A review by connorjdaley
Meg by Steve Alten

adventurous challenging tense medium-paced

4.0

Gave this a go when I saw that all except for 2 are currently included with audible. Just in time to head into October spooky reads, and I love some scifi shark horror. 

For starters, I was surprised by just how hard science the scifi is presented as. The author’s love for Jaws meshed with his reading about megalodon and the Mariana Trench into this fast paced, full-of-teeth ride. Some of the information is a bit dated now based off some of the newer things we’ve learned about the trench, but it didn’t hinder my enjoyment of this. The entire novel is kind of posed as this conspiracy theorist-esque take on if the megalodon had not actually gone extinct. And honestly, it’s hard to tell where that obsession ends and the novel writing begins. The information within is presented from scientists, and the author spared no expense in making sure it sounded like it. The equipment being used, the shape, size, build of the sharks, even down to tiny details like how big a megalodon’s nostrils would be. 

I will say the author does jump right to the very max that scientists believe the Meg could grow to, only stating that the females were larger than males. As if the significantly younger ones at the sizes of 20, 30, 40, or even 50 feet wouldn’t be absolutely terrifying as well. 

The main character of Jonas is interesting, but it was kind of hard to see where the hothead military guy ended and the paleontologist began. Personally makes total sense they cut out that last part for the movie, because literally no one would believe that of Jason Statham. Absolutely gutted though that “It’s a megalodon” from the movie isn’t directly from the novel.  

Also the Meg was not nearly as closely related to the great white shark as the author repeatedly states (although to be fair, it was previously thought to be). 

Personally a 4/5*, still an intensely bloody story, but it was presented as much more solid than I expected.