What do you think?
Rate this book
MEG #1
Meg
Paleontologist Jonas Taylor is obsessed with Charcharodon Megalodon, a giant prehistoric shark, whose size and ferocity is to be feared, he should know, he came face to face with it. Traumatised by the experience, some dismissed him as mentally unstable, but now it seems his work has been justified. The shark is out of hiding. A debut novel.
314 pages, Hardcover
First published July 1, 1997
About the author
Steve Alten
71 books1,385 followersSteve Alten grew up in Philadelphia, earning his Bachelors degree in Physical Education at Penn State University, a Masters Degree in Sports Medicine from the University of Delaware, and a Doctorate of Education at Temple University. Struggling to support his family of five, he decided to pen a novel he had been thinking about for years. Working late nights and on weekends, he eventually finished MEG; A Novel of Deep Terror. Steve sold his car to pay for editing fees. On September (Friday) the 13th, 1996, Steve lost his general manager’s job at a wholesale meat plant. Four days later his agent had a two-book, seven figure deal with Bantam Doubleday.
MEG would go on to become the book of the 1996 Frankfurt book fair, where it eventually sold to more than a twenty countries. MEG hit every major best-seller list, including #19 on the New York Times list (#7 audio), and became a popular radio series in Japan.
Steve’s second release, The TRENCH (Meg sequel) was published by Kensington/Pinnacle in 1999 where it also hit best-seller status. His next novel, DOMAIN and its sequel, RESURRECTION were published by St. Martin’s Press/Tor Books and were runaway best-sellers in Spain, Mexico, Germany, and Italy, with the rights selling to more than a dozen countries.
Steve’s fourth novel, GOLIATH, received rave reviews and was a big hit in Germany. It is being considered for a TV series. MEG: Primal Waters was published in the summer of 2004. A year later his seventh novel, The LOCH, hit stores — a modern-day thriller about the Loch Ness Monster. Steve’s eighth novel, The SHELL GAME, is about the end of oil and the next 9/11 event. The book was another NY Times best-seller, but the stress of penning this real-life story affected Steve’s health, and three months after he finished the manuscript he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. Steve’s ninth novel, MEG: Hell’s Aquarium, is considered to be the best of the best-selling MEG series. Steve says his best novel is GRIM REAPER: End of Days. The story, a modern-day Dante’s Inferno, takes place in New York when a man-made plague strikes Manhattan.
Steve’s novels are action-packed and very visual. He has optioned DOMAIN, MEG and The LOCH to film producers. Steve has written six original screenplays. His comedy, HARLEM SHUFFLE was a semi-finalist in the LA screenwriting contest, his comedy MINTZ MEATS was selected as a finalist at the Philadelphia film festival as was his psychological thriller, STRANGLEHOLD. Steve’s reality series, HOUSE OF BABEL won at Scriptapalooza. He has also created a TV Drama, PAPA JOHN, based on his years coaching basketball with Hall of Fame coach John Chaney.
Over the years, Steve has been inundated with e-mail from teens who hated reading …until they read his novels. When he learned high school teachers were actually using his books in the classroom (MEG had been rated #1 book for reluctant readers) Steve launched Adopt-An-Author, a nationwide non-profit program designed to encourage students to read. Teachers who register for the program (it’s free) receive giant shark posters, free curriculum materials, student-author correspondence, an interactive website, and classroom conference calls/visits with the author. To date, over 10,000 teachers have registered, and the success rate in getting teens to read has been unprecedented. Steve now spends half his work week working with high schools. For more information click on www.AdoptAnAuthor.com
As an author, Steve has two goals. First, to continue to work hard to become a better storyteller and create exciting page turning thrillers. Second, to remain accessible to his readers. Steve reads and answers all e-mails, uses the names and descriptions of his loyal fans as characters in all his novels, and even hires readers as editors, depending on their particular expertise.
MEG would go on to become the book of the 1996 Frankfurt book fair, where it eventually sold to more than a twenty countries. MEG hit every major best-seller list, including #19 on the New York Times list (#7 audio), and became a popular radio series in Japan.
Steve’s second release, The TRENCH (Meg sequel) was published by Kensington/Pinnacle in 1999 where it also hit best-seller status. His next novel, DOMAIN and its sequel, RESURRECTION were published by St. Martin’s Press/Tor Books and were runaway best-sellers in Spain, Mexico, Germany, and Italy, with the rights selling to more than a dozen countries.
Steve’s fourth novel, GOLIATH, received rave reviews and was a big hit in Germany. It is being considered for a TV series. MEG: Primal Waters was published in the summer of 2004. A year later his seventh novel, The LOCH, hit stores — a modern-day thriller about the Loch Ness Monster. Steve’s eighth novel, The SHELL GAME, is about the end of oil and the next 9/11 event. The book was another NY Times best-seller, but the stress of penning this real-life story affected Steve’s health, and three months after he finished the manuscript he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. Steve’s ninth novel, MEG: Hell’s Aquarium, is considered to be the best of the best-selling MEG series. Steve says his best novel is GRIM REAPER: End of Days. The story, a modern-day Dante’s Inferno, takes place in New York when a man-made plague strikes Manhattan.
Steve’s novels are action-packed and very visual. He has optioned DOMAIN, MEG and The LOCH to film producers. Steve has written six original screenplays. His comedy, HARLEM SHUFFLE was a semi-finalist in the LA screenwriting contest, his comedy MINTZ MEATS was selected as a finalist at the Philadelphia film festival as was his psychological thriller, STRANGLEHOLD. Steve’s reality series, HOUSE OF BABEL won at Scriptapalooza. He has also created a TV Drama, PAPA JOHN, based on his years coaching basketball with Hall of Fame coach John Chaney.
Over the years, Steve has been inundated with e-mail from teens who hated reading …until they read his novels. When he learned high school teachers were actually using his books in the classroom (MEG had been rated #1 book for reluctant readers) Steve launched Adopt-An-Author, a nationwide non-profit program designed to encourage students to read. Teachers who register for the program (it’s free) receive giant shark posters, free curriculum materials, student-author correspondence, an interactive website, and classroom conference calls/visits with the author. To date, over 10,000 teachers have registered, and the success rate in getting teens to read has been unprecedented. Steve now spends half his work week working with high schools. For more information click on www.AdoptAnAuthor.com
As an author, Steve has two goals. First, to continue to work hard to become a better storyteller and create exciting page turning thrillers. Second, to remain accessible to his readers. Steve reads and answers all e-mails, uses the names and descriptions of his loyal fans as characters in all his novels, and even hires readers as editors, depending on their particular expertise.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,519 reviews
September 12, 2018
Did I stay up way too late last night reading this terrible/ brilliant book? You're damn right I did.
It's got everything you need:
1) a misunderstood hero
2) people you REALLY want to die a painful, bloody death
3) a monstrously awesome monster shark
I honestly don't read enough like this. It's silly and fun and swims that line between sublimely ridiculous and faintly plausible. Plus, it's got a massive shark in it. Why wouldn't you read it???
Note to self: yes, it's all fun and games now, but what happens next time you swim in the sea? or a suspiciously dark pool? Then who's the one hyperventilating... You won't be smiling then, will you? You make bad choices, Emma, BAD choices.
Next up: The Trench
It's got everything you need:
1) a misunderstood hero
2) people you REALLY want to die a painful, bloody death
3) a monstrously awesome monster shark
I honestly don't read enough like this. It's silly and fun and swims that line between sublimely ridiculous and faintly plausible. Plus, it's got a massive shark in it. Why wouldn't you read it???
Note to self: yes, it's all fun and games now, but what happens next time you swim in the sea? or a suspiciously dark pool? Then who's the one hyperventilating... You won't be smiling then, will you? You make bad choices, Emma, BAD choices.
Next up: The Trench
September 14, 2018
I had some high hopes for Meg. I love a good action/thriller that could be described as a get away from complex literature – i.e. a fun read. For the most part I was satisfied. The concept was cool and original. Any time a book has a “maybe this could really happen” thing going on, and it is freaking scary, I am interested. There were some cool action sequences and definitely a lot of hold your breath moments. The Meg is terrifying!
Now, as you are reading my review, you can probably tell there is a “but” coming up (at this point, by kids would break into gales of laughter because I said “but”). You would be correct, there were many “buts” (again, more laughter).
First, I found some of the descriptions of what the Meg is doing to be repetitive to the point of not being interesting. At first, it was cool to learn about the theoretical biology, instincts, hunting patterns, etc. of the Meg. But, after the 20th scene describing all the instincts in play and the thoughts going through the Meg’s head, I started to zone out.
NO, NOT THAT MEG!
The second issue kind of relates to the book losing my interest after a while. For the first two-thirds, I thought I was listening to a 4 or 5 star book. But, I got to the last third, when the climax of the story gets going, and it started to get really confusing. There were about 10 separate plots all going on at the same time, all of them related to each other, and each with kind of a similar feel. Because of this I started to forget what was happening to who, who was still alive, who was in peril, who was getting close to rescue, who was I supposed to be cheering, who was I supposed to hope would be eaten, etc. I was about as well oriented as good ol’ Left Shark!
