на север от Аляска. Само че това което преследват надминава и най-смелите им очаквания и скоро ловците стават плячка на кръвожадното същество..
Историята започна доста добре и определено имаше потенциал за приличен приключенски екшън. Макар клиширан по американски образът на Хънтър все пак беше интересен, а стилът на авторът ми напомни малко на приключенският стил на Ролинс. До средата имаше и интересни факти за поведението на различните животински видове и за разчитането на следите, които оставят. Ако трябваше да оценявам книгата до средата бих и дал между 3 и 4 звезди. След средата обаче абсурда и измишльотините взеха превес и всичко стана като в треторазряден холивудски екшън филм..Историята ми дойде твърде протяжна и спокойно можеше да е наполовина по кратка, като дори нямаше да изгуби нищо освен излишен пълнеж..
Ох, да изброявам ли, какво точно не ми хареса в книгата?
Безсмислено много фантастичен долнопробен екшън изпълнен с повтарящи се и към края вече банални схватки! Всичко в тази книга е по много - особено екшън! Лошия преследва добрите, умират един-двама статисти, добрите се спасяват ранявайки лошият. Съответно лошия може да се регенерира и това се повтаря пак и пак..
Всички герои бяха зверски клиширани. Добрите бяха супер смешни и захаросани, а лошите безумно зли, та чак глупави.
Ако трябва да опиша лощият или СЪЩЕСТВОТО, което преследваха просто нямам думи. Свръхестествена сила колкото на 30 мъже, бързина, ловкост и рефлекси като тигър, неизчерпаема издражливост, дебела и непробиваема кожа, устойчива на малокалибрени оръжия(макар и едрокалибрените само да го зашеметяваха)..И това съвсем не е всичко – съществото притежава още и свръх развити сетива, кръвожадност, адаптивност, почти моментална регенерация и дори е интелигентно...Толкова много преувеличени умения и нито една реална слабост, че Хълк пасти да яде..
Не ми стана ясно с каква цел авторът описваше оръжията и боеприпасите на героите при положение, че те само одраскваха съществото без да му нанасят тежки поражения?!?! А дори да успяваха да го ранят, звярът просто се хранеше и по този начин регенерираше раните си. И това се повтаряше безброй пъти.
Сюжетът беше съвсем детински и банален особено след средата!
Атмосфера също не беше на ниво. Липсваха достоверни описания на природата, които се надявах Хънтър да използва като предимство и да надхитри съществото. Да ама авторът беше решил да заложи на сигурното – лигав и безкрайно безсмислен холивудски бълвоч.
Чувствам се по много странен начин, прочитайки тази книга. Уж много напрегната и динамична история, нон-стоп екшън, а финалът страшно претупан. Толкова много безсмислен екшън, та чак започва да дразни и разваля идеята на цялата книга.
Въпреки ниските ми очаквания тази книга успя да ме разочарова много сериозно. В старанието си да направи историята по-интересна, авторът тотално е съсипал книгата, превръщайки я в обикновена тийн боза.
April 20, 2020
As someone who loves books set in snowy plains and books about unknown monsters, this was right up my street. The inclusion of soldiers hunting said monster was a bonus, after all, who doesn't like Predator?
Unfortunately, while one-dimensional characters work well in a 90-minute movie, they're hard to get excited about in a 19 hour book and this is one of the major failings of this book
Everyone is a total caricature, from the main hero (the A-typical Alpha Male called Hunter who lives off the land, is unshakeable in danger, unbeatable in combat, has giant wolf called Ghost but also cares about kids) to the evil corporate-types.
In addition to this there is a problem with the the description of an early squad leader that the protagonist works with. Now this man is a soldier of Japanese descent and so I would expect him to be referred to as The Captain or Captain Takakora but instead he's referred you repeatedly as "The Japanese" which is, in all honesty, borderline racist.
Now I have been very negative but the description of survival techniques was incredibly interesting including such things as edible plants and trees, the calories available through certain grubs and a very startling way of catching Tigers.
Also, while the characters are very cliched and lack any growth, the story does progress well as more characters are introduced, particularly the evil corporate guy, and the story became more interesting.
What started as a simple run and gun through snowy plains soon became a battle of wits between Hunter and the creature but also more 'terrestrial' dangers.
