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Monster Hunter International #4
Monster Hunter Legion
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Horror (2012)Monster Hunter International might be the premier monster eradication company in the business, but they’ve got competition.
When hunters from around the world gather in Las Vegas for a conference, a creature left over from a World War Two weapons experiment wakes up and goes on a rampage across the desert. A not-so-friendly wager between the rival companies turns into a race to see who can bag the mysterious creature first.
Only there is far more to this particular case than meets the eye, and as Hunters fall prey to their worst nightmares, Owen Zastava Pitt and the staff of Monster Hunter International have to stop an ancient god from turning Sin City into a literal hell on earth.
17 pages, Audible Audio
First published September 1, 2012
282 people are currently reading
2900 people want to read
About the author
Larry Correia
115 books4,438 followersLarry Correia (born 1977) is the New York Times bestselling author of the Monster Hunter International series, the Grimnoir Chronicles, and the thriller Dead Six.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 521 reviews
November 19, 2014
If I were wont to use such phrases I might open this review with "HOT D**N this is a good book!" But I don't use those phrases so I'll just say...now among my favorites!
Get this series. Start at book 1 (Monster Hunter International) and follow the series. As I've said before, this is prime, 100% grade A brain candy. It's an action treat for lovers of Urban Fantasy, Action, Horror, thrillers and so many crossover genre areas that it will appeal to a great many readers and groups of readers. And among these let's not leave out the gun enthusiasts among us.
I've had some "shots" taken at me and those who enjoy these books by people who consider themselves the literati among us...and those who are very involved in anti-gun matters. I've been insulted because you see, these books are obviously not up to the standards of some among us.
Cool. I admit this is wonderfully fun literary junk food. It appeals to our need to escape now and then from the day to day grind. It fulfills a need to vicariously fight a grand battle where good and evil face off and you are part of trying so save a world that is unable or unwilling to participate in it's own defense.
So enjoy. I can list other series and other books I like better. I can list other books that have "moved me" more but that's not what we're doing here. We're taking a vacation...for your brain. And while we must inevitably come back from a vacation it still rests us and renews us for the day to day grind we live.
Highly recommended, high octane action fun. Enjoy.
Get this series. Start at book 1 (Monster Hunter International) and follow the series. As I've said before, this is prime, 100% grade A brain candy. It's an action treat for lovers of Urban Fantasy, Action, Horror, thrillers and so many crossover genre areas that it will appeal to a great many readers and groups of readers. And among these let's not leave out the gun enthusiasts among us.
I've had some "shots" taken at me and those who enjoy these books by people who consider themselves the literati among us...and those who are very involved in anti-gun matters. I've been insulted because you see, these books are obviously not up to the standards of some among us.
Cool. I admit this is wonderfully fun literary junk food. It appeals to our need to escape now and then from the day to day grind. It fulfills a need to vicariously fight a grand battle where good and evil face off and you are part of trying so save a world that is unable or unwilling to participate in it's own defense.
So enjoy. I can list other series and other books I like better. I can list other books that have "moved me" more but that's not what we're doing here. We're taking a vacation...for your brain. And while we must inevitably come back from a vacation it still rests us and renews us for the day to day grind we live.
Highly recommended, high octane action fun. Enjoy.
August 24, 2021
Note to self: duct tape samurais and little birdies to sacrifice to rotor spirits chickens. Never leave home without them. They could save your little puny human life one day. Then again maybe not.
Yeah well, not sure Edgar the Disco Chicken really fits the bill here, but hey, whatever and stuff.
RTC and stuff. In a century or two.
• Book 1: Monster Hunter International ★★★★
• Book 2: Monster Hunter Vendetta ★★★★
• Book 3: Monster Hunter Alpha ★★★
• Book 3.5 (short story): A Halloween Public Service Announcement from MHI ★★★★
• Book 4.5 (short story): Tanya: Princess of the Elves ★★★★
• Book 5: Monster Hunter Nemesis ★★★★
• Book 6: Monster Hunter Siege ★★★
• Book 7: Monster Hunter Guardian ★
Yeah well, not sure Edgar the Disco Chicken really fits the bill here, but hey, whatever and stuff.
RTC and stuff. In a century or two.
• Book 1: Monster Hunter International ★★★★
• Book 2: Monster Hunter Vendetta ★★★★
• Book 3: Monster Hunter Alpha ★★★
• Book 3.5 (short story): A Halloween Public Service Announcement from MHI ★★★★
• Book 4.5 (short story): Tanya: Princess of the Elves ★★★★
• Book 5: Monster Hunter Nemesis ★★★★
• Book 6: Monster Hunter Siege ★★★
• Book 7: Monster Hunter Guardian ★
June 16, 2017
There are no words to describe my totally irrational fan-girling for this series. Every single book is fabulous. Every. Single. One!
