“And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,
Slouches toward Bethlehem to be born?”
It is from these famous lines of William Butler Yeats’ “The Second Coming” that Gary Braver derives his title for this provocative novel.
Rough Beast, set in a small town in Massachusetts, is a thriller in the tradition of Stephen King and Dean Koontz, combined with the scientific underpinnings of Michael Crichton. The elements of horror and suspense and intrigue reinforce one another in a many layered tale that ultimately brings the boundaries of nature into question. Gary Braver has crafted a novel that plumbs the depths of genetic engineering, a powerful force that can be used for good or evil. Rough Beast explores the consequences of a military experiment gone wrong and its effects on as normal, unsuspecting American family–especially on its twelve-year-old son, Matty.
Rough Beast (Penguin, 1996/ Leisure Books, 1997), a biotech horror novel in the tradition of Dean Koontz and Michael Crichton.
“A solid and suspenseful cautionary tale.” - Publishers Weekly
“Watch out, Stephen King! Gary Goshgarian [Gary Braver] has taken your incredibly successful formula and made it work as skillfully for him as it does for you. Goshgarian is an excellent writer of suspense. . . Rough Beast is explosive, gripping and truly scary!” –The Roanoke Times
“Various mayhem, strange animal behaviors, a shadowy hit-man, and a secret Vietnam-era project are thrown into the cauldron. It’s all fun, and Goshgarian can propel the plot and reader forward.” –The Washington Post
“The prose here sings and the characters are multi-dimensional. . . This cunning, deft novel keeps the pages turning without sacrificing style for story.” —The Tab Community Newspapers
“The season’s scariest novel. . . Horror writer Stephen King could not have conceived a more chilling plot. . . The blending of political intrigue, the characterizations and the realistic drama reflect writing both original and masterful.” —The Cape Codder
“Rough Beast is full of nail-biting tension. The book is fascinating and sparks curiosity. You’ll want to read every word.” —The Tulsa World