Finally, the resolution . . . *sigh* . . . so cheesy . . . I will just leave it at that . . . not quite the following gif, but not all that far off!
Side note: The version I listened to contains Meg: Origins. I didn’t really need it. It was just more of the shark swimming around and using its instincts. And, it just expands upon a story from the main book that I am not sure needed expanding.
In closing, it was kinda fun and if you like action/thriller getaway literature, give it a go. But, expect a lot of repetition and nonsense! I will probably give at least one of Alten’s sequels a chance and see where it goes. But if it is too similar, I am not sure how much farther I am willing to try after that.
Now, as you are reading my review, you can probably tell there is a “but” coming up (at this point, by kids would break into gales of laughter because I said “but”). You would be correct, there were many “buts” (again, more laughter).
First, I found some of the descriptions of what the Meg is doing to be repetitive to the point of not being interesting. At first, it was cool to learn about the theoretical biology, instincts, hunting patterns, etc. of the Meg. But, after the 20th scene describing all the instincts in play and the thoughts going through the Meg’s head, I started to zone out.
NO, NOT THAT MEG!
The second issue kind of relates to the book losing my interest after a while. For the first two-thirds, I thought I was listening to a 4 or 5 star book. But, I got to the last third, when the climax of the story gets going, and it started to get really confusing. There were about 10 separate plots all going on at the same time, all of them related to each other, and each with kind of a similar feel. Because of this I started to forget what was happening to who, who was still alive, who was in peril, who was getting close to rescue, who was I supposed to be cheering, who was I supposed to hope would be eaten, etc. I was about as well oriented as good ol’ Left Shark!
Finally, the resolution . . . *sigh* . . . so cheesy . . . I will just leave it at that . . . not quite the following gif, but not all that far off!
Side note: The version I listened to contains Meg: Origins. I didn’t really need it. It was just more of the shark swimming around and using its instincts. And, it just expands upon a story from the main book that I am not sure needed expanding.
In closing, it was kinda fun and if you like action/thriller getaway literature, give it a go. But, expect a lot of repetition and nonsense! I will probably give at least one of Alten’s sequels a chance and see where it goes. But if it is too similar, I am not sure how much farther I am willing to try after that.
August 29, 2018
I love sharks. They are among the top three of my favourite animals (alongside owls and Komodo dragons). And Great Whites are probably the best ones among them. Naturally, little Trish always loved to see sharks in illustrated childrens books or on television. I cried at the end of Jaws, mourning the poor creature.
Thus, I was delighted to see there would be a movie called MEG to hit theatres this summer (and not only because Jason Statham is playing one of the leading roles in it) and as soon as I saw that it was based on a book, it was only a matter of time until I read it.
Apparently, there was another version in the 90s that was updated (partly to include the latest scientific findings, partly to change characters and events as well). I have the updated version and after hearing of some differences, I'm glad.
Anyway, this is the story of Jonas Taylor, a dishonorably discharged Navy commander specialized in deep dives, who has believed in the existence of megalodons (basically huge, pre-historic versions of the Great White) ever since that fateful dive a few years ago when two scientists diving with him got killed. The Navy claims it was him losing his marbles, he says they were attacked by a megalodon. Guess who won that argument.
He is asked to help an old acquaintance who wants to establish the worlds largest aquarium (an artificial lagoon so huge, whales and other large sea creatures can be studied as if in the wild). He agrees like the imbecile that he is, wanting to overcome his trauma and escape what must be the worst marriage ever - and gets much more than he bargained for.
For the monster is real, not imagined, and she found a way to escape the biological confines her kind have lived in for tens of thousands of years. Momma's gotta eat!
What follows is a mad romp through the Pacific with lots of gloriously gruesome deaths, claustrophobic underwater scenes and a cast of assholes and bitches. Sorry, but there really only were one or two people who didn't deserve to die here (Mac being chiefly amongst them).
I very much enjoyed the mix of accurate scientific detail, believable conjecture and breathtaking action. Some things were less "realistic" than others, but let's be real here: we're not here for realism, we're here for the monster chomping on annoying humans! :D
Know that feeling when reading a book or watching a movie and sitting at the edge of your seat, full of suspense about whether or not the hero is gonna be able to save the day? Well, here I sat at the edge of my seat hoping he would NOT be able to save the day because I wanted people to DIEDIEDIE! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA! And I got what I came for. So much so that I'm considering reading the rest of the series (and soon). *lol*
Wonderful creature feature!
(First: actual megalodon tooth. Second: Comparison of a megalodon's tooth and a Great White's.)
(Size comparison for a better understanding.)
Thus, I was delighted to see there would be a movie called MEG to hit theatres this summer (and not only because Jason Statham is playing one of the leading roles in it) and as soon as I saw that it was based on a book, it was only a matter of time until I read it.
Apparently, there was another version in the 90s that was updated (partly to include the latest scientific findings, partly to change characters and events as well). I have the updated version and after hearing of some differences, I'm glad.
Anyway, this is the story of Jonas Taylor, a dishonorably discharged Navy commander specialized in deep dives, who has believed in the existence of megalodons (basically huge, pre-historic versions of the Great White) ever since that fateful dive a few years ago when two scientists diving with him got killed. The Navy claims it was him losing his marbles, he says they were attacked by a megalodon. Guess who won that argument.
He is asked to help an old acquaintance who wants to establish the worlds largest aquarium (an artificial lagoon so huge, whales and other large sea creatures can be studied as if in the wild). He agrees like the imbecile that he is, wanting to overcome his trauma and escape what must be the worst marriage ever - and gets much more than he bargained for.
For the monster is real, not imagined, and she found a way to escape the biological confines her kind have lived in for tens of thousands of years. Momma's gotta eat!
What follows is a mad romp through the Pacific with lots of gloriously gruesome deaths, claustrophobic underwater scenes and a cast of assholes and bitches. Sorry, but there really only were one or two people who didn't deserve to die here (Mac being chiefly amongst them).
I very much enjoyed the mix of accurate scientific detail, believable conjecture and breathtaking action. Some things were less "realistic" than others, but let's be real here: we're not here for realism, we're here for the monster chomping on annoying humans! :D
Know that feeling when reading a book or watching a movie and sitting at the edge of your seat, full of suspense about whether or not the hero is gonna be able to save the day? Well, here I sat at the edge of my seat hoping he would NOT be able to save the day because I wanted people to DIEDIEDIE! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA! And I got what I came for. So much so that I'm considering reading the rest of the series (and soon). *lol*
Wonderful creature feature!
(First: actual megalodon tooth. Second: Comparison of a megalodon's tooth and a Great White's.)
(Size comparison for a better understanding.)
July 18, 2009
This book/series deserves 529 stars! Seriously! Any book with a jacket blurb stating "I have just two words for you: JURASSIC SHARK!" deserves the Nobel Prize for first class airport literature.
This is what pulpy, guilty-pleasure reading is all about. You've got action, sex, and PREHISTORIC SHARKS!
Dan Brown's book (I've only read one and that was too much) seriously insulted my intelligence - I recognized the Fibonacci numbers from a high school class - THAT I FLUNKED! Steve Alten does not insult your intelligence. You feel so much smarter after reading his novels. His novels cure impotence - so I've heard.
To paraphrase the noted urban 20th centruy philosophe Laurence Tureaud ... "I pity the fool who don't like Jurassic Shark!"
This is what pulpy, guilty-pleasure reading is all about. You've got action, sex, and PREHISTORIC SHARKS!
Dan Brown's book (I've only read one and that was too much) seriously insulted my intelligence - I recognized the Fibonacci numbers from a high school class - THAT I FLUNKED! Steve Alten does not insult your intelligence. You feel so much smarter after reading his novels. His novels cure impotence - so I've heard.
To paraphrase the noted urban 20th centruy philosophe Laurence Tureaud ... "I pity the fool who don't like Jurassic Shark!"
July 20, 2018
Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
I had never even heard of Meg until I took my kids to see my boyfriend Jeff’s new movie, Jurassic Park 47, and this popped up in the preview . . . .
Um, yes please.
I knew I had to get my hands on a copy. And not just a borrowed copy – I needed to own this and add it to the shark stack. Thanks to discoverbooks.com (no, I’m not affiliated, I’m just poor and this site enables me to add to my hoard on the cheap) I was able to obtain a copy just in time for Shark Week. I failed at posting a timely review because I’m now insane and post shitty book pics to Instagram (shameless plug for myself – get over it, I do what I do) and knew EXACTLY the right spot to take a photo worthy of this literary masterpiece. My schedule finally cleared up and I was able to make the trek over the weekend resulting in . . . .
#nailedit
But back to the book. The story here is about a dude who everyone thinks went cuckoo for cocoa puffs when he insisted the superbadawful that was responsible for a failed mission into the depths of the Pacific resulting in him being the only survivor was none other than Carcharodon megalodon. Fast-forward to the present and a new mission that will make everyone realize . . . .
They’re gonna need a bigger boat.
If you have ever thought to yourself: “Self, I sure wish Jaws and Sharknado would have a baby” then you need to look no further. Meg is sure to be a winner for you.
I had never even heard of Meg until I took my kids to see my boyfriend Jeff’s new movie, Jurassic Park 47, and this popped up in the preview . . . .