There's a teeny bit of on-the-page romance but it pretty much takes a back-seat to the ongoing saga of the dedicated men and women who make up Monster Hunters International.
The world is complex, the characters are compelling, and their mission to save the world is - start to finish - hardcore action and excitement and peril. Epic. Simply epic!!!
There's a teeny bit of on-the-page romance but it pretty much takes a back-seat to the ongoing saga of the dedicated men and women who make up Monster Hunters International.
The world is complex, the characters are compelling, and their mission to save the world is - start to finish - hardcore action and excitement and peril. Epic. Simply epic!!!
September 9, 2016
Here Be Dragons - 4 Stars
Random Ramblings
Yes! Dragons! Not gonna lie. I've been waiting for one of these UF series to whip out one of these bad boys! While it only has a minor role, Larry Correia continues to masterfully introduce us to the monsters and mythical beast we all know and love and at the same time give them their own MHI spin.
This installment feels as if it is a transition book in the series. It is different from the others as there is less action and the majority of the book is set in a single locale. Characters introduced in the previous installment are incorporated into the MHI world and rumblings of a new foe are heard. It feels like we are gearing up for an epic showdown! Cowboy up monster hunters, the fun is just getting started!
Plot summary
The monster hunters are invited to the first annual conference of monster hunting professionals. Hunters from around the world converge in Nevada to talk shop and buy new things that go boom. In true MHI style, there is no such thing as down time and a nightmare monster is loose in the Sin City. There is a powershift in the government and old foes take on a new light and new foes pose greater threats. Behind the scenes, an unknown and ancient power is gearing up and the testing the hunters for what will soon come.
The Good
The author does a great job of keeping the series from becoming formulaic. While Owen Z. Pitt is there to save the day, new friends, foes and locales are introduced to keep the series fresh. In this installment, we are introduced to hunters from other countries. While I was disappointed that Canada was not represented (Go Canada!), adding other hunters leads to more interesting plot developments.
I've described this as a transitions book. There are always times in a series where the storylines shift and author has to introduce new characters and redirect the readers focus. Sometimes these books can be a drag as it feels like a #1 in the series and you just want to get on with the story. While at time the story did drag, Correia made sure that we got our share creative monster destruction.
Having really enjoyed the previous book in which the story focused Ed Harbinger instead of Owen Pitt, I was hoping we would get to learn about the other characters a bit more. Corriea did not disappoint and we get some solid sections of the book devoted to Holly and Owen's brother Pitt. This helps the series overall and keeps you from becoming bored with the one star of the show.
The Bad
This one did drag from time to time which did bring down the "ye-haw" factor. This one was less of a UF/Western than the other books. While it only brought my rating down a bit. Overall, it lacked the excitement of some of the other books but it was an excellent read nonetheless.
Final Thoughts
I am running out of great things to say about this series. This series stands alone amongst the UF series. There are no wizards running about town casting spells and saving the day. Just good old modern cowboy action. If you are reading this review and haven't tried the series yet, what are you waiting for? Go grab the first book and let the adventure begin.
Content Advisories
It is difficult to find commentary on the sex/violence/language content of book if you are interested. I make an effort to give you the information so you can make an informed decision before reading. *Disclaimer* I do not take note or count the occurrences of adult language as I read. I am simply giving approximations.
Scale 1 - Lowest 5 - Highest
Sex - 1.5
The series is low on sexual content and this is no exception. There is one scene in which some strippers were invited to a party but there are no graphic descriptions. There is an odd but G-rated romance subplot.
Language - 3.5
The author does not shy from adult language and the characters let fly the occasional mother f-er. There is moderate use of adult language throughout the book but it has decreased since the first novel.
Violence - 4
This book receives a lesser violence rating than the rest. Granted, there is still a large dead and undead monster body count but it is reduced from the other novels. You will still get the monster gore albeit a slightly reduced portion.
Random Ramblings
Yes! Dragons! Not gonna lie. I've been waiting for one of these UF series to whip out one of these bad boys! While it only has a minor role, Larry Correia continues to masterfully introduce us to the monsters and mythical beast we all know and love and at the same time give them their own MHI spin.
This installment feels as if it is a transition book in the series. It is different from the others as there is less action and the majority of the book is set in a single locale. Characters introduced in the previous installment are incorporated into the MHI world and rumblings of a new foe are heard. It feels like we are gearing up for an epic showdown! Cowboy up monster hunters, the fun is just getting started!
