[balaspa]

I have to say, I have a soft spot for a good Sea Monster story.  The first novel that got me to love fiction and even made me consider writing as a career was Jaws by Benchley.  I loved Moby Dick as well (ok, true confession...loved the movie, but had trouble getting through the book).  I loved Benchley's Beast (hey, you might as well rip yourself off). 

I am now reading a book on Kindle called Leviathan and I am enjoying it immensely.  I also read the Meg series of books about a giant prehistoric great white by an author I am completely forgetting...

So, I thought I would start a thread.  Any good sea monster stories you've found out there??

 

[NogDog]

You could grab one of the free or low-cost H.P Lovecraft collections out there, as some of his stories include sea monsters. "Dagon" comes to mind, and I guess you could consider Cthulhu to be a sea monster of sorts.

 

[yomamma]

There is an entire series called MEG: HELL'S AQUARIUM that is about a gigantic killer shark.

I think the author also wrote a book called THE LOCH which I think is about the Loch Ness Monster!

 

[Geemont]

Available as Multiformat from Fictionwise. A whole collection of sea monster stories. I bought it from before there was a Kindle, but have ever read it.

 

[Flash Rex]

Hey balaspa,

I really like those books too!  In fact, I earlier self promoted something about that topic in the Book Bazaar (but not here). 

 

[DYB]

The sea monsters book that started it all is, of course, "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea!"

 

[Flash Rex]

Balaspa,

Since you read Benchley's Beast, you may already be aware of Benchley's Creature. I read it years ago and, while fun, is no Beast (and certainly no Jaws).

Flash

 

[NogDog]

The sea monsters book that started it all is, of course, "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea!"

And here I thought it was Homer's Odyssey, with Scylla and Charybdis.

 

[Flash Rex]

Balaspa,

Since you read Benchley's Beast, you may already be aware of Benchley's Creature. I read it years ago and, while fun, is no Beast (and certainly no Jaws).

Flash

Creature was the TV name for it. The book is actually titled White Shark. My apologies.

Flash

 

[Ann in Arlington]

And here I thought it was Homer's Odyssey, with Scylla and Charybdis.

There was something pretty ancient about a guy who got swallowed by a whale too. . . . . . .

 

[NogDog]

There was something pretty ancient about a guy who got swallowed by a whale too. . . . . . .

I thought about that, but I don't consider whales to be monsters.

 

[Joel Arnold]

I also read the Meg series of books about a giant prehistoric great white by an author I am completely forgetting...

I believe that author is Steve Alten?

 

[cpink]

Really pleased I came across this one It doesn't matter how old I get: I'm always going to be a sea-monster lover.

Better than a vampire lover though. Oh wait...until someone comes up with the idea for a sea-monster-vampire hybrid novel...

Just in case, be sure to never tell anyone about THAT idea. I wouldn't want to be held responsible for what could become of it...

Anyway, to get back on point. I have always been very keen on -- and still am, if I am being honest -- sea monster stories. In fact, I'm more or less obsessed with Cryptozoology (all kinds of it, not just sea-monster stuff). Which is probably why it's a central theme in my new Kindle novel.

I have to agree that Jaws is one of the finest (although if you want to get really technical and pedantic, the star of the film is a supremely deranged / pissed-off shark rather than a 'monster').

I have another suggestion, for anyone who's interested (I apologise if this has already been mentioned): although The Swarm by German writer Frank Schatzing isn't technically a sea-monster story, it is a fascinating book (warning: it's also a book that might kill someone if you drop it from second-story window, so watch yourself). If you've never heard of it, the basic story is that sea's all over the world suddenly turn very sinister. Strange incidents start occurring...fishermen vanish...sealife starts behaving very strangely indeed.

I won't give away anymore than that, but I will say that you shouldn't be discouraged by the immense word-count. Enormous though it is, I found it to be a decent read. Not a masterpiece, exactly -- it does get quite scientific and bogged down with research in places -- but well worth a reader's time.

Hope that adds to the discussion.

Chris.

 

[Ann in Arlington]

I thought about that, but I don't consider whales to be monsters.

Point taken.

But Jonah might have disagreed.

 

[NogDog]

Point taken.

But Jonah might have disagreed.

Then again, a "monster" probably wouldn't have done a "catch and release".

 

[Ann in Arlington]

Then again, a "monster" probably wouldn't have done a "catch and release".

Indigestion?

 

[ChrisHoward]

Great thread.  I'm also a sea monster fan, and some great recommendations here.  Anyone know of any science fictional sea monster books or stories--sea monsters on other planets? 

 

[balaspa]

I did hear and remember Creature from Benchley.  But the whole premise seemed so wild and weird to me, that I never read it.

I have read the MEG series...well, the first two entries in it.  I haven't read his LOCH story.

LEVIATHAN was excellent, by the way.

 

[Guest]

David Drake's short story "From the Dark Water" is worth a look. A becalmed Roman galley comes under attack by a sea monster.

If you like monsters from the sea (and don't mind bad seventies pulp) there's also Guy N. Smith's crab series.