Beast (G K Hall Large Print Book Series) [Large Print] [Hardcover]

Peter Benchley (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1992 | Series: G K Hall Large Print Book Series

"Makes the shark from "Jaws" look like a pet goldfish . . ." USA Weekend
Straight from the cutting edge of science and the logs of ancient mariners comes an immense horror -- a creature that rises up from the well of an ocean gone mad with an insatiable hunger and an endless lust to kill. One man leads a harrowing struggle to defeat the beast amid a threatened Bermuda paradise. His name is Whip Darling, a down-and-out sea dog who doesn't know where he'll get his next meal -- or whether it will get him first.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water, along comes Architeuthis , a giant squid, the eponymous beast of Benchley's latest tale. At an estimated length of anywhere from 30 to 90 feet and armed with two predatory tentacles, a huge, snapping beak and eight writhing arms, each lined with razor-sharp hooks; the giant squid has been wreaking havoc off the coast of Bermuda. By the time the protagonists--Bermuda native Whip Darling and Navy helicopter pilot Marcus Sharp--figure out what sort of beast they're dealing with, Architeuthis has killed five people. As they ponder this carnage, both men remember another scary fish story, Jaws --Marcus recalls "parents refusing to let their children get their feet wet," while Whip proclaims, "Whenever I hear talk about monsters, I think about 'Jaws.' " This monster, unfortunately, is not nearly as scary as the one they remember so vividly, because the reader comes to know it too intimately. Each time the squid prepares to attack its next unwitting victim, we are given an in-depth, close-up view of the beast, usually in a separate chapter. This technique, used sparingly (as it was in Jaws ), can be a heart-stopper, but overindulged, as here, it robs the narrative of dramatic tension. Worse, the author's own references to his more memorable work only serve to emphasize the weaknesses of his newest.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

YA-- Small boats are ripped apart, their passengers vanish, divers disappear, and partially eaten body parts are found. Because Bermuda's waters are depleted, Architeuthis Dux (giant squid) turns to the residents and tourists as its primary food source. Whip Darling, local marine expert with a boat for hire; Lt. Marcus Sharp, Navy pilot and amateur oceanographer; Dr. Herbert Talley, foremost authority on the giant squid; and media magnate Osborn Manning, whose two offspring fell victim to the squid, form an alliance to track down and destroy it. Beast is set in an ocean community filled with bumbling officials and red tape. The monster terrorizes the island, gobbling up its citizens and forcing a group of experts to join forces to combat it. Benchley has combined interesting, colorful characters with a surefire plot, producing another of the well-written, well-researched sea adventures at which he excels. However, its similarity to Jaws (Doubleday, 1974; o.p.) lessens its impact. --John Lawson, Fairfax County Public Library, VA
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Hardcover
• Publisher: G K Hall & Co (June 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0816154228
• ISBN-13: 978-0816154227
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (43 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,494,797 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars squid vs. shark.....800 times better than jaws, June 29, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Beast (Hardcover)