Plot summary
The monster hunters are invited to the first annual conference of monster hunting professionals. Hunters from around the world converge in Nevada to talk shop and buy new things that go boom. In true MHI style, there is no such thing as down time and a nightmare monster is loose in the Sin City. There is a powershift in the government and old foes take on a new light and new foes pose greater threats. Behind the scenes, an unknown and ancient power is gearing up and the testing the hunters for what will soon come.
The Good
The author does a great job of keeping the series from becoming formulaic. While Owen Z. Pitt is there to save the day, new friends, foes and locales are introduced to keep the series fresh. In this installment, we are introduced to hunters from other countries. While I was disappointed that Canada was not represented (Go Canada!), adding other hunters leads to more interesting plot developments.
I've described this as a transitions book. There are always times in a series where the storylines shift and author has to introduce new characters and redirect the readers focus. Sometimes these books can be a drag as it feels like a #1 in the series and you just want to get on with the story. While at time the story did drag, Correia made sure that we got our share creative monster destruction.
Having really enjoyed the previous book in which the story focused Ed Harbinger instead of Owen Pitt, I was hoping we would get to learn about the other characters a bit more. Corriea did not disappoint and we get some solid sections of the book devoted to Holly and Owen's brother Pitt. This helps the series overall and keeps you from becoming bored with the one star of the show.
The Bad
This one did drag from time to time which did bring down the "ye-haw" factor. This one was less of a UF/Western than the other books. While it only brought my rating down a bit. Overall, it lacked the excitement of some of the other books but it was an excellent read nonetheless.
Final Thoughts
I am running out of great things to say about this series. This series stands alone amongst the UF series. There are no wizards running about town casting spells and saving the day. Just good old modern cowboy action. If you are reading this review and haven't tried the series yet, what are you waiting for? Go grab the first book and let the adventure begin.
Content Advisories
It is difficult to find commentary on the sex/violence/language content of book if you are interested. I make an effort to give you the information so you can make an informed decision before reading. *Disclaimer* I do not take note or count the occurrences of adult language as I read. I am simply giving approximations.
Scale 1 - Lowest 5 - Highest
Sex - 1.5
The series is low on sexual content and this is no exception. There is one scene in which some strippers were invited to a party but there are no graphic descriptions. There is an odd but G-rated romance subplot.
Language - 3.5
The author does not shy from adult language and the characters let fly the occasional mother f-er. There is moderate use of adult language throughout the book but it has decreased since the first novel.
Violence - 4
This book receives a lesser violence rating than the rest. Granted, there is still a large dead and undead monster body count but it is reduced from the other novels. You will still get the monster gore albeit a slightly reduced portion.
October 7, 2012
GREAT GOOGLEY-MOOGLIE! HOLY SMOKE! E-GAD, MAN! BOWHICA! SNAFU! FUBAR! and ZOWIE!
The fourth book in the Monster Hunter International Series by Larry Corriea is no joke. It's every bit as much fun as the first 3, maybe better than the last two, but, it's too close to call. The crew's back, and, yes, they pissed off another supernatural, monstrous and wicked evil monster being. I mean, c'mon Pitt! Haven't you met a supernatural being that you didn't piss off?
Here we go again, and this time, the Ghosts, Ghouls, Vampires, Werewolves and other assorted nasty and naughty entities of aren't the only thing that want's a piece of Owen Pitt this time. Every...body, corporeal, physical, undead, possessed, living or what ever state the body you call home is, you need to stand in line and take a number. Pitt will deal with you as your number comes up.
"Oh, Yea, Earl Harbinger gets what ever's left."
Is there any entity between here and the 9 levels of hell that Pitt hasn't pissed off?... other than Julie and gang I mean.
It starts with a huge brawl that's fun to read and ends with monster battle... uuhh... in every way a guy can mean..."monster, battle."
The zingers and one liners fly, the humor is up, the action is hup, the tension is up...hell everything's up!
There's just one problem with this book.
It's too damned short!
Great fun, great read, highly recommended and best of all....
HOLLY's BACK!.... aahhh.. Hoooollllyyyyy.... she's so...hot...(Blink-blink-cough) um... I mean... very skilled and intelligent, great in a crissis.
where was I... oh, yes.
If you liked the first three, this book won't let you down. If you've been doing the audiobook, as I have, it's super-high-quality like all of the others.
Warnings... lots of violence... improvised weapons, blowing things up with cleaning supplies, eating people, cutting people up, and blowing things up here. Hand to hand, gun, hand to claw, hand to tentacle, hand to archic magic weapon, hand to... you get it right? lots of violence. All in good fun and the proper light.
oh, yea, there is a good plot, strong female and male characters, both hot and not so hot, in this book. It's not just an action packed marshmallow. This series has a serious plot, and it's executed with classic timing. The back story keeps your attention, and is well woven through the combat and things of supernatural significance.
