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Relict
All legends have some basis in fact… some more than others.
Kai Mackenzie is about to find this out firsthand.
After being sent to live with his estranged uncle, a rogue marine biologist living in Mexico, Kai embarks on a quest to uncover the truth behind a legend that has long haunted the fabled Sea of Cortez.
Kai was always told blood is thicker than water, but is it really?
As he and his uncle attempt to unravel the mystery, family secrets will be brought to the fore and the bonds of kinship tested, all as they enter the domain of the Black Demon.
Kai Mackenzie is about to find this out firsthand.
After being sent to live with his estranged uncle, a rogue marine biologist living in Mexico, Kai embarks on a quest to uncover the truth behind a legend that has long haunted the fabled Sea of Cortez.
Kai was always told blood is thicker than water, but is it really?
As he and his uncle attempt to unravel the mystery, family secrets will be brought to the fore and the bonds of kinship tested, all as they enter the domain of the Black Demon.
126 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 27, 2021
About the author
Chris McInally
17 books18 followersBorn in Glasgow, Scotland, Chris now lives in Australia.
In addition to holding an Honours Degree in environmental history, Chris also has a Ph.D in Irish history.
A former ISKA no. 2 ranked competitor for the state of Victoria, Chris continues to train in the martial arts.
An avid reader as a child, it was perhaps inevitable that he would one day turn to writing himself.
Since 2016 Chris has published five books (Apex and its sequel, along with standalone novels Flux, Deep Black and The Valley of Tooth & Claw) all through independent publisher Severed Press.
In addition to holding an Honours Degree in environmental history, Chris also has a Ph.D in Irish history.
A former ISKA no. 2 ranked competitor for the state of Victoria, Chris continues to train in the martial arts.
An avid reader as a child, it was perhaps inevitable that he would one day turn to writing himself.
Since 2016 Chris has published five books (Apex and its sequel, along with standalone novels Flux, Deep Black and The Valley of Tooth & Claw) all through independent publisher Severed Press.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
April 20, 2026
There’s only so much that can be done with killer sharks. And most stories have the basic premise of an eccentric expert, a wealthy investor, attractive assistant, and younger, naïve crew mate all investigating mysterious attacks on swimmers and/or boats. This didn’t stray from any of that. However, the big difference maker is how the characters are developed and how well it all written. So Chris McInally wrote this very well. The characters are fun, there was some decent depth to our leads Wish and Kai, and there was a nice balance of action and actual plot, keeping a good pace and flow. The sharks were not just treated as mindless killers as you got to not only peer into their minds and behaviors. They are animals with specific functions and instincts, and that is exactly what was focused on, which was wonderful. My biggest critique was that the story felt like it had the fast forward button on. There were so many great things here, but with the abbreviated length, the author cruised through everything, at times missing some great spots to expand on the characters and premise. So I would have enjoyed this even more with the book being expanded upon in multiple ways. But beyond that, this was a good read and a great showing by Chris McInally.
October 7, 2021
Lean, mean, and bloody fun. I've seen the goofy Piranha remake, the old Anaconda movies with J-lo and Ice Cube, and other movies like Deep Blue Sea or Feast and what all of these had in common with one another is the comedic factor, Piranha especially, that was funny as hell and tongue-in-cheek the whole time. The comedy kept me detached from the violence, I didn't care about the people so there was nothing when they bit it, or actually got bit. If you're like me then there were times where I actively rooted for the shark, or fish, or snake.
I was approached by the author through a Goodreads friend, thanks Chris and Mort, to review a copy of this and give my opinion, like to hear it, here it goes...