Um, yes please.
I knew I had to get my hands on a copy. And not just a borrowed copy – I needed to own this and add it to the shark stack. Thanks to discoverbooks.com (no, I’m not affiliated, I’m just poor and this site enables me to add to my hoard on the cheap) I was able to obtain a copy just in time for Shark Week. I failed at posting a timely review because I’m now insane and post shitty book pics to Instagram (shameless plug for myself – get over it, I do what I do) and knew EXACTLY the right spot to take a photo worthy of this literary masterpiece. My schedule finally cleared up and I was able to make the trek over the weekend resulting in . . . .
#nailedit
But back to the book. The story here is about a dude who everyone thinks went cuckoo for cocoa puffs when he insisted the superbadawful that was responsible for a failed mission into the depths of the Pacific resulting in him being the only survivor was none other than Carcharodon megalodon. Fast-forward to the present and a new mission that will make everyone realize . . . .
They’re gonna need a bigger boat.
If you have ever thought to yourself: “Self, I sure wish Jaws and Sharknado would have a baby” then you need to look no further. Meg is sure to be a winner for you.
December 20, 2013
Far-fetched but fun = that's the point of these types of books anyway. There's so much that fascinates man about the creatures of the deep, so many hidden horrors beneath the water. This goes farther than Jaws, to the original beast which grew up to 60 feet, the Carcharodon megalodon, a shark that would swallow today's Great Whites. Clearly these creatures went belly up long ago, but the author takes pains to paint a realistic enough plausibility of how one could survive, break the surface, and become a modern day terror.
There's no way this could make a decent movie because of the budget - this shark was huge, and the author takes it on a long ride to destroy many types of vessels, even attack a helicopter, all in the name of giant shark fun. I could have done without some cliche characters like the hard-driven, ambitious, evil wife, but the scene with the shark pod was epic enough to make up for it. Her love interest was unrealistic, though, the weakest character written for the story. Jonas was a main character strong enough to propel this shark-driven story forward - it opens with him lecturing about the legend of the monster, then he's forced to confront his worst fears and make them a new reality.
The pacing is swift and this one is hard to put down. Even if a lot of it is unbelievable, especially a certain escape at the end, that doesn't matter. A few times there's a creep factor, especially when exploring the mariana trench and picturing that triangular head that appears to grin...There's enough science driven in it to keep afloat, plenty of action to invest interest, fun moments, tense and narrow escapes, and even a small nudge toward a sequel with the final page.
I have the fourth one, but it will have to wait until I track down the second and third first.
August 27, 2018
Everything in me wanted to either rebel against reading this or just submit to the gleeful horror of a shark who's head is as big as a truck.
Obviously, I had to submit.
And you know what really caught me off-guard?
The plausibility.
Yeah, a 65-foot albino shark from the deep trenches, or rather, the ongoing survival of the species, living in the depths, never needing to see sunlight... until they were disturbed by intrepid explorers. :)
Yeah, well, there's real talk about Megladon teeth as far back as 10 thousand years ago. That's not exactly extinct.
Enter in the story.
Well, this is written well and fun, all horror, then adventure, and then pure action. No wonder it got made into a movie. :)
But you know what I like best about it?
*spoiler alert*
The story of Jonah inside the whale. :) Nooooooo... noooo spoilers!!!!
Obviously, I had to submit.
And you know what really caught me off-guard?
The plausibility.
Yeah, a 65-foot albino shark from the deep trenches, or rather, the ongoing survival of the species, living in the depths, never needing to see sunlight... until they were disturbed by intrepid explorers. :)
Yeah, well, there's real talk about Megladon teeth as far back as 10 thousand years ago. That's not exactly extinct.
Enter in the story.
Well, this is written well and fun, all horror, then adventure, and then pure action. No wonder it got made into a movie. :)
But you know what I like best about it?
*spoiler alert*
The story of Jonah inside the whale. :) Nooooooo... noooo spoilers!!!!
August 23, 2018
I don't care if you judge me for giving 5 stars to this one. I absolutely enjoyed this, there is nothing I would like to change. There is correct chemistry between characters (that includes the Meg) and appropriate people are being killed and eaten. What's not to like?
Update 6/9/2018-
I watched the movie MEG last weekend and the only thing to say is - it was such a disappointment! The book is 100 times better than the movie. Not even Jason Statham can save it.
Update 6/9/2018-
I watched the movie MEG last weekend and the only thing to say is - it was such a disappointment! The book is 100 times better than the movie. Not even Jason Statham can save it.
October 20, 2018
Nonstop action!
Professor Jonas Taylor is a little obsessed with the idea that a prehistoric monster is lurking in the Mariana Trench. A Carcharodon megalodon. Everyone thinks his crack pot theories are a waste of time and even laughable. But who knows what's really lurking in the dark... in the deep. Jonas is about to find out.
Non-stop action packed, does thriller keeps you going from start to finish. Very well written and even reminiscent of works by Michael Crichton. The plot is well-thought-out and well-executed and written in a way that's easy to follow from one point to the next. Even the scientific jargon used in the book is easy for the layman to understand.
This is a book that I really enjoyed. I enjoy how the author moved swiftly and steadily from one action point to the next and kept you on your toes throughout the entire book. I also enjoyed the characters both sinister and heroic and thought they were well developed and even relatable.
This book will definitely make a great film. Let us hope that the movie does not disappoint.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes a good thrill with lots of action and a good, simple plot.
Or you can watch my review here:
🦈 https://youtu.be/SN9Q5Vl9gFU 🦈
Professor Jonas Taylor is a little obsessed with the idea that a prehistoric monster is lurking in the Mariana Trench. A Carcharodon megalodon. Everyone thinks his crack pot theories are a waste of time and even laughable. But who knows what's really lurking in the dark... in the deep. Jonas is about to find out.
Non-stop action packed, does thriller keeps you going from start to finish. Very well written and even reminiscent of works by Michael Crichton. The plot is well-thought-out and well-executed and written in a way that's easy to follow from one point to the next. Even the scientific jargon used in the book is easy for the layman to understand.
This is a book that I really enjoyed. I enjoy how the author moved swiftly and steadily from one action point to the next and kept you on your toes throughout the entire book. I also enjoyed the characters both sinister and heroic and thought they were well developed and even relatable.
This book will definitely make a great film. Let us hope that the movie does not disappoint.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes a good thrill with lots of action and a good, simple plot.
Or you can watch my review here:
🦈 https://youtu.be/SN9Q5Vl9gFU 🦈
June 12, 2017
OMG I don't know why I took so long to read this book. Erika my friend from booktube her channel name ThePerksofBooks, has been trying to convince me and all of her subscribers to pick up MEG and read it for years. I found this handy dandy mass market paperback and at Kauai Habitat Restore for 50 cents and it was the best 50 cents I've ever paid. 5 million stars for being a fun and fast read, full of action, adrenaline and one pissed off megalodon.
Our main character Jonas Taylor took a trip down the Marinas Trench 7 years ago and saw something that caused him to change his career path and become a world famous paleontologist. Jonas is the expert when it comes to the prehistoric Megalodon. He has written books. One night after an interview at the Scripps Institute in La Jolla, Ca. his past caught up with him. He might get a big break. Jonas might be able to conquer his fear of the dark deep and maybe just maybe find truth in the abyss.
Just from the title alone you know the book is about a Megalodon. A gifreakinggantic shark. You know that the shark is going to go on a murderous rampage. We have all seen Jurassic Park. What else could the book possibly hold then an outcome of epic proportions. What I didn't know was how hooked I'd be in the first few chapters. How awesome it was to have actual facts from the first voyage to the Marinas Trench. I love love love when books contain real science in them. I was also just so in love with the entertainment value this book held. I can not wait to pick up Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton. I thought I would never read that book and now I want to. I also want to watch every cheesy shark movie that is out.
This book had everything a blockbuster movie would have. ACTION ACTION ACTION! Revenge. Overly heroic stunts. A romance. A sunset. It was literally everything I wanted to read this weekend and I did. I read this book in about 16 hours. Just so damn fun. I will definitely be picking up the other books in this series. WHY THE HELL NOT! That ending was a baby cliff hanger ;)
edit: New year, new read! I re-read this book in 2018 and this time around I read it to my two boys in anticipation for the movies release. My kids loved it. My 11 year old was kind of like ooh that shark is mean. My 13 year old was like I hope so and so dies! They deserve it! LOL. He is super excited to read/listen to book 2!
Our main character Jonas Taylor took a trip down the Marinas Trench 7 years ago and saw something that caused him to change his career path and become a world famous paleontologist. Jonas is the expert when it comes to the prehistoric Megalodon. He has written books. One night after an interview at the Scripps Institute in La Jolla, Ca. his past caught up with him. He might get a big break. Jonas might be able to conquer his fear of the dark deep and maybe just maybe find truth in the abyss.