Squid vs. Shark....definitely squid. Beast is a spine-tingling tale about a 100 ft giant squid that menaces Bermudian waters and develops a taste for human flesh after it's normal food source, other creatures of the deep, are almost completely fished out. After a number of failed attempts to stop and destroy the creature, it is up to a local fisherman, the story's hero named Whip Darling, to use his wits to fight it.
Beast is incredibly well written, especially the dialogue. It's characters are very real (such as St. John, a corrupt, Irish politician; Osborn Manning, a father turned vengeful after his two children are killed by the eight-armed creature; Talley, a Canadian squid expert; Sharp, a young Navy officer), and the story is quite believable, and it's ending is NEVER expected. It's also a really fast read. Three nights tops.
If you liked Jaws, you'll like Beast about fifty times more. Beast is NON-STOP ACTION, and one thing I really liked about the book is how much Benchley researched the animal known as the giant squid (Architeuthis dux). Many times during the novel he expresses and shows what and how the squid thinks and how it feels, making the story more interesting on both antagonist AND protagonist sides (the best example being when the giant squid tries to defend itself as it is attacked by a pair of sperm whales).
What's also interesting is how well Benchley depicts the characters. For example, Whip Darling, the main character and hero of the story, is, as one would assume, quite a good man. Perhaps too good. Now, one would probably think, "No one's THAT good or THAT caring." However, Whip Darling is. He is a true "good - guy." Usually, when a hero is too much of a goody-two shoes, it kind of brings a somewhat fairy tale presence upon the story, making it a little, if not completely, corny at times. However, this is not the case with Beast. It is written so well, that you find yourself really loving Whip, rather than saying, "Oh please!" at whatever he does. I think it's just that Whip is very human. He loves his family, he loves his friends, and he tries to prevent danger from coming across anyone and anything (even the squid) by doing all he can.
Beast is out of print (I don't know why...it's sooooo good), so I would recommend going to a library and checking out a copy, or buy a used edition online, but whatever you do, find Beast...and find it fast. IT'S A MUST READ.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a must read, January 10, 2006

By 

the reading marvel "steve" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Beast (Mass Market Paperback)

The beast, by peter benchley is an awesome book about whip Darling, a fisher from Bermuda, that goes after a sea monster with a scientist named DR. tally and MR.osborn. Tally wants to study it because he has dedicated his life to Architeuthis. Osborn wants to kill it for killing his kids. The sea monster is a squid that is 100 feet long and has razor sharp claws. It has killed many times. It kills for food and pleasure. Its only predators are the Sperm Wales. Whip darling has a wife and a kid. His fishing mate, mike, is a big guy that doesn't like to make desisions. Dr. tally has spent his life studying Architeuthis, the squid. When he found a article about a woman in Bermuda that saw a ship turn to splinters from a monster, no smoke or fire, it just blew up. He knew right away. He had to go to Bermuda, but didn't have the money, so he called apone a rich man named Osborn, a man that lost his kids at sea. HE is thirsty for revenge. Osborn and tally go to darling and he refuses, no mater how much money they pushed at him. Finally they get a way to get him to help them. They go after the squid and have the adventure of a lifetime. This is a great book for anyone that doesn't mind cousing and adventure.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Low-Key Monster Book, September 28, 2007

By 

Kara J. Jorges "Avid Reader" (Minneapolis) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Beast (Hardcover)

There are several things that set this book apart from most monster books I've read: subtlety, realism, and environmentalism, to name a few. Even though there weren't pages and pages of carnage in this book, it was a compelling read and had very likeable characters with personalities.

This is not only the story of a giant, man-eating squid who terrorizes Bermuda, it is also the story of Whip Darling, a proud yet impoverished man doing what he needs to get by, barely scraping up enough cash to pay the bills. Whip had been a fisherman, until Bermuda's waters were fished out, now not bearing enough fish for anyone to make a living. Whip uses his boat to make a buck any way he can: trapping deepwater oddities for an aquarium, tourist charters, salvage; whatever keeps the wolf from the door. Whip knows the waters of Bermuda like no one else, so when a giant squid starts eating people, Whip is given many offers to go after the beast, but he knows no amount of money is worth it if he's dead. Media magnate, Osborn Manning, whose children were devoured by the squid, has to pull out all the stops, but even he and his squid expert prove to be no match for the monster from the deep.

The plot is nothing new to monster book lovers, but Benchley takes the time to craft some very likeable characters: Whip Darling, his first mate Mike, navy pilot Marcus Sharp, even the unlikeable characters are well-drawn, no matter how much or how little they appear. He falls short of making the giant squid outright evil, but this character, too, has a malevolent personality. His no-nonsense environmental message is not preachy, and all the more powerful for it, as it is woven through the action while the tension builds.

If you're new to the monster book genre, or if you've simply tired of over-the-top technology and stunts, Benchley is your man. He's best known for "Jaws," but his other work is well worth reading, and refreshing, even decades after it was first published.