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kirstenmeek's review against another edition
4.0
Okay, so everything about this book told me that it should be terrible. I was given a digital copy of this book by NetGalley/Curiosity Quills in exchange for an honest review. Upon reading the blurb about this book, I couldn't help but be curious. It has many of the things I would normally avoid in a book. The weird thing is, though, it was pretty great.
All of the characters are well written and fun to read about. This was unexpected in a book whose main plot device is sentient lava that manifests as deadly, bloodthirsty sharks. There is something magical about this book. It takes you along on a ridiculous journey, but makes you really care about what is happening and the people who are living it. I even got a little emotional in places.
Bottom line? I recommend this book.
All of the characters are well written and fun to read about. This was unexpected in a book whose main plot device is sentient lava that manifests as deadly, bloodthirsty sharks. There is something magical about this book. It takes you along on a ridiculous journey, but makes you really care about what is happening and the people who are living it. I even got a little emotional in places.
Bottom line? I recommend this book.
dantastic's review against another edition
3.0
When volcanoes erupt all over the world, the lava is not as dangerous as the unholy beasts that swim in it, the lava sharks! Can a motley crew scattered all over the world save humanity from the lava shark menace and the accompanying hellfire flu?
I got this from Netgalley.
I eyed this up on Netgalley for a couple weeks before finally pulling the trigger on it. It looks like a B-movie in book form. What could be wrong with that? I'll get back to that in a minute.
Sharcano is way better than it has any right to be. It reads like one of Christopher Moore's Pine Cove books, only on a global scale. Instead of a B-movie in book form, it's more like a parody/homage of big budget disaster movies. It could easily have been a Michael Bay movie with an all Aerosmith soundtrack.
Sharcano packs a lot into its pages: philandering newscasters, hot lady scientists, sinister Asian scientists, redneck Bigfoot hunters, Area 51, volcanoes, disease, and sharks made out of lava. It's a buffet of carnage up in this bitch.
Like I said earlier, the writing was way better than I thought it would be. I actually cared about the characters, something I did not anticipate. It's loaded with funny similes and quotable dialogue, which contributes to the length. And therein lies the rub.
For what it is, Sharcano is about twice as long as it needs to be, especially since it's the first book in a trilogy. When you watch a B-movie or cheesy disaster flick, it's only two hours out of your life. This cheesefest is over 420 pages and it's not as fast of a read as you'd think. Ultimately, it feels like a spectacular 100 page novella crammed into a 420 page book, to paraphrase the mighty Ebert.
Still, it's pretty fun. I was entertained by the concept of lava sharks but it had all worn a little thin by the end. Imagine the feeling you'd get after watching three disaster movies in row.
Three out of five stars. I doubt I'll be returning for the next installment, though.
I got this from Netgalley.
I eyed this up on Netgalley for a couple weeks before finally pulling the trigger on it. It looks like a B-movie in book form. What could be wrong with that? I'll get back to that in a minute.
Sharcano is way better than it has any right to be. It reads like one of Christopher Moore's Pine Cove books, only on a global scale. Instead of a B-movie in book form, it's more like a parody/homage of big budget disaster movies. It could easily have been a Michael Bay movie with an all Aerosmith soundtrack.
Sharcano packs a lot into its pages: philandering newscasters, hot lady scientists, sinister Asian scientists, redneck Bigfoot hunters, Area 51, volcanoes, disease, and sharks made out of lava. It's a buffet of carnage up in this bitch.
Like I said earlier, the writing was way better than I thought it would be. I actually cared about the characters, something I did not anticipate. It's loaded with funny similes and quotable dialogue, which contributes to the length. And therein lies the rub.
For what it is, Sharcano is about twice as long as it needs to be, especially since it's the first book in a trilogy. When you watch a B-movie or cheesy disaster flick, it's only two hours out of your life. This cheesefest is over 420 pages and it's not as fast of a read as you'd think. Ultimately, it feels like a spectacular 100 page novella crammed into a 420 page book, to paraphrase the mighty Ebert.
