Who Would Like This Book:
If you love your sci-fi and horror with a heavy dose of '80s nostalgia, small-town drama, and high-stakes alien shenanigans, "Stinger" is pure fun. It’s like a pulpy midnight movie brought to life: two warring aliens, desperate townsfolk, monster mayhem, and breakneck pacing (especially in the second half). Fans of Stephen King, John Carpenter films, or creature features will appreciate the sense of community, cool monster transformations, and the good-vs-evil showdown. The backdrop of a struggling Texas town adds a unique, gritty flavor to the madness.
Who May Not Like This Book:
Some readers find the slow build-up in the first portion a bit of a drag, and with such a wide cast, it can be hard to really connect with any one character. If you’re looking for deep or original alien lore, nuanced prose, or groundbreaking twists, you might be disappointed. The plot leans into well-worn tropes and 80s clichés, and the approach to characterization can feel surface-level or forced to more critical readers. Plus, if cheesy dialogue or dated slang makes you cringe, proceed with caution!
About:
"Stinger" by Robert R. McCammon is a sci-fi horror novel set in a small Texas town named Inferno. The town is facing economic hardships and is on the brink of collapse when an alien spacecraft crash-lands, bringing with it two alien entities - one hostile and one benign. The townspeople must band together, overcoming their differences, to fight off the hostile alien named Stinger. The novel combines elements of alien invasion, possession, and monsters, set against the backdrop of a crumbling town and a diverse cast of characters.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
The book contains violence, horror elements, and themes of alien possession, which could be intense for some readers.
From The Publisher:
A relentless alien bounty hunter encloses a Texas town under a dome to isolate, hunt, and kill its prey in “the ultimate horror novel” (The Philadelphia Inquirer).
Ever since the copper mine closed, the West Texas desert hellholes of Inferno and Bordertown have been slowly dying. Snake River isn’t the only thing that divides them. Racism, gang wars, and anti-Mexican sentiment have turned the sun-scorched flatlands into a powder keg. If anything can unite them for now, at least in awe and wonder, it’s the UFO that comes soaring out of the clouds like a flaming locomotive.
In the wake of the crash, a young alien named Daufin has arrived, too. A fugitive who has taken the form of a human, she knows the terror that awaits the inhabitants of this planet—because it is looking for her.
When Stinger, the monstrous alien bounty hunter, arrives, it’s with a destructive fury and a devious plan to find Daufin—by entombing the residents in an impenetrable and inescapable dome. A relentless killing machine, Stinger has an infinite capacity for death and destruction.
And over the next twenty-four hours, this town is going to bleed and burn. Now, the few remaining survivors must come together to protect Daufin, themselves, and the world beyond from total annihilation. From the New York Times–bestselling and Bram Stoker Award–winning author of Swan Song, Stinger was called “one of the best suspense novels of recent years” by the Science Fiction Chronicle.
Ratings (6)
Incredible (3) | |
Loved It (1) | |
It Was OK (1) | |
Hated It (1) |
Reader Stats (15):
Read It (6) | |
Want To Read (5) | |
Not Interested (4) |
What can you read after
Stinger?
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