This book did the rounds when I was at school, hence it earns four stars. The author clearly knows how to deal with a story of this ilk. Personally I didn't find it that horrific or impressive, but I was an early Green and it gave me something to focus on. You have to admire the guy for being able to push the buttons from scene to scene - you know there'll be a romance, etc. Four stars for motivating people to change for the better.(I now recognise that a lot of what is supposedly Green is hogwash, and a lot of what appears environmentally bad at first sight is actually good. Truth is the first casualty of war. But you need only look at the former Eastern Europe to see how bad the legacy of poor environmental policy is. You need a sensible environmental policy, but don't go all crazy.)
A good, solid pulp read. Seltzer wrote THE OMEN, so he knows what he's doing, and he creates a fine story of a rampaging monster with a scientific/technical edge that reminded me of Michael Crichton. This is a universe grounded in believable reality, where we learn about the workings of a paper mill and pollution, not the kind of slim and trashy pulp fare of the same era by Guy N. Smith.Seltzer's characterisation is less remarkable, but sufficient for a novel of this scope. There's something unpleasant lurking in the woods that leads to some thrilling set pieces, including a horrifying encounter with the beast for some unwary campers who've chosen the wrong time to backpack through the wilds.I found this far superior to Martin Cruz Smith's similar NIGHTWING.
