Rating: 
Summary: A Terrific "What If" Thriller
Review: Rovin manages to take a seemingly implausible premise (prehistoric sabertooth cats in the LA hills) and let it play out in an enjoyable modern day monster thriller that actually is believable. Yes, on the surface you've got the requisite "good" girl and guy against the big bad sheriff. But when you understand where each of the characters is coming from, you can actually find yourself seeing all sides of the situation and more often than not, siding with the "bad guy" sheriff.Some previous reviewers seem to be annoyed that there is anyone in the book that has an interest in saving the cats. Well, forgive me for suggesting that that is extremely realistic. You can't tell me that if creatures such as these actually did make an appearance in 2000 that there would not be a great moral dilemma played out between those dedicated to protecting citizens and those furthering the cause of science. And YES it would be fought out on the front pages of our newspapers.
Rating: 
Summary: Lions and Tigers and...okay...just Tigers
Review: Rovin, with "Fatalis" has created a book that brings back the spirit of the old monster movies. You know the ones...where a creature is frozen and is somehow miraculously revived in modern times and begins to wreak havoc among human beings. In this book, sabre-toothed tigers are the monsters (or is the humans who want to kill them) and they, predictably, start eating their way through California. Fun book but predictable. Nothing new here. Grab some popcorn and relive those monster movie memories.
Rating:
Summary: Lions and Tigers and...okay...just Tigers
Review: Rovin, with "Fatalis" has created a book that brings back the spirit of the old monster movies. You know the ones...where a creature is frozen and is somehow miraculously revived in modern times and begins to wreak havoc among human beings. In this book, sabre-toothed tigers are the monsters (or is the humans who want to kill them) and they, predictably, start eating their way through California. Fun book but predictable. Nothing new here. Grab some popcorn and relive those monster movie memories.
Rating:
Summary: Unforgettable Page Turner
Review: Science fiction at its best, FATALIS is a thriller that is so believable it has you in its grasp from beginning to end with intriguing, larger than life images of possibility, survival, love, and death. Cheers to author Jeff Rovin who fascinates our minds and enlivens our emotions in one giant pounce of a good story!
Rating: 
Summary: Here Kitty Kitty
Review: Since Harriet Klausner has already laid out the plot and some of its "secrets", I won't spoil any more of the plot for you. This is a very good book, although I liked Rovin's first book, "Vespers" a little better. It is obvious from the start that the predators are sabre-tooth cats, so there's no real suspense in that in itself. However, Rovin cleverly unfolds his plot in a tense and effective manner. Rovin does very well in establishing characterizations, even in those characters whose presence is only to be victims of the cats. The characters of Jim Grand and Hannah Hughes are very well developed, and readers can identify with their personal "hangups". Grand's devotion to his departed wife is especially credible and touching; it shows how hard it is to let go of someone you loved deeply. Hannah is feisty, yet vulnerable, too. Sheriff Malcolm Gearheart is a little too cliche and predictable, but offers the necessary antagonism. The denouement is chilling and upbeat, which is nice in these days of cliffhanger endings. All in all, a good read.
Rating:
Summary: Here Kitty Kitty
Review: Since Harriet Klausner has already laid out the plot and some of its "secrets", I won't spoil any more of the plot for you. This is a very good book, although I liked Rovin's first book, "Vespers" a little better. It is obvious from the start that the predators are sabre-tooth cats, so there's no real suspense in that in itself. However, Rovin cleverly unfolds his plot in a tense and effective manner. Rovin does very well in establishing characterizations, even in those characters whose presence is only to be victims of the cats. The characters of Jim Grand and Hannah Hughes are very well developed, and readers can identify with their personal "hangups". Grand's devotion to his departed wife is especially credible and touching; it shows how hard it is to let go of someone you loved deeply. Hannah is feisty, yet vulnerable, too. Sheriff Malcolm Gearheart is a little too cliche and predictable, but offers the necessary antagonism. The denouement is chilling and upbeat, which is nice in these days of cliffhanger endings. All in all, a good read.
