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How to Survive a Sharknado and Other Unnatural Disasters: Fight Back When Monsters and Mother Nature Attack
Sharks Are Flying at Your Head at 300 mph.
How Will You Survive?
In the apocalyptic world we live in, Mother Nature is angry. Danger waits at every turn, and catastrophes like the Los Angeles sharknados have taught us that we need to be ready for anything. Too many lives have already been lost.
But fear not. How to Survive a Sharknado and Other Unnatural Disasters is the first and only comprehensive guide to surviving the very worst that Mother Nature can throw our way. Inside this life-saving reference, you’ll find:
• Vital information about dozens of unnatural disasters and ungodly monsters that can injure, maim, or kill you, from arachnoquakes and ice twisters to piranhacondas and mega pythons;
• Easy-to-understand survival tips for avoiding a bloody demise;
• Inspirational words of wisdom from survivors, including Fin Shepard and April Wexler;
• Useful resources, such as the Shepard Survival Assessment Test (S.S.A.T), and much more.
With this essential book in hand, you too can be a hero who laughs in the face of calamity while saving friends and family. Or you can just avoid getting savagely ripped apart by a sharktopus. Either way, you’ve been warned. Now be prepared.
How Will You Survive?
In the apocalyptic world we live in, Mother Nature is angry. Danger waits at every turn, and catastrophes like the Los Angeles sharknados have taught us that we need to be ready for anything. Too many lives have already been lost.
But fear not. How to Survive a Sharknado and Other Unnatural Disasters is the first and only comprehensive guide to surviving the very worst that Mother Nature can throw our way. Inside this life-saving reference, you’ll find:
• Vital information about dozens of unnatural disasters and ungodly monsters that can injure, maim, or kill you, from arachnoquakes and ice twisters to piranhacondas and mega pythons;
• Easy-to-understand survival tips for avoiding a bloody demise;
• Inspirational words of wisdom from survivors, including Fin Shepard and April Wexler;
• Useful resources, such as the Shepard Survival Assessment Test (S.S.A.T), and much more.
With this essential book in hand, you too can be a hero who laughs in the face of calamity while saving friends and family. Or you can just avoid getting savagely ripped apart by a sharktopus. Either way, you’ve been warned. Now be prepared.
223 pages, Paperback
First published July 8, 2014
About the author
Andrew Shaffer
43 books1,482 followersAndrew Shaffer is the New York Times bestselling author of more than a dozen books. He lives with his wife, novelist Tiffany Reisz, in Louisville, Kentucky, where he teaches at Lexington's non-profit Carnegie Center for Literacy and Learning and Louisville Literary Arts.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 149 reviews
August 2, 2019
i read this book 2 years ago, and neverever reviewed it. it was so long ago that the comment thread is full of friendly conversation between myself and people who have since blocked me, making it a historical relic of a most delightful conviviality. in the interest both of shark week and of getting my “to be reviewed” pile down to more acceptable levels, i will FINALLY review it, if my shaky (sharky?) memory (and my nostalgic tears) permits.
this is a really fun and silly book for fans of animal-attack syfy movies, full of winky references for devotees of the genre and many practical tips should you find yourself starring in a real-life syfy movie, like how to tie sharktopus tentacles into a knot. the advice is both specific:
Don't stare directly into a beeclipse - Not only will you go blind … you'll go dead.
and more general:
Wear sunscreen - While this won't help ward off a pteracuda per se, it is sensible advice nonetheless.
it also offers some handy definitions/contexts for people who might have been too busy doing Big Important Things with their lives to sit down and marathon these fine films.
A dinonami occurs when a megatsunami wipes out a dinosaur island and washes the creatures onto the mainland.
i mean, duhhh, right? everyone knows that.
there are many chapters, each explaining what you are likely to encounter during such events as a bataclysm, a whalestrom, a stonehenge apocalypse, a redneck gator, and even a piranhaconda!
each segment also includes tips on how to avoid putting yourself into such a predicament and how to survive if you have disregarded those tips, as well as an at-a-glance reference box with a scale of how devastating such an event would be, how likely it is to occur and where, and information about who should be most wary of the situation. for example, in a dinonami, high-risk groups include Eccentric Billionaires and Mathematicians in Leather Jackets.
so beware.
since we are celebrating shark week, here are all the sharky creatures covered in this book:
DINOSHARK:
GHOST SHARK:
SHARKTOPUS:
SWAMP SHARK:
(note to internet - you need more animated gifs of swamp shark)
this is a really fun book, and it is surprisingly well-detailed. there is much to discover within its covers, and there’s even a handy filmography at the back, in case you missed any of these films while you were out raising your kids or something. the situations aren’t all pulled from the films, which opens the door for future possibilities, some of which may include:
Wolverinah (Wolverine + Cheetah)
Flying Sea Wasp (Jellyfish + Wasp)
Snapping Taranturtle (Snapping Turtle + Tarantula)
Rhinosaurus (Rhinoceros + Tyrannosaurus rex)
Mangoose (Human + Mongoose)
please, syfy, please give me a mangoose...
come to my blog!
August 13, 2014
My friend Kelly did the bestest ever review on this book so I had to grab it up.