Just from the title alone you know the book is about a Megalodon. A gifreakinggantic shark. You know that the shark is going to go on a murderous rampage. We have all seen Jurassic Park. What else could the book possibly hold then an outcome of epic proportions. What I didn't know was how hooked I'd be in the first few chapters. How awesome it was to have actual facts from the first voyage to the Marinas Trench. I love love love when books contain real science in them. I was also just so in love with the entertainment value this book held. I can not wait to pick up Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton. I thought I would never read that book and now I want to. I also want to watch every cheesy shark movie that is out.
This book had everything a blockbuster movie would have. ACTION ACTION ACTION! Revenge. Overly heroic stunts. A romance. A sunset. It was literally everything I wanted to read this weekend and I did. I read this book in about 16 hours. Just so damn fun. I will definitely be picking up the other books in this series. WHY THE HELL NOT! That ending was a baby cliff hanger ;)
edit: New year, new read! I re-read this book in 2018 and this time around I read it to my two boys in anticipation for the movies release. My kids loved it. My 11 year old was kind of like ooh that shark is mean. My 13 year old was like I hope so and so dies! They deserve it! LOL. He is super excited to read/listen to book 2!
August 29, 2018
Mega fun!
A very entertaining book about a sixty-foot shark going on a feeding frenzy in the Pacific.
Just to make it clear what we are talking about:
These creatures actually inhabited the oceans of the Earth. Though this was long before you and I were born. They’re extinct for quite some time now. Or aren’t they? Well, I’m not saying they are still alive. But keep in mind that even though the oceans cover 71% of our planet’s surface and contain 99% of its living space, 95% of it remains unexplored.
That’s actually a very nice opportunity for an author to tell a convincing tale about a 42,000 pound shark with a garage-sized head terrorizing stupid people, not quite so stupid people and some poor whales as well.
Paleontologist Jonas Taylor doesn’t believe in megalodon’s extinction. He has his theory as to why they might still be alive and he actually believes he has seen one during a traumatic deep sea dive seven years ago. This makes him an easy target for quite some ridicule, and additionally that incident destroyed his career as a deep sea pilot.
When his old friend Masao Tanaka asks him for his help in the investigation of a remote sub that got damaged and subsequently lost in the Mariana Trench, Jonas sees this as a chance to face his fears and maybe prove his doubters wrong.
Suffice it to say that things go south for a lot of people from there on out.
What started as an interesting and entertaining bio-thriller becomes an equally entertaining creature feature after about a third of the book.
Alten sets up his popcorn adventure perfectly in the early parts of the book. He makes this whole tale somewhat plausible and then goes into full what-the-fuck-how-cool-is-that-mode, killing off character after character. Their deaths getting decreasingly believable and increasingly enjoyable in equal measures.
There are two or three characters most readers will want to see get through this unscathed and there are a lot of characters that readers will want to see dying, and horribly so, for being stupid assholes. So the reader can cheer on the shark and fear for the people, and mostly will be satisfied with the end result.
Steve Alten is actually a pretty decent writer. And MEG is a pretty good book that’s sometimes thrilling, sometimes silly, but almost always fun.
Almost five star fun.
But I deduct one star for a single character that annoyed me tremendously. In books like this people are mostly supposed to be annoying and then (to the reader’s delight) becoming fish fodder in the end. So it may seem a little harsh for me to lower the rating because of one of them. But the one I’m talking about (and will not name) was actually quite important for some of the actions taken by a certain other character. And the dynamic between the two was not plausible at all and in my opinion overall was just badly written. And I’m convinced now that Alten can do better.
This was a buddy read with my dear friend Trish, the world’s leading expert in horrendous deaths that actually make people laugh. Who better to read such a book with?! Exactly!
A very entertaining book about a sixty-foot shark going on a feeding frenzy in the Pacific.
Just to make it clear what we are talking about:
These creatures actually inhabited the oceans of the Earth. Though this was long before you and I were born. They’re extinct for quite some time now. Or aren’t they? Well, I’m not saying they are still alive. But keep in mind that even though the oceans cover 71% of our planet’s surface and contain 99% of its living space, 95% of it remains unexplored.
That’s actually a very nice opportunity for an author to tell a convincing tale about a 42,000 pound shark with a garage-sized head terrorizing stupid people, not quite so stupid people and some poor whales as well.
Paleontologist Jonas Taylor doesn’t believe in megalodon’s extinction. He has his theory as to why they might still be alive and he actually believes he has seen one during a traumatic deep sea dive seven years ago. This makes him an easy target for quite some ridicule, and additionally that incident destroyed his career as a deep sea pilot.
When his old friend Masao Tanaka asks him for his help in the investigation of a remote sub that got damaged and subsequently lost in the Mariana Trench, Jonas sees this as a chance to face his fears and maybe prove his doubters wrong.
Suffice it to say that things go south for a lot of people from there on out.
What started as an interesting and entertaining bio-thriller becomes an equally entertaining creature feature after about a third of the book.
Alten sets up his popcorn adventure perfectly in the early parts of the book. He makes this whole tale somewhat plausible and then goes into full what-the-fuck-how-cool-is-that-mode, killing off character after character. Their deaths getting decreasingly believable and increasingly enjoyable in equal measures.
There are two or three characters most readers will want to see get through this unscathed and there are a lot of characters that readers will want to see dying, and horribly so, for being stupid assholes. So the reader can cheer on the shark and fear for the people, and mostly will be satisfied with the end result.
Steve Alten is actually a pretty decent writer. And MEG is a pretty good book that’s sometimes thrilling, sometimes silly, but almost always fun.
Almost five star fun.
But I deduct one star for a single character that annoyed me tremendously. In books like this people are mostly supposed to be annoying and then (to the reader’s delight) becoming fish fodder in the end. So it may seem a little harsh for me to lower the rating because of one of them. But the one I’m talking about (and will not name) was actually quite important for some of the actions taken by a certain other character. And the dynamic between the two was not plausible at all and in my opinion overall was just badly written. And I’m convinced now that Alten can do better.
This was a buddy read with my dear friend Trish, the world’s leading expert in horrendous deaths that actually make people laugh. Who better to read such a book with?! Exactly!
June 27, 2012
You'd think i'd get tired of reading this book after a billion times, but nope, still my favorite <3
(reread again... still love it)
Read it again for the billionth time... still the best.
Has everyone seen the movie trailer yet??? So excited!!!
(reread again... still love it)
Read it again for the billionth time... still the best.
Has everyone seen the movie trailer yet??? So excited!!!
September 6, 2018
My dad took me to see “Jaws 2” when I was five years old. Some of you reading that sentence may automatically be thinking “child abuse”, but, for the record, he gave me the choice of seeing that film or “Saturday Night Fever”, and I’m positive, to this day, that I made the better choice.
My dad likes to tell the story of how I never once closed my eyes during the film. In fact, he added, I sat most of the film literally sitting on the edge of my seat, staring wide-eyed at the screen in a kind of excited incredulity. I do remember fondly several scenes of shark-induced carnage. To this day, the film (as dumb as it is) still holds a pretty special place in my heart.
My love of horror films stems, I think, from this moment. Strangely enough, I have never had a love for sharks. Of the plethora of movie monsters I have seen and enjoyed, sharks are extremely low on the spectrum of genuine scariness. For me, Ridley Scott’s “Alien” still tops the charts in terms of sheer sweaty-palms, hairs-on-the-back-of-neck-rising creepy thrills. Hell, even the clown doll under the bed in “Poltergeist” scared me more than any of the “Jaws” movies.
Not that sharks aren’t worthy of respect and natural fear, but I have the same natural fear of grizzly bears, alligators, and yellow-jackets. I also have enough respect for them to leave them alone, which is why I don’t do a lot of hiking or swimming in Florida everglades or oceans.
In other words, “Shark Week” on the Discovery Channel is never a big deal for me, and neither are those made-for-TV SyFy network “Megashark” movies starring Debbie Gibson. Shark porn doesn’t do it for me.
So, why did I pick Steve Alten’s now-cult-classic novel “Meg” to read? What drew me to it?
I’ll be honest: it was partly due to the release of the new movie based on the book, starring Jason Statham. The trailer actually looks decent, and the movie (which I haven’t seen yet) might actually be a good balance of action, carnage, and humor.
Another reason is because I noticed that Alten has written about 37* books in this series, and I’m honestly curious as to how many times and in how many scenarios one can place a giant shark? Sharks in tornadoes have been done to death. Other than time-traveling robot sharks sent to kill the woman who would give birth to the leader of the future shark-overlord resistance movement or maybe zombie sharks (which kinda sounds redundant, now that I think about it...), I simply don’t have the imagination to contemplate that many situations in which a giant shark can be placed to carry on a series of this magnitude.
So, I read it, and I have to say: it’s pretty damn entertaining. Fast-paced, suspenseful, and intelligent, “Meg” is a fun giant-shark action thriller that pretty much makes Jaws look like a panty-waist.
The plot: former naval submersible pilot Jonas Taylor is now a marine biologist specializing in theories about the existence of Carcharadon Megalodon, a 70-foot prehistoric dinosaur that was the grand-daddy of the great whites. His latest book is causing a lot of buzz in the marine biology world. Sadly, most of it is bad buzz, as Taylor is almost-unanimously written off as a crank and a nutjob.
