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MEG: Primal Waters

MEG: Primal Waters

List Price: $24.95
Your Price: $15.72
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 3 stars
Summary: A fun read, but not as good as the first two
Review: "Primal Waters" was an enjoyable book, but not nearly as good as Meg or it's even better sequel, "The Trench." Like with "The Trench," this book contains a human prtagonist that is out to get Jonas, but he feels way too forced and not nearly as evil as Benedict Singer from the second book. Almost as if Alten said "okay, I need a human villain, let's pick...this guy!" and drew someone's name out of a hat. It distracts from the real story, which focuses on the destruction of the Megalodon shark.

My other problem with "Primal Waters" was that it was a little too far fetched. I know the concept of a prehistoric shark is hard to believe anyway, but at one point in this story, someone is swallowed by the shark and then escapes out of it's gills. Shortly before that, someone is actually riding the shark on top of it's snout. I almost wouldn't have been surprised to see someone surfing the spout of steam from a whale's blowhole.

A few elements of the story are pretty fun if you can suspend your belief in reality and just take it as a fun summer novel, but compared to the first two novels in the Meg series, "Primal Waters" just isn't as exciting, suspenseful, or plain scary like it's predecessors. Jonas is too old to be an enjoyable character, and hopefully with the next book Alten will bring some fresh blood into the story.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A MUST READ FOR ANY MARINE ENTHUSIAST!!
Review: After reading "MEG" and "Trench", Steve has followed up without missing a beat. As a marine biologist, I am amazed at the realism that Steve incorporates into his fiction novels. I have studied sharks for years, and found his descriptions fascinating. I am looking forward to getting into the "LOCH" series when they debut.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Steve Alten consistently writes better with each new book...
Review: As with most fans of Steve Alten, I was captured up with his original 'Jaws meets Jurassic Park' novel, 'MEG' several years ago and I have YET to be anything but totally enthralled by ALL of his novels.

After penning the sequel, 'The Trench' which didn't receive the respect I feel it deserved, I was beginning to wonder if Steve was stuck writing only one form of book: Big Sharks attacking people -- but then came 'Domain'. It STILL ranks as one of the most all-out entertaining books I have ever read, and easily the most researched. WOW! Steve was FAR from being stuck writing about the same stuff. Shortly after 'Domain' he wowed me again with the wildly entertaining 'Goliath' (check out the President in that book -- he's my favorite Alten character...) and Steve was fast on his way to becoming one of my Top 5 favorite authors.

'Primal Waters' continues Steve's incredible gift of storytelling and breathes new life into the MEG series (which had been doing fine already). An aging Jonas Taylor is front and center once again in this tale, and gives us the best possible hero in print today, one who is struggling like those of us in the real world, one who most of us can quite literally identify with, at least on some level. Jonas is on the verge of financial ruin. His daughter is pushing the limits of his patience, and his wife is concerned about their marriage. All in all, things have been better. Just when Jonas is about to throw in the towel, an opportunity becomes available that allows him the chance to get him back into the spotlight (a place he craves to be even though he denies it), even though he believes it to be ultimately beneath him. A new Reality TV show inspired by 'Survivor' will be filming soon on board a replica of an old Spanish Galleon with a group of Extreme Sport fanatics -- you know, the kind of people who can only get a Rush by genuinely risking their life.

Jonas accepts the offer, and reluctantly agrees to bring his daughter along. Steve takes his time setting the stage for the action that is soon to come, and when it does, as the rubber hits the pavement, the body count begins to mount -- rapidly. 'Primal Waters' features not one, or two, but three separate Meg's. The original Angel, and a couple of newcomers that put a charge in the story that dramatically increases the excitement-meter of this novel.

Whales and other large fish are turning up dead in Puget Sound in Washington and it doesn't take long for experts to determine that Angel is back. They NEED Jonas Taylor, but he's off filming that Reality Series so they convince his wife to come to Seattle to confirm what they already believe. In the meantime, down in the Tanaka Lagoon where Angel was kept in captivity for so long, another Meg is trolling around causing havoc. Alten times the action to work together as one and when the prehistoric sharks begin to hunt, they do so all at once.

I was absolutely captivated by this third installment in the MEG series (and Steve assures us that Jonas will return again sometime in the future...) and cannot wait for whatever it is Steve Alten has coming next, no matter WHAT the subject matter is. Consistently improving with each novel, Alten has earned my respect and more importantly, my hard-earned cash when each of his novels become available. As someone already said, 'Primal Waters' IS the ultimate Beach Read, but you may wish to read the final chapters wearing a life vest a hundred yards from the shore -- just to be safe.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Third in the monster shark series
Review: Eighteen years have elapsed for the characters since the last book, and twenty two since the first Meg surfaced. Jonas has aged, had kids, and, along with his wife, entered a serious midlife crisis.