You think Cody Lundin, Les Stroud or Bear Grylls are going to help you when you are facing down a Basilisk? NOT..you better grab your copy of this book up.
Hint you can't blow it up! You can, however distract it with the Eye of Medusa.
My child and I had a ball last night reading through this book. He of course has been watching all the movies/tv shows that he needs to fight some of these creatures. Sharknado, Hunting Bigfoot and he watches others but his mom's eyes glaze over so I can't remember all of them.
This is what I get subjected too after the boy child gets into monster fighting mode:
The hubby gets involved too..
Next they will take notes from How to Wield a chainsaw like a boss....Umm Thanks Andrew Shaffer. I'm sure those trips to the ER will be fun for me.
I think I'm getting a head start to the mayhem by fixing the Apocalyptic drinks on page 95 for myself...right now.
I received a copy of this book from blogging for books in exchange for an honest review.
You think Cody Lundin, Les Stroud or Bear Grylls are going to help you when you are facing down a Basilisk? NOT..you better grab your copy of this book up.
Hint you can't blow it up! You can, however distract it with the Eye of Medusa.
My child and I had a ball last night reading through this book. He of course has been watching all the movies/tv shows that he needs to fight some of these creatures. Sharknado, Hunting Bigfoot and he watches others but his mom's eyes glaze over so I can't remember all of them.
This is what I get subjected too after the boy child gets into monster fighting mode:
The hubby gets involved too..
Next they will take notes from How to Wield a chainsaw like a boss....Umm Thanks Andrew Shaffer. I'm sure those trips to the ER will be fun for me.
I think I'm getting a head start to the mayhem by fixing the Apocalyptic drinks on page 95 for myself...right now.
I received a copy of this book from blogging for books in exchange for an honest review.
July 19, 2017
Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
This week’s forecast? Increasing heat and a 100% chance of Sharknados. No, seriously – today is Sharknado 2: The Second One day!
For decades movies have been describing all the ways terrifying beasts and various forces of nature can kill us. This book fills the populous in on the truth of all the unnatural disasters that could (and most likely will) befall the average human in the near future. Let’s face it, we aren’t all Batman, equipped with utility belts that will help us defeat any foe.
How to Survive a Sharknado and Other Unnatural Disasters reminds us to live by the motto Semper Paratus - “Always Ready”. After all, not all sharks want to be your friend.
Most of them are cold blooded murderers and, let’s face it, not everyone can afford to get a bigger boat.
Don’t think this book has pigeonholed itself to only dealing with the Sharknado problem, though. Oh no no no, this survival guide covers everything from
Bigfoot
to Mongolian Death Worms
to Antdemics
to Mega Pythons
to Redneck Gators
to a Beeclipse
to Elektrokrakens
(Helpful hint when it comes to surviving an Elektrokraken attack: Wear Crocs. Although they are an eyesore, the rubbery, waterproof Croc will insulate you from electric shock and may save your life (assuming the Elektrokraken doesn’t opt to just bite your head off). No longer will my Croc wearing be limited to the privacy of my backyard. I shall go forth and prosper in my neon yellow crime against fashion!!!!!)
to a Boarricane
(Mitchell is pretty stoked about this one.)
This book is a must read for anyone who wants to survive when nature finally decides to fight back. I will continue trying to perfect my own personal defense arsenal (frickin’ sharks with frickin’ lasers on their heads)
but for now and up until the day I finally feel 100% safe, I will continue using the one tried and true method of survival:
Sidenote to everyone who will be enjoying Sharknado 2: The Second One this evening: I hope it’s just asawful wonderful as the first and when your head hits the pillow tonight you all have visions of Sugar Ray dancing in your head : )
('cause Mark McGrath is in the movie, yo)
This book was provided by Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review
This week’s forecast? Increasing heat and a 100% chance of Sharknados. No, seriously – today is Sharknado 2: The Second One day!
For decades movies have been describing all the ways terrifying beasts and various forces of nature can kill us. This book fills the populous in on the truth of all the unnatural disasters that could (and most likely will) befall the average human in the near future. Let’s face it, we aren’t all Batman, equipped with utility belts that will help us defeat any foe.
How to Survive a Sharknado and Other Unnatural Disasters reminds us to live by the motto Semper Paratus - “Always Ready”. After all, not all sharks want to be your friend.
Most of them are cold blooded murderers and, let’s face it, not everyone can afford to get a bigger boat.
Don’t think this book has pigeonholed itself to only dealing with the Sharknado problem, though. Oh no no no, this survival guide covers everything from
Bigfoot
to Mongolian Death Worms
to Antdemics
to Mega Pythons
to Redneck Gators
to a Beeclipse
to Elektrokrakens
(Helpful hint when it comes to surviving an Elektrokraken attack: Wear Crocs. Although they are an eyesore, the rubbery, waterproof Croc will insulate you from electric shock and may save your life (assuming the Elektrokraken doesn’t opt to just bite your head off). No longer will my Croc wearing be limited to the privacy of my backyard. I shall go forth and prosper in my neon yellow crime against fashion!!!!!)
to a Boarricane
(Mitchell is pretty stoked about this one.)
