Comments on: The Top Cryptofiction Books of 2006

By: ethanmeadow

ethanmeadow — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 22:43:04 +0000

Interesting list of science fiction, fantasy eco-thrillers. Dave Freedman’s “Natural Selection” caught my eye as the most interesting. And wins for cover art too! Very cool.

By: mystery_man

mystery_man — Mon, 18 Dec 2006 04:47:45 +0000

The children’s book is cool. I remember how much fascination this subject awakened in me when I was a kid. Maybe some little future cryptozoologist in the making will take his first step down that road because of this book.

By: loyalfromlondon

loyalfromlondon — Sun, 17 Dec 2006 23:19:56 +0000

I actually posted a review on Amazon for Natural Selection that I’m fairly certain the publishers or author had removed.

Natural selection is horrible. Beyond horrible. Characters seem to change midsentence, not a single shred of consistency throughout the novel.

Hell, the bite radius of the main beastie appears to change from chapter to chapter.

Natural Selection sorely needed an editor.

By: Loren Coleman

Loren Coleman — Sun, 17 Dec 2006 17:20:58 +0000

Update: I just added a children’s cryptofiction book choice.

By: MattBille

MattBille — Sun, 17 Dec 2006 16:00:07 +0000

Loren,
Thanks as always for this compilation. I’d missed a couple of these books, and will be looking forward to reading them.

On a couple I have read:

The cryptozoological elements in Bestiary were interesting, but I thought they were overshadowed by the supernatural elements of this entertaining thriller. The book still gets a thumbs-up as a fun read.

Natural Selection is another story. The science is, as I said in my earlier comments, so bad it’s not even wrong. There is simply nothing remotely plausible about Freedman’s creatures or his story. Add that to cardboard characters and one impossible coincidence or escape piled on another, and Freedman makes everything else on this list look like the work of John Updike or Babara Kingsolver by comparison.

OK, stepping off soapboax now.

Regards,

Matt

By: Loren Coleman

Loren Coleman — Sun, 17 Dec 2006 15:21:43 +0000

Eric Penz's book was highlighted on last year's list - The Top Cryptofiction Books of 2005. Please look there for readers' comments on that book and at the online booksellers' reviewers by clicking on the book's name here: Cryptid: The Lost Legacy of Lewis and Clark. Let's attempt to keep the comments here centered on the 2006 selections; thank you.

By: busterggi

busterggi — Sun, 17 Dec 2006 15:11:46 +0000

Gotta say that I’m seriously thinking of getting a couple of those now.

Darn you, you keep making me buy more books!

By: ToddPartain

ToddPartain — Sun, 17 Dec 2006 08:13:14 +0000

Has anyone read “Cryptid: The Lost Legacy of Lewis & Clark” by Eric Penz?