[.ca] Mandibles (ISBN 1594260052)

The best of horror!:
Giant Red Imported Fire Ants (Solenopsis invicta) invade Tampa, Florida in a killing spree. ***** How was THAT for a synopsis? I have had the privilege of previewing/reviewing many other books by Author Jeff Strand. I am quoted as stating that Strand is warped and one sick cookie. I still stand by those words! This book is just more proof that I am right! Be warned that I give this awesome book a "Rated R" heading due to a lot of blood and gore! I cannot stress that enough so I'll repeat ... "A lot of blood and gore!" Got that? Okay. Even the book's "Author's Note" and "Another Author's Note" at the beginning of the story is warped. This strangeness has come to be known, by me and all Jeff Strand fans, as the author's personal signature. If it's horror, warped, and funny, then it has to be by Strand! *****

Recent Rave Reviews:
"No writer working today comes close to Jeff Strand's perfect mixture of comedy and terror. If you don't enjoy Mandibles, you obviously take your horror way too seriously." --Cemetery Dance "Jeff Strand is renowned for writing some extremely warped and twisted novels and Mandibles is no exception." --Eternal Night "A hugely enjoyable read and one that I would wholeheartedly recommend." --Terror Australis "Author Jeff Strand has a sharp wit and knows how to pace a story. His wicked humor had me chuckling out loud several times as the book's characters think of creative ways to outwit the giant ants. Not that it's all joking around here; there's plenty of unsettling violence, blood, and bug guts to leave you cringing and creeping out." --Page Horrific "\oA\c funny, loopy, and extremely readable giant ant horror extravaganza. Grab yourself a giant bag of Cheetos and settle down for some plus-size laughs. (But be sure to clean up any crumbs. Ants, you know...)" --Creature Feature Tomb of Horror "An awesome book...Strand is one sick cookie." --Huntress Reviews "If you're looking for high art and deep insight into the human condition, this is not the book for you. Go read Shakespeare or Tolstoy or Hemingway. But if you're in the mood for a light, entertaining read filled with giant insects and plenty of carnage, then pick up a copy of Jeff Strand's Mandibles." --Chizine "A very enjoyable, if not a little skin-scratching, read." --The Film Asylum "You'll want to take a deep breath before opening these pages, because they'll swallow you faster than a sixteen legged spider. It's fast, fun, and accessible. Horror fans and science fiction fans will love it." --Steve Vernon, author of A Fine Sacrifice. "Rather like a B-pic horror movie. Don't take it too seriously or you'll miss out on the fun." --Word Weaving "Mandibles is a great deal of fun! Author Jeff Strand has created a cast of characters who are each individual, interesting, and gripping in their own ways. If you're looking for something out of the ordinary and need a good laugh this is the book for you. --eBook Reviews Weekly

Humorous Horror At It's Rarely Seen Best!:
I used to read Stephen King. His stories held a wit which came from the mundane observations of everyday life. Jeff Strand has managed to combine the best horror elements of early (not too early) classic King with the gently goofy humor of Christopher Moore and sharper, more twisted wit of fellow Florida author Tim Dorsey. Mandibles weaves the stories of a handful of hapless everyday folk (plus two psychopaths and an unfortunate entemologist) caught in the midst of a mad scientific experiment gone awry one otherwise run of the mill summer day in Tampa. As our heroes get wittled down to a meagre few (plus two psychopaths and an entemologist), beaten, battered, bruised, and bloody, they finally come together at what they think is the nexus of their giant ant problem when Strand turns up the heat and whips everything up into a frothy bug-filled nightmare! A shade darker than his Andrew Mayhem series, the laughs still come quick in this entertaining, near cinematic-like romp. Try not to get too attached to your favorite characters--you never know who's gonna get bumped off next! Bizarre, creepy, witty fun. Strand delivers more bang for the buck than many other authors. I have yet to read a book of his I haven't liked.

A Horror Novel with Lots of Laughs!:
by David Wilbanks This is the best giant ant novel I've ever read! OK. Big deal. So I've never read any other giant ant novels (are there any?). But there are giant bug movies, and that's how MANDIBLES by Jeff Strand reads, only it's much funnier and better written than the giant bug movies that I've seen. To tell the truth, I'm not a huge fan of this type of movie, but I am a fan of this novel. Tampa, Florida has a problem: the fire ant population has decided to attack its citizens. Not only that, but these fire ants are much larger than normal, and they're all over the place. The ants carry a deadly sting and they are vicious. And, as if that wasn't perilous enough, there's also a couple psychopaths on the loose named Hack and Slash. Needless to say, this keeps things moving for our protagonists: an entomologist, a dentist, his assistant, some office workers, among others. Author Jeff Strand has a sharp wit and knows how to pace a story. His wicked humor had me chuckling out loud several times as the book's characters think of creative ways to outwit the giant ants and killer psychos. Not that it's all joking around here; there's plenty of unsettling violence, blood, and bug guts to leave you cringing and creeping out. So if the dark literature is getting a bit heavy for you lately, try this one for a bit of fun. Recommended.