Still, it's pretty fun. I was entertained by the concept of lava sharks but it had all worn a little thin by the end. Imagine the feeling you'd get after watching three disaster movies in row.
Three out of five stars. I doubt I'll be returning for the next installment, though.
ninjabunneh's review against another edition
2.0
Epic cheesy Syfy masquerading as a book?
Lava sharks incinerating the world?
Sign me the fuck up.
Unfortunately, the book fell flat pretty quickly. The main character is probably one of the biggest douchcanoes I've read about in a while. I actually wanted him to die. Quickly and painfully.
Add to this way too many things going on, an influx of useless characters, and just overall nonsensical fuckery, this ended up not being my cuppa.
I wanted some cheese, not twenty tons of melted Velveeta.
2 Ninja-Bunnehs
One extra star was given by the bunnehs against my better judgement. They liked the gore.
Lava sharks incinerating the world?
Sign me the fuck up.
Unfortunately, the book fell flat pretty quickly. The main character is probably one of the biggest douchcanoes I've read about in a while. I actually wanted him to die. Quickly and painfully.
Add to this way too many things going on, an influx of useless characters, and just overall nonsensical fuckery, this ended up not being my cuppa.
I wanted some cheese, not twenty tons of melted Velveeta.
2 Ninja-Bunnehs
One extra star was given by the bunnehs against my better judgement. They liked the gore.
maleficentbookdragon's review against another edition
2.0
Actually ** 1/2
I wanted to love this and there were things to love about this. I am a B monster movie lover, so LAVA SHARKS, sharks made out of actual lava, is amazeballs. I love an outrageous science gone wrong storyline. The story kept me interested. To a point.
My disappointments (or, why it didn't get 3 stars) -
1) Jack ass of a main character, and his lack of character.I was routing fir him to die. A lot.
2) Sexist language. This writer really has a thing against over weight women, or plain women, or women I general I think.
3) Some ridiculous language. Really?!? No one talks like that.
4) Sloppy editing. Too many typos.
5) Too many charcters jammed in
I'm not annoyed I read it, but the writing was annoying a lot of the time. Not as bad as "An Apple for Zoe", but close. Both are stories I wanted to know, but the writing made it painful to know.
I wanted to love this and there were things to love about this. I am a B monster movie lover, so LAVA SHARKS, sharks made out of actual lava, is amazeballs. I love an outrageous science gone wrong storyline. The story kept me interested. To a point.
My disappointments (or, why it didn't get 3 stars) -
1) Jack ass of a main character, and his lack of character.I was routing fir him to die. A lot.
2) Sexist language. This writer really has a thing against over weight women, or plain women, or women I general I think.
3) Some ridiculous language. Really?!? No one talks like that.
4) Sloppy editing. Too many typos.
5) Too many charcters jammed in
I'm not annoyed I read it, but the writing was annoying a lot of the time. Not as bad as "An Apple for Zoe", but close. Both are stories I wanted to know, but the writing made it painful to know.
gizmoto16's review
4.0
I really enjoyed this book. It's pretty much what you'd expect. It's not trying to be a great literary work. It's just entertaining and no holds barred excitement. There's freaking lava sharks flying through the air and taking down airplanes! Really, what's not to like?
caroleheidi's review
4.0
If you open this book expecting horror and science fiction of a serious nature then you are going to be seriously disappointed and hate it, however if you are wanting a fast-paced romp through a hellish apocalypse of amusing lava-shark related proportions then you will love it.
Much like the films that are of a similar nature, the overall storyline of this can only really be described as a bit silly. Sentient lava in the form of giant lava sharks that don’t particularly adhere to the laws of physics rapidly melting the Earth and everything on it into a puddle of ash is never going to be serious and inevitably leads to a few moments of giggling at someone being eaten/melted in a comically ridiculous way every ten pages or so. That said, it is very good silliness.
