Man-Beast

by Deborah Sheldon

Taylor’s Travelling Troupe of boxers has set up its tent at an isolated sheep station: bored farmers always bet to excess. Headlining the bare-knuckle fighters is Bluey, marketed as ‘The Man-Beast’, a Sasquatch-like monster, chained and kept drunk enough to fight punters without killing them. But the troupe has returned to where Bluey was first captured. Recognising the mountains, he calls again and again. And when his call is answered, all hell breaks loose.

Genres: Horror

150 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 6, 2021

About the author

I'm a multi-award-winning author and anthology editor from Melbourne, Australia. I write poetry, short stories, novelettes, novellas and novels across the darker spectrum of horror, crime and noir. My latest titles are the novel Nightmare Reef and the poetry collection The Broonie and Other Dark Poems.
My award-winning titles include the novella Redhead Town and the collection Perfect Little Stitches and Other Stories. My award-nominated titles include the novels Nightmare Reef, Bodily Harm, Cretaceous Canyon, Body Farm Z, Contrition and Devil Dragon; the novella Thylacines; and the collections Figments and Fragments: Dark Stories and Liminal Spaces: Horror Stories.
My short fiction has appeared in many well-respected magazines, been shortlisted for numerous awards, translated, and included in various 'best of' anthologies.
I've won the Australasian Shadows 'Best Edited Work' Award three times: for Midnight Echo 14, and for the anthologies I conceived and edited, Spawn: Weird Horror Tales About Pregnancy, Birth and Babies, and Killer Creatures Down Under: Horror Stories with Bite.
Other credits include TV scripts such as NEIGHBOURS, feature articles, non-fiction books published by Reed Books and Random House, stage plays, award-nominated poetry, and award-winning medical writing including Better Health Channel.

Reviews

[Peter Topside · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story started off a little rough, in that it's a lot of characters tossed in right away, and then the creatures come into play, all eventually getting their own names and personalities. I think that it found its footing after the first third of the book, and after that, the characters became more balanced, and things progressed in several interesting ways. This was far from your normal creature feature, but it was a pleasant surprise. Most of these types of stories involve a bigfoot stalking someone in a cabin or the woods somewhere, and it all kind of begins to blend together, in that it's all so similar. But this went in a much different direction. The creatures are still the strongest aspect of this story, and at times, I wanted to know more about their hierarchy, but it was addressed plenty, as it is. The humans, you kind of debate whether you care much about them or not, but they serve their purpose. So needless to say, it's a pretty good adventure with enough action and violence to keep you engaged, without overstaying its welcome.

[Laurie (barksbooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well damn it all. I submitted a review through the app on my phone last night because I was too exhausted to boot up the laptop and apparently it went poof. Guess that'll teach me.

A traveling fight club decide to kidnap a beast, keep him drunk enough so he can't kill anyone and force him to fight so they can profit. What a bunch of dicks. Anyhow, some humans get eaten and, let me tell ya, they almost all deserved it!

There's adventure, action and even a few tender moments. If you like stomp and chomps I think you're going to love this wild novella.

[Netanella · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's Creature Feature time in the turn of the century Outback, where Yahoo-Devil-Devils are real and co-exist in the Australian wilds with mosquitos, eucalyptus, and kangaroos. It's a peaceful life, and a tenuous peace has fallen between the farmers, ranchers, and sheep herders and the clan of Yahoo-Devil-Devils up in the hills.

Until, of course, a captured beast is wheeled to town in cage, the star attraction of Taylor’s Travelling Troupe of boxers. Then, as left turns are wont to occur, the sasquatch shit begins to hit the fan.

I loved the ending with Pearl and Bluey. Brought a King-Kong tear to my eye.

[Steven Paulsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deborah Sheldon never fails to deliver a ripping yarn. Man-Beast is her fourth book from Severed Press, following Devil Dragon, Thylacines, and the ground-breaking Body Farm Z, and it’s a page-turner. This time Sheldon gives us a cryptid horror tale of Yowies (although they are not called that in the book) in 1913 outback Australia. This is not a Yeti or Sasquatch B-grade movie knockoff where a monster is on the prowl for human flesh, although the yowies do bear some physical resemblance to these mythical ape-like creatures, and readers can still expect a grisly body count. This is a wholly Australian tale, authentic to the time, the land, and the people of the era.

