SAVAGE ISLAND by Brian Moreland
3.75 out of 5.0 stars
Publisher: Silver Shamrock Publishing
Genre Tags: Island Horror, Isolation, Predators, Eco-Horror
Tomb of Gods, Brian Moreland’s most recent novel, was one of my favorite reads in 2020. As such, I was excited when this novella was announced. Two friends go on vacation, one to heal by partying, the other looking to relax. Two men take them to an island in search of a shoot location for an upcoming movie. The island they end up visiting is alive and guarded. If you’ve read (or seen the movie) The Ruins and enjoyed it, then Savage Island will probably right up your alley. The second half of this book is quite exciting and disturbing, thoroughly so. For me, it was the long beginning that was the problem. I hated the men (which was the point, but still, they felt forced upon me as much as they forced themselves upon the girls) and hated reading all the sexual/predatory content that came with them. I almost tossed the book aside, honestly. It took too long for the island to show its true colors. That being said, once we got our first taste of the danger lurking within the trees, always watching, this novella picked up tremendously. One of the characters has a weak death that sorely disappointed me, but the second half was, otherwise, a fantastic thrill ride. I’m still a Moreland fan and looking to read more!
AIDEN MERCHANT 
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