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The Atomic Time of Monsters #2
Tyrantis Roams the Earth!
When last we saw the likes of Tyrantis, he was sinking beneath the depths of the Pacific Ocean, miles away from the world of men and monsters alike. But you can’t keep a good monster down, and the Lord of Leviathans is back for another tale of travel and terror!
With giant monsters continuing to run amok on the surface of the earth, humanity continues to scramble for solutions, putting their faith in horrendous weapons both old and new in the vain hope that military might will be enough to quell the tide of bestial giants that seem poised to usher in our extinction. However, the dauntless Dr. Lerna, hard-hitting reporter Henry Robertson, and bombshell-turned-researcher Gwen Valentine have reason to believe that humanity’s survival lies not in destroying these radioactive giants, but in learning to coexist with them.
Can humanity learn to make love, not war? Will Tyrantis ever see his mate and child again? Will Dr. Lerna and her team ever make their voices heard? And, as glowing green meteors shoot off the surface of Venus and fall to earth while mysterious flying saucers are spotted overhead, we must ask the most important questions of all: is humanity truly alone in the universe, and is it possible that there are far more dangerous threats to it than a legion of hundred foot tall indestructible giant beasts?
With giant monsters continuing to run amok on the surface of the earth, humanity continues to scramble for solutions, putting their faith in horrendous weapons both old and new in the vain hope that military might will be enough to quell the tide of bestial giants that seem poised to usher in our extinction. However, the dauntless Dr. Lerna, hard-hitting reporter Henry Robertson, and bombshell-turned-researcher Gwen Valentine have reason to believe that humanity’s survival lies not in destroying these radioactive giants, but in learning to coexist with them.
Can humanity learn to make love, not war? Will Tyrantis ever see his mate and child again? Will Dr. Lerna and her team ever make their voices heard? And, as glowing green meteors shoot off the surface of Venus and fall to earth while mysterious flying saucers are spotted overhead, we must ask the most important questions of all: is humanity truly alone in the universe, and is it possible that there are far more dangerous threats to it than a legion of hundred foot tall indestructible giant beasts?
351 pages, Paperback
Published May 23, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
July 7, 2021
William Cope continues the adventures of Tyrantis first begun in The Atomic Time of Monsters Volume 1. That initial volume set down the foundations of a giant monster universe filled with colorful characters both human and gigantic. The world set down in the previous volume expands toward even bigger adventures as we follow the tried and true course of giant monster pop culture.
As always Cope’s most endearing element is the heart at the center of the proceedings. Whethere it’s a human being or a giant retrosaur we get to know not just what people are thinking but how they feel about the goings-on around them. Even when things grow grimmer and the entire world of ATOM is at risk it never loses its optimistic/feel good aesthetic. This is probably the biggest thing that sets it apart from most of the Kaiju fiction I’ve read. That and there’s a really satisfying feeling to see one of these worlds built from the ground up and taken toward a massive and earned conclusion.
There’s always room for more but between this and the first volume. Cope has crafted the core narrative of a universe that is not only original but perfectly in line with the sensibilities of Japanese Kaiju films and American Atomic Monster flicks of the 1950s. I think it sticks the landing very well but I’m always open to more adventures featuring Tyrantis and company.
As always Cope’s most endearing element is the heart at the center of the proceedings. Whethere it’s a human being or a giant retrosaur we get to know not just what people are thinking but how they feel about the goings-on around them. Even when things grow grimmer and the entire world of ATOM is at risk it never loses its optimistic/feel good aesthetic. This is probably the biggest thing that sets it apart from most of the Kaiju fiction I’ve read. That and there’s a really satisfying feeling to see one of these worlds built from the ground up and taken toward a massive and earned conclusion.
There’s always room for more but between this and the first volume. Cope has crafted the core narrative of a universe that is not only original but perfectly in line with the sensibilities of Japanese Kaiju films and American Atomic Monster flicks of the 1950s. I think it sticks the landing very well but I’m always open to more adventures featuring Tyrantis and company.
