Meet Mick Taylor in Greg McLean and Aaron Sterns’ ‘Wolf Creek: Origin’ (Review)
HorrorNovelReviews.com
by Matt Molgaard, Jan 14 2014
Back in 2005 a shocking little Aussie pic hit the market and left travelers of The Outback pissing in their boots. That movie was Wolf Creek, a vehicle for the ultra-violent and completely unrelenting Mick Taylor. Mick was in many ways the most frightening villain to make way to the screen in ages, and fans loved him for that.
They loved him so much Penguin released a pair of books dedicated to the man’s ventures away from the screen. The first of the two, Wolf Creek: Origin offers exactly what you’d expect: a look at the early years of Mick and his rugged childhood. This kid never had it easy, and one horrible accident pushes things far, far beyond imagining. That’s right, it’s not so much an outright malicious act that triggers the inner killer of Mick Taylor. It’s something quite different. The end result however? The same: the dude is a murderous psychopath that you just don’t want to cross paths with.
Greg McLean’s concept for this story is brilliant. It’s terrific getting a chance to look at what – up to this point – has been one of the most mysterious murderers in the business. Knowing the human elements of the character is quite compelling. And scribe Aaron Sterns does a stellar job of articulating McLean’s vision. This is a very well written novel that flows smoothly, though it is driven by aggression, and as a fan of the film, I can honestly say it feels like a perfect companion effort.
At the end of the day, I don’t suppose it even matters whether you’ve seen Wolf Creek or not. This is a story that stands on its own two feet, and does so with wobbly pride. It’s grizzled, it’s harsh, and it’s damn mean; Wolf Creek: Origin is a kick ass read.
Rating: 4.5/5
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