Meet New Books
Book Cover

Mandibles

Save:
Find on Amazon

'Mandibles' by Jeff Strand is a fast-paced horror novel featuring giant mutated fire ants terrorizing a city. The story follows different characters trapped in various situations, such as a dentist office and a convenience store robbery, as they try to survive the deadly ant attacks. The book is described as a creature feature filled with zany characters, descriptive scenes of carnage, and a touch of humor. Readers praise the high body count, surprise twists, and the author's ability to make unlikable characters somewhat likable.

The plot of 'Mandibles' revolves around a mass invasion of fire ants that have been bio-engineered to giant size, causing chaos and panic in a small town. The narrative is mainly presented from the perspectives of three different parties, all desperately trying to escape the relentless attacks of the hostile insects. Despite the absurdity of the giant ants premise, the book provides entertainment through its 80s B-movie feel, humorous elements, and suspenseful scenes of characters trying to outsmart the deadly creatures.

Characters:

Characters are quirky and entertaining, with Dustin the entomologist as a central figure, alongside likable villains that provide comic relief in a chaotic scenario.

Writing/Prose:

The writing is fast-paced, witty, and engaging, balancing horror with light-hearted humor, making the characters relatable and the narrative enjoyable.

Plot/Storyline:

The story revolves around a mass invasion of giant bio-engineered fire ants in a small town, featuring characters trapped in various situations while humor and action blend into a creature horror narrative.

Setting:

The setting features small towns facing an invasion of giant ants, evoking the atmosphere of classic B movies.

Pacing:

The pacing is predominantly fast, though it begins slowly due to many character introductions, becoming more cohesive as the story unfolds.
In her six years as a dental assistant, Roberta Alten had encountered some of the nastiest breath imaginable. Breath that made your nostrils burn and your eyes water. But this … this went beyond simpl...

Notes:

The book features giant, bio-engineered fire ants invading a small town.
The storyline is presented through the perspectives of different characters, including a dentist and an entomologist.
Dustin, the entomologist, is a key character along with two criminal characters named Hack and Slash.
Hack and Slash are portrayed as likable despite being troublesome characters.
The writing style is fast-paced with humorous elements, creating an enjoyable, B-movie-like experience.
The book includes absurd elements like giant, homicidal butterflies.
The ending is mildly anticlimactic but does not leave loose plot threads.
There are high body counts and surprise twists throughout the story.
Strand's humor helps balance the horror elements, keeping it entertaining.
The book is recommended for fans of creature features and monster tales, but not for entomologists.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

The book contains medium content warnings due to its depiction of violence and creatures attacking characters.

From The Publisher:

Horror, thrills, and chills abound when plus-size ants take over a small town in this 2002 Dream Realm Award Finalist for Best Horror novel.

Reader Stats (1):

Want To Read (1)
 
Meet New Books is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a way for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to products and services on amazon.com and its subsidiaries.
When you click the Amazon link and make a purchase, we may receive a small commision, at no cost to you.