A series of violent shark attacks off the shores of northern California draw the attention of pessimistic Detective Luke Jansen. Despite reports of shark sightings by witnesses, the injuries appear to be more reminiscent of a chainsaw-wielding maniac rather than shark bites.
Things get stranger when marine biologist Elise Sheldon encounters the creature. Exhausted and traumatized, she is quickly dismissed, after she makes the claim that the beast is a Helicoprion. Thought to be extinct, the creature wields a spiraling set of teeth that can dice anything caught in its path. Unable to convince anyone of its existence, Elise turns to Detective Jansen for assistance.
With little help from the police department, Luke and Elise form an unlikely alliance to uncover the truth. Their investigation puts them face-to-face with a violent man-eating shark, and the terrifying reason for its existence.
Michael R. Cole is an author of creature horror and science fiction. He was born in Toledo, Ohio and grew up in lower Michigan. He has a profound love for monster movies and book as well as the action genre. In addition to writing, his hobbies include martial arts and fishing.
I was feeling miserable and this book made me happy.
Man vs Fish.... At first I hated the main character -a burn-out cop... literally- but, by the end of the book he grew on me after turning into a one-eyed Jack Bauer. The woman MC holds her own too, with a rifle, which is always nice to see. Everyone in this story is a wise-ass, and I quite enjoyed the back and forth banter between the two MCs. Michael Cole obviously has a funny bone or two. Not just another killer shark story, though...
We have - dinosaurs, mercenaries, mad scientists, Contagions, a lot of non water-related action, crime, mass-shootings, and a complete disregard for just about every rule in the book when it comes to policework.
I love creature feature films and books and this one was really good. It was gory, at times funny and reminded me so much of jaws. I do wish we had less of the police investigations and more of the shark attack segments and the shark pov which was some of the best bits. Most of the characters were pretty annoying but it doesn’t ruin the book
Move over “Jaws” and “Meg” another big, bad boy’s in town - Helicoprion, also known as “the buzzsaw” shark.
I was fully expecting this to be just another tale of a rogue shark - albeit one originally thought to be extinct (like with the Meg) - along with the typical attempts to subdue it. The story did start out as such but it eventually evolved into a more complex plot with the titular shark ending up as just a small piece of the catastrophe the protagonists, Luke (the private investigator) and Elise (the marine biologist), were attempting to nullify.
The book was published mid 2021 and various elements of the storyline appeared to be derived from the current events foremost in the nation’s news at the time, more specifically concerning the COVID-19 pandemic. This had me wondering if the author originally intended the book to be only a typical rogue shark tale, which is how the book did start out and then ended. But as the story unfolded it seemed as though the direction of the storyline morphed into a plot whose inspiration was heavily drawn from events of the current pandemic; A tale in which the shark ended up having a more minor role in the overall scheme. This made for a more complex storyline than the typical thriller whose main focus is to just attempt to subdue a vicious shark that’s run amok.
I would have been satisfied if this was just another typical rogue shark tale, which was my expectation, (even with a genetically modified or newly discovered, originally thought-to-be-extinct species of shark, as the helicoprion has been extinct for millions of years), but the author’s eventual revelation of the reason for the existence of the helicoprion in the story I thought was highly implausible and just a bit too far-fetched.
Though I was a bit disappointed in the plot as a whole, the tale did eventually arc back to human versus savage leviathan. Also, I did enjoy the interaction between the two protagonists - Luke and Elise - as there was definitely good chemistry between those two, and I would hope that the author considers pairing up those two again, in another nail-biting adventure.
I gave read a number of books by Michael Cole but I have to say this is the best by far. Horror, Suspense, Action, Mystery. This book has it all. Some parts are a little gory but this is more than a fish story. I really liked the main characters and could relate to them. The story line moves quick and is fast paced. I am not one to repeat the story line. If you like Jaws or Thresher you will definitely like this book. It has a lot more going on then just a shark attack. I strongly recommend this book. Enjoy.
With this shark, you just need to stay out of the water!
Never a dull moment in this one! From page one, I was drawn into this story by a shark from prehistoric times that was on a mission to kill. If that wasn't enough, this shark was also infecting anything it came in contact with a deadly virus. The characters were great and the action exciting and gory. Like I said, there was never a dull moment and I loved it.
This is my first read from this author. I throughly enjoyed it. It had a little bit of everything in it, to keep me engaged in the story. Yes, it had minor spelling typos & punctuation errors, but it’s not a big deal. I will probably look into his other books.
Michael Cole never disappoints with his monster stories! Characters well developed and defined as usual. Edge of your seat suspense, action, graphic violence and gore at continuous warp speed leaves me tired. Excellent story
Dr Elise Sheldon was just supposed to be checking plastic particle levels in the water. Her nephew, with her that day, was racking up volunteer hours to pad his resume. The humpback whales were a lovely thing to see, the mother and calf. The thing that attacked the whales then them, not so much. Detective Luke Nelson has decided life sucks. He lost an eye his partner, his job, and the respect of other cops. Now, he's standing over the bodies of what officials are claiming is a shark attack but looks more like the California version of Chainsaw Massacre. This isn't adding up. And the story from the grief stricken marine biologist about a dinosaur shark makes just about as much sense.