Thanks to this the latter half of the book did pick up somewhat and, while I was still lacking any love for the cast, I was beginning to root for the good guys towards the end.
As an audiobook, I felt the narrator pretty reliable as far a reading goes. There was a lack of vocal range and they always pronounced the word Human (a word that must be said 100 times in the book) as Uman but overall they did a good job with a rather flat story. I'd like to experience more of their work as I feel, given the right book, they'd be a brilliant narrator.
The question of whether I can recommend this book really depends on whether you like this sort of tale If you grew up loving films like predator and other such mindless action movies, then I guess this might well be right up your street.
I managed to listen all the way through nearly 20 hours and there are only a few parts where it really dragged but I came away having been mildly entertained and certainly not hating the book by any means.
My only complaints remains primarily the cliched style of character and the tasteless use of the term "The Japanese" and so it's an average score for me.
Unfortunately, while one-dimensional characters work well in a 90-minute movie, they're hard to get excited about in a 19 hour book and this is one of the major failings of this book
Everyone is a total caricature, from the main hero (the A-typical Alpha Male called Hunter who lives off the land, is unshakeable in danger, unbeatable in combat, has giant wolf called Ghost but also cares about kids) to the evil corporate-types.
In addition to this there is a problem with the the description of an early squad leader that the protagonist works with. Now this man is a soldier of Japanese descent and so I would expect him to be referred to as The Captain or Captain Takakora but instead he's referred you repeatedly as "The Japanese" which is, in all honesty, borderline racist.
Now I have been very negative but the description of survival techniques was incredibly interesting including such things as edible plants and trees, the calories available through certain grubs and a very startling way of catching Tigers.
Also, while the characters are very cliched and lack any growth, the story does progress well as more characters are introduced, particularly the evil corporate guy, and the story became more interesting.
What started as a simple run and gun through snowy plains soon became a battle of wits between Hunter and the creature but also more 'terrestrial' dangers.
Thanks to this the latter half of the book did pick up somewhat and, while I was still lacking any love for the cast, I was beginning to root for the good guys towards the end.
As an audiobook, I felt the narrator pretty reliable as far a reading goes. There was a lack of vocal range and they always pronounced the word Human (a word that must be said 100 times in the book) as Uman but overall they did a good job with a rather flat story. I'd like to experience more of their work as I feel, given the right book, they'd be a brilliant narrator.
The question of whether I can recommend this book really depends on whether you like this sort of tale If you grew up loving films like predator and other such mindless action movies, then I guess this might well be right up your street.
I managed to listen all the way through nearly 20 hours and there are only a few parts where it really dragged but I came away having been mildly entertained and certainly not hating the book by any means.
My only complaints remains primarily the cliched style of character and the tasteless use of the term "The Japanese" and so it's an average score for me.
September 14, 2015
It has been a few years since I last read this book; even so, I still enjoyed this book. It is in the vein of two other novels [Leviathan and Cain] where a created being / creature goes on a rampage and must be killed to stop the loss of innocent life. It is funny, though, because this time around I honestly felt like it could have been shortened by several pages and still have worked just fine as a story. Apparently it was written so that Sylvester Stallone could turn it into a movie [some of the descriptions / scenes read as if they were taken from a movie, in my opinion]. The author thanks Sylvester Stallone for Stallone’s talent in the acknowledgement at the start of the book. So take that however you wish [wish could be saying more than people like to give Stallone credit for, considering the large number of movies he has written in which he himself has starred].
I think the hokiest part of the book for me was at the fourth and final research ‘station’ [base].
The other part that bugs me about the book? It is that Taylor, Takakura, and Brick all die! I absolutely hate this part of the book! There is no reason why he could not have had a gaggle of soldiers survive the destruction of the base and become ‘cannon fodder’ after they chase the mutated man-beast into the underground cave system! These men were needlessly killed! If I were to make this into a movie, I would ensure these three men survive. Them, and Maddox. They should have lived, in my opinion. I was sorry to ‘see’ Ghost die, but I figured he would die at some point in the novel. I also assumed the first time I read it Ghost would die saving Hunter [which is what happened].
It is funny, but the man-beast strongly reminded me of a cross between the Incredible Hulk and the Wolverine of Marvel Comics fame. Hahahahah I think the author did a great job describing how a person could ‘acquire’ similar abilities to these two Marvel characters without infringing upon Marvel’s copyright[s].