This book is a must read for anyone who wants to survive when nature finally decides to fight back. I will continue trying to perfect my own personal defense arsenal (frickin’ sharks with frickin’ lasers on their heads)
but for now and up until the day I finally feel 100% safe, I will continue using the one tried and true method of survival:
Sidenote to everyone who will be enjoying Sharknado 2: The Second One this evening: I hope it’s just as
('cause Mark McGrath is in the movie, yo)
This book was provided by Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review
July 28, 2014
Last summer, “Sharknado” struck a world entirely unprepared. The Syfy documentary about a hurricane that blew ravenous sharks all over Los Angeles caused a tidal wave of excitement — mostly on Twitter, the official social media platform of the Apocalypse.
And here we go again: On July 30, “Sharknado 2: The Second One” will dump mayhem on New York. But this time, we’ll be ready, thanks to gonzo biologist (and popular satirist) Andrew Shaffer. He’s just published an essential guide called “How to Survive a Sharknado and Other Unnatural Disasters” (Three Rivers, $14.99). We spoke to Shaffer from his bunker in a secure, undisclosed location somewhere in Portland, Ore.
(Don’t wait for the sharks to start falling from the air: Read this now.)
Being an expert on arachnoquakes, firenados, bataclysms and other unnatural disasters, how do you sleep at night?
Tylenol PM.
Read the rest of this interview at The Washington Post:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/s...
And here we go again: On July 30, “Sharknado 2: The Second One” will dump mayhem on New York. But this time, we’ll be ready, thanks to gonzo biologist (and popular satirist) Andrew Shaffer. He’s just published an essential guide called “How to Survive a Sharknado and Other Unnatural Disasters” (Three Rivers, $14.99). We spoke to Shaffer from his bunker in a secure, undisclosed location somewhere in Portland, Ore.
(Don’t wait for the sharks to start falling from the air: Read this now.)
Being an expert on arachnoquakes, firenados, bataclysms and other unnatural disasters, how do you sleep at night?
Tylenol PM.
Read the rest of this interview at The Washington Post:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/s...
January 16, 2016
This book is laugh out loud hilarious. The advice given throughout is given so seriously but with tongue firmly in cheek and I loved every bit of it. The side bars and weird science extras were a lot of fun. I definitely feel prepared for anything and I am in the process of getting my preparedness kits together. At the end of the book there is a list of films related to the unnatural disasters and monsters and I actually found that I have watched most of them and want to watch the others, not quite sure what that says about me though! If you loved Sharknado or just enjoy an extremely well done parody book then this is the book for you.
April 12, 2015
I actually received this book in a LootCrate monthly subscription box and I was super excited about it! It is one of the most funny and somewhat scary books I've read ever. I use the word scary because the disasters described in the book are written so well that they seem too real but I loved that! I highly recommend this book to anyone.
August 16, 2014
I just personally love how this book is built around the premise that we actually live in a SyFy Original movie. Where things like Pteracudas and Sharknados and Cyboars are legitimate threats.
Honestly -- I wish we *DID* live in such a world.
Goofy, silly, fun.
Honestly -- I wish we *DID* live in such a world.
Goofy, silly, fun.
July 4, 2016
Read this review (and others) at: https://literatureislife.com/2016/07/...
How to Survive a Sharknado is a fun little book covering various scenarios in Syfy Channel films that all share a common theme: humanity has messed around with Mother Nature and boy is she pissed. Despite being called How to Survive a Sharknado and Other Unnatural Disasters, this survival guide focuses a lot more on the “Other Unnatural Disasters” part of the title. The first Sharknado movie gained quite a bit of popularity as a “so bad it’s good” film, but Syfy Original Films have been like that for a long time. Curious filmgoers should not that back when Syfy Channel was called Sci-fi Channel, these films were referred to as Sci-Fi Picture Originals. Any of their movies made from 2001 to 2009 will fall under this category if you go to look things up.
This handy-dandy survival guide is divided into two main sections and each of those is made up of two sub-sections. The first big section is Unnatural Disasters and begins with Fighting Mother Nature. This sub-section highlights situations from films that are a combination of natural disasters and animal attacks such as Arachnoquake and of course Sharknado. The second sub-section is titled When Earth Attacks and covers films that deal with extreme (i.e. statistically improbable/impossible) natural disasters like Ice Twisters, Stonados, and Swamp Volcanoes. Part II of the book is simply dubbed Monsters and that is what it deals with. Its first sub-sections covers monsters that attack on land, such as Bigfoot or a Sabretooth Tiger, while the second deals with creates that attack at sea like the Sharktopus or its rival the Pteracuda.
Not every piece of How to Survive a Sharknado is pulled directly from a Syfy Channel movie. There are some unnatural disasters that author Andrew Shaffer made up for this book. These are most prevalent in the Fighting Mother Nature section which features events that are similar to (and just as outrageous as) a Sharknado, such as a Boaricane (boars + hurricane instead of sharks + tornado) or a Dinoami (dinosaurs + tsunami). The back of the book contains a filmography section for the film origins of each creature/disaster covered in the book, but it is not 100% complete. For example, even though one of the monsters covered is a Sabretooth Tiger none of the Syfy movies featuring the big cats are listed.
