This Quirk Classic was MUCH better than Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. I’m not sure whether it’s because this is their second ‘Mash Up’ (as Quirk calls it) and they were able to get some feedback after the first one, or if Ben Winters is that much better of an author than Seth Grahame-Smith.
There was a stronger maturity about this novel compared to Zombies. Although there were a few nods to impropriety in Sea Monsters as Austen herself vaguely alluded to in the original Sense and Sensibility, they were nowhere near as onerous or obtrusive as they were in Zombies. But what solidifies Sea Monsters as a better novel, is Winters removing it far enough from Austen, to create a cohesive (and believable) fantasy. There were no obviously disparate elements in this novel which stood out as much as the seemingly random zombies/Orient mash-up in the previous Quirk Classic .
Winter created a story which could stand on its own. There’s no need to have read Sense and Sensibility as most of the sea monster/nautical elements can stand on their own. I’m excited for the second ‘Mash Up’ Winter created, Android Karenina. Some one recently recommended Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter but I’m a bit wary as Seth Grahame-Smith, author of zombies wrote it.
Recommendation: Definitely read it!
Gosh, I thought this book was so weird. I didn’t like the different setting at all. – the whole underwater world. YIKES. And Colonel Brandon with his tentacles gave me the heeby jeebies! I finished it, but I preferred the zombies. In Zombies, I felt that it was truly P&P and Zombies! The basic story line was the same except let’s add some zombies – to comic effect I thought.
I’m not much of an Anna Karenina fan, so perhaps as an Android she’ll be much improved….
That’s why I had a problem with Zombies, it didn’t take it far enough from the original, it was offensive. Whereas I thought this one took it far enough. I agree about Colonel Brandon and the heeby jeebies though!
I’ve not read ,Anna Karenina, so I’m going to wait until I read it before I read Android Karenina.
P.S. – Thanks for the comment! 😀
I bought both Zombies and Sea Monsters for my boyfriend a year or two ago. I haven’t read them yet, but he liked both (and he’s a huge Austen nut, too!). I’m interested in Andriod Karenina, but I should probably read the original first 🙂
Hi Bridget,
Thanks for the comment – I just saw your review of Brave New World (and added your blog to my RSS feed). I only finished it a week or so ago and enjoyed it.
That’s awesome about your boyfriend being an Austen nut! I’ve only met a few guys out there who love to read them as much as I do (I keep them on my bedside stand and flip through them every-now and then, if it’s been to long since my last reading).
I’m excited about both Karenina’s especially as I liked Winter’s adaptation, so hopefully it lives up to my expectations and we’ll see about Tolstoy’s version.