Taylor, however, knows that the megaladon (“Meg” as he calls her, somewhat affectionately) really exists. It nearly got him killed and actually killed two of his shipmates during a run-in with the creature many years ago in the Mariana Trench. Dishonorably discharged (the Navy refused to believe his outlandish story), Taylor spent time in a mental institution and then became a marine biologist.
Taylor is, of course, proven right when he is hired by a Japanese company to pilot a submersible in the Mariana Trench again, this time to retrieve a sunken sub. Despite his warnings, the crew unwittingly attracts the attention of a megaladon. Carnage, of course, ensues.
Now the giant prehistoric shark is swimming toward Hawaii, where a buffet of rich yachters, surfer dudes, and Japanese whalers await to be eaten into tiny bloody pieces.
This book resurrected, briefly, that five-year-old me that was enthralled, fascinated, and gleefully enamored of man-eating sharks.
I’m also never swimming in an ocean ever again.
P.S. Originally published in 1997, “Meg” was recently re-published by the author in a “revised and expanded edition”, because even the author thought his own writing sucked, and that he has improved his writing skills since then. I read the new version, not the old, so I can’t attest to the accuracy of his assessment. Other than a few typos, the new version was decent.
*Okay, I’m exaggerating: there’s only five books in the series.
My dad likes to tell the story of how I never once closed my eyes during the film. In fact, he added, I sat most of the film literally sitting on the edge of my seat, staring wide-eyed at the screen in a kind of excited incredulity. I do remember fondly several scenes of shark-induced carnage. To this day, the film (as dumb as it is) still holds a pretty special place in my heart.
My love of horror films stems, I think, from this moment. Strangely enough, I have never had a love for sharks. Of the plethora of movie monsters I have seen and enjoyed, sharks are extremely low on the spectrum of genuine scariness. For me, Ridley Scott’s “Alien” still tops the charts in terms of sheer sweaty-palms, hairs-on-the-back-of-neck-rising creepy thrills. Hell, even the clown doll under the bed in “Poltergeist” scared me more than any of the “Jaws” movies.
Not that sharks aren’t worthy of respect and natural fear, but I have the same natural fear of grizzly bears, alligators, and yellow-jackets. I also have enough respect for them to leave them alone, which is why I don’t do a lot of hiking or swimming in Florida everglades or oceans.
In other words, “Shark Week” on the Discovery Channel is never a big deal for me, and neither are those made-for-TV SyFy network “Megashark” movies starring Debbie Gibson. Shark porn doesn’t do it for me.
So, why did I pick Steve Alten’s now-cult-classic novel “Meg” to read? What drew me to it?
I’ll be honest: it was partly due to the release of the new movie based on the book, starring Jason Statham. The trailer actually looks decent, and the movie (which I haven’t seen yet) might actually be a good balance of action, carnage, and humor.
Another reason is because I noticed that Alten has written about 37* books in this series, and I’m honestly curious as to how many times and in how many scenarios one can place a giant shark? Sharks in tornadoes have been done to death. Other than time-traveling robot sharks sent to kill the woman who would give birth to the leader of the future shark-overlord resistance movement or maybe zombie sharks (which kinda sounds redundant, now that I think about it...), I simply don’t have the imagination to contemplate that many situations in which a giant shark can be placed to carry on a series of this magnitude.
So, I read it, and I have to say: it’s pretty damn entertaining. Fast-paced, suspenseful, and intelligent, “Meg” is a fun giant-shark action thriller that pretty much makes Jaws look like a panty-waist.
The plot: former naval submersible pilot Jonas Taylor is now a marine biologist specializing in theories about the existence of Carcharadon Megalodon, a 70-foot prehistoric dinosaur that was the grand-daddy of the great whites. His latest book is causing a lot of buzz in the marine biology world. Sadly, most of it is bad buzz, as Taylor is almost-unanimously written off as a crank and a nutjob.
Taylor, however, knows that the megaladon (“Meg” as he calls her, somewhat affectionately) really exists. It nearly got him killed and actually killed two of his shipmates during a run-in with the creature many years ago in the Mariana Trench. Dishonorably discharged (the Navy refused to believe his outlandish story), Taylor spent time in a mental institution and then became a marine biologist.
Taylor is, of course, proven right when he is hired by a Japanese company to pilot a submersible in the Mariana Trench again, this time to retrieve a sunken sub. Despite his warnings, the crew unwittingly attracts the attention of a megaladon. Carnage, of course, ensues.
Now the giant prehistoric shark is swimming toward Hawaii, where a buffet of rich yachters, surfer dudes, and Japanese whalers await to be eaten into tiny bloody pieces.
This book resurrected, briefly, that five-year-old me that was enthralled, fascinated, and gleefully enamored of man-eating sharks.
I’m also never swimming in an ocean ever again.
P.S. Originally published in 1997, “Meg” was recently re-published by the author in a “revised and expanded edition”, because even the author thought his own writing sucked, and that he has improved his writing skills since then. I read the new version, not the old, so I can’t attest to the accuracy of his assessment. Other than a few typos, the new version was decent.
*Okay, I’m exaggerating: there’s only five books in the series.
July 16, 2015
This was a re-read of a novel I originally read on holiday in Turkey back in 2000. Believe it or not, this has been on my 'to re-read' list for about three years now and it's a total coincidence that I finally got around to it on the week the movie adaptation was released in cinemas.
Was I little generous with my original 5 star review? It's possible, but I'm not changing it now. I still had an absolute blast reading this 'b-movie-in-book-form' classic. What an ending! :-D
Was I little generous with my original 5 star review? It's possible, but I'm not changing it now. I still had an absolute blast reading this 'b-movie-in-book-form' classic. What an ending! :-D
May 7, 2012
If you drew up a checklist of the necessary components of a B-movie creature-feature, then Meg would tick pretty much every box.
Imperfect hero haunted by his past? Check ☑
Beautiful heroine who loathes the hero with every fibre of her being right up to the point where she realises that she's never loved anyone more in her life? Check ☑
Outrageous monster that no-one except the hero believes exists until it starts eating everyone? Check ☑
Comedy deaths of unlikeable characters introduced two minutes earlier? Check ☑
The hero surviving a suicide mission to slay the beast? Check ☑
Heck, while reading the book I couldn't help but be reminded of that magnum opus of creature features: Shark Attack 3: Megalodon. Don't misunderstand me, I'm aware that Meg predates Shark Attack 3 by some five or six years, but the presence of a few set pieces common to both works led me to compare the two and wonder why I delight in watching the latter while reading the former was more of a trawl. And I think I figured out why.
B-movies tend to be fun because they fall into the "so-bad-they're-good" category. Shark Attack 3 transcends such humdrumness, being so sublimely terrible and ridiculous that it becomes a work of art. The actor's ad-libs are left in the finished film, the human antagonists are bad people and worse actors, there's pretty much only one repeatedly used shot of the Megalodon, which is patently a shot of a great white shark crudely blown up in size. And so when someone rides their jet ski into the shark's mouth you can forgive how silly it is and rejoice in the moment.
Meg's greatest failing is, ironically, that it's not quite bad enough. Steve Alten seems to be trying to play the book straight: with pages of dialogue given over to dry scientific discussion of a Megalodon's ampullae of Lorenzini; with relatively minor plot points discussed repeatedly so that the reader knows that some incongruous plot detail was a clever point and not an error; when the protagonist dons a pair of night-vision goggles we have to be told that they work by "improving light amplification by using a coating of gallium arsenide on the photocathode of the intensifier." I get it, Steve, you did your research, and it's impressive, but with all this straight-lacery around, a few pages later when a surfer douchebag surfs straight into the Megalodon's mouth it's somehow not as much fun as the aforementioned jet-ski incident.
There are some problems with the writing as well, with Steve Alten apparently going to the same writing school as Matthew Reilly. Exclamations points abound. When someone who isn't expecting to be eaten by a sixty foot shark is unexpectedly eaten by a sixty foot shark I get that it's unexpected. I don't need an exclamation mark to tell me to be surprised. There's also a slew of those annoying line breaks mid-dramatic moment, sometimes two or three in a row, which I've never seen the point of. And my last gripe concerns a moment very early on. The first chapter starts strong, with a T-rex in the Jurassic age hunting a herd of Shantungosaurus. Seriously, if the whole book had been as awesome as a freaking T-rex hunting a pack of honest to goodness Shantungosaurus then it would've been a contender for three stars. But wait, there's more! The T-rex follows its quarry into the shallow coastal water only to get stuck in the loose sand. We're in four star territory now, ladies and gents. A hush descends as the hunter becomes the hunted and a shark the size of Texas shows up not for those pansy Shantungosaurus, but for the mother funking T-rex. A shark eating a T-rex is perhaps the greatest shark related thing ever, with the possible exception of a shark genetically spliced with an octopus, but that'd never happen. What could possibly ruin this moment of perfect literature? Only this: after thrusting us so thoroughly into the Jurassic age that I can almost hear the Procompsognathus chirp outside my window, that I half expect a Stegosaurus to walk through my front door, what simile does Steve Alten use to describe a Megalodon charging into a T-rex? It was, and I quote, "like a freight train striking a disabled SUV." Way to preserve the mood, Steve.