This was fun as hell. And what sets it apart from those other gems is its seriousness. Not serious as in not fun but serious as in no slapstick like comedy. The characters are real, they are not college kids drinking and banging during spring break, and Samuel L Jackson is nowhere to be found yelling about either the sharks or the damn snakes on the plane. The cast is small but some of them are going through some stuff and it made them relatable in ways those movies did not. So after everyone is introduced and we find out why everyone is doing what they are doing, there enters the shark. From about 20-30% in, Relict is non-stop action. Close calls, tight spots, claustrophobia, and big ass damn sharks. This also poked the part of my brain that has me terrified of open water. I live in Orlando Florida, thirty minutes in any direction from the beach, and while I love the beach itself, I hate the water. I cannot go out any further then where I can see my feet, if I look down and the water is cloudy and I can't see them, I get back closer to shore. There were parts of this that had me picking my feet up off the floor because I was afraid something would bite/grab them. Like I said this is bloody good fun, There are some surprises, I wouldn't say twists because it wasn't really like that, but Chris McInally does have some tricks up his sleeve and lays down a couple, "oh shit, I didn't see that coming" moments, while keeping the pacing swift and the writing engaging. There are no boring stretches in here and the overall length was perfect for the story being told.
Relict is a summer blockbuster film in novel format and definitely a fun way to spend some time. Thanks to Chris McInally for the review copy and all opinions are my own.
I was approached by the author through a Goodreads friend, thanks Chris and Mort, to review a copy of this and give my opinion, like to hear it, here it goes...
This was fun as hell. And what sets it apart from those other gems is its seriousness. Not serious as in not fun but serious as in no slapstick like comedy. The characters are real, they are not college kids drinking and banging during spring break, and Samuel L Jackson is nowhere to be found yelling about either the sharks or the damn snakes on the plane. The cast is small but some of them are going through some stuff and it made them relatable in ways those movies did not. So after everyone is introduced and we find out why everyone is doing what they are doing, there enters the shark. From about 20-30% in, Relict is non-stop action. Close calls, tight spots, claustrophobia, and big ass damn sharks. This also poked the part of my brain that has me terrified of open water. I live in Orlando Florida, thirty minutes in any direction from the beach, and while I love the beach itself, I hate the water. I cannot go out any further then where I can see my feet, if I look down and the water is cloudy and I can't see them, I get back closer to shore. There were parts of this that had me picking my feet up off the floor because I was afraid something would bite/grab them. Like I said this is bloody good fun, There are some surprises, I wouldn't say twists because it wasn't really like that, but Chris McInally does have some tricks up his sleeve and lays down a couple, "oh shit, I didn't see that coming" moments, while keeping the pacing swift and the writing engaging. There are no boring stretches in here and the overall length was perfect for the story being told.
Relict is a summer blockbuster film in novel format and definitely a fun way to spend some time. Thanks to Chris McInally for the review copy and all opinions are my own.
November 2, 2025
This really needed to be longer than the 126 pages it was. The story was good minus a few things that had me saying, "Huh? Why?" Or " That doesn't make sense."
Uncle Wish was a bit of a dumb ass. You don't just let a teenager with zero underwater experience accompany 2 people on an underwater excursion unless you happen to be a dumb ass, which according to Kai he kinda is. Wish supposedly didn't get along with Kai's parents, so why was he left in his uncle care? That's just one of the things I would have liked a longer explanation for.
Uncle Wish was a bit of a dumb ass. You don't just let a teenager with zero underwater experience accompany 2 people on an underwater excursion unless you happen to be a dumb ass, which according to Kai he kinda is. Wish supposedly didn't get along with Kai's parents, so why was he left in his uncle care? That's just one of the things I would have liked a longer explanation for.
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October 11, 2021Full review: https://monsterbookclub.com/2021/09/3...
May 8, 2022
A megalodon that likes to play hard to get. Poor Kai is in for the ride of a lifetime thanks to his uncle Wish who takes him giant shark hunting after his parents funeral. Interesting characters, action, gore and a fast moving story. I love that there are people who write stories like this so I can get a cheap thrill before I am sucked back into the mundane minutia of my life. Cheers.
February 22, 2022
Love anything sharks. So naturally I had to read this. This was a fun and quite thrilling read. I highly recommend for a beach read or a book to pack on vacation!! Loved it
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews