Tough Traveling: Monsters
The Thursday feature “Tough Traveling” is the brainchild of Nathan ofReview Barn, who has come up with the excellent idea of making a new list each week based on the most common tropes in fantasy, as seen in The Tough Guide to Fantasyland by Diana Wynn Jones. Nathan has invited anyone who is interested to come play along, so be sure to check out the first link for more information.
This week’s tour topic is: Monsters
MONSTERS are likely to lie in waste areas, caves, and old ruined cities. You can usually detect their presence by smell.
Whoa hey now waitaminute! Monsters? That’s not what Nathan promised me!
@nightxade @MMOGC HA! Next week it will be benevolent carnivorous plants so we don’t get too full of ourselves.— Nathan (@ReviewBarn) October 21, 2014
I totally accepted this challenge and was all ready with La Dolorosa, from Miserere: An Autumn Tale. Imagine a beautiful yet deadly rose that feasts on blood and evil, and maybe our hapless protagonists too, if they aren’t careful! Okay maybe Teresa Frohock’s lethal flora isn’t exactly benevolent, so that works for this week’s Monsters theme, too. Now where do I pick up my prize?
~Wendy
Mogsy’s Picks:
Bravo Nathan for coming up with the perfect theme for Halloween! I’m excited this week to feature some excellent novels featuring monsters, from the terrifying to the quirky.
The Terror by Dan Simmons
I loved this book! And interestingly, it’s been getting some extra attention lately, with the discovery of one of the ships from the lost Franklin Expedition just recently in Arctic Canada. This book was inspired by the true events from that doomed expedition, a historical fiction with a horror bent. The premise involves the unfortunately crew of the Erebus and The Terror trapped in the ice, stalked by an unseen monster out in the frigid darkness.
Who Goes There? by John W. Campbell Jr.
One of my favorite horror movies has got to be John Carpenter’s The Thing (1982). This was the novella that formed the basis for it (as well as other adaptations, including The Thing from Another World in 1951). An antarctic research camp discovers the remains of an ancient alien frozen under the ice (cold and forbidding environments seem to make for the best horror settings) and the monster ends up reviving, being able to shapeshift and assume the forms of humans and animals alike, imitating them perfectly.
The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey
This is another favorite of mine. And don’t let the Young Adult tag fool you into letting your guard down! The Monstrumologist is one of the most sickeningly bloody and gory books I’ve ever read, and YA or not, I’d honestly hesitate to hand this one to just any teenager. As you can probably guess, a “monstrumologist” is one who studies monsters. This first book of the series features predators called the Anthropophagi, which means “people eaters”…enough said.
Club Monstrosity by Jesse Petersen
Now for something a little more lighthearted and fun. The basic premise behind this book is the question, What if all the monsters and paranormal creatures that have ever been featured in our favorite classic books and movies — Frankenstein’s monster, Dracula, etc. — are actually real and living in secret among us? Twice a week, they get together in their Monstofelldosis Anonymous support group in a church basement to talk about all the difficulties faced by your average everyday misunderstood monster, just trying to make it in the big city.
Kaiju Rising: Age of Monsters edited by Tim Marquitz & Nick Sharps
I’m cheating a bit here, as I haven’t read this anthology in its entirety, but I think we can all agree that it fits into the theme this week. Kaiju!!! In case it’s not immediately obvious, this book is a collection of short stories focused on or inspired by the theme of strange and humongous monsters in the same vein as movies like Pacific Rim, Godzilla, and Cloverfield, etc.
The BiblioSanctum 
Hey, carnivorous plants may have to come back when we inevitably leave the Tough Guide behind so keep it in your pocket!
What happened Mogsy, we are usually on the same page. I have not read a single one of those! Nice
LikeLike
I like to feature books I haven’t done in previous TTs if I can, and monsters just seemed like a great topic to go a bit nuts and branch out 😀
LikeLike
Oh oh! Then I can dd Star Wars: Traitor to the carnivorous plant collection!
