The Naturalist

by Mark Sumner

First published 2014

Calvin Brown crouches in tall grass as pistol shots ring out and his companions shout in the distance. What he first mistakes for liquid proves far worse: a writhing mass of insects surging toward him. Brown works as an amateur naturalist, dreaming of paying his debts and claiming the land his parents left behind. The property should provide enough income for a comfortable life, if not wealth. When catastrophe hits a nearby settlement, Brown learns that careless rainforest destruction can trigger deadly consequences. Ancient forces sleep in the deep jungle, and human interference has stirred them to wakefulness. Brown and everyone around him must now fight to survive what they have unleashed. The land that promised security has become a battleground against creatures that should have remained undisturbed.

Genres: science-fiction, adventure, fantasy, horror

Vibes: dark, suspenseful, thought-provoking

Tropes: ancient-forces, human-interference

Setting: Rainforest

Period: 19th-Century, 20th-Century

202 pages · Paperback · Word Posse

Content warnings: body-horror, violence

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