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| Author | John Raymond Brosnan |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Genre | Horror, Science Fiction |
| Publisher | W. H. Allen & Co. (1983) Fleuve Noir (France, 1986) Bart Books (1989) |
Publication date | January 1, 1983 (first edition) |
| Publication place | Australia |
| Media type | Print (paperback) |
| Pages | 156 |
| ISBN | 978-0-3523-1366-9 |
Slimer is a 1983 science fiction horror novel by Australian author John Brosnan, under the pseudonym of Harry Adam Knight. The story centers on a group of drug smugglers falling prey to a genetically engineered entity with the ability to absorb its victims.
Plot
editPaul Latham, his girlfriend Linda Warner, and their four friends Alex, Rochelle, Mark, and Chris had been on a drug run from Morocco when their yacht sank. Forced to abandon ship, the group soon stumbles upon an abandoned oil rig, which they take shelter. Immediately it is revealed that all is not what it seems, as they soon uncover that the rig was actually a cover for a top-secret lab run by a company called Brinkstone. Exploring the seemingly abandoned base uncovers discarded, unfired guns and scattered, empty clothes, hinting at some unknown event occurring in the past. That night, an unseen creature attacks the group, which appears unaffected when Paul empties an entire M16 magazine into it. The lab appears to not be completely abandoned when they find a scientist claiming to be a man named Dr. Shelley, who reveals the creature, "Charlie", was an experiment of the facility. Questioned about this, Shelley cryptically replies that Charlie will not harm them again and promises that he will tell them more about the creature later. The next day arrives and Shelly has seemingly disappeared without a trace. Later on, a security officer confronts the group, offering to help, but then transforms into Charlie, who seriously wounds Rochelle.
Paul and the others eventually uncover the truth about Charlie, originally a great white shark, Charalie was injected with an experimental compound called Phoenix, which gifted it with the ability to shapeshift as it absorbed the minds and bodies of its victims. As the number of human casualties begin to rise, it becomes apparent that Charlie is not the only threat the group needs to face.
Themes
editDevelopment
editPublication history
editThe novel was republished in 2018 by Valancourt Books, featuring a new cover art design and an introduction by Roy Kettle.[1]
Audio publication
editReception
edit- Review by Michael A. Morrison (1984) in Fantasy Review, November 1984
Legacy
editFilm adaption
editReferences
edit- ^ n.a. (n.d.). "Slimer (1983) - Valancourt Books". Valancourt Books. Retrieved June 11, 2023.
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Sources
editBooks
edit- Barron, Neil; Barton, Wayne; Stilwell, Steven (1990). What Do I Read Next?: A Reader's Guide to Current Genre Fiction: Fantasy, Western, Romance, Horror, Mystery, Science Fiction. Gale Research. ISBN 978-0-8103-7555-0. - 304
- Lentz, Sean (2006). Obituaries in the Performing Arts. McFarland & Company. ISBN 978-0-7864-2489-4.
- McMullen, Harris (1998). The MUP Encyclopiedia of Australian Science Fiction & Fantasy. Melbourne University Press. ISBN 978-0-5228-4771-0. - 18
- Pringle, David (1995). The Ultimate Guide to Science Fiction: An A-Z of Science-fiction Books by Title. Scolar Press. ISBN 978-1-8592-8071-3. - 58
- Pringle, David (1998). St. James Guide to Horror, Ghost & Gothic Writers. St. James Press. ISBN 978-1-5586-2206-7. - 332