Each monster/disaster entry in How to Survive a Sharknado is composed of vital information, a brief introduction, a history of the monster attack/disaster incident, what to avoid doing if you find yourself face-to-face with this thing, and how you are going to survive your experience. Every entry also has a side note or two with varying information related to whatever is being covered, from extra survival tips to how to make some seafood steaks after a Sharknado has littered your street with fresh, free fish.
If you are a fan of Syfy Channel movies, How to Survive a Sharknado is a very fun little read. As a pocket sized book with a little over 200 pages and lots of pictures readers can easily go through the whole book in an afternoon. It does not cover anywhere close to every film Syfy Channel has made (the Filmography section lists 23 films; Syfy has made over 10x that many) but is a good starting off point for people interested in B-grade monster/disaster movies. To keep things going for interested readers, Literature is Life will be reviewing films NOT covered in How to Survive a Sharknado for the rest of our Syfy movie month, leading up to the review of Sharknado 4.
How to Survive a Sharknado is a fun little book covering various scenarios in Syfy Channel films that all share a common theme: humanity has messed around with Mother Nature and boy is she pissed. Despite being called How to Survive a Sharknado and Other Unnatural Disasters, this survival guide focuses a lot more on the “Other Unnatural Disasters” part of the title. The first Sharknado movie gained quite a bit of popularity as a “so bad it’s good” film, but Syfy Original Films have been like that for a long time. Curious filmgoers should not that back when Syfy Channel was called Sci-fi Channel, these films were referred to as Sci-Fi Picture Originals. Any of their movies made from 2001 to 2009 will fall under this category if you go to look things up.
This handy-dandy survival guide is divided into two main sections and each of those is made up of two sub-sections. The first big section is Unnatural Disasters and begins with Fighting Mother Nature. This sub-section highlights situations from films that are a combination of natural disasters and animal attacks such as Arachnoquake and of course Sharknado. The second sub-section is titled When Earth Attacks and covers films that deal with extreme (i.e. statistically improbable/impossible) natural disasters like Ice Twisters, Stonados, and Swamp Volcanoes. Part II of the book is simply dubbed Monsters and that is what it deals with. Its first sub-sections covers monsters that attack on land, such as Bigfoot or a Sabretooth Tiger, while the second deals with creates that attack at sea like the Sharktopus or its rival the Pteracuda.
Not every piece of How to Survive a Sharknado is pulled directly from a Syfy Channel movie. There are some unnatural disasters that author Andrew Shaffer made up for this book. These are most prevalent in the Fighting Mother Nature section which features events that are similar to (and just as outrageous as) a Sharknado, such as a Boaricane (boars + hurricane instead of sharks + tornado) or a Dinoami (dinosaurs + tsunami). The back of the book contains a filmography section for the film origins of each creature/disaster covered in the book, but it is not 100% complete. For example, even though one of the monsters covered is a Sabretooth Tiger none of the Syfy movies featuring the big cats are listed.
Each monster/disaster entry in How to Survive a Sharknado is composed of vital information, a brief introduction, a history of the monster attack/disaster incident, what to avoid doing if you find yourself face-to-face with this thing, and how you are going to survive your experience. Every entry also has a side note or two with varying information related to whatever is being covered, from extra survival tips to how to make some seafood steaks after a Sharknado has littered your street with fresh, free fish.
If you are a fan of Syfy Channel movies, How to Survive a Sharknado is a very fun little read. As a pocket sized book with a little over 200 pages and lots of pictures readers can easily go through the whole book in an afternoon. It does not cover anywhere close to every film Syfy Channel has made (the Filmography section lists 23 films; Syfy has made over 10x that many) but is a good starting off point for people interested in B-grade monster/disaster movies. To keep things going for interested readers, Literature is Life will be reviewing films NOT covered in How to Survive a Sharknado for the rest of our Syfy movie month, leading up to the review of Sharknado 4.
February 13, 2019
A parody book (OR IS IT?) about how to deal when you find yourself stuck in a life or death situation like being outside in during a Beeclipse or fighting some Mega Pythons as well as just sharing some good life skills to have.
This book is hilarious. I know that some books of this type tend to have some laughs and then taper off towards the middle, but this book had me trying to share entertaining sections with anyone who was within shouting distance the whole time I was reading it.
There's a quiz at the end of the book to see how much you've learned along with random sidebars during each section, where a recipe for a food or drink may be shared. And there's a list for packing bug out bags for both your home and your car. What can't this book do?!
This book is hilarious. I know that some books of this type tend to have some laughs and then taper off towards the middle, but this book had me trying to share entertaining sections with anyone who was within shouting distance the whole time I was reading it.
There's a quiz at the end of the book to see how much you've learned along with random sidebars during each section, where a recipe for a food or drink may be shared. And there's a list for packing bug out bags for both your home and your car. What can't this book do?!
September 3, 2014
As a Mormon, I one hundred percent can get behind preparedness. In our semi-annual meetings (also known as General Conference) for as long as I can remember, there has been some mention of personal preparedness. Typically, however, the warning to prepare is quite general (as it would obviously need to be in a global church–different disasters in different climates, right?)
