Reviewing "No Beast So Fierce" by Dane Huckelbridge

When putting books on hold at my library, I often choose them on a whim. The cover, the title, even the font on the spine may induce me to put a book on hold. It’s an adventurous feeling, not really knowing much about a book before reading it.

And it makes for some odd “Why did I put this on hold, again?” reactions when the book finally comes in (often months later) and my confused expression makes the desk librarian wonder whether she gave me the right thing.

Some libraries sponsor an event called a “blind date with a book” where they cover random books with brown paper so you can’t tell anything about them (apart from the size) until you check them out and start reading.

My method is more like internet dating. I saw the book’s profile pic and name and decided I’d like to meet it in person.

No Beast So Fierce by Dane Huckelbridge was just such a book. The cover has a cool tiger photo, and the title intrigued me. I don’t think I saw the smaller words under the title (they were too small to see on the thumbnail in the library’s online catalog), so I didn’t know until I had the book in my hands that I saw the book was subtitled The Terrifying True Story of the Champawat Tiger, the Deadliest Animal in History.

Wow.

What had I gotten myself into?

Admittedly it took me awhile to work up the courage to start reading this book. When I did, however, I was totally riveted by the dramatic story of a tiger that, against its natural instincts, began to routinely hunt human prey. After nearly ten years and over 400 estimated victims, an unlikely hunter is commissioned to stop the menace in the person of Jim Corbett. Ranging from the Himalayas to the British Raj, and incorporating fascinating information from researchers and historians as well as commentary on the plight of this beautiful and endangered animal, Huckelbridge’s book is a consistent thrill.

Years ago, when I was teaching a children’s class at my church, a boy raised his hand as we were gathering prayer requests. He wanted us to pray for the endangered tigers to find lots of villagers to eat. When I explained to him that humans are not tigers’ natural prey—maybe some nice deer or antelope or something?—he looked downright disappointed.

I have the feeling he would like this book immensely.