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 Review of Son of Beast @ Kings Island
2 Rating Posted by: adriahna on 9/1/2008 11:53:00 AM
I don&#39..t know, folks - I&#39..m something of a discriminating coaster fiend, and I happened to get quite a kick out of this one. It is NOT for the faint of heart, and maybe it tried a little too hard to push the boundaries of what wood is capable of - but hell, that&#39..s why I enjoyed it so much. I never rode it when the loop was intact, but holy hell, this coaster doesn&#39..t need it. In fact, I&#39..d say it was likely improved when they got rid of it.

Anyhow. To begin with, yes - SOB would be massively improved with better trains - there is something ludicrous about a coaster of this size and intensity carrying such piddly things. However, I do not fault the character of the coaster itself - frankly, I thought it was bordering on wonderful. It&#39..s big, it&#39..s fast, and yes, it&#39..s rough - but I didn&#39..t disboard with a headache, leg issues or even a strain. I really don&#39..t understand the complaints. Rather, I came off charged as all get out, thanks to the deep hills, strong laterals and sheer speed of the experience. I rode in the middle of the train both times - day and night rides were enjoyed (night is THE time when this thing comes to life).

I wish I could find it in myself to explain the ride itself - layout-wise and all - but it was almost an holistic experience, involving a hell of a lot of blatant POWER. A great first hill and drop, intensity that is challenging to say the least, and a pretty wonderful finish. No, it isn&#39..t the perfect coaster. But it is seriously fun, as far as I&#39..m concerned. As far as the hatred for this coaster is concerned, I don&#39..t get it. Maybe people just don&#39..t dig rawness anymore - because that&#39..s the nature of SOB. Raw, powerful, deeply intense. I personally see noooooothing wrong with that.
 

Review Comments

Timberman on 9/1/2008 12:59:57 PM said:
Adriahna, you'.ve written an outstanding defense of perhaps the most polarizing roller coaster of our time. Even as I could feel the looped SOB falling apart beneath me during my most recent rides in May 2006, I could not deny what you so aptly characterize as its raw power. SOB will forever be remembered as a problem child, yet sometimes we need such delinquents to shake us out of our quiet complacency. Years after SOB has gone to rock-n-roll heaven and future coaster enthusiasts have only its digital images to gave at in wonder, reviews like this will preserve the essence that made it at once so beloved and hated. Long live rawness. Long live intensity. May they continue to inspire those who are willing to risk mistakes as grand as their ambitions.
adriahna on 9/1/2008 3:13:16 PM said:
Thanks, Timber. In retrospect, as I remember the sheer guts of those hills and laterals, I do recall thinking ".holy crap this is almost overwhelming". - although that is MORE than welcome in my book, I suppose it can be too much for a lot of people. I mean, I don'.t intend to insult anyone by saying ".this is too much for you"., but it is a LOT of coaster, plain and simple. I'.m a woodie fanatic, as a lot of folks know. I love steelies, of course - for example, I am STOKED about Diamondback coming to KI next year - a B&M beauty that looks like a smooth, fast, total gem of a ride. But I prefer the organic, bordering on unpredictable character of woodies - there is something about that link with nature in the construction that makes me very, very happy. SOB pushes the limits of wood, big time, and I applaud the guts that went into it. And it saddens me that, eventually, the park will likely replace it with something more within coaster design standards. I plan on lots of rides in the future, before that happens.
ginzo on 9/5/2008 10:57:29 PM said:
Burn it down.
bumprnugit on 9/6/2008 2:42:08 AM said:
Harsh, ginzo, harsh. Does this work fer ya? Beasts an old man, right?

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=9033764873072290562&ei=3yfCSN-lOqP0qALf3OS3BQ&q=fire+water+burn&vt=lf

ginzo on 9/6/2008 10:20:09 AM said:
Yeah, it works. How about this one?
Timberman on 9/6/2008 11:35:10 AM said:
Ginzo on Leap-the-Dips: I rode this today and I don'.t know if my bruised arm would agree with the tame forces description.


Enough said.

ginzo on 9/6/2008 3:09:27 PM said:
Meh. I just made the unfortunate decision of putting my arm up and over the side of the car on The Dips. When the car came up out of one of the dips the side bounced right into my tricep. Good times!
adriahna on 9/9/2008 9:22:15 PM said:
Fine, ginzo - that'.s your dig. But don'.t hijack my review, okay? Good lord.
ginzo on 9/10/2008 12:12:10 AM said:
When you'..ve got a half-working site that gets a solid 5 posts a week, you'..ve got to take what you can get.

I apologize. My lame, terse commentary was fueled by alcohol and a sense of mourning that my home park could have used the capital to buy a much better coaster.
adriahna on 9/10/2008 11:40:45 AM said:
Meh, no hard feelings. I feel strangely maverick in my enthusiasm for this coaster... now that some time has passed since my rides, it'.s only come to grow on me even more. Strange...
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