I have been a bit critical of the only two books I have read that were written by Rick Chesler. My gripe was that there was very little of what the books’ titles referred to. For example, The Guardians of Atlantis hardly had any action in Atlantis, and The Yeti was more a book on the difficulties of climbing Everest. While they were both good books in their own way, I felt cheated, considering their titles. Sure I like both burgers and pizzas, but if I order a pizza, I will be disappointed if I am served a burger.
So what about Hotel Megalodon? Admittedly, it was not bad. The shark was “there” the whole time. My only disappointment was that I listened to the audiobook. While the narrator was very good at reading general passages, I disliked most of his characters’ voices. The voice he used for one of the main characters, James White, grated on me. It was supposed to be an Australian accent, but he was way off. The character came across as a petulant child (not helped by the script, I suppose).
I wish there were a bit more urgency and suspense while building to the climax. It was, at times, a bit lethargic, and characters would make the most bizarre decisions. If one is willing to look past these issues, one will be entertained. The book probably deserves 3.5 stars, but I feel this book is aimed more at young adults and didn’t quite invoke emotion in me. It is a fun holiday read, but no more.