Fortunately for me, How to Survive a Sharknado and Other Unnatural Disasters covered EVERYTHING (well, nearly everything. We’ll come back to that.) I can sleep in peace at night knowing that there are ways to avoid disasters like the ones mentioned in this book as well as survive if when one occurs. (With global warming, it’s merely a matter of time…)
Written by someone who NOT ONLY EXPERIENCED A SHARKNADO FIRSTHAND–but actually became a hero during it, Fin Shepard (one of the co-authors) is a man you can trust to help you best prepare for everything from a beeclipse to a Stonehenge Apocalypse and more. Drawing on Fin’s personal experience, the reader feels infinitely more prepared for whatever could come his or her way, especially since these unnatural disasters seem to be occurring more and more frequently!
I would recommend this book to everyone–or at least everyone who wants to be a survivor. In fact, I only had a few slight issues with this survival guide.
1. The guide did not cover a StayPuft Marshmallow man attack. I’m not sure if it was a gross oversight on the part of the author or if there just isn’t a blowtorch big enough in the state of New York to roast that sucker.
2. The guide also did not teach me how to survive when a wizarding battle breaks out while attending Hogwarts. Nor what to do if I ever found myself amidst vampires and werewolves fighting over true love in Forks, Washington. It also did not prepare me for what to do if a misunderstood scientist creates a machine that rains food. How am I supposed to survive these catastrophes on my own?
Even with these shortcomings, I think I’ll be buying this book as a wedding gift for all my friends. I mean, what’s the point of living if all your friends are dead?
When all is said and done, I’d give this book 4 stars.
Disclaimer: I received this book for free from Blogging for Books.
October 24, 2014
Laugh out loud funny, this book is for any b-movie aficionado or Syfy channel fan. The author of this (im)practical guide states that, "Mother Nature is Angry. Can you blame her? We treat the planet like a rental car with full coverage." He then provides strategies and information on how to "study, avoid, and survive," for thirty five different scenarios of unnatural disasters or monsters. There's helpful advice on bataclysms, firenados, mongolian death worms, and sharktopus. For each event or monster there is a helpful picture, high risk groups (generally former child star actors, eccentric billionaires, mathematicians in leather jackets, etc.), threat to humanity factor, risk of encounter, and Fin's WTF factor. All of these useful tidbits will help prepare you in the unlikely event of one of these disasters occurring near you. For example in the event of a swamp volcano, don't drive through lava, no matter how tempting it sounds or how badly you need to get to Starbucks. To avoid running into bigfoot, make sure to carry bear defense pepper spray. "You can find it at most sporting goods store. Popular brands include Counter Assault, Sabre Frontiersman, and Axe Body Spray."
All of the (un)natural events and creatures in this book have been featured in some sort of Syfy Channel movie, which you can easily look up in the guide at the end of the book. Some bonus features included at the end include: "The Sheperd Survival Assessment Test" (according to my results I'm a chum, no hope for me!), unnatural disaster kit, emergency supplies for your vehicle, Space Shaknado book excerpt, and filmography.
An entertaining read, that will have you laughing out loud and groaning at the ridiculous puns and jokes (see chapter on "boaricane").
All of the (un)natural events and creatures in this book have been featured in some sort of Syfy Channel movie, which you can easily look up in the guide at the end of the book. Some bonus features included at the end include: "The Sheperd Survival Assessment Test" (according to my results I'm a chum, no hope for me!), unnatural disaster kit, emergency supplies for your vehicle, Space Shaknado book excerpt, and filmography.
An entertaining read, that will have you laughing out loud and groaning at the ridiculous puns and jokes (see chapter on "boaricane").
December 21, 2014
This review is long, long overdue. I will not be adding a "read" date to the review because I've honestly been treating this book as the encyclopedic reference it is. Sure, a Sharknado will probably never occur in real life (nor will most of the SyFy based creations described in this book), but if it does, this book will have you very well prepared. Not only did the author research the fantastical, hypothetical disasters with stunning alacrity, but the book is full of real information about both actual crisis aversion tactics and fun science facts. For instance, a fact or fiction section contains the following tidbit of information: "Rubber-soled shoes will protect you from a lightning strike. Fiction: While rubber is an insulator, it is not powerful enough to insulate you from lightning. [. . .] Even if your shoes were ceramic, they would be of no help. Besides, ceramic shoes have terrible arch support" (66). Here Shaffer provides real, important safety information while still keeping it humorous and fun. He could almost (maybe) be called today's Bill Nye (though I don't know what kind of degree he has) in terms of making science FUN!
Disclaimer: I received this book from bloggingforbooks.com, but if you have read my other reviews you know that I would never let a free giveaway cloud my judgement.
Disclaimer: I received this book from bloggingforbooks.com, but if you have read my other reviews you know that I would never let a free giveaway cloud my judgement.
August 21, 2014
Events like Sharknado have taught us that you can never underestimate Mother Nature. How can you prepare for the unimaginable? This guide will teach you. Learn essential information like what to do during an Antdemic, where to hide during a Stonehenge Apocalypse, and how to treat poisoning from a Manticore spike. Handy vital statistics at the beginning of each description let you know how high your risk of encounter is and at the end of the book you will find advice for packing your unnatural disaster kit. With this guide you can rest assured that you will know what to do when the next Sharknado, Mongolian Death Worm, or Robocroc attacks.