LikeLike
Ih monsters! what a good topic! I only know about Club Monstrosity by Jesse Petersen and I really enjoyed this one, good choice!
LikeLike
That’s pretty cool! I have to say most people I’ve talked to who have read Petersen have only read her zombie books.
LikeLike
What no plants? So disappointing 😉
LikeLike
That would be a very tough week 😛
LikeLike
I think I’ve been trying to read The Terror for about 3 years now. Absolutely fascinating, but extraordinarily slow and methodical . . . I find it so hard to get into it for more than a chapter or two at a time.
LikeLike
The format of the novel is a bit strange, but it does pick up momentum. I remember a lot of it being the hardships and just the terribly and harrowing conditions the crew had to go through. I mean, the horror aspects are creepy enough, but all that just compounded it.
LikeLike
The Terror!!! One of my very favorite Simmons novels, and I’ve read almost all of them. I’m so glad it’s getting some attention. I really do want to read The Monstrumologist, I had no idea it was so gory, though.
LikeLike
Whee, it’s always so awesome to talk to someone else who has experience the awesomeness of The Terror!!! It’s one of my favorites as well. Simmons writes great sci-fi but I also love his horror/historical fiction and other non-sci fi.
LikeLike
This is a really interesting list!! And full of things I have not read. I really want to read Misere, especially after getting a taste of Frohock’s writing with Broken Road.
LikeLike
It’s a great book. I’m the other way around, I really should read the Broken Road 😀
LikeLike
Definitely read Miserere! I love her writing style and her dark ideas.
LikeLike
Ooh, that Nathan, playing tricks on his Tough Traveling peeps. LOL Although admittedly, I know of way more monsters than carnivorous plants, so I can’t say that I’m too disappointed. Egads, The Thing—great pick!
LikeLike
I can’t speak for others, but I know I’m glad we didn’t have to come up with a list of benevolent carnivorous plants…
LikeLike
Hey he tweeted a challenge and I accepted. Can’t say I can think of any more for it though….
LikeLike
This is an awesome topic! I love your suggestions too! I’ve never heard of The Terror, but it looks amazing – added to my TBR list! Thanks for sharing 🙂
In other news, I have a giveaway going on for a horror novel you might be interested in!
Tracy @ Cornerfolds
LikeLike
Thanks, I’ll check it out!
LikeLike
I love The Thing. It has my favourite movie quote, and I did get WGT from the library but just never got round to reading it. Miserere is on my must read list, and this this Terror by Dan Simmons, I believe the universe is telling me to read this.
LikeLike
Love that movie. I’m amazed at the production values and effects, given it was made before I was even born, but the monster is scarier than a lot of what I see in horror movies today. What would the quote be, by the way? 🙂
LikeLike
“I dunno what the hells in there, but its ugly and pissed off, whatever it is.” Such a great movie
LikeLike
Crikey I haven’t read any of these – I wonder which ones I would put in since monsters is a much easier topic….and benevolent carnivorous plants….wtf
LikeLike
OMG – such a relief we didn’t end up with the plants!! I wouldn’t have any!
And, I haven’t read any of your books at all this week – outstanding picks!
Ta
Lynn 😀
LikeLike
LOL I only had the one for carnivorous plants. But one is still pretty impressive!
LikeLike
Well. It certainly beats zero! 😀
LikeLike
Yes, but monsters is more appropriate for Halloween than carnivorous plants. (and more do able.) Monstrumologist has been on my to read list for a year, I’m glad to hear it’s good. lol I love the idea of a monsters support group! Good choices!
LikeLike
Oh I don’t know. Little Shop of Horrors sounds pretty Halloween-t to me 😉
LikeLike
I will have to check these out! Especially The Terror.
LikeLike
Wow, I haven’t read any of these! The Monstrumologist sounds very cool, though. I have yet to read a single book by Rick Yancey (somehow!) but I really want to someday.
LikeLike
Pingback: Tough Traveling: Unique Flora | The BiblioSanctum