War of the Sea Monsters is the fourth book in author Neil Riebe’s entertaining giant monster series. It features the return of some favorite characters such as secret agent Shindo Yamaguchi along with a mercenary named Satin and her all-female gang of cutthroats. It also features a klatch of quarrelsome monsters old and new.  

These characters (and more) provide the catalyst for lots of subterfuge, gunplay, political machinations and, of course, thunderous kaiju action. But seemingly contrariwise, the novel’s ultimate message seems to be “love your enemy.” 

Take, for example, the secret agent and the soldier of fortune. Shindo and Satin have been adversaries for a long time, and they’ve developed affection for each other over the years. But like Batman and Catwoman, they were star-crossed lovers with no future together.

Said the author: Shindo joined the secret service for the thrill of adventure just as much out of a sense of duty, but he could never go the distance with Satin. He wanted to remain within the boundary of the law.

Satin’s flirty behavior kept Shindo on a string, however. No matter what terrorist organization she aligned herself with, or who her boyfriend currently was, the Queen of Hearts always made it clear that she was interested in a relationship with the Japanese secret service agent. The novel shines bright when this pair cross paths during conflicting assignments.  

Similarly, the monsters in all of Riebe’s books were a headstrong bunch with various agendas and alliances. War of the Sea Monsters brings back two A-list kaiju from previous outings, but the spotlight this time definitely belongs to Marrellagon and Lario and their battle with a psycho kaiju stingray named Tryga. 

Marrellagon was a 250-foot Cambrian crustacean who was queen of the ocean deep, and Lario was a huge mutant sea creature with razor sharp fins and four eyes. The two were bitter rivals who tangled every time they had a chance. 

Initially raised in a laboratory, Tryga was a new breed of stingray that behaved as though the entire ocean belonged to her. “The sea is one place,” she reasoned. “Therefore only one can claim it—and I am the one!”

Both Marrellagon and Lario can’t stand Tryga’s excessive arrogance. Despite being bitter rivals, they decide to team up and battle the demon stingray. By doing so, the two monsters break the chains of hate that bind them.  

After an epic confrontation on land and sea, the former foes retreat to the bottom of the Marianas Trench to lick their wounds. The journey represents a new detente for them. What would the future hold for the crustacean and the archosaur? There was only one way to find out. “They took the plunge,” said the author. 

[ War of the Sea Monsters / By Neil Riebe / First Printing: May 2024 / ISBN: 9798324294342 ]