Loch is one of a series of thrillers that Zindel has recently been writing.

Reef of Death (1998; see separate entry, Vol. 9) is of particular interest since it also features an aquatic adventure involving a frightening beast lurking under waves. Unlike Loch, whose plot turns on the fate of the plesiosaurs, Reef of Death focuses on a conflict among humans, with the monster filling a secondary role as one among several sources of fear and trembling. In Reef of Death, two young adults and an old man take on a vicious scientist bent on illegally looting some of Australia's natural resources. Its bloody scenes are at least equal to those in Loch, and its protagonists are as appealing. Loch, however, has the greater literary merit, featuring as its does a more complex plot into which the characterizations are tidily woven. Reef of Death features a somewhat more...