It keeps on throwing more situations at the wide cast of characters and they behave in believable human ways that make you fond of them even if you don’t much like their personalities. There is intrigue and mystery as everyone tries to figure out a way to halt the ever flowing lava and save the Earth as well as desperation, despair and tragedy.
I will confess to even shedding a couple of tears at tense moments – the power of playing on emotions and parent-child bonds is used with prowess – as well as laughing out loud and actually face-palming at the odd idiot moment.
I really, really enjoyed this book in the same way as I enjoy ‘popcorn’ movies that don’t require me to do anything but kick back and enjoy the show. I was a bit unsure at first but three chapters in and I was hooked, it was good fun and delivered exactly what the title promised cleverly and wittily without taking itself too seriously.
I’m actually quite curious about where the series will go next…
Much like the films that are of a similar nature, the overall storyline of this can only really be described as a bit silly. Sentient lava in the form of giant lava sharks that don’t particularly adhere to the laws of physics rapidly melting the Earth and everything on it into a puddle of ash is never going to be serious and inevitably leads to a few moments of giggling at someone being eaten/melted in a comically ridiculous way every ten pages or so. That said, it is very good silliness.
It keeps on throwing more situations at the wide cast of characters and they behave in believable human ways that make you fond of them even if you don’t much like their personalities. There is intrigue and mystery as everyone tries to figure out a way to halt the ever flowing lava and save the Earth as well as desperation, despair and tragedy.
I will confess to even shedding a couple of tears at tense moments – the power of playing on emotions and parent-child bonds is used with prowess – as well as laughing out loud and actually face-palming at the odd idiot moment.
I really, really enjoyed this book in the same way as I enjoy ‘popcorn’ movies that don’t require me to do anything but kick back and enjoy the show. I was a bit unsure at first but three chapters in and I was hooked, it was good fun and delivered exactly what the title promised cleverly and wittily without taking itself too seriously.
I’m actually quite curious about where the series will go next…
annaclarimoto's review
4.0
An absolutely ridiculous book that is so crazy it's brilliant! After the first few chapters of "what on earth..." And "this is beyond ridiculous" it transformed into "this is so ridiculous I want to keep reading" and finally "this is so ridiculous it's amazing!". Laugh-out-loud funny at times, it also made me (unexpectedly) tear up at times.
In summary, two words. Lava sharks.
In summary, two words. Lava sharks.
maleficentbookdragon's review
2.0
Actually ** 1/2
I wanted to love this and there were things to love about this. I am a B monster movie lover, so LAVA SHARKS, sharks made out of actual lava, is amazeballs. I love an outrageous science gone wrong storyline. The story kept me interested. To a point.
My disappointments (or, why it didn't get 3 stars) -
1) Jack ass of a main character, and his lack of character.I was routing fir him to die. A lot.
2) Sexist language. This writer really has a thing against over weight women, or plain women, or women I general I think.
3) Some ridiculous language. Really?!? No one talks like that.
4) Sloppy editing. Too many typos.
5) Too many charcters jammed in
I'm not annoyed I read it, but the writing was annoying a lot of the time. Not as bad as "An Apple for Zoe", but close. Both are stories I wanted to know, but the writing made it painful to know.
I wanted to love this and there were things to love about this. I am a B monster movie lover, so LAVA SHARKS, sharks made out of actual lava, is amazeballs. I love an outrageous science gone wrong storyline. The story kept me interested. To a point.
My disappointments (or, why it didn't get 3 stars) -
1) Jack ass of a main character, and his lack of character.I was routing fir him to die. A lot.
2) Sexist language. This writer really has a thing against over weight women, or plain women, or women I general I think.
3) Some ridiculous language. Really?!? No one talks like that.
4) Sloppy editing. Too many typos.
5) Too many charcters jammed in
I'm not annoyed I read it, but the writing was annoying a lot of the time. Not as bad as "An Apple for Zoe", but close. Both are stories I wanted to know, but the writing made it painful to know.
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