Imperfect hero haunted by his past? Check ☑
Beautiful heroine who loathes the hero with every fibre of her being right up to the point where she realises that she's never loved anyone more in her life? Check ☑
Outrageous monster that no-one except the hero believes exists until it starts eating everyone? Check ☑
Comedy deaths of unlikeable characters introduced two minutes earlier? Check ☑
The hero surviving a suicide mission to slay the beast? Check ☑
Heck, while reading the book I couldn't help but be reminded of that magnum opus of creature features: Shark Attack 3: Megalodon. Don't misunderstand me, I'm aware that Meg predates Shark Attack 3 by some five or six years, but the presence of a few set pieces common to both works led me to compare the two and wonder why I delight in watching the latter while reading the former was more of a trawl. And I think I figured out why.
B-movies tend to be fun because they fall into the "so-bad-they're-good" category. Shark Attack 3 transcends such humdrumness, being so sublimely terrible and ridiculous that it becomes a work of art. The actor's ad-libs are left in the finished film, the human antagonists are bad people and worse actors, there's pretty much only one repeatedly used shot of the Megalodon, which is patently a shot of a great white shark crudely blown up in size. And so when someone rides their jet ski into the shark's mouth you can forgive how silly it is and rejoice in the moment.
Meg's greatest failing is, ironically, that it's not quite bad enough. Steve Alten seems to be trying to play the book straight: with pages of dialogue given over to dry scientific discussion of a Megalodon's ampullae of Lorenzini; with relatively minor plot points discussed repeatedly so that the reader knows that some incongruous plot detail was a clever point and not an error; when the protagonist dons a pair of night-vision goggles we have to be told that they work by "improving light amplification by using a coating of gallium arsenide on the photocathode of the intensifier." I get it, Steve, you did your research, and it's impressive, but with all this straight-lacery around, a few pages later when a surfer douchebag surfs straight into the Megalodon's mouth it's somehow not as much fun as the aforementioned jet-ski incident.
There are some problems with the writing as well, with Steve Alten apparently going to the same writing school as Matthew Reilly. Exclamations points abound. When someone who isn't expecting to be eaten by a sixty foot shark is unexpectedly eaten by a sixty foot shark I get that it's unexpected. I don't need an exclamation mark to tell me to be surprised. There's also a slew of those annoying line breaks mid-dramatic moment, sometimes two or three in a row, which I've never seen the point of. And my last gripe concerns a moment very early on. The first chapter starts strong, with a T-rex in the Jurassic age hunting a herd of Shantungosaurus. Seriously, if the whole book had been as awesome as a freaking T-rex hunting a pack of honest to goodness Shantungosaurus then it would've been a contender for three stars. But wait, there's more! The T-rex follows its quarry into the shallow coastal water only to get stuck in the loose sand. We're in four star territory now, ladies and gents. A hush descends as the hunter becomes the hunted and a shark the size of Texas shows up not for those pansy Shantungosaurus, but for the mother funking T-rex. A shark eating a T-rex is perhaps the greatest shark related thing ever, with the possible exception of a shark genetically spliced with an octopus, but that'd never happen. What could possibly ruin this moment of perfect literature? Only this: after thrusting us so thoroughly into the Jurassic age that I can almost hear the Procompsognathus chirp outside my window, that I half expect a Stegosaurus to walk through my front door, what simile does Steve Alten use to describe a Megalodon charging into a T-rex? It was, and I quote, "like a freight train striking a disabled SUV." Way to preserve the mood, Steve.
January 14, 2018
The book was very entertaining, so much better than I expected which is always a nice surprise.
November 14, 2018
Shark!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!
I am not a biologist or any sort of shark expert. Other than avidly watching documentaries -- and Shark Week, of course -- I know very little about the ocean and its inhabitants. But I do know that I LOVE monster movies with one of two things: crazy angry carnivores or unknown humongous cryptids. This book delivers both. I wanted to go see the movie this summer, but when I found out that it was based on a book....I had to follow My Rule -- ALWAYS read the book first. So I opted to wait until the movie released on DVD to watch it. Netflix has the DVD available now....so I bumped the book to the top of my list and grabbed the audio book from my local library.
On the one hand, I do have to say that this story has been done before....many times. Rogue scientist touts unpopular belief...gets mocked, "ruins'' career, gets shunned by academia....UNTIL....
....that UNTIL is the most important part......
UNTIL (suspense building music stab inserted here)......the cryptid beast, pending doom, crazy idea he was warning everyone about shows up and starts killing/attacking, etc.
Then....academia and a whole host of other people come rushing back begging him to help them take care of the situation. Godzilla. Volcanoes. Earthquakes. Global warming. Whales. Giant Octopus/squid. Asteroids. Aliens. Dinosaurs. And....sharks.
It's been done. Many times.
But I love it! And this time...it's a GIANT shark. Move over Jaws.....The Meg eats Great Whites for a snack.....and whales, giant squid, submersibles, boats, divers....hell anything that will fit in its mouth.
SO....old plot. Bigger, badder monster. Bigger. Angrier. Hungrier. Did I say BIGGER??
BIGGER!!!!!
Loved this book! I don't care if it's impossible, faux science, old hat.....it makes me happy. This sort of book is my favorite brain candy.
I love the premise. I like the characters. And I even like the shark. It's only doing what it was made to do.....and very well for that matter. I like Steve Alten's writing....he mixes a scientific feel with an action/monster plot very well.
About the only complaint I have is a bit of an issue with the audio book narration. Sean Runnette reads at a nice pace and his acting is good for the most part. My issue is with his voice. He seems to have a problem pronouncing some consonants, especially S. It sounds like the actor might have poorly fitting dentures or some other speech problem? Or maybe it's just poor quality sound, equipment or editing? Not sure what the exact problem is, but I have partial hearing loss so crisp, quality sound on audio books is essential for me. I had a bit of trouble understanding Runnette's narration.
The audio book I listened to from Tantor Audio is 10.5 hours long and includes both The Meg and Origins (a prequel for The Meg). I was surprised to find out that The Meg is actually a series of 5 books! More large shark mayhem! Yay! I will definitely be listening/reading the rest of the series. And now that I've read the book....I can see the movie! Got it at the top of my Netflix list!
I am not a biologist or any sort of shark expert. Other than avidly watching documentaries -- and Shark Week, of course -- I know very little about the ocean and its inhabitants. But I do know that I LOVE monster movies with one of two things: crazy angry carnivores or unknown humongous cryptids. This book delivers both. I wanted to go see the movie this summer, but when I found out that it was based on a book....I had to follow My Rule -- ALWAYS read the book first. So I opted to wait until the movie released on DVD to watch it. Netflix has the DVD available now....so I bumped the book to the top of my list and grabbed the audio book from my local library.
On the one hand, I do have to say that this story has been done before....many times. Rogue scientist touts unpopular belief...gets mocked, "ruins'' career, gets shunned by academia....UNTIL....
....that UNTIL is the most important part......
UNTIL (suspense building music stab inserted here)......the cryptid beast, pending doom, crazy idea he was warning everyone about shows up and starts killing/attacking, etc.
Then....academia and a whole host of other people come rushing back begging him to help them take care of the situation. Godzilla. Volcanoes. Earthquakes. Global warming. Whales. Giant Octopus/squid. Asteroids. Aliens. Dinosaurs. And....sharks.
It's been done. Many times.
But I love it! And this time...it's a GIANT shark. Move over Jaws.....The Meg eats Great Whites for a snack.....and whales, giant squid, submersibles, boats, divers....hell anything that will fit in its mouth.
SO....old plot. Bigger, badder monster. Bigger. Angrier. Hungrier. Did I say BIGGER??
BIGGER!!!!!
Loved this book! I don't care if it's impossible, faux science, old hat.....it makes me happy. This sort of book is my favorite brain candy.
I love the premise. I like the characters. And I even like the shark. It's only doing what it was made to do.....and very well for that matter. I like Steve Alten's writing....he mixes a scientific feel with an action/monster plot very well.
About the only complaint I have is a bit of an issue with the audio book narration. Sean Runnette reads at a nice pace and his acting is good for the most part. My issue is with his voice. He seems to have a problem pronouncing some consonants, especially S. It sounds like the actor might have poorly fitting dentures or some other speech problem? Or maybe it's just poor quality sound, equipment or editing? Not sure what the exact problem is, but I have partial hearing loss so crisp, quality sound on audio books is essential for me. I had a bit of trouble understanding Runnette's narration.
The audio book I listened to from Tantor Audio is 10.5 hours long and includes both The Meg and Origins (a prequel for The Meg). I was surprised to find out that The Meg is actually a series of 5 books! More large shark mayhem! Yay! I will definitely be listening/reading the rest of the series. And now that I've read the book....I can see the movie! Got it at the top of my Netflix list!
October 17, 2009
A to Z Project, Book 11
Wow, I know that thrillers are for fun and excitement, but this book is just so relentlessly dumb that I couldn't suspend disbelief for a minute.
I'm not sure if it's the he-man/author stand-in lead character, the comically cardboard villains, the tsunami of cliches, or the ridiculous contortions that the author goes through to put all of his characters in exactly the right place in ALL OF THE PACIFIC OCEAN for his unbelievable big shark to attack them as opposed to all of the other creatures and people in the sea. Also, the author obviously has a problem with women.
The only upside is that it is very short, with big print and tiny little chapters, and it's bad in a funny way, so like me, you'll probably finish it despite how jaw-droppingly dumb it is. I won't give away the ending, but you should read the whole book just for it, as it has to be one of the stupidest scenarios ever committed to the page.
Wow, I know that thrillers are for fun and excitement, but this book is just so relentlessly dumb that I couldn't suspend disbelief for a minute.
I'm not sure if it's the he-man/author stand-in lead character, the comically cardboard villains, the tsunami of cliches, or the ridiculous contortions that the author goes through to put all of his characters in exactly the right place in ALL OF THE PACIFIC OCEAN for his unbelievable big shark to attack them as opposed to all of the other creatures and people in the sea. Also, the author obviously has a problem with women.
The only upside is that it is very short, with big print and tiny little chapters, and it's bad in a funny way, so like me, you'll probably finish it despite how jaw-droppingly dumb it is. I won't give away the ending, but you should read the whole book just for it, as it has to be one of the stupidest scenarios ever committed to the page.
January 11, 2019
I read this in the summer of last year but totally forgot to leave my review! Bottom line, this book rocks. It's such a crazy read meant to entertain the heck out of you. I'd give five stars just to the opening chapter alone. Wish they included that scene in the movie. Anyway, read this!!
May 2, 2015
The MUST-HAVE edition!
June 27, 2012
****HERE THERE BE SPOILERS****
Do you like reading about monsters?
More specifically, do you like to read about monsters of the deep that have been thought dead for millions of years?
If you do, search no further -- Steve Alten's MEG will not disappoint.
From the epic beginning of a T-Rex getting its terrible-lizard ass handed to itself to the absurd gastronomic defeat of the Megalodon, this book keeps the action flowing at a constant rate throughout.
There is a really lame extramarital affair sub-plot, but in the end it works, I guess. Enough about that. To the real story.
Jonas Taylor, a deep-sea expert, ex-Navy submersible extraordinaire, and also the world's foremost expert on the extinct Megalodon, is called upon to inspect some sensors that have gone off the grid in the Mariana Trench. Problem is, he has already been to the Trench before; it wasn't a pleasant experience for him. During this previous exploration he freaked out, and it cost the lives of two coworkers. Because of this he is kinda considered a pariah in the deep-sea community. Now, the only place he really explores is the lecture circuit, where his theories of the ancient shark being alive are mocked and derided in glorious fashion.
If you're still with me, I'm sure your cheeseometer is probably going crazy. Well, you ain't heard nothing yet.
So he decides to help a billionaire (really, who else could afford to fix sensors in the deepest part of the ocean?) and go back down into the abyss in one submersible while the billionaire's son goes down in another. Needless to say, it doesn't work out so well for the son. And so begins a tale of revenge. But don't think MOBY DICK, folks. MEG is nowhere in that class.
Think JAWS, on steroids.
People begin dying left and right in some gruesome ways. I'll let you experience those for yourself. But I will say that if you like every scene of carnage to include the words: entrails, teeth, entrails some more, some more teeth, and, yes, entrails again, then you'll love how creative Alten is with his descriptions.
But the Meg does not only attack humans.
Whales and subs (yes, I said subs -- not the Jared kind, but the decommissioned WWII variety) are also its prey.
At one point I laughed so hard while reading a battle scene between Meg and sub that I snorted...then farted. Don't ask. I'm still trying to figure that one out myself.
But Alten does save the best for last.
STOP READING IF YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW THE ENDING!!
When the final battle scene takes place, Jonas finds himself in the belly of the beast. Literally, folks. Alten tries to explain this in some pretty creative ways. None of them really make much sense, but, hey, it's his book. All Jonas can do is start hacking at the best with his knife. I'll let you read the book to find out the rest.
Like I said, cheese cheese cheese. But it's summer and this type of book is the perfect beach read.
RECOMMENDED
Do you like reading about monsters?
More specifically, do you like to read about monsters of the deep that have been thought dead for millions of years?
If you do, search no further -- Steve Alten's MEG will not disappoint.
From the epic beginning of a T-Rex getting its terrible-lizard ass handed to itself to the absurd gastronomic defeat of the Megalodon, this book keeps the action flowing at a constant rate throughout.
There is a really lame extramarital affair sub-plot, but in the end it works, I guess. Enough about that. To the real story.
Jonas Taylor, a deep-sea expert, ex-Navy submersible extraordinaire, and also the world's foremost expert on the extinct Megalodon, is called upon to inspect some sensors that have gone off the grid in the Mariana Trench. Problem is, he has already been to the Trench before; it wasn't a pleasant experience for him. During this previous exploration he freaked out, and it cost the lives of two coworkers. Because of this he is kinda considered a pariah in the deep-sea community. Now, the only place he really explores is the lecture circuit, where his theories of the ancient shark being alive are mocked and derided in glorious fashion.
If you're still with me, I'm sure your cheeseometer is probably going crazy. Well, you ain't heard nothing yet.
So he decides to help a billionaire (really, who else could afford to fix sensors in the deepest part of the ocean?) and go back down into the abyss in one submersible while the billionaire's son goes down in another. Needless to say, it doesn't work out so well for the son. And so begins a tale of revenge. But don't think MOBY DICK, folks. MEG is nowhere in that class.
Think JAWS, on steroids.
People begin dying left and right in some gruesome ways. I'll let you experience those for yourself. But I will say that if you like every scene of carnage to include the words: entrails, teeth, entrails some more, some more teeth, and, yes, entrails again, then you'll love how creative Alten is with his descriptions.
But the Meg does not only attack humans.
Whales and subs (yes, I said subs -- not the Jared kind, but the decommissioned WWII variety) are also its prey.
At one point I laughed so hard while reading a battle scene between Meg and sub that I snorted...then farted. Don't ask. I'm still trying to figure that one out myself.
But Alten does save the best for last.
STOP READING IF YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW THE ENDING!!
When the final battle scene takes place, Jonas finds himself in the belly of the beast. Literally, folks. Alten tries to explain this in some pretty creative ways. None of them really make much sense, but, hey, it's his book. All Jonas can do is start hacking at the best with his knife. I'll let you read the book to find out the rest.
Like I said, cheese cheese cheese. But it's summer and this type of book is the perfect beach read.
RECOMMENDED
July 5, 2019
Non avevo grandi aspettative riguardo a questo libro, trovato su una bancarella romana e pagato 1€, invece questo Jaws all'ennesima potenza (le proporzioni del Carcharodon Megalodon protagonista fanno sembrare Lo Squalo di Spielberg una sardina...) intrattiene, emoziona e diverte, fino all'ultima pagina pur essendo inferiore al più famoso prototipo letterario/cinematografico.
Nel malaugurato caso vi venga voglia di vederne il recente adattamento cinematografico, infelicemente titolato qui nel belpaese come Shark – Il primo squalo, fatevela passare e cercatevi il libro, quello si che è bello.
Una lettura ideale se siete in vena di un creature feature estivo.
August 6, 2019
It feels so good to be reviewing again! I haven't reviewed a book in probably over 2 months, and it's so nice to be back in front of the keyboard. This is the last book I read, so I'm going to work backward and review everything I missed these past two months. It's going to take me some time, but I will get it done.
MEG. This is a surprise read for me. I bought it, but didn't expect it to actually be on my current TBR. Then I joined a big group of bookstagrammers who were group reading JAWS, and it just seemed natural to pick this one up next. I mentioned on Intagram that this year I'm trying to do some seasonal reading, and books about sharks are definitely summer reads. I'm really glad I decided to do it too, because I'm having a lot of fun, and like I said, I'm reading books that I normally wouldn't get to for a while.
My friend Sadie (@mother.horror) mentioned in an Instagram Story recently how there are different types of 5 star ratings based on the book you are reading. This is a subject that she may have blogged about by now, or even started a discussion on Twitter, and if so I definitely want to talk about it because I couldn't agree more.
This is not a poorly written book. But the premise and the bonkers shark action are far from being serious literature. So why should I compare this book to say THE ROAD by Cormac McCarthy when it's time to review it? These two books have nothing in common, except for the fact that they could both be 5 star reads if you compare them to other similar books. I didn't read MEG with THE ROAD expectations. I read it for some crazy prehistoric shark fun. And I got that. I got a lot of that. Let's just say this book blows JAWS out of the water. (wink, wink) So I don't think it's fair to hold this book up to the same standards as a book like THE ROAD when reviewing it. Sadie, we definitely should talk about this!
Anyway, I had so much fun reading this book, and I'm thinking about picking up the next book in the MEG series. If you are looking for a crazy fun beach read with lots of gore and one insanely enormous shark on the loose, then look no further.
MEG. This is a surprise read for me. I bought it, but didn't expect it to actually be on my current TBR. Then I joined a big group of bookstagrammers who were group reading JAWS, and it just seemed natural to pick this one up next. I mentioned on Intagram that this year I'm trying to do some seasonal reading, and books about sharks are definitely summer reads. I'm really glad I decided to do it too, because I'm having a lot of fun, and like I said, I'm reading books that I normally wouldn't get to for a while.
