Monster (novel)

Monster is a novel written in 2005 by Frank E. Peretti. It tells a story of a horrifying predator who terrorizes the woods of northern Idaho. The story deals with views on evolution, beneficial mutation, and natural selection.

Plot summary

Reed Shelton is out to make the perfect camping trip with his wife, Beck. However, Beck is more of a stay-at-home kind of wife. But Reed manages to convince her to accompany him on trip. As the couple makes camp for the night, they encounter a strange, unearthly wail accompanied by a set of glowing eyes. In a blur of action, Beck is snatched up by a creature and dragged into the night. Reed, with the combined efforts of a small town and a band of close friends, begins the investigation for his wife. In the meantime, Beck must fight for survival as she is forced to adapt not only to her surroundings, but also to the behavior of her frightening abductors. Realizing that there is little time, Reed and friends pour on the hunt for Beck, only to realize that they aren't the only ones doing the hunting. Something grave and terrifying—and definitely not human—is hunting them. As the net closes, the monster is revealed to be more real than originally imagined. In the midst of the horror, Michael Capella (or "Cap"), a friend of Reed's and a former scientist, investigates the DNA left at the monster's ravaging sites. As he researches further, he finds that it is some form of chimpanzee DNA "contaminated" with human DNA. This revelation leads him to suspect his former colleague, Adam Burkhardt, who he discovers has indeed been doing some dangerous experiments.

References

• Peretti, Frank E. (2005). Monster. WestBow Press, 500. ISBN 0-8499-1180-X. 

External links

• PerettiOnline.com
• Interview with Peretti about Monster