Available from OCLS HERE
August 28, 2014
Of course I bought the book. This book is as ridiculous as it sounds. If you were expecting something not ridiculous, then you'd be reading the wrong book. The sections detail out specific unnatural disasters, where they can generally expect to be found and how to avoid them. I laughed - or at least giggled - through every sections. Those that have feature films that match them (not all do) I found even more amusing.
If you have seen any of the crappy SyFy D-flicks they produce, this book will be amusing at the very least. There are nice tie in and mentions to other movies and disasters in each section that I quite enjoyed.
Definitely not a serious book, but absolutely one to read if you're looking for a good giggle.
If you have seen any of the crappy SyFy D-flicks they produce, this book will be amusing at the very least. There are nice tie in and mentions to other movies and disasters in each section that I quite enjoyed.
Definitely not a serious book, but absolutely one to read if you're looking for a good giggle.
October 1, 2014
Similarly composed to a book from the WORST CASE SCENARIO series, this survival guide is a sci-fi/fantasy version. I enjoyed flipping through the "unnatural disasters" and giggling at some of the witty names (Stonado/Plymouth Rocklone, Gatoroid), etc. but I was not intrigued enough to read its entirety. Fans of the SHARKNADO films, will enjoy this book and its crazy situations and solutions.
May 7, 2016
If I were to carry just one book around with me my whole life (alongside a possible gruesome death too), it would undoubtedly be this one.
If I were to carry two, well, it would be this one, and another copy of this one.
And so it goes...
If I were to carry two, well, it would be this one, and another copy of this one.
And so it goes...
July 31, 2022
I received this book in a LootCrate monthly subscription box a few years ago and I was super excited about it! It is one of the most funny and somewhat "scary" books I've read ever. I use the word scary because the disasters described in the book are written so well that they seem too real but I loved that! Also, it has a Goosebumps vibe to it to a certain amount of degree. I highly recommend this book to anyone.
January 1, 2023
What a stupid but entertaining book. Three features made this the case:
1. Movies that were surely terrible were well described in less than a page so now I have no need to watch them.
2. The images of the disasters were great.
3. There was actual RL info here- both on natural phenomena related to the "unnatural disasters" and useful tips on how to deal with natural disasters one is much more likely to encounter.
1. Movies that were surely terrible were well described in less than a page so now I have no need to watch them.
2. The images of the disasters were great.
3. There was actual RL info here- both on natural phenomena related to the "unnatural disasters" and useful tips on how to deal with natural disasters one is much more likely to encounter.
March 18, 2019
This is pretty clever—what to watch out for and how to survive all kinds of unlikely attacks, from a sharknado to mothman to piranhaconda. One doesn’t so much read this book as peruse it, as one might a cookbook, except in this case the only dish on the menu is you. A great gift for fans of sci-fi B movies, and that’s just about everybody, right? Bon apetit.
August 27, 2022
As an avid defender of the film and series as a whole, and against those wielding more than the standard 'it's so unrealistic' commentary, I actually think Shaffer missed the mark on what this book could have been, even while appreciate the little bits of humor that did shine through. More to be said, but it's a book about sharknado-esque apocalypses, so I'll just leave it at that.
November 6, 2019
Even for someone who isn’t into SyFy's extensive collection of cheesy disaster / creature movies, this was loads of fun, as well as surprisingly informational? Now, excuse me while I prepare my disaster bunker and get a Brad Pitt cardboard cutout for my car. You know, for emergencies.
3.75/5 stars
3.75/5 stars
December 21, 2020
Solid advice on how to Study, Avoid, and Survive many Unnatural Disasters, from Antdemics to Swamp Alligators....
October 12, 2018
I love Asylum and SyFy original disaster movies! They’re so awful they’re amazing. And this is essentially a guidebook to the disasters and monsters. Funny all the way through.
April 1, 2021
I really enjoy the Sharknado movies and generally bad SyFy channel movies, so this was a fun read. A number of the entries I could match up with movies I've watched and I can now look into the ones I haven't seen yet that I thought sounded interesting. A good book to pick up and put down when you have a few minutes due to each section only being 4-5 pages long.
May 15, 2018
I read this a few years ago after my surgery and it was so funny! But wait, I thought, I was on some pretty good pain meds back then, how good was it? I went back and re-read it, and it was even better. Humor should surprise the reader, and Shaffer does that readily. He's a master of the genre.
September 28, 2014
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I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! Thank you to the folks at Three Rivers Press and Blogging For Books. I appreciate it. :)
I think I’m in love with this book. I’m completely serious. I think I’m in love with it. I think I’m going to reference it to anyone that will listen (or not listen) in the upcoming school year. I don’t usually read books like this (i.e. survival guide parodies), but I’m glad that I was sent this one!
I can already see a statue being erected in my honor or a building being named after me. I can already see President Obama handing me an award in the presence of millions of people. I can see the Queen knighting me or– and this is the preferred option– perhaps offering Prince Harry’s hand in marriage in exchange for my heroic acts. I can see everything very clearly. I know exactly what to do in the case of a Piranhaconda attack. I know exactly where to hide in case a Manticore enters my Management and Business class this next fall. I know the symptoms of an Antdemic. I know… everything. I’m pretty much the most-prepared person I know for unnatural and highly-unlikely disasters. And this, my dear friends, fills me with an unhealthy amount of pride and self-satisfaction.