I thought the character development was decent in the book. It was not written to be the ‘next great American novel’ – it was written to be a type of technothriller, and I think the author succeeded. I liked how Hunter came to earn the respect of the small team he was ‘leading’ to track down the creature. Obviously, the ‘main heroes’ had the most/best character development, and Hamilton [as the primary ‘villain’] also had some extensive character development. This novel was a bit of a variation from his other books . I think it showed creativity on the part of the author; well, I guess it showed that he was attempting to branch out and wear out his welcome, as it were, with the reason behind why the creatures go astray.
It is funny, but some of the book did feel a bit tedious. I am not sure why that is the case. I have heard others describe it as reminding them of the first Predator movie, and I can see that . I think it is a somewhat fair comparison, as long as one makes the comparisons as general as possible. One key difference is that the Predator is an alien who can turn invisible whereas the creature in this book cannot turn invisible and is human. You can only read about ‘the Purity’ of this and ‘the Purity’ of that before it gets real old, real quick. Professor Tipler was funny to me, as it seemed like he kept promising to reveal to them the nature/identity of the creature they were hunting. Perhaps that was my misinterpretation of what he was saying, but it seemed like he kept promising to reveal the creature without actually revealing the creature. Well, at least not until the ‘great reveal’ .
The book is definitely a product of when it was written. It was written [published] in 1999 and feels like a product of that era. I do not know how to describe it, except that it was written around a time when such books were quite popular. It is like watching, say, the movie ‘Speed.’ That movie is definitely a 90s movie. You have the older, wiser cop paired with a wise-cracking younger punk who needs to LEARN THE LESSON if he wishes to move ahead in life. It has the angry villain in it. But I digress; I am talking about a book and not a movie. This book also seemed to have the whole ‘anti-hero / loner’ thing going, with Hunter as the hero. He does not like people, in general, yet he continually risks his life to save individuals. He also has discovered various plants that are useful in curing diseases, so this has made him incredibly rich. It also has an eco-theme to in when it discusses how nature provides a bevy of natural medication that humans can use to heal from hurts/aches/pains and to survive if humans would only learn to co-exist with nature instead of trying to control nature.
I thought the author did have an interesting ‘stream of thought’ going about how memories and whatnot can be passed down genetically. I do not know how much I agree with that, but as certain biophysical traits can be passed down from one generation to the next, it does seem to make sense that some acquired traits can also be passed down from one generation to the next [such as how babies birthed from crack-using mothers can be born addicted to the drug as well]. The author does expound at length throughout the course of the novel how certain things [such as memory] are passed down from one generation to the next, even memories passed on from one host-carrier to the next via the mysteries of electromagnetic chromosomal manipulation. In the author’s case, though, he has the villainous creature being able to recognize certain plants as being useful for its healing and regeneration from ‘memory’ alone despite having no prior experience with these plants/flora/vegetation. I do not know how much science agrees with his theories on DNA and genetic materials being carriers for memories to be passed along, but it was still interesting in the context of the story.
I could definitely see Hunter as being a character written specifically for Sylvester Stallone to play.
Overall, it was a good book, and I enjoyed reading it again.
I think the hokiest part of the book for me was at the fourth and final research ‘station’ [base].
The other part that bugs me about the book? It is that Taylor, Takakura, and Brick all die! I absolutely hate this part of the book! There is no reason why he could not have had a gaggle of soldiers survive the destruction of the base and become ‘cannon fodder’ after they chase the mutated man-beast into the underground cave system! These men were needlessly killed! If I were to make this into a movie, I would ensure these three men survive. Them, and Maddox. They should have lived, in my opinion. I was sorry to ‘see’ Ghost die, but I figured he would die at some point in the novel. I also assumed the first time I read it Ghost would die saving Hunter [which is what happened].
It is funny, but the man-beast strongly reminded me of a cross between the Incredible Hulk and the Wolverine of Marvel Comics fame. Hahahahah I think the author did a great job describing how a person could ‘acquire’ similar abilities to these two Marvel characters without infringing upon Marvel’s copyright[s].