Rating:
Summary: Picked this up because of the cover --
Review: The book looked like a kind of JURASSIC PARK techno-scare thing so I bought it. I was not disappointed. That's exactly what it is with terrific action scenes that will make a great movie and very good characterization. I kept picturing Richard Gere and Julia Roberts in the lead roles because the author goes from that hero-heroine distrust to respect to affection. I know PRETTY WOMAN meets GODZILLA sounds weird but that's how this struck me, fresh and wild.
Rating:
Summary: WHERE'S THE ASPCA WHEN YOU NEED THEM?
Review: THE IDEA HAS BEEN USED MANY TIMES BEFORE: SPECIES THOUGHT LONG EXTINCT SOMEHOW SURVIVES FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS UNSEEN BY MAN. THIS TIME IT'S SABER TOOTH CATS, THEY'RE NOT TRUE TIGERS FOR THOSE WHO WISH TO SPLIT HAIRS.
THE CHARACTERS ARE PREDICTABLE-FORMER VIETNAM VET SHERIFF HUNTING THEM DOWN WHO STILL HAS A WAR TO FIGHT AND WIN THIS TIME, THE "LOVE-INTEREST" REPORTER AND THE SCIENTIST WHO WANTS TO SAVE THE BEASTS.
ALL IN ALL IT IS FAIRLY WELL WRITTEN THOUGH AT TIMES I FELT IT DRAGGED. FOR THOSE WHO ENJOY AN EASY SCI-FI READ AND ENJOY SEEING A CHARACTER BECOME LUNCH I WOULD RECOMMEND THE BOOK. I HAVE READ ROVIN'S OTHER BOOKS (THIS WAS MY FIRST) AND THEY'RE ENJOYABLE THOUGH NOT TOO HEAVY.
BUT DO YOU REALLY THINK THE ANIMAL RIGHTS GROUPS WOULD JUST STAND BY WHILE A BUNCH OF WEEKEND WARRIORS TRY TO HAVE TARGET PRACTICE WITH AN "EXTINCT" SPECICES?
Rating: 
Summary: weak science,hokey ending
Review: the premise-a whole "herd" of saber tooth tigers get flash frozen in a cave 10,000 yrs. ago and then the whole "herd" gets the thaw treatment from volcanic activity. right. the main hero, a modern day scientist/spelunker/rock climber/indian mystic/ecologist wants to "save" the saber tooth cats in the wild by letting loose 2 kittens that aren't weaned yet into a mountain wilderness.Since they are obviously to young to fend for themselves he guranteed their death. some scientist. at least it reads well and is a pleasant diversion if one doesn"t need plausability.
Rating:
Summary: Good old fashioned horror
Review: They were ancient predators though to have become extinct in the last Ice Age. At least two have survived by being cryogenically frozen in the heart of a glacier. When the glacier melts, the duo make their home inside the caves in the Santa Ynez Mountains near Santa Barbara. No one realizes they live there even though they kill humans. Sheriff Malcolm Gearhart is determined to hunt down the mass murderer who is leaving no clues at the crime scene save for an enormous amount of the victims' blood. Paleoanthropologist Jim Grand studies some ancient Chumish drawings in one of the Santa Ynez caves when he finds some strange looking fur that he brings back to the college lab to be analyzed. Hannah Hughes, owner and publisher of the daily newspaper The Coastal Freeway, interviews Professor Grand. He shows her his find, fur that belongs to a living Smilidon fatalis. Hannah accompanies Jim back to the cave to see if they can locate the creature while the Sheriff tries to flush out the cave dwellers and kill them before the public learns they exist. Nobody realizes how cunning and intelligent these creatures really are or what their true agenda is. Fans of Godzilla and Mothra movies will enjoy reading this modern day horror novel where the villains are prehistoric beings living in the twenty-first century. The audience will chillingly relish how effortlessly the monsters adapt to civilization. Jeff Rovin never allows the audience the luxury of knowing who is hunting whom, a situation that adds to the overall enjoyment of the story line. FATALIS should be a large success for the author whose vivid descriptions make for an easy movie adaptation. Harriet Klausner
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