The Island

by Peter Benchley

Book Overview

The Island This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0553133969
• ISBN13: 9780553133967
• Release Date: January 1980
• Publisher: Bantam Books
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 0.39 lbs.

Customer Reviews

A Nightmare On the High Seas of the Unexpected.

Forget what people say in reference to the film, and hear me out on this horrifying novel. First off, this book is in no way, a bad read. It is actually quite excrutiating, and often hard to digest. I suppose that's why it has been written as a more or less lower installment as compared to JAWS and THE DEEP. It captures a nightmarish view on the high seas of the unexpected. More than that, it's a survival story, and thusly, an action packed adventure with violence, drugs, sex, and mindwarping! Blair Maynard is instantly intrigued by a story about dissapearing ships near the Bermuda Triangle. After a hard plea with his boss, he is permitted to investigate it. He brings his son along for some bonding time he is sure will up heave his life, and it does, at first. The duo, after a few days off the coast of Florida, are abducted by modern day Pirates, and taken to an Island where trouble awaits. The leader of the colony mentally robs Blair of his son, by brainwashing the child into a pirate. Blair, on the other hand, is tortured, and chained down most of the time like an animal. His only purpose is to supply a single woman with a healthy child, before he will then die. The life of the sect is even more jaw-droppingly horrifying. There are men, women, whores, and catamites, that all lounge around the area sleeping with each other. They eat and drink the most appauling of things, and high-jack innocent people, only to kill them. What's not to like? It's a nightmare of a story, and upon reading it for the first time, I found myself yearning to escape with Blair Maynard, and to retrieve his son. Such a fast-paced read, with so much creeping suspence and discriptive terror. It's a book you'll never forget. That's for sure!

Genre pulp and fun read.

Pulled this from my shelf when I had a seven hour flight and by the time I touched down, I reached my destination and finished a greatly enjoyable book. It's fast paced pulpy fun that's loaded with action. Yes, there are major holes and unrealistic circumstances. But think Clive Cussler, not Tom Clancy and you'll be fine. Benchley gets your heart going in the right places and at the same time giving you some great trivia about the Bermuda triangle and pirates. The characters are likable and interesting and the decriptive writing is wonderful. Keep in mind this book was written in the seventies and it does come across as dated in some spots. A staple in a used bookstore, it's easy to find. Grab it. It goes back on my shelf for another go in year or two.

There be pirates!

I must admit 'The Island' was a guilty pleasure to read. But I enjoyed it SO much! Peter Benchley has written a suspenseful story about modern-day pirates. Well, maybe not so modern-day, as the pirates behave in a decidedly archaic manner. The ending could have gone either of two ways, and I wasn't sure which way that would be. This kept the suspense going until the very last pages. I recommend this book for good escapist reading.

His Best Book

I found a copy of Benchley's the Island when helping my uncle clean out his mom's house. He said I could have it so I took it home and began to read; man was it great. I enjoyed every page of it, I even stayed up late to read it while I was on vacation at the beach. When I finished I was blown away by how far out the story was and decided to try some of Benchly's other stuff. Unfortunately, I found it to be drab and boring in comparison. I have to say that undoubtedly this is his best work.

This book is from the best author there ever was, and is.

I read all his books and he is just great. This book is one of the greats. You should definetly buy it. You will love it!!