The book carries the same formula of biology and evolutionary lessons mixed with horror and action scenes. At times the action sequences defy beliavability, but they keep the overall pace of the book moving rapidly. There's also more color into the lives of the main characters. By the end of the novel you feel more insight into their personalities than the first two books combined.

Good story in all. I'd relate this to the first like I'd relate T2 to the original Terminator movie. The first was more of a horror story, while the latter has even more Hollywood elements (more kid involvement and action scenes) in it. The same is true here. With that in mind, I gotta admit I wanted to see what would happen if one of the Megs duked it out with a nuclear submarine.

Enjoy!

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Who wrote this book?
Review: I enjoyed the two earlier Meg books, but this one is a puzzler. I'm having a great difficulty reading it. My reasons are as follows:
1. It is narrated in the present tense, which makes it difficult to read. Few authors can, or should, attempt this.
2. Gross factual errors. I don't remember such cases in the earlier books, but he confuses geology with geography, refers to closer to shore (in the sea) as "inland", makes consistent errors in Genus species (Genus is always capilatized; species NEVER is, he keeps reversing it), and equates volcanic eruptions with warming climates, when the reverse is true.

It is also sloppily written/edited, to the point that I can no longer believe the same author wrote this and the two previous books.
Well, I'll try to slog through some more, but it sure is slow, and painful, going!

Pegleg

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Another excellant book
Review: I've read the other two MEG books by Steve Alten ,and I loved them,and this one won't let you down.It has the same experience as the first two,but it's written in a different tense.If that worries you don't let it.Once you start reading the book you can't tell the difference. If you like sharks or not you'll still enjoy this book.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Combines the best of parts 1 and 2 for an awesome read.
Review: It was said in Scream 3, that the third installment of a trilogy hearkens back to the original story, building on it, running parallels, and maybe even tying up some loose ends. MEG : PRIMAL WATERS takes this concept one step further.

During the plot of PW, we are treated to many allusions to the events of the original MEG, the main one being the climactic confrontation between Jonas and the original female as it relates to the question of whether or not Jonas is like the Daredevils featured in the reality show being shot.

But, we are also treated to many aspects of what made THE TRENCH so great. While all the action of PW takes place above water, ala MEG, the action itself is just as adrenaline-pumped and even more so than it was in THE TRENCH. We also are treated to another "mastermind" villain behind the scenes of what is exactly going on, a familiar face from TRENCH who holds a grudge against our buddies Jonas and Mac.

At the heart of the story though, is how the years have treated our friends at the Tanaka Oceanigraphic Institute. Life hasn't been rosy, everyone is down on their luck in one way or another. Jonas and his family are falling apart, Mac has no direction in his life, and Masao is deep in debt. Through the course of the story, the characters grow a little bit, through the aid of tragedy, separation, courage, and ultimately, they gain the knowledge that life is too precious and short to not appreciate just how much they need one another to make it through.

This is definitely worth the read if you're a fan of the series, of any of Alten's novels, or are just looking for a great sea terror story. Oh, and please, tell your friends about it. The more people that take the time with this book, the better our chances are of soon getting the big screen adaptation of the original MEG!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Meg: Primal Waters Review
Review: It's hard to find a place to start describing how excellent this book was. I knew it was going to be great but this definitely exceded my expectations by a long shot and by no means were my expectations low. All of the characters are great in this story. Each has a nice profile and a unique characteristic to them. Danielle Taylor was quite a special character i thought considering how quickly she changed from an out of control teenager to daddys little girl. The action is intense in this book also which all the more makes me read on and on in the late hours of the night. This book is just incredible I read it within a week i absolutely adore it! If there's a 4th im going to be all over it! This book is hands down my favorite ever! Way to go steve!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Shark Week, Eat Your Heart Out
Review: Sharks are some of the scariest creatures for movies, and even though the Megs aren't the focus of the TV crew in this novel, they might as well have been. Jonas Taylor's character, strong in the previous Meg books, proves that an old man can still grab some attention in the world. But the bad guys aren't slacking either, with the real star of the books, the Meg, causing some havoc left and right of the protagonists. Still written in Steve Alten's inimitable style, Primal Waters manages to deliver gut-wrenching punches every step of the way. If the first two Meg books gave you shivers and made you afraid to go into the water, then this latest installment will make you afraid of rain drizzles. After all, who wouldn't be terrified of a giant, glowing-white shark devouring people? Jaws who?

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The best of the 3 so far!
Review: Steve Alten has written another fun thiller. I'm a marine biologist and I find his books to be exciting very well researched and above all fun! As with most of his fans I hope that the series will be brought to life on the big screen . Go out an get it now!


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