My friend Sadie (@mother.horror) mentioned in an Instagram Story recently how there are different types of 5 star ratings based on the book you are reading. This is a subject that she may have blogged about by now, or even started a discussion on Twitter, and if so I definitely want to talk about it because I couldn't agree more.
This is not a poorly written book. But the premise and the bonkers shark action are far from being serious literature. So why should I compare this book to say THE ROAD by Cormac McCarthy when it's time to review it? These two books have nothing in common, except for the fact that they could both be 5 star reads if you compare them to other similar books. I didn't read MEG with THE ROAD expectations. I read it for some crazy prehistoric shark fun. And I got that. I got a lot of that. Let's just say this book blows JAWS out of the water. (wink, wink) So I don't think it's fair to hold this book up to the same standards as a book like THE ROAD when reviewing it. Sadie, we definitely should talk about this!
Anyway, I had so much fun reading this book, and I'm thinking about picking up the next book in the MEG series. If you are looking for a crazy fun beach read with lots of gore and one insanely enormous shark on the loose, then look no further.
July 8, 2023
4.0 Stars
This was such a fun creature feature. I expected this book to be campy but it turned out to be quite smart. I loved the scientific setup with the professor monologuing about the possibility of Megalodons still being alive. It's a tropey start but it gets me every time. From there, it turned into an enjoyable action story. It had some unnecessary relationship drama. Otherwise it was such a great novel. I would highly recommend to anyone who loves underwater horror.
This was such a fun creature feature. I expected this book to be campy but it turned out to be quite smart. I loved the scientific setup with the professor monologuing about the possibility of Megalodons still being alive. It's a tropey start but it gets me every time. From there, it turned into an enjoyable action story. It had some unnecessary relationship drama. Otherwise it was such a great novel. I would highly recommend to anyone who loves underwater horror.
December 21, 2025
От един момент, преследването на огромната праисторическа акула стана много досадно. Очаквах малко повече!
Естествено, преводът на български е ненужно лош…
Dnf на 53%.
Естествено, преводът на български е ненужно лош…
Dnf на 53%.
February 11, 2017
- so many typos
- everything is racist
- and sexist
- there are two women IN THE WHOLE BOOK (if you don't count the fish)
- one of them dies because two women are too many women
- the other one is 20, super hot, hates the MC and for some reason ends up fucking him because old straight white dude fantasy
- info dumps, info dumps everywhere
- everyone's decisions are the worst
- The Plan is just... I CAN'T with how stupid it is
- for a deepsea creature this shark is spending so much time jumping out of the water
- so this is where Sharknado had the "get swallowed by shark, cut yourself out, survive" scene from
- there are so, so, SO many measurements in feet and pounds and I, as a non-American who uses the logical system, have no grasp of how far away 1200 feet are
- the shark is 40000 pounds heavy, then 42000, then back to 40000, then 42000 again...
- wat @ the ending
- everything is racist
- and sexist
- there are two women IN THE WHOLE BOOK (if you don't count the fish)
- one of them dies because two women are too many women
- the other one is 20, super hot, hates the MC and for some reason ends up fucking him because old straight white dude fantasy
- info dumps, info dumps everywhere
- everyone's decisions are the worst
- The Plan is just... I CAN'T with how stupid it is
- for a deepsea creature this shark is spending so much time jumping out of the water
- so this is where Sharknado had the "get swallowed by shark, cut yourself out, survive" scene from
- there are so, so, SO many measurements in feet and pounds and I, as a non-American who uses the logical system, have no grasp of how far away 1200 feet are
- the shark is 40000 pounds heavy, then 42000, then back to 40000, then 42000 again...
- wat @ the ending
July 28, 2018
I first heard about The Meg when I saw a trailer for the forthcoming Statham movie.
I honestly thought it was a Sharknado inspired Shark film.
So I was really surprised to see the movie tie-in edition and instantly had to pick it up.
This book certainly delivers on the big dumb cheesy monsterfest.
A believed extinct prehistoric Megalodon is terrorises anything that stands in its way...
It’s was just the right side of enjoyable for me. I wasn’t fully invested in all the characters and the way the book ended, I’m not too desperate to pick up the next instalment.
That said I’m more interested in seeing the movie now, so I’m glad that I’d decided to read the book first.
I honestly thought it was a Sharknado inspired Shark film.
So I was really surprised to see the movie tie-in edition and instantly had to pick it up.
This book certainly delivers on the big dumb cheesy monsterfest.
A believed extinct prehistoric Megalodon is terrorises anything that stands in its way...
It’s was just the right side of enjoyable for me. I wasn’t fully invested in all the characters and the way the book ended, I’m not too desperate to pick up the next instalment.
That said I’m more interested in seeing the movie now, so I’m glad that I’d decided to read the book first.
August 27, 2017
I really wanted this to be good. I do enjoy a good shark story. This is a decent, sometimes good, shark story. It's the rest of it that drags this story down. The story regarding the Meg is pretty decent and I wished the author had spent more time on the shark. Instead we are treated to a low class soap opera of stupid people. They do stupid things with a 60 foot shark. None of the people are really likeable and I ended up rooting for the Shark. I won't waste more time with this review-the book itself is not deserving of more time. I might have given it a 1 star rating but the shark parts do save the story-the rest of the characters? Could care less and they drag the story down into a bunch of banal tropes and enormous stupidity. Card-board cut out characters do nothing for the story.
July 22, 2019
BUY THE BOOK
Pretty good and kind of cheesy. Just the way I like it.
Pretty good and kind of cheesy. Just the way I like it.
August 2, 2016
Carcharodon megalodon, the 70-foot, 70,000 pound prehistoric cousin of the Great White shark. Imagine a shark as big as two Greyhound buses, with a jaw wide enough to eat an African elephant in two gi-normous bites, and you have Meg.
SHARKS! Bring the terror!
So, I went to see the MEG a few weeks or months ago, or whenever it was out. Sometime between July and now. I know I could easily google, but I'm not going to. Sue me.
And it was pretty good! I knew I had signed up for a giant shark movie and I got what I was expecting. So I figured the book would likely be pretty good too.
I WAS WRONG!
This is better.
Yes, there was giant sharkalicious fun, but there was a surprising plausibility to it all. I found myself completely buying into the conceit. And the writing was good; it completely knew when to wait and give the characters time to shine, and when to bring on a prehistoric 60ft albino shark.
I also loved when the book would get all sciency and nerdy about nature. I mean, in a story that could easily go "big shark, chomp chomp" it decided to delve into deep sea ecology.
Also read this paragraph and tell me you don't hear David Attenborough narrating it.
Reaching lengths of more than fifteen feet and weighing six thousand pounds, the northern elephant seal is the largest pinniped in the world and the most sexually dimorphic, with an alpha male bull mating with as many as four dozen females. Pelagic, they spend most of their time underwater and can hold their breath on a single dive for well over an hour. Winter months are spent onshore at rookeries where they mate, birth, and fight for dominance. But each spring and summer, they return to the Farallons where they lay about the rocky beaches, playing, sleeping, and molting.
I want David Attenborough to narrate my life.
So Meg brings the terror and fun and blood and science(?) - disclaimer: I don't know science. But I was having such fun reading, I never wanted it to end!
I may have even made an audible noise of disagreement when the acknowledgements came. I wasn’t ready to be done!
The verdict: 4.5 out of 5 shark bites. Better than any book about an enormous shark has any right to be.
SHARKS! Bring the terror!
So, I went to see the MEG a few weeks or months ago, or whenever it was out. Sometime between July and now. I know I could easily google, but I'm not going to. Sue me.
And it was pretty good! I knew I had signed up for a giant shark movie and I got what I was expecting. So I figured the book would likely be pretty good too.
I WAS WRONG!
This is better.
Yes, there was giant sharkalicious fun, but there was a surprising plausibility to it all. I found myself completely buying into the conceit. And the writing was good; it completely knew when to wait and give the characters time to shine, and when to bring on a prehistoric 60ft albino shark.
I also loved when the book would get all sciency and nerdy about nature. I mean, in a story that could easily go "big shark, chomp chomp" it decided to delve into deep sea ecology.
Also read this paragraph and tell me you don't hear David Attenborough narrating it.
Reaching lengths of more than fifteen feet and weighing six thousand pounds, the northern elephant seal is the largest pinniped in the world and the most sexually dimorphic, with an alpha male bull mating with as many as four dozen females. Pelagic, they spend most of their time underwater and can hold their breath on a single dive for well over an hour. Winter months are spent onshore at rookeries where they mate, birth, and fight for dominance. But each spring and summer, they return to the Farallons where they lay about the rocky beaches, playing, sleeping, and molting.
I want David Attenborough to narrate my life.
So Meg brings the terror and fun and blood and science(?) - disclaimer: I don't know science. But I was having such fun reading, I never wanted it to end!
I may have even made an audible noise of disagreement when the acknowledgements came. I wasn’t ready to be done!
The verdict: 4.5 out of 5 shark bites. Better than any book about an enormous shark has any right to be.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,519 reviews