Destiny has given orphan Will Henry monstrous afflictions in Rick Yancey’s young adult horror novel, “The Monstrumologist,” the first book in “The Monstrumologist” series. Man-eating beasts known as the Anthropophagi terrorize Will’s town of New Jerusalem.

Having witnessed the horrific death of his parents in a house fire, Will faces multiple taxing experiences as the apprentice of Pellinore Warthrop, an expert in a peculiar field of scientific study known as monstrumology. Monstrumology is “the study of life forms generally malevolent to humans and not recognized by science as actual organisms, especially those considered products of myth and folklore.”

Dr. Warthrop is obsessed with work and functions on little sleep and food. He has mood swings that are as unsettling as his eccentricities.  According to Will, Warthrop is just as mysterious as the field of monstrumology.

One chilly evening a grave digger named Erasmus Grey knocks on Dr. Warthrop’s door to report the discovery of the body of an adult Anthropophagus entwined with a human female corpse. Anthropophagi are enormous humanoid creatures with round, black eyes on their shoulders and mouths in the middle of their torsos. Their immense strength and acute senses make them a formidable, and almost unstoppable, enemy.

Warthrop notes how out-of-place the presence of the Anthropophagus is since the creatures are indigenous to Africa; moreover, Warthrop is perplexed about how they could have gotten to America as they cannot swim.

Returning to the graveyard where Erasmus made the gruesome discovery, Will finds himself in a fight for his life as Erasmus is swallowed into the earth by another Anthropophagus. One monster leads to the appearance of a blood-thirsty horde of Anthropophagi, who chase Will and Warthrop out of the graveyard.

Erasmus’ discovery and untimely death is the catalyst for Will and Warthrop’s quest for answers as they soon realize that their home has become the breeding grounds of an ancient monster first mentioned by Greek historian Herodotus and later in William Shakespeare’s tragedy “Othello.”

“The Monstrumologist” is pure nightmare fuel and will have readers double-checking the locks on their doors and windows. An excellent mix of horror and action, the novel takes fans on a roller coaster of emotional distress and will have them constantly question the origins of the Anthropophagi in New Jerusalem.

The book is recommended for teens ages 14 and over due to intense violence, grotesque imagery and gore. Those who are easily frightened or weak of heart should not read this book. “The Monstrumologist” is a great read during the Halloween season and will quench the thirst of horror fans everywhere.