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Manstopper
There are four of them in the bloodthirsty pack. Cleo. Mr. Dobbs. Bigfoot. And their leader, Razor.
They have been born and bred for one single purpose. To kill. And now they are loose and doing what they do best.
You can run - but you won't escape these trained machines of death and destruction. You can fight - but you won't win against four attack dogs seeking more blood and fresh human meat. You can die - but it won't be fast or easy...
They have been born and bred for one single purpose. To kill. And now they are loose and doing what they do best.
You can run - but you won't escape these trained machines of death and destruction. You can fight - but you won't win against four attack dogs seeking more blood and fresh human meat. You can die - but it won't be fast or easy...
- GenresHorror
254 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published September 6, 1988
12 people are currently reading
165 people want to read
About the author
Douglas Borton
10 books15 followersAka Michael Prescott and Brian Harper.
Douglas Child Borton, Jr. grew up in New Jersey and attended Wesleyan University, then moved to Los Angeles and pursued a career as a screenwriter. After working with several independent producers, he eventually switched to writing novels, a much less stressful occupation. He has published eight thrillers, from Comes the Dark (1999) to Mortal Faults (2006), and currently is at work on a new book. Today he divides his time between the Arizona desert and the Jersey shore.
Douglas Child Borton, Jr. grew up in New Jersey and attended Wesleyan University, then moved to Los Angeles and pursued a career as a screenwriter. After working with several independent producers, he eventually switched to writing novels, a much less stressful occupation. He has published eight thrillers, from Comes the Dark (1999) to Mortal Faults (2006), and currently is at work on a new book. Today he divides his time between the Arizona desert and the Jersey shore.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
August 13, 2021
Can a book about attack dogs on the loose be categeoried as a 'creature feature'? Not sure, but given the high intensitiy balls to the wall crazy zest that author Douglas Borton writes with, I think the dubbing of Manstopper as said 'creature feature' is apt.
A book about man's best friend, this is not. Within the pages of this paperback from hell a story is told to rival even the most Jack Ketchum of Jack Ketchum novels; think Offseason or Offspring but with the gore amped up a notch.
Manstopper is a scary, tension filled novel which does the 'creature feature' sub horror genre proud.
A book about man's best friend, this is not. Within the pages of this paperback from hell a story is told to rival even the most Jack Ketchum of Jack Ketchum novels; think Offseason or Offspring but with the gore amped up a notch.
Manstopper is a scary, tension filled novel which does the 'creature feature' sub horror genre proud.
August 3, 2023
Great Onyx books late 80s animal horror tale.
You get the pov of dogs, attacks, and other storylines from the people in the small town the dogs have escaped in. Oh, and there is also a serial killer on the loose called The Punk.
You get dog attacks on a beach, in the ocean, in a boardwalk funhouse, and one involving pizza!
You get the pov of dogs, attacks, and other storylines from the people in the small town the dogs have escaped in. Oh, and there is also a serial killer on the loose called The Punk.
You get dog attacks on a beach, in the ocean, in a boardwalk funhouse, and one involving pizza!
December 28, 2025
I don't know what it is about these killer dog stories from the Paperback From Hell era books, but they are all great. First there was David Fisher's The Pack with its nail biting suspense; then there was Ken Greenhall's Hell Hound with its deep, psychological exploration, and here we have Manstopper by Douglas Borton...
This one feels like something of a slasher but with a dog named Razor (and what you could call his pack) as the villain(s). It's a bit more straightforward than the aforementioned titles and lacks the finesse of those, but this one is still a good time with plenty of good kills and bloodshed, some intense scenes and even a bit of humor here and there. This is apparently the debut novel from this author, and its rather shallow nature and sometimes bland prose reflects that, but all things considered I find it to be a strong first outing and this is the kind of book that fits comfortably into the world of vintage horror fiction. The book is a lean 250 pages and I found myself finishing it within a couple of days.
Are there any other killer dog stories from this era of fiction that I don't know about yet? The three I've read have all been hits and there seems to be some kind of magic in this niche subgenre. (Haven't read Cujo yet - a crime, I know)
Overall, don't go into this expecting some kind of literary greatness or well realized and layered characters, but just know it's a fun killer animal type of story if you're into that kind of thing.
3.5⭐ rounded down.
This one feels like something of a slasher but with a dog named Razor (and what you could call his pack) as the villain(s). It's a bit more straightforward than the aforementioned titles and lacks the finesse of those, but this one is still a good time with plenty of good kills and bloodshed, some intense scenes and even a bit of humor here and there. This is apparently the debut novel from this author, and its rather shallow nature and sometimes bland prose reflects that, but all things considered I find it to be a strong first outing and this is the kind of book that fits comfortably into the world of vintage horror fiction. The book is a lean 250 pages and I found myself finishing it within a couple of days.
Are there any other killer dog stories from this era of fiction that I don't know about yet? The three I've read have all been hits and there seems to be some kind of magic in this niche subgenre. (Haven't read Cujo yet - a crime, I know)
Overall, don't go into this expecting some kind of literary greatness or well realized and layered characters, but just know it's a fun killer animal type of story if you're into that kind of thing.
3.5⭐ rounded down.
August 11, 2020
Been very busy lately, don't have time for a full review. Fun, over-the-top, and gory. I look forward to reading other titles I have by Borton, namely Dreamhouse.
June 28, 2023
Everything I hoped it would be!
Gore Galore!
Oh, and get ready to have a very strong craving for pizza! 🍕
Gore Galore!
Oh, and get ready to have a very strong craving for pizza! 🍕
November 20, 2014
Douglas Borton's debut is an exercise in well written, solidly constructed, gleefully over the top trash horror mayhem. This is a nearly unputdownable horror romp that starts at a run and speeds up to a gallop for 254 blistering pages of disgusting fun. Is this great literature? Probably not, but I enjoyed the hell out of it. Borton knows what it is, a pulp horror novel, and piles on the shocks, raises the bar ever higher as you tear your way through this masterpiece of people being torn apart. As a dog lover, some of the passages were a bit hard to get through (funny that people getting hurt doesn't bother me, but dogs getting hurt does). That said, suspension of disbelief is very important to enjoying this book. These aren't dogs, they are Terminators with 4 legs. This is such an insane, over the top horror novel. I loved it. Highest recommendation for horror fans who like their writing extra pulpy.
December 13, 2012
When I read the description of this book I thought "Great, Cujo II." *yawn* And with a title like "Manstopper", coupled with the fact that this was Borton's first novel, I wasn't expecting much. But since I'd read all of his other horror I thought I'd give it a chance. The crime fiction he's writing now just isn't calling to me.
I was pleasantly surprised. Still a far cry from amazing, but even in this debut Borton had good characterization. The plot had a decent level of complexity too, which also added to the strength of the story. A serial killer arrives in town at the same time as the dogs, which spiced up the mix nicely. It was a pretty entertaining read, but Borton definitely got better as his novels progressed.
I was pleasantly surprised. Still a far cry from amazing, but even in this debut Borton had good characterization. The plot had a decent level of complexity too, which also added to the strength of the story. A serial killer arrives in town at the same time as the dogs, which spiced up the mix nicely. It was a pretty entertaining read, but Borton definitely got better as his novels progressed.
March 14, 2023
Ahhhhh, ‘80s “Animals Amok” paperbacks—how I adore thee!
Thing is, almost all involve swarms, flocks, and / or schools... and usually mutations. Overwhelming numbers are how these critters inflict mayhem. So how can four regular ol' murder-mutts possibly appeal to this jaded viewer?
I'll tell ya: novelty and grue!
—
Yeah, yeah--readers have seen the environs (dying rural town--check!), cast (elderly fishermen, crusty newsmen, reluctant lovebirds, bumpkin farmers, weary cops--check!), and set-up before (critters escape confinement and attract Big White Hunter--check!) in every other story of Manstopper's ilk, but the pieces are assembled in atypical fashion.
Cases in point:
) The dogs--dobermans Mr. Dobbs, Cleo, and Razor, and German shepherd Bigfoot--get separated early on, so there's more solo savagery than not. And like their respective victims, each gets picked off one by one, so there's a weird slasher / reverse-slasher flick vibe underscoring the narrative.
) The vagrant serial killer(!) who unleashes the hounds in the first place never runs afoul of 'em, which simply isn't done. Where's the comeuppance?!!! And it dawns on me that trend is seen through the entire work, as all the "most deserving of dog-demolition" bit players survive. All of 'em. Not sure I've ever encountered that before.
) There's also no real protagonist. The Crusading Reporters don't do diddly. The Fuzz is ineffective. And the robust, wealthy, dapper, handsome, crafty ammosexual (also a Holocaust survivor!) who ultimately defeats the orneriest, fastest, canniest, ruthless-est, bloodthirstiest beast is also the same who trained it to be the orneriest, fastest, canniest, ruthless-est, bloodthirstiest beast in the first place. And the dogs, while ostensibly the villains, are only doing what they were made to do. Never got the feeling I was supposed to root for anybody (beyond some menaced kids, natch) when all was said and done.
Other Interesting-ish Bits:
) The scale of the tale is not only teeny-tiny, but also "The Past Is A Foreign Country"-ful. Once the dogs are loose, li'l Sea Cove, New Jersey spends four days in panicked, cop-mandated lockdown. That's news, yo. But only a two-person journo-crew is dispatched to the scene... and they get immediately eaten, which isn't even noticed for a day or two. Insane by modern sensibilities. Even more so? Nary a single survivor nor bureaucrat comes at Big White Hunter-Breeder with threats of lawsuits; the only outrage arises from a Traumatized Mother slapping BWH-B in vintage TV-movie style. [As I type this, the setting ultimately feels like a cheapo video game from the dawn of The Console Era where one runs through vacant grids of amorphous brown buildings and gray roadways interrupted by the occasional pixelated car or street sign. Robust living and breathing world, it ain't.] The only interesting bit o' setting involves a shuttered-for-the-season midway spookhouse, and the ensuing stalkin' sequence would look snazzy on film.
) There's lotsa Jaws-ness in Razor's chunks of the book, as they're all POV and he only cares about killin' and eatin' and killin' some more. The comparison goes full-bore, though, when Razor chases the aforementioned newscrew into the sea and slaughters 'em in deep water. The sequence is so bonkers, I legit thought a shark was going to come in and finish off at least one of the hemhorraging victims... and I was legit sad when none did.
) There's a quasi-surprising bit where Obligatory Hot Assistant-To-BWH-B (who's barely in the book as it is) has a kinda-sorta Final Girl moment. Didn't see that one coming.
) The stinger denouement is totally predictable (SPOILER: PUPPIES, Y'ALL), but more "Huh, okay" than horror.
Razor was dead. But part of him lived on. What that fact meant for the future--if it meant anything at all--was a matter only time would resolve.
Ambivalence holds sway.
—
But what about dat blood?
Manstopper has some grody sequences infused with punchiness and suspense that generate genuine dread instead of only cheap, exploitative thrills (and I loooooves me some cheap, exploitative thrills).
The hair, which might have been silver-gray once but was now blood-soaked to a muddy red, hung down in thick, gooey, vertical streaks, dripping like melting icicles.
Thats good stuff.
And, boy howdy, The Radio Station Setpiece™ ranks amongst the gnarliest I've encountered. Enjoy a slice of pizza delivery gone awry!
Razor pawed furiously at the widening gap in the Man's gut, till the stomach sac itself ruptured and its contents spilled out..., the half-digested remnants of breakfast, lunch, dinner, second helpings of each and snacks in between, all foaming into a milky puddle on the floor....
An olive rolled into one gouged eye socket.
There's sooooo much more, and it's sooooo much worse. Crazy-go-nuts, y'all.
—
Final Review Score: Not your usual same-ol', been-there beast-book. A solid three encrusted Cujos out of Five.
Thing is, almost all involve swarms, flocks, and / or schools... and usually mutations. Overwhelming numbers are how these critters inflict mayhem. So how can four regular ol' murder-mutts possibly appeal to this jaded viewer?
I'll tell ya: novelty and grue!
—
Yeah, yeah--readers have seen the environs (dying rural town--check!), cast (elderly fishermen, crusty newsmen, reluctant lovebirds, bumpkin farmers, weary cops--check!), and set-up before (critters escape confinement and attract Big White Hunter--check!) in every other story of Manstopper's ilk, but the pieces are assembled in atypical fashion.
Cases in point:
) The dogs--dobermans Mr. Dobbs, Cleo, and Razor, and German shepherd Bigfoot--get separated early on, so there's more solo savagery than not. And like their respective victims, each gets picked off one by one, so there's a weird slasher / reverse-slasher flick vibe underscoring the narrative.
) The vagrant serial killer(!) who unleashes the hounds in the first place never runs afoul of 'em, which simply isn't done. Where's the comeuppance?!!! And it dawns on me that trend is seen through the entire work, as all the "most deserving of dog-demolition" bit players survive. All of 'em. Not sure I've ever encountered that before.
) There's also no real protagonist. The Crusading Reporters don't do diddly. The Fuzz is ineffective. And the robust, wealthy, dapper, handsome, crafty ammosexual (also a Holocaust survivor!) who ultimately defeats the orneriest, fastest, canniest, ruthless-est, bloodthirstiest beast is also the same who trained it to be the orneriest, fastest, canniest, ruthless-est, bloodthirstiest beast in the first place. And the dogs, while ostensibly the villains, are only doing what they were made to do. Never got the feeling I was supposed to root for anybody (beyond some menaced kids, natch) when all was said and done.
Other Interesting-ish Bits:
) The scale of the tale is not only teeny-tiny, but also "The Past Is A Foreign Country"-ful. Once the dogs are loose, li'l Sea Cove, New Jersey spends four days in panicked, cop-mandated lockdown. That's news, yo. But only a two-person journo-crew is dispatched to the scene... and they get immediately eaten, which isn't even noticed for a day or two. Insane by modern sensibilities. Even more so? Nary a single survivor nor bureaucrat comes at Big White Hunter-Breeder with threats of lawsuits; the only outrage arises from a Traumatized Mother slapping BWH-B in vintage TV-movie style. [As I type this, the setting ultimately feels like a cheapo video game from the dawn of The Console Era where one runs through vacant grids of amorphous brown buildings and gray roadways interrupted by the occasional pixelated car or street sign. Robust living and breathing world, it ain't.] The only interesting bit o' setting involves a shuttered-for-the-season midway spookhouse, and the ensuing stalkin' sequence would look snazzy on film.
) There's lotsa Jaws-ness in Razor's chunks of the book, as they're all POV and he only cares about killin' and eatin' and killin' some more. The comparison goes full-bore, though, when Razor chases the aforementioned newscrew into the sea and slaughters 'em in deep water. The sequence is so bonkers, I legit thought a shark was going to come in and finish off at least one of the hemhorraging victims... and I was legit sad when none did.
) There's a quasi-surprising bit where Obligatory Hot Assistant-To-BWH-B (who's barely in the book as it is) has a kinda-sorta Final Girl moment. Didn't see that one coming.
) The stinger denouement is totally predictable (SPOILER: PUPPIES, Y'ALL), but more "Huh, okay" than horror.
Razor was dead. But part of him lived on. What that fact meant for the future--if it meant anything at all--was a matter only time would resolve.
Ambivalence holds sway.
—
But what about dat blood?
Manstopper has some grody sequences infused with punchiness and suspense that generate genuine dread instead of only cheap, exploitative thrills (and I loooooves me some cheap, exploitative thrills).
The hair, which might have been silver-gray once but was now blood-soaked to a muddy red, hung down in thick, gooey, vertical streaks, dripping like melting icicles.
Thats good stuff.
And, boy howdy, The Radio Station Setpiece™ ranks amongst the gnarliest I've encountered. Enjoy a slice of pizza delivery gone awry!
Razor pawed furiously at the widening gap in the Man's gut, till the stomach sac itself ruptured and its contents spilled out..., the half-digested remnants of breakfast, lunch, dinner, second helpings of each and snacks in between, all foaming into a milky puddle on the floor....
An olive rolled into one gouged eye socket.
There's sooooo much more, and it's sooooo much worse. Crazy-go-nuts, y'all.
—
Final Review Score: Not your usual same-ol', been-there beast-book. A solid three encrusted Cujos out of Five.
January 16, 2024
I hate being a pedant about genre, but this is more of a thriller than a horror novel. It’s a sturdy, no-frills novel that delivers exactly what you expect, but it’s squarely in thriller mode. I like the disaster movie plotting where the cast of characters are set up so the narrative can bounce around as necessary to keep the pacing taut. The action scenes are written clearly and precisely and paint a good mental image, so it’s a success in the thrills department. It’s just that everything in between the dog attack set pieces feels like it was written on autopilot. I get the sense that the publisher or editor gave Borton a list of things that needed to be in a horror/thriller novel in order to be published because this hits all of the expected beats without the same “oomph” that occurs in the dog attack stuff.
Also this runs into the same problem as “Cujo” where I wound up feeling sorry for the dogs whenever one gets killed. There’s a reason why killer animal stories tend to use animals that don’t inspire as much sympathy in people!
Also this runs into the same problem as “Cujo” where I wound up feeling sorry for the dogs whenever one gets killed. There’s a reason why killer animal stories tend to use animals that don’t inspire as much sympathy in people!
February 6, 2020
A truck driver transporting 4 killer dogs loses control of his truck when a hitchhiker he picked up attacks him.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 28, 2022
Easily peak Jaws inspired rip off. 10/10 wanna read again.
December 31, 2015
Second thoughts
I open my kindle, began reading the book. The author had me in The palm of his hand and I could not stop. There are stories with in the story. When I realized this was from a dogs perspective as it had been trained. I want to stop. Why? I love dogs. I have 5 dogs that walk with me in the woods everyday. I never expect meeting the unexpected: coyote, mountain lion, bear, wild dogs, wolf. Or a stopper. I should be less trusting. Michael Prescott had my attention with suspense on every page. It is a different "Stephen King" twist. Read this is less then 24 hours. Good read. I had to know. So read it even if you are a trusting animal lover.
I open my kindle, began reading the book. The author had me in The palm of his hand and I could not stop. There are stories with in the story. When I realized this was from a dogs perspective as it had been trained. I want to stop. Why? I love dogs. I have 5 dogs that walk with me in the woods everyday. I never expect meeting the unexpected: coyote, mountain lion, bear, wild dogs, wolf. Or a stopper. I should be less trusting. Michael Prescott had my attention with suspense on every page. It is a different "Stephen King" twist. Read this is less then 24 hours. Good read. I had to know. So read it even if you are a trusting animal lover.
October 25, 2014
Another SUPER writing by Michael Prescott (Douglas Borton). I had a great time with this book. How he writes from a dogs perspective is beyond me, but he sure pulls it off. This book is terrifying, and yet believable. What a great read.
August 6, 2015
I am not much of a horror reader, but this was very well done, you were never sure who was going to die or when and with two main characters, either one could conceivably die while the other kept on. Well done all around
December 17, 2020
Ferocious, unstoppable, killing machines. Attack dogs on the loose, trained from birth and an insane taste for human flesh. The gruesome attacks are relentless. No matter how many victims or how much fear they cause the community there is a great abundance of empathy for these manstopping animals.
November 2, 2014
I love this author! And if you loved Cujo, you'll love this!
December 23, 2014
Suspenseful from beginning to end.
July 15, 2022
This book has a POV murderous dog pizza kill. Lots of fun!
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews