Review: Killer plants
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 08 17, 2011
This is a short science fiction/horror story told in third-person from Max's point of view. Max is Specimen 278, and he's a gene-spliced Venus fly trap, a deadly, carnivorous plant capable of biting off human arms and legs. While Max is not human and is very much a plant rooted in the soil, he does have feelings and thoughts. He actually wishes that he were capable of communicating with his creator, Dr. Prethorius, the diabolical, mad scientist who sing-songs his way through gory death and carnage, be it that of plant or human.One day, the doctor moves Jenny, Specimen 313, into the greenhouse, planting her right beside Max. With the musically inclined and unbalanced doctor in charge and with plants cultivated to crave human flesh, anything can happen in this greenhouse. And even stranger things can happen when these man-eating plants start to communicate with each other and become friends.This story has 244 locations and is part of the anthologyThe Monster's Corner: Stories Through Inhuman Eyes. It's a quick read, strange but interesting, as it combines an almost campy horror movie feel with some disturbing scenes of blood and gore. I don't think I've ever read a story from a killer plant's point of view, but I very much enjoyed this one. The actions of Max and Jenny are horrific, but they are only doing what they were created to do. Sometimes man really should leave nature alone.