It’s a page turner. We are introduced to a circus of bare-knuckle boxers called ‘Taylor’s Travelling Troupe’ who tour agricultural shows around the country. At the start of the book they have erected their tent on an isolated sheep station where farmers and rural townsfolk come to be ‘entertained’ and to gamble and drink to excess. Headlining the bare-knuckle fighters is ‘Bluey’, marketed as ‘The Man-Beast’, a captured ‘Yahoo-Devil-Devil’ who is caged, abused and trained/forced to perform on command in the boxing ring.

That’s the set up, but you can throw any hackneyed expectations you have out the window, because this tale will take you in unexpected directions. The monsters are certainly monsters by human standards, but they also have their own personalities and society. And there are also human monsters here too, by any standards. Man-Beast is a gripping fast paced horror story, and readers can expect all hell to break loose, but it’s also a story peppered with romance, betrayals, loyalty and friendship (both human and cryptid). And you won’t see the ending coming. Recommended!

[Alex | | findingmontauk1 · Rating 4 out of 5]

MAN-BEAST by Deborah Sheldon takes a different approach to the "sasquatch/bigfoot" tropes in that it's not some psychotic creature in the middle of nowhere picking off humans one by one. In this novella, a travelling club of fighters kidnap and control a beast and keep it so drunk that it can't really ever kill but can still fight. And humans are going to be humans... and make a profit wherever they can. Humans really are the worst. And in a lot of cases they are they real monsters. All hell breaks loose. The story goes wild in the best way. There are some great scenes, true friendships, and devastating betrayals. I don't know a single cryptid fan who will not devour this novella and then run off and tell all their friends.

[Robin Knabel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this novella - it had tension, suspense, horror, and a little bit of gore. I'm a sucker for anything with creatures, especially if they harken back to my anthropology roots. I also enjoy Aussie horror, and this story has all sorts of fun moments. I have a full spoiler free review available, as well.

https://robinknabel.squarespace.com/r...

[Allen James · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the fast paced unpredictable action. A fantastic story with surprises right to the end.

[MIKE OKELLEY · Rating 5 out of 5]

sometimes it not a good idea to poke the bear. monsters a little over done but fun read .

[Robyn O'Sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fabulous read from Deb Sheldon, encasing a cryptid horror tale in an historical fiction story about a travelling boxing troupe in 1913 outback Australia. Wow, this novella had me on the edge of my seat. If I wasn't using my eyes to read, I would've had to look away several times. Sheldon has total control over the pace of this narrative, flawlessly weaving in romance, bravado, betrayal, courage, and grisly slaughter, as it unfolds. I love this author... what's next!?

[Teresa Ardrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great creature feature. In the end, I wasn't even sure who I wanted to root for to win. I am always interested in finding stories about Cryptids in other parts of the world. At times very bloody, and other times tender, this story is very human, even if it is about the unknown.

[Phyllis H. Pajka · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was not what I thought it would be at all. I did read it all and enjoyed it so give it a chance.

[Cassie Daley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a lot of fun!

[Norman Miller · Rating 3 out of 5]

A really fun cryptid story featuring the Australian version of Big Foot. A good quick read, although there were parts I thought that dragged a bit.

[Eric]

Full Review: https://monsterbookclub.com/2023/01/3...

[J.W. Donley · Rating 4 out of 5]

**Note: I was provided a copy of this title in exchange for a fair and honest review.**

You can also read my review over at HorrorTree.com: https://horrortree.com/epeolatry-book...

I’ve heard of the big foot, the yeti, and even the skunk ape. But never have I come across the Yahoo-Devil-Devil. This is Australia’s version of the elusive cryptid also known as the Yowie, a creature from Aboriginal folklore.

In Deborah Sheldon’s Man-Beast we follow the thrill-ride of Bluey–one such Yowie creature–as it escapes from its cage in a traveling boxing show in the 1913 Australian outback. This book has everything: kangaroos, dingoes, a Model-T Ford, rigged boxing matches, and a whole tribe of giant cryptids!

Bluey, though an extremely violent creature, is very likable. We empathize with him and root for him throughout as he wracks up a substantial body-count. And much like King Kong, he befriends a young damsel, Pearl, the book’s main POV character.

Be sure to check out this rock ‘em sock ‘em gonzo gorefest from down under. You won’t be disappointed.