The Loch Ness Monster has always been one of the most iconic cryptic creatures in history. Its identity has been speculated and sometimes debated over the years. Most people believe it to be a species of Plesiosaur, which has a long neck and small head connected to its round body. Plesiosaurs were fish eaters like dolphins. On the other hand, if Nessie was a Pliosaur, Loch Ness would not be a safe place to be in. The reason for this would be because Pliosaurs were voracious predators that indiscriminately attacked and ate everything that moved in the prehistoric oceans, including other Pliosaurs. Its large head and powerful jaws allowed it to kill and devour large prey. Due to these facts, if Nessie was one of these animals, it would most likely be a Plesiosaur because it was a harmless fish eater that would be more interested in eating the local fish. If it was a Pliosaur, there would be a lot more missing people and wrecked boats at Loch Ness since the Pliosaur would eat everything in the lake.
In terms of appearance, I have a pretty good idea of how the army of monsters in my fantasy series is going to look. In terms of biology and behavioral patterns, I have been taking inspiration from other creatures other creatures that use a caste system. In all these cases, monsters with a caste system act as a virtually unstoppable force against mankind. Imagine what beasts such as this would fare against medieval armies with magic and dragons. Such a conflict would be terrifying to behold. In terms of presence, my army of monsters will have an ominous and mysterious presence as they slowly encroach on human territory. This is similar to how the White Walkers gradually made their way to the Wall in Game of Thrones, attacking and killing everything in their path. Overall, I am rather intrigued with tinkering with this concept.
After much thought, I have decided to change my approach to the army of monsters that will appear in my future fantasy stories. At first, I thought of introducing an army of nonhumanoid monsters under the command of a Dark Lord and his specialized servants. Now, I am thinking of structure this army of darkness like a termite colony where all the monsters have their own unique caste system. Some monsters will act as foot soldiers, some will act as air support, some will act as commanders, and some will act as artillery. Under these castes would be their equivalent to a queen. Initially, I thought of making these creatures the result of dark or artificial magic, but now I am thinking of having them come from . . . elsewhere.
I have decided on what the main antagonists for the third fantasy book onwards should be. Due to the immense power the Imperial Dynasty acquired, no mortal opponent will be a match for them. Therefore, their new enemy should be something that is neither mortal or human. I am envisioning an army of monsters that slowly grows and festers in the heart of the Empire. Eventually, this army of abominations becomes so big and so powerful that the Imperial Dynasty and their allies will need to put aside their squabbles and join forces against a common enemy. These creatures will come in all shapes and sizes and will be commanded by a Dark Lord and his followers. The existence of these monsters will have long term consequences to the Empire as a whole. These beasts will make the Orcs of Middle-Earth look like rabble and the White Walkers of Game of Thrones look like fairies by comparison. I will be drawing inspiration from all kinds of monster-based stories like Stephen King’s The Mist and The Cabin In The Woods.
In the documentary series known as The Truth About Killer Dinosaurs, I got to see a test that demonstrated Tyrannosaurus Rex’s jaw strength. Apparently, thanks to its thick teeth and powerful jaw muscles, Tyrannosaurus Rex could bite with four tons of force. This bite strength allowed it to bite through a cow’s thigh bone like it was a twig. In addition, it was calculated that Tyrannosaurus Rex could bite off five hundred pounds of flesh from its prey in one bite. In another test, it was revealed that an average size car would have been reduced to scrap metal when exposed to Tyrannosaurus Rex’s mighty jaws and crushing teeth. Overall, Tyrannosaurus Rex possessed weaponry that was worthy of King of the Dinosaurs.
Everyone knows about the raptors’ most iconic weapon: the retractable claws on their feet. Today, I watched a documentary series known as The Truth About Killer Dinosaurs. This show displayed a series of tests that demonstrated the lethal power of dinosaur weaponry that ranged from Tyrannosaurus Rex’s jaws to Triceratops’s horns. Among the dinosaur weapons that were tested was a recreation of the Velociraptor’s retractable talons. It has been commonly believed that a raptor’s retractable talons were designed to gut its victims to death. However, it was revealed that a raptor’s talons operated more like a meat hook than a scythe. Therefore, it was theorized that a raptor used its talons to puncture the prey’s jugular vein and windpipe, causing the prey to bleed to death while choking on its own blood. This killing method is similar to how a lion would bite the throat of a zebra except it is with claws instead of fangs. It is not the killing method we are used to seeing in the movies, but it is every bit as deadly.
I have found something very intriguing about my dinosaur book. Because the reverse engineered animals are creatures that have not existed in real life, I am constantly brainstorming on what they would look like and how they would behave. Just when I think I have reach a finalized version, I come up with new ideas to incorporate with the design. It is a process that does not seem to end and requires just as much time and effort to accomplish as writing the story itself. Many of these creatures have combined physical features from other animals. For example, the new theropod dinosaurs will look like a combination of multiple real life theropods. Another example would be herbivores that look like a combination between real life plant-eating dinosaurs such as sauropods, hadrosaurs, and ceratopsians. In addition to the animals, I am also brainstorming on what the plant life would look like. I would have to decide if the vegetation would look like something from the Garden of Eden or some grotesque mutant from an alien planet. Overall, I am going to give my illustrator quite a challenge when the time comes to hire them. Of course, that challenge will only come if I can reach a final decision on what the creatures and landscape would look like.
A few years ago, I watched Shark Week and found this rather amusing video. It turns out sharks are rather musical creatures and their favorite kind of music is Death Metal!
As the 2020 adaptation of Dune draws closer, I begin to think about the book’s most iconic creature: the sandworms of Arrakis! In the 1984 film, the special effects made the sandworms look underwhelming. The sandworms in the miniseries version of Dune looked even better. Now, I have been keeping tabs on the sandworms in the 2020 movie. It looks like the filmmakers have been focusing a lot on attention to detail regarding both the sandworms and the film as a whole. It comforts me to know that the filmmakers are truly trying their best to be as faithful as possible to the original story. They have spent over a year coming up with the right design for the sandworms. Based on recent news, the sandworms in the 2020 film will look more prehistoric than in previous versions. Essentially, the sandworms of Arrakis will be like colossal serpentine dinosaurs the size of the Empire State Building! WOW!!!
For my future fantasy books, I am thinking of introducing a particularly dark breed of monster: the kind that is born out of incest. Unlike real life, children born of incest in my books will not be human even though their parents would be human. Instead, they will look like beasts you will only find in your most unholy nightmares. These creatures will be what they are due to their parents being exposed to byproducts of a failed magical experiment. As a result, these monstrosities will roam the corners of the Empire, attacking towns and villages where they find them. I will be drawing inspiration from a creature known as the Shtriga, which was the Albanian version of a vampire.
Grady P Brown - Author 