MORAL RATING:
G: It’s definitely meant for older people, but this reads like a guidebook and doesn’t contain cussing or inappropriate references
THE GOOD:
Like I said above, this book reads like a real-life guidebook. There are quotes from fictional people, anecdotes from the author, and survival tips for the most ridiculous of disasters (Whalestrom, anyone?). Even if you don’t usually read parodies, I would suggest this one. It’s witty, funny, and a nice break from the normal fiction that I read. I found myself laughing at loud at its absurdity! I know that it’ll also make a beautiful addition to my college bookshelf when I move in in a couple of days. It’s a great conversation starter, for sure!
THE BAD:
My only complaint with this book was its guidebook nature. Reading entry after entry became boring by the end of the book, but the authors’ sass and ability to make up complete trash kept me entertained until the last page.
MY VERDICT:
Overall, I’d give this one a 4/5! It’s not something that I’d usually pick up, but I found it immensely entertaining. If you buy books about how to survive the upcoming zombie apocalypse, then you should check this book out. It’s right up your alley.
I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! Thank you to the folks at Three Rivers Press and Blogging For Books. I appreciate it. :)
I think I’m in love with this book. I’m completely serious. I think I’m in love with it. I think I’m going to reference it to anyone that will listen (or not listen) in the upcoming school year. I don’t usually read books like this (i.e. survival guide parodies), but I’m glad that I was sent this one!
I can already see a statue being erected in my honor or a building being named after me. I can already see President Obama handing me an award in the presence of millions of people. I can see the Queen knighting me or– and this is the preferred option– perhaps offering Prince Harry’s hand in marriage in exchange for my heroic acts. I can see everything very clearly. I know exactly what to do in the case of a Piranhaconda attack. I know exactly where to hide in case a Manticore enters my Management and Business class this next fall. I know the symptoms of an Antdemic. I know… everything. I’m pretty much the most-prepared person I know for unnatural and highly-unlikely disasters. And this, my dear friends, fills me with an unhealthy amount of pride and self-satisfaction.
MORAL RATING:
G: It’s definitely meant for older people, but this reads like a guidebook and doesn’t contain cussing or inappropriate references
THE GOOD:
Like I said above, this book reads like a real-life guidebook. There are quotes from fictional people, anecdotes from the author, and survival tips for the most ridiculous of disasters (Whalestrom, anyone?). Even if you don’t usually read parodies, I would suggest this one. It’s witty, funny, and a nice break from the normal fiction that I read. I found myself laughing at loud at its absurdity! I know that it’ll also make a beautiful addition to my college bookshelf when I move in in a couple of days. It’s a great conversation starter, for sure!
THE BAD:
My only complaint with this book was its guidebook nature. Reading entry after entry became boring by the end of the book, but the authors’ sass and ability to make up complete trash kept me entertained until the last page.
MY VERDICT:
Overall, I’d give this one a 4/5! It’s not something that I’d usually pick up, but I found it immensely entertaining. If you buy books about how to survive the upcoming zombie apocalypse, then you should check this book out. It’s right up your alley.
December 14, 2017
This book sat on my shelf for a long time - well over a year. I thought it a quaint novelty but recently I looked around at the world and realized we’re starting to see unnatural disasters happening a lot. (I mean, just look at Washington DC nowadays!)
So I picked this up and I am ever so glad I did! I am now well and truly prepared for all sorts of occurrences. I highly recommend this Very Important Book!
So I picked this up and I am ever so glad I did! I am now well and truly prepared for all sorts of occurrences. I highly recommend this Very Important Book!
December 17, 2014
We live in a very dangerous world. If it's not Sharknados in Santa Monica and New York it's Boaricanes in Brazil, Ice Twisters in Oregon, or Mega Pythons in Florida. There are tons of survival guides out there but they cannot even begin to prepare you for how to survive in this scary new world. Luckily, that's where Andrew Shaffer and his "How to Survive a Sharknado and Other Unnatural Disasters" comes in.
If you're a fan of SyFy original movies then you'll recognize a number of the threats featured in the book. For example, besides the Sharnknado creatures like the Pteracuda and Sharktopus are also featured. We laugh and take joy in the crazy circumstances in which these phenomena are found in films... but would we laugh so heartily if we were the potential source of comically graphic, geysering blood from our soon to be stump llimbs?
I think not!
If you read this book and trust in your instincts, however, you'll never have to find out either way. You'll learn that the best way to avoid a Whalestrom is to just never go out on a boat into the ocean. Like, ever. You'll find out what electronics to avoid during a polar storm to keep you and your loved ones alive. And you'll find out that the best way to defeat a Mongolian Death Worm is to just take a shotgun to it!
Well written and professionally illustrated, How to Survive a Sharknado is an incredibly fun, lighthearted book that's perfect for SyFy fans and those with a good since of humor. It builds up on movies you might be familiar with but also introduces a number of brand new threats you didn't even know you should be afraid of before it came out! Paranoid survivalists and budding cryptozoologists especially will want to pick up a copy immediately! Not only will it help keep you and those close to you alive in the event that you are faced with any of these Unnatural Disasters and crazy, dangerous creatures but it will also give you new insight into these fascinating, potentially evil beasts.
A FREE COPY OF HOW TO SURVIVE A SHARKNADO AND OTHER UNNATURAL DISASTERS WAS PROVIDED BY BLOGGING FOR BOOKS FOR A FAIR AND HONEST REVIEW.
ORIGINALLY REVIEWED AT NERDOPHILES.
If you're a fan of SyFy original movies then you'll recognize a number of the threats featured in the book. For example, besides the Sharnknado creatures like the Pteracuda and Sharktopus are also featured. We laugh and take joy in the crazy circumstances in which these phenomena are found in films... but would we laugh so heartily if we were the potential source of comically graphic, geysering blood from our soon to be stump llimbs?
I think not!
If you read this book and trust in your instincts, however, you'll never have to find out either way. You'll learn that the best way to avoid a Whalestrom is to just never go out on a boat into the ocean. Like, ever. You'll find out what electronics to avoid during a polar storm to keep you and your loved ones alive. And you'll find out that the best way to defeat a Mongolian Death Worm is to just take a shotgun to it!
Well written and professionally illustrated, How to Survive a Sharknado is an incredibly fun, lighthearted book that's perfect for SyFy fans and those with a good since of humor. It builds up on movies you might be familiar with but also introduces a number of brand new threats you didn't even know you should be afraid of before it came out! Paranoid survivalists and budding cryptozoologists especially will want to pick up a copy immediately! Not only will it help keep you and those close to you alive in the event that you are faced with any of these Unnatural Disasters and crazy, dangerous creatures but it will also give you new insight into these fascinating, potentially evil beasts.
A FREE COPY OF HOW TO SURVIVE A SHARKNADO AND OTHER UNNATURAL DISASTERS WAS PROVIDED BY BLOGGING FOR BOOKS FOR A FAIR AND HONEST REVIEW.
ORIGINALLY REVIEWED AT NERDOPHILES.
February 28, 2015
Have you seen the movie Sharknado? I watched about ten minutes and dismissed it right away (I don’t have much patience for TV outside my favorite series), but for a lot of people they simply love the movie and its sequel.
So could you survive a real sharknado or anything else horribly unnatural? Well, you’re in luck. Because we now have an official guide to staying alive in an event of such unnatural disasters.
The book is set up like a typical survival guide. Easy to read and understand so that if you’re not quite sure what to do when the disasters strike, you can thumb through it quickly. For every type of disaster, whether it be Mother Nature or monsters, there are handy descriptions and vitals to keep you well informed. There are also three different scales, showing the levels of threat to humanity, risk of encounter, and WTF factor. Depictions for each are also provided, so you’ll know what a Redneck Gator looks like.
Overall, I thought it was entertaining. Although, I’m not sure after you finish reading, if you’ll ever pick it up again. But this is a book that can be passed along to friends.
So could you survive a real sharknado or anything else horribly unnatural? Well, you’re in luck. Because we now have an official guide to staying alive in an event of such unnatural disasters.
The book is set up like a typical survival guide. Easy to read and understand so that if you’re not quite sure what to do when the disasters strike, you can thumb through it quickly. For every type of disaster, whether it be Mother Nature or monsters, there are handy descriptions and vitals to keep you well informed. There are also three different scales, showing the levels of threat to humanity, risk of encounter, and WTF factor. Depictions for each are also provided, so you’ll know what a Redneck Gator looks like.
Overall, I thought it was entertaining. Although, I’m not sure after you finish reading, if you’ll ever pick it up again. But this is a book that can be passed along to friends.
July 1, 2016
I got this book from Blogging For Books in exchange for a review. That doesn't effect my opinion.
The book came out right before the second Sharknado movie premiered on the Syfy Channel. It's featured in the movie as the book that Fin and April wrote after the events of first movie. It's pretty entertaining. It's a satirical version of those survival guides that they have for different situations. It will teach you how to survive all of the Syfy channel movies.
The book is broken down into sections and each entry has ratings for how likely you are to encounter it, the damage level, and Fin's WTF rating as well as who is in endangered by it (B-Movie stars, contractors, etc.) and how to stop it or kill it. It got a little less entertaining by the time that I was half-way through the book, but I liked that the author included random facts about whatever kind of creature or disaster is being described.
I'd recommend this to fans of the movies made by the Syfy Channel and people who like satire. How else will you know how to survive an ice twister or an attack by a pirranaconda?
The book came out right before the second Sharknado movie premiered on the Syfy Channel. It's featured in the movie as the book that Fin and April wrote after the events of first movie. It's pretty entertaining. It's a satirical version of those survival guides that they have for different situations. It will teach you how to survive all of the Syfy channel movies.
The book is broken down into sections and each entry has ratings for how likely you are to encounter it, the damage level, and Fin's WTF rating as well as who is in endangered by it (B-Movie stars, contractors, etc.) and how to stop it or kill it. It got a little less entertaining by the time that I was half-way through the book, but I liked that the author included random facts about whatever kind of creature or disaster is being described.
I'd recommend this to fans of the movies made by the Syfy Channel and people who like satire. How else will you know how to survive an ice twister or an attack by a pirranaconda?
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