Spoilers ahead. So, this was an interesting read. I love a shark story, and something not the typical megalodon, great white or hammerhead is definitely an attention grabber. The layers are decently thought out, too. Backstories are revealed, plots twist and turn, characters develop and aren't just 2 dimensional. The shark is fun, and because so little is known there's a lot of room for play there. Some of the reactions aren't exactly realistic but it is a thriller and they have to reach the end goal. I will say that I was happy with only a small amount of small town misogynistic behavior tossed in. You expect some, but you aren't bludgeoned with it. The biologist's story was attributed to grief not womanly hysteria. She fought back, didn't get squeamish over firearms or blood, and held her own. Also, praise for having a female captive and not threatening assault. Another plot device too often employed for the shock value. There was several editing errors but nothing that pulled you out. It was a slow buildup but it made sure the groundwork was done before cutting loose and mayhem was unleashed. Honestly, even with the errors it was entertaining enough I gave it 4 stars. I hardly ever give 5, I'm incredibly picky over plot holes and grammar.
I've read plenty of Michael Cole's books because he's one of the better authors that focuses on the creature feature genre which is one of my guilty pleasures. To give credit where it's due, this is the probably the best book I've read by him. Admittedly it's mostly the same old story he's used in countless books - genetically engineered monster escapes and kills a bunch of people. Angst filled hero cop teams up with a scientist and runs into the usual gang of hired thugs brought in to get the monster back. Lots of gunfights and an ironic end for the main villain when his creation turns on him. Nothing new there but I really liked the introduction of a subplot involving a fast spreading disease originating from the creature. It feels very realistic, especially considering current events.
Using a Helicoprion shark was a stroke of genius. It's the first time I've seen one featured in a novel, and coming up with an original creature is no easy task nowadays. Detective Luke Jansen is difficult to like at first, but he does soften up as the novel progresses - good thing too because for the first half of the book I was hoping he'd be killed off and we'd be spared his constant venomous rants.
I was leaning towards 4 stars with this one, but I personally didn't care for all the needless profanity, and there's some editing problems here which really took away from the experience. Still, this is worth a look if you're looking for a deep sea horror/thriller.
MANNNN.... I LOVED this book. There were so many parts that were all woven together beautifully. I admit that I picked this title because I have a fascination with sharks, prehistoric creatures, etc (Thanks, Jurassic Park! lol), but the surprise epidemic was the icing on the cake (I'm a microbiology lab tech and hold a degree in microbiology and biochemistry)! The story had me hooked within the first three pages and just kept the momentum. I loved Det. Jansen and Dr. Sheldon and their unlikely partnership that blossomed into a beautiful friendship. I do not have any negative comments about this book and have been recommending it to EVERYONE! I was sad when it was over, but I would say it is one of my favorites thus far. I would love to see this made into a movie (NOT like Sharknado or MEG, though....)
This book was all over the place.. disguised as a creature feature it turned into a human based thriller with a dash of plague (I looket up when it was published and as I suspected - In the mindst of the pandemic). It lacked the tight storytelling that can keep the suspense.
Way too much human - too little creature. Started out okay and then it just got boring. Nothing special about the protagonists and White their banter was fun at times it quickly became endless redundant chatter.
By the 50% mark I got too bored and skimmed the rest of the book. And even then I found it to be dragging.
A shame as the author has delivered some really good books. This one was a definitly miss for me.
This book had the potential to be another good one for this author. Evidently his editor was on vacation as the story ended up as a mishmash of bad spelling, punctuation, and wrong word use. An 'autopsy' is for humans...on animals and fish, it's a 'necropsy'...and boogie is a completely different word than bogie...the only reason I gave it two stars was for the use of a new and different creature, otherwise...
I’m glad I stumbled across this book. A good easy read. Luke and Elise’s character were so easily believable. The author did a great job creating a conspiracy theory type of story and make it believable in our modern world of greed and technology.
Helicoprion starts off strong—several shark attacks on the same day, and you're immediately pulled in. It sets the stage for a classic creature-feature ride… but then things take a bit of a turn.
Rather unexpectedly, the story shifts gears and leans more into crime-thriller territory. While the plot itself is solid and well thought out, the central thread involving the shark seems to fade into the background for a while. It felt like the main attraction was temporarily forgotten.
That said, it does come back around in the final stretch, tying everything up in a way that’s both satisfying and pretty standard for the genre. No major surprises, but it lands the ending well enough.
At almost 17 hours on Audible, it’s a bit longer than most books in this category. That extra length mostly comes from the side story the plot wanders into midway. It’s not bad, just a bit off-pace for what you might expect going in.
All in all, it’s a pleasant read. I just would’ve liked a bit more shark and a bit less detour in the middle third of the book.
