They are called the Orang Pendek, masters of the steamy Sumatran rain forest. Henrik Kooper watched his father die at the brutal hands of the orange-haired ape men. Having barely survived helping twins Natalie and Austin McQueen discover and destroy the beasts lurking in Loch Ness, it’s now his turn for vengeance. Within the treacherous jungles of Sumatra lies the fabled lost city of Gadang Ur. … Gadang Ur. Its secrets are guarded by a savage band of Orang Pendek who lord over the strange and deadly creatures of the hidden land. Utter madness is the lifeblood of Gadang Ur. Henrik’s journey into darkness will take them to the ragged edge of hell on Earth.
Some places were never meant to be discovered.
Praise for Loch Ness Revenge :
“A high octane, pandemonium packed tour de force of action charged mayhem!” — HorrorTalk Reviews
“An adrenaline-fueled creature feature. Is it too much to beg for another adventure?” — Horror After Dark
“A roaring torrent of firepower and grey skies.” — Unnerving Magazine
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So I had way too much fun with Henrik, Austin, and Natalie in Lock Ness Revenge, to not jump on this continuation. This is a very comparable premise, too, however focuses on Henrik avenging his father’s death, at the hands of Orang Pendeks. It’s basically nonstop action throughout, moves very quickly, and has very little downtime. Once again, it’s an extremely surface-level plot, as was Loch Ness, so be prepared to just read for pure entertainment here. But it’s a very good time, and I enjoyed exploring the hierarchy and culture of the Pendeks. They were not just written to be overly aggressive bigfoot types out for blood. And the other animals, which were unexpected, that were involved just added to the enjoyment. I felt reminiscent of the excursion onto Skull Island in King Kong to save Ann Darrow. So if you like lots of explosions, gunfire, jungle pursuits and cryptids running all over, then give this one a look.
The author warned me this story was crazy. He was so right. And I loved that.
I didn’t realize at first that this was a sequel to Loch Ness Revenge. The twins, Natalie and Austin, got their revenge on the creature that killed their parents with the help of Henrik Kooper, a mysterious wealthy benefactor. Now, the tables are turned, and it’s time to return the favor. So when he asks for their help to destroy the creatures that ripped his father apart before his very eyes, they hop on the plane and head to the Sumatra jungle.
So, going by the cover image and the name Orang Pendek, I thought this was going to be about some killer mutant apes. That would be cool. What I got was even better though. And really terrifying. Hunter showed me what they looked like, described how they smelled, and then let loose that creative brain of his and dropped me into a story that was every which way and wild.
I liked all of the characters. Which was bad in a way. I know the author doesn’t hesitate to feed his characters to his monsters. While I like that a lot as it adds to the suspense, I didn’t want any of these to die. Even the minor ones were likeable and Hunter made them come to life for me. Be prepared to hold your breath, read as fast as you can to see what happens, and……I’ll leave that for you to find out.
It was easy for me to relate to the conditions the characters had to contend with as I live on the Gulf Coast and sweating off your make-up before you get to your car in the morning is a common thing. But, I know the jungle is much worse and I don’t have to worry about being eaten when I step out my door. After reading about the first encounter they had with these things, then the second, the third, and so on, I was so immersed in the story I could feel the heat, the desperation and fear. The Orang Pendek weren’t the only thing they had to worry about either. It wouldn’t be a Shea book without some other monsters showing up.
I was promised insane fun and I got it. If you like a story filled with ominous creatures and all of the action you can handle, then I recommend you grab Savage Jungle. The title says it all.