Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #118474 in Books
• Published on: 2008-05
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• 421 pages

Customer Reviews

Probably the best book in my collection!
I brought this book when it was first released all those many moons ago! And I am half way through reading it for the millionth time! When I brought the book in 1997 it was the front cover that attracted me to it. But as I got into the book I was slowly drawn into a world that was so tense I was on the edge of my seat from start to finish!
The characters are introduced well and even the introduction of people that are a few seconds away from death was a welcome change! They are also believeable and most of them you just have to love. Especially Mac the helicoptor pilot and Jonas friend!
This book is brilliant (It must be to draw me back again and again!) even if the cover has changed! But then never judge a book by its cover!
This is a must buy by everyone that has read Jaws as this book beats it hands down!
Absolutely Brilliant!!!!!!

Better then Jaws
When I first picked up 'Meg' I must admit I was kind of wary. The main reason for this was that I felt most of the shark thrillers available would be vastly overshadowed by the Jaws book and film of twenty years ago, how wrong I was! 'Meg' is a superb thriller from front cover to back cover. It was only one of a few books I can admit to not wanting to put down. The book itself is a must for anyone remotely interested with the ocean and sharks and a definate for any reader who wants a superb thriller. A brilliant book by a fantastic new author!

A fantastic read from start to finish!
I have always been a fan of this type of story, Jaws is one of my all time favourite books and movies. When I came across this book, I started to read a few pages, and then that became a few chapters and then before I knew it I had read the book. It takes a good story to capture me in such a way that I read or follow a whole story in one sitting.
Rather then write another 'Jaws' story using the cliche shark either a Great White or a Tiger Shark, Steve Alten did his research and brought us Carcharodon Megalodon, a close relation of the modern day Great White that dated back to the time of the Dinosaurs, a shark that reached a massive 60 feet in length and was rightfully top of the food chain. Alten did his research well to point out this creature was very much real and has existed and did a great story to explain how it still came to exist today without ever being seen. This is what sold the story for me the realistic setting and factful information, at times it read more like a biology book then a fiction story.
The story pretty much centres around one Jonas Taylor, a retired Naval Submersible Diver, who after a tragic accident in the Mariana Trench the deepest part of the ocean some 35,000 feet below the ocean surface. Retired from the Navy due to the guilt of being responsible for the death of two scientists aboard the craft he was piloting in the trench. Jonas's story was that he was attacked by a huge creature the Megalodon, but of course no one believed him. He turned his life to Paleo-Biology and began studying about Megalodons, the creature consuming his life.
12 years after the accident he is given the chance to prove his story, clear his name and also face his fear by returning to the Mariana Trench whilst working for Masao Tanaka an old friend of Jonas who is working on an early warning detection system for Earthquakes. Something is destroying the equipment in the Trench so Jonas and Masao's son DJ go to investigate. Jonas knows what is causing the damage he just needs proof.
Upon arriving in the Trench, Jonas and DJ are soon attacked by a Male Megalodon, DJ is killed and in the panic, the Kiku (Tanaka's research ship) begins to reel in the submersible, the Megalodon becomes tangled in the cable and is pulled towards the surface. A female Megalodon appear much larger then the male and attacks it killing it. As the males remains are pulled to the surface the female rises with it feeding.
The story now follows many others the creature in a new environment with plenty of food sources around begins to stake out its claim as top predator of the sea. What follows is a lot of action as the shark attacks whales, ships and of course people.
Jonas, Masao and Terry (Masao's daughter) and James 'Mac' Mackreides an old friend of Jonas set out to capture the Megalodon. This seems a weird idea given the fact the Meg is killing people and causing all out chaos but of course Jonas and Masao only see a money making situation. Masao has an Ocean Institute as a sort of hobby, he wanted to use it to study whales, built right on the coast the centre piece is a massive lagoon that could house a pod of whales that can be opened and closed to ocean due to massive doors. Jonas and Masao believe they can use the lagoon to imprison the Meg and use her as a tourist attraction.
This books is basically from start to finish packed with action and adventure. You are totally drawn into the story due to the believable way it is written. A sixty foot long, 30 ton shark could obviously do a lot of damage if it was suddenly released into a world it was never meant to grace. Throw into the fact the shark is pregnant and is trying to make her surroundings safe to give birth and you have a creature that is highly unpredictable.
The human characters are well written, especially Jonas who feels like he is the only person who should try to resolve the Meg situation, he was right all those years and now he feels guilty in someway because he feels his selfish actions to prove the Megs existance lead to it being released from the Trench. Jonas is also hit by more tragedy when his wife is killed by the creature. It takes a long time before Jonas realises he can't capture or control the creature and has to kill it.
The ending of the book is pure action and would certainly be a brillant movie ending hopefully someday. Jonas comes face to face with his demon so to speak and as the old saying goes 'You have to know your enemy inside and out to defeat it.'
I won't spoil the ending but will say that this book has already been followed with two excellent sequels and a fourth is also being planned. I totally recommend this book, it is a great read and a true 'Page Turner'. Buy it you won't regret it.