Michael Shotter reviewed Snow Shark by Brian Berry
Review of 'Snow Shark' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
As advertised, this is a quick read about a shark, the product of a nefarious government experiment, that runs amok at a ski resort after being engineered to thrive in frigid, fresh-water environments, including snow. Obviously, this is a concept that really pushes the boundaries of plausibility right out of the gate and only leans further into the absurd as the story progresses, so sticklers for the "realistic" and "believable" need not apply.
That being said, if you're on board with the premise and looking for a fun, frenetic dose of escapist horror tinged with 80s nostalgia, "Snow Shark" will likely check all the right boxes and push all the right buttons for you.
The only real caveats I'd have in recommending the book are that it is extremely gory and grim. At times those elements are balanced with a bit of humor, or other welcome literary flourishes that keep …
As advertised, this is a quick read about a shark, the product of a nefarious government experiment, that runs amok at a ski resort after being engineered to thrive in frigid, fresh-water environments, including snow. Obviously, this is a concept that really pushes the boundaries of plausibility right out of the gate and only leans further into the absurd as the story progresses, so sticklers for the "realistic" and "believable" need not apply.
That being said, if you're on board with the premise and looking for a fun, frenetic dose of escapist horror tinged with 80s nostalgia, "Snow Shark" will likely check all the right boxes and push all the right buttons for you.
The only real caveats I'd have in recommending the book are that it is extremely gory and grim. At times those elements are balanced with a bit of humor, or other welcome literary flourishes that keep it from feeling too one-note and phoned-in as a concept like this could so easily be, but this definitely isn't a "feel good" read.
Ultimately, I ended up enjoying "Snow Shark" quite a bit despite a few elements of it not being to my personal taste, and feeling like there were a few missed opportunities for it to go even further beyond its obvious inspirations than it does. Bottom line: If you think you'll like this book, you almost-certainly will. It's well done and absolutely delivers everything the cover and synopsis promise.
One final note: I read this as an audiobook via Audible and the narrator did a great job of striking the perfect balance between fully committing to the material and providing well-timed moments of "knowing" or "tongue-in-cheek" delivery to give the overall experience just the right "feel." A very good and noteworthy job, I'd say.