June 6, 2021
As much as a fantastic sequel and rip roaring monster adventure, TYRANTIS ROAMS THE EARTH is a mission statement and a unique piece of writing in and about the genre. In addition to being a great monster story, it’s metatextually a critical analysis of the genre in which it’s set.
If that sounds like a bit much for a pulpy kaiju novel, take one look at the book’s foreword — a fantastic nonfiction piece analyzing what exactly a monster is and how it’s viewed in the world of literature and broader entertainment. After that, the story picks up where TYRANTIS WALKS AMONG US left off — but also where the foreword left off. Characters comment on writing tropes and academic tendencies (impressively in context and without breaking the fourth wall) and embrace the elements of the genre that Cope is championing. At one point, characters turn on a projector and sit down to watch “stock footage” from the previous book, like in a Showa Gamera film. It’s incredible that it all works in the context of a satisfying story, let alone one this entertaining and emotionally engaging. There’s an intellectual approach in this book that never becomes pretentious, because it’s all presented in the context of love for the type of story being told — and what a story it is.
Picking up where its predecessor left off, this one ups the globetrotting nature of the story with segments in Japan, the Soviet Union, and beyond — taking us up the slopes of Mt Fuji, into great walled realms where unspeakable horrors lurk, and to extra-planetary civilizations. These wonders are again highlighted by the charming characters taking us there, humans and monsters alike, all the way to a spectacular and emotionally satisfying conclusion.
An impressive feat in itself is that A.T.O.M. completes this epic arc in two books. The 350+ page length is significant by this genre’s standards, but the size of the story demands it, and the fact that it isn’t more protracted is an accomplishment in concise storytelling.
In a sense, TYRANTIS ROAMS THE EARTH! is even more successful than its predecessor at being the mission statement that Cope set out to write. That book was a delight, but vol. 2 ups the ante — not just with bigger action and wilder genre elements (which definitely add to the fun), but by always thoughtfully examining just what kind of story it is.
If that sounds like a bit much for a pulpy kaiju novel, take one look at the book’s foreword — a fantastic nonfiction piece analyzing what exactly a monster is and how it’s viewed in the world of literature and broader entertainment. After that, the story picks up where TYRANTIS WALKS AMONG US left off — but also where the foreword left off. Characters comment on writing tropes and academic tendencies (impressively in context and without breaking the fourth wall) and embrace the elements of the genre that Cope is championing. At one point, characters turn on a projector and sit down to watch “stock footage” from the previous book, like in a Showa Gamera film. It’s incredible that it all works in the context of a satisfying story, let alone one this entertaining and emotionally engaging. There’s an intellectual approach in this book that never becomes pretentious, because it’s all presented in the context of love for the type of story being told — and what a story it is.
Picking up where its predecessor left off, this one ups the globetrotting nature of the story with segments in Japan, the Soviet Union, and beyond — taking us up the slopes of Mt Fuji, into great walled realms where unspeakable horrors lurk, and to extra-planetary civilizations. These wonders are again highlighted by the charming characters taking us there, humans and monsters alike, all the way to a spectacular and emotionally satisfying conclusion.
An impressive feat in itself is that A.T.O.M. completes this epic arc in two books. The 350+ page length is significant by this genre’s standards, but the size of the story demands it, and the fact that it isn’t more protracted is an accomplishment in concise storytelling.
In a sense, TYRANTIS ROAMS THE EARTH! is even more successful than its predecessor at being the mission statement that Cope set out to write. That book was a delight, but vol. 2 ups the ante — not just with bigger action and wilder genre elements (which definitely add to the fun), but by always thoughtfully examining just what kind of story it is.
June 3, 2021
William Cope is like Bob "Moviebob" Chipman if he was obsessed with monsters instead of Mario. They have a similar personality, similar outlook on life,, and even a similar skill level at writing. Knowing William, he'd probably take such a comparison as a compliment.
June 25, 2021
Wonderful
Everything from start to finish was lovely labour of love and I can’t wait to see how the story continues
Everything from start to finish was lovely labour of love and I can’t wait to see how the story continues
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews