# Recommend some entertaining cryptozoology fiction **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 9, 2010, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-entertaining-cryptozoology-fiction/563486 "2010-12-09T00:45:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![FlyingDragonFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c89c15/32.png) [@FlyingDragonFan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyingDragonFan)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-entertaining-cryptozoology-fiction/563486/1 "2010-12-09T00:45:53Z")
I do love me some fun crypto fiction. Anything that features a hidden beastie or unexplored and secluded environment is OK by me, with the humans struggling to survive and learn about their new adversaries. Exciting! Note that I didn’t say “good,” just “entertaining.” Steve Alten’s “Meg,” while somewhat silly, is an enjoyable read. (And now I see on Amazon that there are at least one or two sequels that I haven’t read! Woo!) I’ve also recently enjoyed Warren Fahy’s “Fragment.” On the upper end of the quality spectrum I’d put Jeff Long’s “Descent,” with its subterranean hadals, and Frank Schatzing’s “The Swarm.” Cheesy and/or or science-heavy, what are some other books I might enjoy? Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-entertaining-cryptozoology-fiction/563486/2 "2010-12-09T00:49:05Z")
Not cryptozoology, but “Ugly Chickens” by Howard Waldrop is a fun story about a man trying to find specimens of an extinct species that might not be extinct after all! ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-entertaining-cryptozoology-fiction/563486/3 "2010-12-09T00:53:58Z")
Sir, the book you want is **Polymath** by John Brunner. Sure, it’s cheesy enough to grate over your spaghetti, but it’s terrific from a zoological/ecological standpoint and just plain good cheap thrills. ---
**Author:** ![G0sp3l](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c68b51/32.png) [@G0sp3l](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/G0sp3l)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-entertaining-cryptozoology-fiction/563486/4 "2010-12-09T00:54:31Z")
_ **The Relic** _ by Lincoln Child & Douglas Preston was good. I also liked T_ **he Cabinet of Curiosities** _ by the same authors. They (The Pendergast Series) go downhill fast though. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-entertaining-cryptozoology-fiction/563486/5 "2010-12-09T03:10:52Z")
The classic example of the genre is Lovecraft’s _At the Mountains of Madness_. If you haven’t read that one yet, that’s where you should go next. Well, not _literally_ go, because of the running and the screaming and dying and the glaven. But you should still read the book. ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-entertaining-cryptozoology-fiction/563486/6 "2010-12-09T04:04:17Z")
> [@G0sp3l](#): > > _ **The Relic** _ by Lincoln Child & Douglas Preston was good. I also liked T_ **he Cabinet of Curiosities** _ by the same authors. They (The Pendergast Series) go downhill fast though. I came in to recommend Relic and its sequel, Reliquary. Only read the latter once, years ago, but I remember enjoying it. Joe ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 9:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-entertaining-cryptozoology-fiction/563486/7 "2010-12-09T09:00:33Z")
_The Lost World_ by AC Doyle? ---
**Author:** ![Musky\_Moon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90db22/32.png) [@Musky\_Moon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musky_Moon)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-entertaining-cryptozoology-fiction/563486/8 "2010-12-09T09:13:34Z")
Another vote for Relic and it’s sequal. I think they are exactly what you are looking for. Michael Crichton has a few. The obvious two are Jurassic Park and the Lost World, but Congo fits your criteria nicely. Congo features a previously undiscovered species of gorilla. ---
**Author:** ![Meurglys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/258eb7/32.png) [@Meurglys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meurglys)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-entertaining-cryptozoology-fiction/563486/9 "2010-12-09T13:49:54Z")
**James Blish** wrote [The Night Shapes](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/b/james-blish/night-shapes.htm), which, if I’m remembering the right title, was about a crypto expedition set in the Congo. There are numerous books about the Loch Ness Monster, including [The Loch](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/a/steve-alten/loch.htm) by **Steve Alten** **Steven Baxter** wrote a trilogy which began with _Silverhair_ (aka Mammoth) about the last surviving mammoths on a remote island in the Arctic… it’s the first of a trilogy but humans don’t feature too much until towards the end of v1. **James Rollins** has cryptids in his [Ice Hunt](http://www.amazon.com/Ice-Hunt-James-Rollins/dp/0061965847/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1291902304&sr=8-1) but I don’t want to give too much away. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-entertaining-cryptozoology-fiction/563486/10 "2010-12-09T14:11:47Z")
Kim Stanley Robinson’s [Escape from Kathmandu](http://kimstanleyrobinson.info/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=76:escape-from-kathmandu&catid=40:novellas-a-short-stories&Itemid=59) is a novel cobbled together his early Tales of Himalayan Adventure. Among the recurring characters is a Yeti! ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-entertaining-cryptozoology-fiction/563486/11 "2010-12-09T14:26:12Z")
> [@Meurglys](#): > > **James Blish** wrote [The Night Shapes](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/b/james-blish/night-shapes.htm), which, if I’m remembering the right title, was about a crypto expedition set in the Congo. > There are numerous books about the Loch Ness Monster, including [The Loch](http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/a/steve-alten/loch.htm) by **Steve Alten** > **Steven Baxter** wrote a trilogy which began with _Silverhair_ (aka Mammoth) about the last surviving mammoths on a remote island in the Arctic… it’s the first of a trilogy but humans don’t feature too much until towards the end of v1. > **James Rollins** has cryptids in his [Ice Hunt](http://www.amazon.com/Ice-Hunt-James-Rollins/dp/0061965847/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1291902304&sr=8-1) but I don’t want to give too much away. Yeah, _The Loch_ wasn’t too bad. I read it when I was pretty sick, so I don’t remember it well, but I do remember it entertained me for a few days. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-entertaining-cryptozoology-fiction/563486/12 "2010-12-09T14:38:59Z")
If you don’t mind heading off into space, I’d recommend [A Fire Upon the Deep](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Fire_Upon_the_Deep) by Vernor Vinge. The alien creatures are really alien, the highlight being the Tine, who are probably the most believable hive mind creatures ever written. It’s science heavy, but is also a whole bunch of fun to read. ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-entertaining-cryptozoology-fiction/563486/13 "2010-12-09T14:55:57Z")
My favorite of late is Warren Fahy’s _Fragment_, but I see you’ve already mentioned that one. Gerrold’s _War Against the Chtorr_ is about an entire alien ecology attacking Earth. I really liked the action and alien stuff, but I really wish he’d toned down the social commentary. Just blow aliens up and quit preaching at me! There are four books (so far) in the series, but it’s looking more and more unlikely that he’ll ever finish it. So if you don’t mind ending on a cliffhanger… ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-entertaining-cryptozoology-fiction/563486/14 "2010-12-09T15:06:29Z")
_Evolution’s Shore_ by Ian MacDonald is sort of a cryptozoology story (alien ecology again). ---
**Author:** ![FlyingDragonFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c89c15/32.png) [@FlyingDragonFan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyingDragonFan)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-entertaining-cryptozoology-fiction/563486/15 "2010-12-09T16:09:52Z")
Excellent suggestions, folks, keep ‘em coming! I’ve read some of these, like _Relic_ and most of James Rollins’ stuff, but a lot are new. And I never would have thought of _At the Mountains of Madness_ (which I have read) as fitting in there, but good call, **Miller**. ---
**Author:** ![cblackhand](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecc23a/32.png) [@cblackhand](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cblackhand)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-entertaining-cryptozoology-fiction/563486/16 "2010-12-09T19:36:28Z")
[Monster](http://www.amazon.com/Monster-Lee-Martinez/dp/0316049913/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1291923177&sr=8-1) by A. Lee Martinez, is a fun light-weight read about a cryptozoological pest control agency. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2010, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-entertaining-cryptozoology-fiction/563486/17 "2010-12-10T05:38:29Z")
You’ve gotta read Wayne Barlowe’s _Expedition_, told as if it’s a scientific record of Earth’s first landing on another world. Fascinating. There was a CGI miniseries loosely based on it a few years ago - very cool, too, but quite a bit different. > **[Expedition: Being an Account in Words and Artwork of the A.D. 2358 Voyage to...](https://www.amazon.com/Expedition-Account-Artwork-D-Voyage/dp/0894809822)** > > Expedition: Being an Account in Words and Artwork of the A.D. 2358 Voyage to Darwin IV \[Barlowe, Wayne Douglas\] on Amazon.com. \*FREE\* shipping on qualifying offers. Expedition: Being an Account in Words and Artwork of the A.D. 2358 Voyage to Darwin... ---
**Author:** ![coglab](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecc23a/32.png) [@coglab](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coglab)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2010, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-entertaining-cryptozoology-fiction/563486/18 "2010-12-12T02:17:50Z")
[Blindsight](http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48484.Blindsight) by Peter Watts is a horror novel about an incredibly advanced alien bioform, and the team of cybernetically-enhanced “humans” that we send to space to take them out before they reach earth. By the end of the book, the main character realizes that the rest of the human race may have died out before the alien even got to earth! Also check out his [Rifters](http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/27167.Peter_Watts) series, where life as we know it is threatened by a hyper-adaptive microbe