I thought the character development was decent in the book. It was not written to be the ‘next great American novel’ – it was written to be a type of technothriller, and I think the author succeeded. I liked how Hunter came to earn the respect of the small team he was ‘leading’ to track down the creature. Obviously, the ‘main heroes’ had the most/best character development, and Hamilton [as the primary ‘villain’] also had some extensive character development. This novel was a bit of a variation from his other books . I think it showed creativity on the part of the author; well, I guess it showed that he was attempting to branch out and wear out his welcome, as it were, with the reason behind why the creatures go astray.
It is funny, but some of the book did feel a bit tedious. I am not sure why that is the case. I have heard others describe it as reminding them of the first Predator movie, and I can see that . I think it is a somewhat fair comparison, as long as one makes the comparisons as general as possible. One key difference is that the Predator is an alien who can turn invisible whereas the creature in this book cannot turn invisible and is human. You can only read about ‘the Purity’ of this and ‘the Purity’ of that before it gets real old, real quick. Professor Tipler was funny to me, as it seemed like he kept promising to reveal to them the nature/identity of the creature they were hunting. Perhaps that was my misinterpretation of what he was saying, but it seemed like he kept promising to reveal the creature without actually revealing the creature. Well, at least not until the ‘great reveal’ .
The book is definitely a product of when it was written. It was written [published] in 1999 and feels like a product of that era. I do not know how to describe it, except that it was written around a time when such books were quite popular. It is like watching, say, the movie ‘Speed.’ That movie is definitely a 90s movie. You have the older, wiser cop paired with a wise-cracking younger punk who needs to LEARN THE LESSON if he wishes to move ahead in life. It has the angry villain in it. But I digress; I am talking about a book and not a movie. This book also seemed to have the whole ‘anti-hero / loner’ thing going, with Hunter as the hero. He does not like people, in general, yet he continually risks his life to save individuals. He also has discovered various plants that are useful in curing diseases, so this has made him incredibly rich. It also has an eco-theme to in when it discusses how nature provides a bevy of natural medication that humans can use to heal from hurts/aches/pains and to survive if humans would only learn to co-exist with nature instead of trying to control nature.
I thought the author did have an interesting ‘stream of thought’ going about how memories and whatnot can be passed down genetically. I do not know how much I agree with that, but as certain biophysical traits can be passed down from one generation to the next, it does seem to make sense that some acquired traits can also be passed down from one generation to the next [such as how babies birthed from crack-using mothers can be born addicted to the drug as well]. The author does expound at length throughout the course of the novel how certain things [such as memory] are passed down from one generation to the next, even memories passed on from one host-carrier to the next via the mysteries of electromagnetic chromosomal manipulation. In the author’s case, though, he has the villainous creature being able to recognize certain plants as being useful for its healing and regeneration from ‘memory’ alone despite having no prior experience with these plants/flora/vegetation. I do not know how much science agrees with his theories on DNA and genetic materials being carriers for memories to be passed along, but it was still interesting in the context of the story.
I could definitely see Hunter as being a character written specifically for Sylvester Stallone to play.
Overall, it was a good book, and I enjoyed reading it again.
September 16, 2018
Ebook/Adventure: I did get this book from NetGalley in lieu of an honest review. When I looked it up on Goodreads, I discovered that this is a 2nd edition with the original written in 1999. From the page count difference, I gather that the author may have updated the book (technology) for this edition. I could be wrong. There are no cellphones, but satellite a phone like the one in Jurassic Park 2: Lost World. There is also no mention of the Iraq War or 9/11.
Did I like the book, yes. It is more an adventure than a mystery or thriller. The whole story takes place in about three days. It did take me a while to read it because on top of it begin 300 pages, this really isn't a book I could read during my breaks at work. It should be read in long stretches simple because there is so much action going on. I liked all of the heroes and hated all the bad guys. I did like that two characters you thought were going to be bad, ended up being the saving grace. Then again, some characters ended up being really bad.
The main character Hunter, well all I could picture in my head was Fred Dryer (who I was surprised to see is still alive) from the old "Hunter" TV series. I also didn't understand why none of the characters thought the creature might be like the Predator, just sayin'. The book is a little long with the group encountering the creature several, several times. My favorite character: Ghost, of course.
