The Kraken of Cape Madre

Lorestalker #2

Fiction - Horror
297 Pages
Reviewed on 06/02/2019
Buy on Amazon

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Author Biography

J.P. Barnett grew up in a tiny Texas town where the list of possible vocations failed to include published author. In second grade, he worked harder than any other student to deliver a story about a tiger cub who singlehandedly saved the U.S. Military, earning him a shiny gold star and a lifelong appreciation of telling a good story.

As a child, J.P. consumed any book he could get his hands on. The likes of Stephen King, Michael Crichton, and Dean Koontz paved the bookshelves of his childhood, providing a plethora of fantastical and terrifying tales that he read way too early in life. Though the effect these books had on his psyche could be called into question, these masters of storytelling managed to warp his mind in just the perfect way to spin a fun yarn or two.

J.P. currently resides in San Antonio with his wife and hellion of a cat, both of whom look at him dubiously with some frequency.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

The Kraken of Cape Madre: Lorestalker #2 is a speculative adventure fiction novel written by J.P. Barnett. Miriam Brooks felt oddly out of place on the crowded beach where she was attempting to enjoy the surf and sun with her best friend, Macy, and her cousin, Tanner. She felt especially uncomfortable in the skimpy bathing suit she had somehow been persuaded to wear. Macy seemed to wear her suit with effortless grace and elegance; things that seemed foreign and out of reach to Miriam, who had grown up under the dictatorial and oppressive control of her famous cryptozoologist father. The family’s most recent mission, conducted in accordance with her dad’s orders, had ended with the death of Miriam’s brother, Cornelius. Miriam was in college now trying to heal from the event, and Tanner, who had grown up with her and Cornelius, was, in her estimation, her only relative now. Spring break was an anomaly for the overly serious and still psychologically injured young woman, who was even now wondering if she could actually consider once again her childhood dream of being a marine biologist.

The Kraken of Cape Madre is a fast-paced and action-packed journey into the realm of the impossible that will thrill anyone who’s ever hoped that the Loch Ness Monster and Bigfoot are really out there, and maybe even dreamed that they might see them someday. I’ll readily admit to having a weakness for reports of such sightings and regularly pore over news sites after major storms at sea just in case someone discovered any strange creatures that were beached in the process. Miriam is an awesome character and the consummate cryptid hunter. She’s strong, resilient and intelligent, and I’m hoping one day to also see Miriam Brooks as the star of movies based on the Lorestalker series. Barnett’s characters are marvelous; they’re well defined, multifaceted and credible. His plot is suspenseful and his story is impossible to put down. This book stands on its own as the author gives just enough background from Book 1, while refraining from spoilers to allow the books to be read out of order. I quickly came to love Cape Madre and appreciated how well the author made that little beach town feel real. The Kraken of Cape Madre: Lorestalker #2 is most highly recommended.

Kim Anisi

What would you do if you encountered a real-life Kraken while out on a boat on the ocean or going for a nice swim? Fortunately for Miriam, the main character of The Kraken of Cape Madre by J.P. Barnett, she has been raised to be a monster hunter – though up to now she did not think this would really be her path, even if only to resist her father’s wishes. Her break away from everything, however, turns into something that pushes her further towards being what her father wanted her to be. While Miriam is on the beach with some friends, she rescues a girl from drowning after the girl had been attacked by something with large tentacles. Miriam finds out that this girl wasn’t the first to encounter the local monster, but finding the truth is not easy. The locals are not keen on talking. Soon, there are more disappearances that are linked to the monster, and while the police struggle to deal with the problem, Miriam and her friends try to save the day.

The Kraken of Cape Madre by J.P. Barnett is the second book in the Lorestalker series; however, you don’t necessarily need to know what happened in the first book to fully understand and appreciate book 2! As I found this one so interesting though, I’ll soon catch up on book 1, so I’d recommend to others to read the series in the right order – you won’t regret it, I’m sure. I enjoyed Miriam’s story and how it all came together. It was an intriguing tale that explained a myth in a rather unusual and interesting way (not going to spoil it here, obviously!). There was a good number of characters involved; enough to have some variety, but not too many to confuse the reader. I enjoyed how the characters interacted with each other, and how a cop kind of turned a blind eye to some of Miriam’s methods because he knew she was the only chance to get the “problem” solved. It was an exciting read, and as I’m not a fan of creepy sea-creatures, it was indeed a proper horror novel to me. Novels like this make me feel validated about my hesitance to step into the sea! You never know what lurks out there.

K.C. Finn

The Kraken of Cape Madre is a work of seafaring horror fiction penned by author J. P. Barnett and the second book in the Lorestalker collection. In this new adventure, we meet a whole new monster as Spring Break looms for the already-traumatized Miriam Brooks, who is trying to forget the brutality and violence which meant the loss of her brother two years ago. But when people start to go missing along the coast of Cape Madre, Miriam’s beast-hunting instincts kick in, and she can’t help but involve herself in the hunt for the thing that’s taking them. What follows is an epic adventure above and below the water: one with horrifying consequences for Miriam and those around her.

This book flew by while I was reading because of its intense page-turning quality. Author J. P. Barnett weaves an interesting narrative which balances information reveals with plot twists very well, giving us a fast-paced plot that also has a lot to take in and digest along the way. The monsters, myths and historical aspects which Miriam uncovers are the hallmarks of any great seafaring adventure, adding lots of atmosphere as the darkness and tension of the tale builds up. Along the way, the real power of the horror novel kicks in more and more, and what might seem like a slow burner soon becomes an inferno of action, terror and frightening realities revealed. Overall, The Kraken of Cape Madre is an excellent addition to the horror genre: a read not to be missed.