Savage Species

Fiction Without Frontiers

By: Jonathan Janz

Narrated by: Todd Boyce

Length: 13 hrs and 7 mins

Publisher's summary

"Jonathan Janz does several things immaculately well in Savage Species, primarily crafting high-octane action sequences and creating antagonists that you can easily hate in the span of only a few short paragraphs.... Overall, Savage Species delivered the goods." (High Fever Books)

Jesse thinks he’s caught a break when he, Emma (the girl of his dreams), and her friend are assigned by their newspaper to cover the opening weekend of a sprawling new state park. But the construction of the park has stirred an evil that has lain dormant for nearly a hundred years, and the three young people - as well as every man, woman, and child unlucky enough to be attending the Algonquin Falls grand opening - are about to encounter the most horrific creatures to ever walk the earth.

Flame Tree Press is the new fiction imprint of Flame Tree Publishing. Launched in 2018 the list brings together brilliant new authors and the more established; the award winners, and exciting, original voices.

©2019 Flame Tree Publishing (P)2019 Flame Tree Publishing

Story is great, narration meh

The story is fast-paced and sucks you in. The last quarter felt progressively depressing but it fit well in this universe. The narrator, however, mispronounced several words (doesn’t anyone watch for that?). He also created a voice for Colleen that grated on my nerves. It made her one-dimensional. None of this was enough for me to stop listening to the book but I’m hopeful this review will help the narrator improve.

Gore Feast Galore

This book is in-your-face horror throughout. Also, there is some rape for people who are triggered with such scenarios, and it was even hard for me to listen to at times. Had me on the edge of my seat until the very end. The narrator has a fittingly creepy voice to go with the story. 5 stars from me.

Bland Characters, Excessive Sexism, Bad Narration

After reading the reviews for this title I was a little hesitant. Two words, "bad narrator" gave me pause, but after listening to the sample, which was decent, I figured I could stomach the bad narration for what seemed like an ok horror novel. I was wrong. After the beginning scene, the book takes an absolute nose dive. Terrible characters bumbling through a bare bones plot. Clumsy foreshadowing that is less foreshadowing and more akin to being smacked with a sign that reads "here's what's happening next!" Add on an incredibly lecherous "nice guy" character who can't stop thinking about when he can next masterbate to his female coworker in a swimsuit and the narration became the unbearable icing on the cake. I tried listening to it with the narration slowed down a bit, as the man's voice has this high whining, nasal quality, but that only made it worse. The voices he does for the various female characters are borderline a crime against nature. Overall, would not recommend.

Horrible narrator

narrator sounds like he has a sore throat and is constantly whispering. i could not finish this book and i will actively avoid anything else he reads.

I like monster stories

Some people think themselves too refined for horror novels about monsters and ghosts. I am not one of them. I've enjoyed every single Jonathan Janz book I've read. I like the original story lines, I like the characters. These stories are interesting, entertaining and fun. I recommend them all.

a fun read/listen

Has all the things I enjoy in a book. Monsters with gore. A splash of sexuality. Even though it dealt with serious situations and was quite intense at times, it was still very fun

Constantly breaking the momentum

This was an exciting story concept interrupted constantly by the juvenile sexual fantasies of superficially drawn characters. If the “men” weren’t fantasizing or judging the female characters there were boring, long drawn out scenes of what I’m guessing is supposed to be flirting. Right in the middle of what should be an intense, dark, exploration of a monster infested cave we have to listen to these weird, unimaginative and tedious excursions that have nothing to do with what’s actually happening. I haven’t read any other Janz books so I can’t say this is a normal obsession with porn and sexual fantasy but I started to wonder if what we’re getting is the author’s own shallow fantasies and beliefs about women. It was enough to knock the story off course repeatedly. A good editor could have helped streamline this book and kept the momentum going.

So Good

Second book in a row by Mr.Janz. great characters that become very real (this is what I love most about novels), well written, fast paced, in depth history that gives context/reason to/for the action. very scary. very gory, but necessary to realize the creatures ferocity - not gore for gore's sake. Still, be prepared. BUT, it is the characters & the story that are this book's heart. Off to get a third book by Mr. Janz.

it was ok

hard to finish because it drug on forever. not bad monsters and deaths. narrator was pretty bad.

ugh

Too stupid. Couldn't even get halfway through. Indian guy knows and is prepared for creatures, but no one asks him about it....

excellent creature feature

It's got everything you want, action, blood and a whole lot of gore. It's visceral, violent and although it's fast paced the author managed to get me invested in the characters. Some I was rooting for to live and others I hoped got what they deserved. the author really created the intense atmosphere and kept me on the edge of my seat waiting for the monsters to appear. I will definitely read the sequel.