Did I like the book, yes. It is more an adventure than a mystery or thriller. The whole story takes place in about three days. It did take me a while to read it because on top of it begin 300 pages, this really isn't a book I could read during my breaks at work. It should be read in long stretches simple because there is so much action going on. I liked all of the heroes and hated all the bad guys. I did like that two characters you thought were going to be bad, ended up being the saving grace. Then again, some characters ended up being really bad.
The main character Hunter, well all I could picture in my head was Fred Dryer (who I was surprised to see is still alive) from the old "Hunter" TV series. I also didn't understand why none of the characters thought the creature might be like the Predator, just sayin'. The book is a little long with the group encountering the creature several, several times. My favorite character: Ghost, of course.
November 27, 2016
Tough read
I read this book when it was first published. As a teenager this book was interesting and i remember it pretty vivdly so when i found it on amazon I figured it was a golden opportunity for a revisit.
Now that I am little older with a few more books under my belt my title for this review sums up my thoughts on this book.
The set up is interesting...think predator. Only the creature is a genetic mutation instead of an alien. Now you have a group of bad A$$ soldiers fighting this creature. In place of Arnold you have the main character Hunter. So far so good right?
I love the movie predator, but imagine if every 5 minutes Arnold would stop, look at the camera and explain to you how awesome he is and why. Thats how this book is with the main character. I understand that we need to realize how awesome Hunter is. Halfway through the book i was starting to skim over the parts explaining how after X amount of years in the bush Hunter can run like chester cheeto chasing after a cheesy crunchy chip. This continues throught the whole book. In fact this is still happening during the final climactic showdown.
One last thing, not sure if it is the editing or if the characters name changes but the US Marshal, his name is Chaney when introduced but he is Chancey several times at the end?
As i said, tough read.
I read this book when it was first published. As a teenager this book was interesting and i remember it pretty vivdly so when i found it on amazon I figured it was a golden opportunity for a revisit.
Now that I am little older with a few more books under my belt my title for this review sums up my thoughts on this book.
The set up is interesting...think predator. Only the creature is a genetic mutation instead of an alien. Now you have a group of bad A$$ soldiers fighting this creature. In place of Arnold you have the main character Hunter. So far so good right?
I love the movie predator, but imagine if every 5 minutes Arnold would stop, look at the camera and explain to you how awesome he is and why. Thats how this book is with the main character. I understand that we need to realize how awesome Hunter is. Halfway through the book i was starting to skim over the parts explaining how after X amount of years in the bush Hunter can run like chester cheeto chasing after a cheesy crunchy chip. This continues throught the whole book. In fact this is still happening during the final climactic showdown.
One last thing, not sure if it is the editing or if the characters name changes but the US Marshal, his name is Chaney when introduced but he is Chancey several times at the end?
As i said, tough read.
June 29, 2018
While I liked the story, especially Ghost, it could really benefit from a good editor. I would have liked a more in-depth explanation of the science involved in making the monster and it would be nice if the science made a little sense.
I love the idea of Hunter, Famous tracker with a large wolf sidekick. He gets called in to track a monster, even though he doesn't not really want to to do it, he ends up going along with it for his friend. Hunt ensues, add in inept backup, an old man who shouldn't even be on this hunt and the love interest. Long, bloody scenes follow. I don't mind a lot of gore so this didn't bother me.
This book is very long. It could have been shortened considerably if the author lost the long drawn out explanations of every single move that Hunter made. Whatever he does it's described as being like an animal. Crouches like a tiger, attacks like a bear. We get it! He's cool! Best outdoors man ever! Stop telling us this in every other sentence!
Again, I still liked the overall story and If you you like manly man, adventure books you will probably like this.
I love the idea of Hunter, Famous tracker with a large wolf sidekick. He gets called in to track a monster, even though he doesn't not really want to to do it, he ends up going along with it for his friend. Hunt ensues, add in inept backup, an old man who shouldn't even be on this hunt and the love interest. Long, bloody scenes follow. I don't mind a lot of gore so this didn't bother me.
This book is very long. It could have been shortened considerably if the author lost the long drawn out explanations of every single move that Hunter made. Whatever he does it's described as being like an animal. Crouches like a tiger, attacks like a bear. We get it! He's cool! Best outdoors man ever! Stop telling us this in every other sentence!
