Monsterland Below by Michael Okon is a captivating continuation of the Monsterland horror series. It begins several weeks after Vincent Konrad escapes from Monsterland. Rosemary, a hardened pirate captain, embarks on a journey to capture a sea monster to prove herself to her father, Vincent Konrad. This journey takes her to Vincent's secret, subterranean base, where she discovers his monstrous nature and his plans for her. Wyatt and Howard, on the other hand, are friends who were displaced by the battle in the previous book. Wyatt and Howard find themselves on a perilous journey along a treacherous route infested with bizarre creatures to reach L.A., where they intend to inform the authorities that Vincent is still alive and a threat. Rosemary must escape from Vincent's Island and team up with Wyatt, Howard, and their allies to defeat Vincent and end his monstrous plans.

What's truly amazing about Monsterland Below is the personal growth of each character and their journey to understanding the line between human and monster. Rosemary's issues with her identity after meeting with her father is an example of the struggles that compel people to confront their past and redefine who they are. Michael Okon's writing style is straightforward, which he skillfully uses to combine different plots into a single aim of defeating Vincent Konrad. The characters were remarkably developed, particularly Wyatt and Howard, who mature from naive teenagers to adults playing a key role in the battle against Vincent. The book is fast-paced and filled with lots of action, with each chapter introducing new and bizarre creatures. The book explored themes of friendship, loyalty, and mystery. I recommend it to readers interested in horror novels with a post-apocalyptic setting.

Monsterland Below by Michael Okon continues as book three in the Monsterland series. Previously, in the first novel, Monsterland, Wyatt Baldwin faces a difficult senior year after his father’s death and adjusting to his stepfather. With his friends, he visits Monsterland, a theme park featuring vampires, werewolves, and zombies as interactive attractions. When the supernatural attractions decide to go rogue, the terror really begins. In Monsterland Reanimated, after Monsterland’s collapse destroys society, Wyatt travels across the country to reach the remaining government while trying to expose a high-level traitor before devastation spreads further. Now, Wyatt and his crew travel west along I-15 toward Los Angeles, seeking a hidden lab and lost technology, where what they come across above has nothing on the storm raging below. “Here and there, red paint was sprayed on the large freeway signs saying, ‘Stay out’ or ‘Enter and die.’ There were no signs of life.”

Michael Okon’s Monsterland Below is a fantastic continuation and takes the series in a direction I wasn't expecting at all. The settings are amazing. Barren deserts, abandoned towns, and the merciless ocean all contribute to an oppressive, almost alien atmosphere. Naturally, there are political conspiracies, global upheaval, and the ripple effects of Vincent Konrad’s schemes, but conversations with Wyatt, Owens, and Colonel Drucker connect macro-level societal collapse with micro-level personal hell. The dialogue is intelligently witty, producing genuine laughs even in dark situations. I almost fell over when Danai said, “‘But I don’t want to go with them. I like it here. Even with the clowns, I like it up here.’” Weirdly, Rosemary is my favorite character. She has such calculated ruthlessness, tempered by situational ethics. The juxtaposition of strategic violence and emotional defiance is spectacular. There is nothing not to like here. Very highly recommended.

After the collapse of Monsterland, Wyatt and Howard travel through vast stretches of wasteland to Los Angeles, the only place that may have resources amid the ruins of what had been civilization. Along the way, they join Etan, an enigmatic soldier with an entourage of six tall girls, bound for the same destination. But what awaits them in LA is barricades and hostile gangs. Will they find what they’re after? Captain Rosemary Konrad, on the other hand, has set out to sea with her crew on a dangerous mission. She is determined to bring back a dreaded sea monster for her father, Vincent, the mastermind behind Monsterland, who has promised her a boat for this feat. Soon, she realizes she has made a terrible mistake as she learns about Vincent’s plans. She is forced to flee for the sake of her own and her unborn child’s lives, and ends up in LA. As Rosemary joins forces with Wyatt’s group and Melvin, a werewolf, can they stop Vincent and his plans? Find out in Michael Okon’s Monsterland Below.

Michael Okon’s Monsterland Below is what you should be looking for if you love dark, urban fantasy, and horror. An intriguing plot interweaves three timelines in a high-stakes tale of preserving humanity in a post-apocalyptic world. One man’s selfish ambitions of control and power have brought the world to its knees, rendering it a shell of its former self. Wyatt, Howard, Rosemary, and Melvin must fight for their survival, that of their loved ones, and protect whatever is left of the world from more damage. The internal conflicts and complexities of the cast add depth to the narrative, and at the same time, make the cast emotionally accessible. The cast is not only faced with a physical battle for survival, but also a moral one. Okon has a knack for creating immersive, cinematic scenes through world-building, relying on well-paced dialogue and in medias res openings. Being the third installment in the series, this story borrows heavily from the previous ones. To fully enjoy it, I highly recommend reading the preceding books first.

Michael Okon's Monsterland Below (Book III) depicts a world on the verge of collapse. It paints a grim reality where humans and monsters must battle each other to survive. Governments no longer operate, and resources are scarce. Meanwhile, a massive sea creature and monsters hidden in underground spaces shift the story in an unexpected direction. It's up to Wyatt, Howard, and their allies to journey across this perilous land and stop whatever hell is about to be unleashed in L.A. Along the way, they must confront gangs, rogue soldiers, and vicious monsters that have been scientifically modified. Their path leads to none other than the legendary Vincent Konrad himself—a man whose obsession with monsters takes on a new, grotesque form. Can the protagonists save this chaotic world from ultimate destruction?

Monsterland Below by Michael Okon is a horror story that will keep you on the edge of your seat from the first page until the very end. The author explores themes such as self-identity, leadership, courage, and the dangers of an unbridled need for power and control. Horror fans are in for a grand surprise. The narrative refuses to let its terrifying monster cast fade away into the shadows. Instead, it energetically propels them into the spotlight as symbols of human fear and science gone mad. The intriguing character dynamics will draw you deeper into the plot. Each character, whether a teen hero or a scientific villain, plays their part convincingly. Symbolically, this story isn’t solely about humans battling monsters—it's about humans facing their own inner demons. The pace is frantic and the storyline is epic. I highly recommend this book to horror fans.