Ancient Buzzsaw Michael Cole is my main man when it comes to writing about compelling suspense filled books with the main protagonists being vicious terrifying sea creatures. He grabs your attention and holds on tightly daring you to read before bedtime. After a couple sleep deprived nights, a very satisfying book, and an extra long yawn filled day at work I've learned my lesson.
Clever Cole brings you along in this poignant and action-packed book as you get the perspectives of not only the MCs, but secondary characters including the monster as well. This is a bloody graphic book. Not for the squeamish.
If you love being in the water on boats, swimming, jet skiing, diving just be careful. I highly recommend this book just sorry I didn't read it sooner. Also look into reading some of Michael's other books. They are equally as entertaining.
I rated this one two stars because I made it through and it was interesting enough for me to want to see how everything was resolved. Those were the pluses. The reason my rating was only two stars was that, other than Brianna, there were no likable characters in this book. The heroine and the heroine were two people I could not care less about. In fact, at times I was kind of hoping for a resolution where they didn't survive. I don't know how Luke could have been more unlikable. I hated pretty much every character. There was plenty of action, most of which detracted from the story. Fantastic escape after fantastic escape got to the point of being silly and just too convenient. The bad guys were pretty incompetent numskulls, making the big mystery being how they managed to survive this long and why the chief bad guy would hire these clowns. Finally, I was disappointed in the plot. The Helicoprion was not even essential to the plot. Any big shark would have worked. Then there's the velocoraptors. They were mentioned in passing. The author had a good idea that started out well, but the more I read, the more the plot deteriorated. There it is. High hopes for this book were dashed.
A generic engineered shark starts to destroy boats to satisfy it's hunger. As ships and crafts are showing up with victims sheared in half, a one-eyed detective finds his police captain wanting to dismiss him from the force for assuming more to the public answers to questions of what this terror shark is. A reward leads to a great white shark capture. yet does not answer the homicide detective answers.
This is not a tale of a hungry prehistoric beast as the title suggests, but the story of a mystery to be solved by a down luck detective and an ocean researcher to find answers of why the shark and a virus is hitting the coast. A very well written story of mystery and survival.
I really wanted to like this book. The characters seemed quite fleshed-out to me, and the quality of the writing was much better than your average sea-monster thriller. However, I had to DNF this because the plot was a complete mess, seemingly unable to decide whether it wants to be a horror novel or a more mainstream police procedural. It's entirely possible for the two to be combined, but for a book supposedly about a giant murderous fish, there's a noticeable lack of anything related to said fish once the plot's focus shifts towards Luke and Elise investigating the antagonists.
Look I'm not going to lie, this book is very formulaic. Big scary monster of the week, and being Michael Cole the majority of the weeks in a year involve sharks of some kind of other. Boy meets girl, sparks, blood and body parts fly. All while our fearless hero and heroinE race against a clock. Is it great literature? No. But its fun! And Cole always has a way of making great characters. So grab a drink, a cozy place to sit and enjoy a great ride. Just, maybe not beachside.
What an adventure!! I absolutely did not expect such a phenomenally gripping & exciting — as well as such a complex story — even having read Michael Cole’s work previously. Helicoprion is a character-driven roller coaster ride of fun! I could write paragraphs of positive things about this book …. But instead of reading my words, just grab this book. It’s definitely something different. Heart-pounding. A TRUE keep you up all night & away from your responsibilities during the day story novel!!
Was really looking forward to reading this but I was surprised at how little of the shark there is. The heroes are as you'd expect in these kinds of books (an investigator and a marine biologist). Once things ramp up I enjoyed it but it wasn't quite as fun getting there as some of the other books by this author. However he definitely gets an A for the originality of the killer shark!
Read this months ago but would like to add that a Book #2 should be written to continue on with the detective (it’s been awhile and I can’t remember his name) along with the oceanographer. Both characters complimented each other and I truly enjoyed the book. I don’t want the opportunity to go to waste.
This was truly a terrifying book. To think that a human being,a scientist could be so evil. This book was awesome. The drama and suspense never let up. It was thrilling right up to the last page. I loved the ending! It was priceless! Fantastic writing. Keep up the good work.
Loved this book. I've always wondered how the helicoprion hunted and fed. Guess my imagination didn't stretch as far as Michael Cole's. This book gives off a "Jaws" vibe, only way more intense. If you like sharks, prehistory or conspiracies definitely give this book a read.
It was just ok. I really enjoy Michael Cole’s stories, and I expected this one to be among his most entertaining based on the Goodreads ratings, but it actually wasn’t anywhere near as interesting as I expected it to be. The premise was so cool, and I think it could have been a 4 star book had it been 100+ pages shorter- a common problem with a lot of contemporary novels in my opinion.
Usually I would take off a star for editing issues, which there are several, but dang this book rocks. Definitely recommend to other readers. And I love the ending, part had me in tears from laughing. Wonderful book.
I thought this was just going to be another B rated monster book. But it was so much more! I didn't see the virus coming. And I really liked the main 2 good guys in this story. The island ending was a bit unrealistic ,almost super hero type stuff.