Again, I still liked the overall story and If you you like manly man, adventure books you will probably like this.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 6, 2018
Nathaniel Hunter and his wolf, Ghost are the best trackers out there. Usually just lost people and kids. He is very wealthy from finding cures for disease from plants. There is something out there killing people, not for meat or protection but because it can. It also, walks on 2 feet and no one knows who or what it is. Hunt has been contacted to go to Alaska in the wilderness, to find whatever it is, but not to kill it. Is this a monster or a man? This becomes a life or death situation, full of mystery and madness. Some will go to any lengths to live an immortal life. Who will live, who will die and where did this *thing" come from? Full of suspense and action. I received this book from Net Galley for an honest review and no compensation.
July 5, 2018
Written by James Byron Huggins, Hunter follows Hunter and Ghost, a man and his wolf, as they travel across the world to hunt down what Hunter has been told is a Siberian tiger.
If you want an adventure novel, with some blood, this would be a good choice. This is a great example of an adventure-in-the-jungle book that reminds me of… something. A generic story of someone hunting an animal, working for someone else, while the animal is also hunting them.
It wasn’t my cup of tea. The writing is alright, but nothing memorable, and the supporting characters were terribly flat. The author tried to make up for this with their description of the scenery and the mood, but it just didn’t work for me.
This was a novel that I honestly powered through to finish.
If you want an adventure novel, with some blood, this would be a good choice. This is a great example of an adventure-in-the-jungle book that reminds me of… something. A generic story of someone hunting an animal, working for someone else, while the animal is also hunting them.
It wasn’t my cup of tea. The writing is alright, but nothing memorable, and the supporting characters were terribly flat. The author tried to make up for this with their description of the scenery and the mood, but it just didn’t work for me.
This was a novel that I honestly powered through to finish.
November 21, 2018
The Hunter becomes the hunted...
A new killing machine is loose. A prehistoric perfect killing machine with some man like features was found and merged with a man. This new creature becomes faster, more powerful, and has no conscience over killing anyone or anything in its path. A team is sent out to track it down and kill it. The lead is Hunter and his wolf, Ghost. Hunter grew up in the woods and can find anything or anyone. Of course he finds the creature and the battles begin. This is a fantastic story for anyone who likes monsters, gore, and lots of action. The characters are really made alive in this book and I was drawn to them from the beginning. I could go on and on about how great this one is but you will realize this as you begin to read it.
A new killing machine is loose. A prehistoric perfect killing machine with some man like features was found and merged with a man. This new creature becomes faster, more powerful, and has no conscience over killing anyone or anything in its path. A team is sent out to track it down and kill it. The lead is Hunter and his wolf, Ghost. Hunter grew up in the woods and can find anything or anyone. Of course he finds the creature and the battles begin. This is a fantastic story for anyone who likes monsters, gore, and lots of action. The characters are really made alive in this book and I was drawn to them from the beginning. I could go on and on about how great this one is but you will realize this as you begin to read it.
August 20, 2019
I read somewhere that Sylvester Stallone purchased the rights to this book as a potential send-off for Rambo (or something like that). I've heard of Huggins before, so I thought I'd give it a try. The story of a man (Hunter) and his wolf going toe-to-toe with a fantastical blood-thirsty beast in the wood is comparable to a good b-movie that you would go see at a double-feature matinee back in the day. It's not going to knock your socks off, but it's a good read for a long airplane ride. Not the best book, but the not the worst you're going to find out there either. Matter of fact, I'll probably pick up another of Huggins books again in the near future. The writing was there. I just think the plot has been done a million times before.
December 9, 2018
Story was good but the editing errors were plentiful and distracting
This story grabbed me in from the start and I couldn’t put it down. The errors though were a bit ridiculous as there were so many of them. Missing punctuation, Chaney’s name was messed up once, wrong words used (tight instead of fight). Also, when the story moved between characters, it wasn’t always delineated so it was confusing at first until you realized that is how the book is for a lot of the characters’ stories. I do want to read more form this author but I hope he got a better editor. I would be embarrassed if I published this.
This story grabbed me in from the start and I couldn’t put it down. The errors though were a bit ridiculous as there were so many of them. Missing punctuation, Chaney’s name was messed up once, wrong words used (tight instead of fight). Also, when the story moved between characters, it wasn’t always delineated so it was confusing at first until you realized that is how the book is for a lot of the characters’ stories. I do want to read more form this author but I hope he got a better editor. I would be embarrassed if I published this.
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