Great read. Enjoy 4.75 stars on the Hugh Scale. (one more book this good and I raise the entire series to 5.)
The fourth book in the Monster Hunter International Series by Larry Corriea is no joke. It's every bit as much fun as the first 3, maybe better than the last two, but, it's too close to call. The crew's back, and, yes, they pissed off another supernatural, monstrous and wicked evil monster being. I mean, c'mon Pitt! Haven't you met a supernatural being that you didn't piss off?
Here we go again, and this time, the Ghosts, Ghouls, Vampires, Werewolves and other assorted nasty and naughty entities of aren't the only thing that want's a piece of Owen Pitt this time. Every...body, corporeal, physical, undead, possessed, living or what ever state the body you call home is, you need to stand in line and take a number. Pitt will deal with you as your number comes up.
"Oh, Yea, Earl Harbinger gets what ever's left."
Is there any entity between here and the 9 levels of hell that Pitt hasn't pissed off?... other than Julie and gang I mean.
It starts with a huge brawl that's fun to read and ends with monster battle... uuhh... in every way a guy can mean..."monster, battle."
The zingers and one liners fly, the humor is up, the action is hup, the tension is up...hell everything's up!
There's just one problem with this book.
It's too damned short!
Great fun, great read, highly recommended and best of all....
HOLLY's BACK!.... aahhh.. Hoooollllyyyyy.... she's so...hot...(Blink-blink-cough) um... I mean... very skilled and intelligent, great in a crissis.
where was I... oh, yes.
If you liked the first three, this book won't let you down. If you've been doing the audiobook, as I have, it's super-high-quality like all of the others.
Warnings... lots of violence... improvised weapons, blowing things up with cleaning supplies, eating people, cutting people up, and blowing things up here. Hand to hand, gun, hand to claw, hand to tentacle, hand to archic magic weapon, hand to... you get it right? lots of violence. All in good fun and the proper light.
oh, yea, there is a good plot, strong female and male characters, both hot and not so hot, in this book. It's not just an action packed marshmallow. This series has a serious plot, and it's executed with classic timing. The back story keeps your attention, and is well woven through the combat and things of supernatural significance.
Great read. Enjoy 4.75 stars on the Hugh Scale. (one more book this good and I raise the entire series to 5.)
October 17, 2017
I'm a one book at a time kind of girl. Once I start a book I finish it, there's no switching back and forth for me. So you can imagine my distress when, in the middle of reading another perfectly good book, I heard from a friend that there was an eARC for sale of the newest Monster Hunter book.
Crap.
I needed to read it. Had to read it... Now now now! But what about the other book? I can't just abandon it... I should probably finish it first, and then move on to Monster Hunter Legion once my plate is clean...
No. No! Not happening. I absolutely could not wait one more moment, I needed me some MHL like I needed air. So I didn't just walk.. I ran to my purse to get my debit card so that I could snatch up a copy as quickly as humanly possibly, and then immediately fell onto the couch and began reading.
That, my friends, is an amazing feeling. To have a series that hooks you that much, that it makes you want to drop every other book when a new entry in the series comes out... That's awesome right there. There aren't many series that have that effect on me, so I treasure each and every one.
The weird thing.. I still can't believe that this series makes me feel that way. I mean come on. Monster Hunters? Gun porn? So not my thing. But the characters.. The plot.. The action and the humor, it all adds up to perfection for me. It's the kind of book that I don't want to put down, I just want to keep reading and savoring it forever and ever.
So Monster Hunter Legion. How was it? Pretty awesome. It was a definite step up from Alpha, which I found kind of tough to get into. Legion takes us back to Owen and crew, where as Alpha concentrated on just Earl off on his own. For me, that's where Alpha suffered.. No Owen? No Julie? No Holly or Trip? It was still good (I mean come on, it was set entirely in Michigan, score) but it lacked the flavor all of those other characters bring to the story. But like I said, there was no such problem with Legion. It felt just like International and Vendetta, but without seeming repetitive or redundant. Why not five stars? I guess just because International is still my favorite, and compared to that, this one just couldn't beat it for the top spot.
Now I'm just left with one problem.. I'm done with Legion and it hasn't even been released yet. Damn it! It's going to be a long wait for the next book in the series... But I have a feeling it'll be worth it. Highly recommended!
Crap.
I needed to read it. Had to read it... Now now now! But what about the other book? I can't just abandon it... I should probably finish it first, and then move on to Monster Hunter Legion once my plate is clean...
No. No! Not happening. I absolutely could not wait one more moment, I needed me some MHL like I needed air. So I didn't just walk.. I ran to my purse to get my debit card so that I could snatch up a copy as quickly as humanly possibly, and then immediately fell onto the couch and began reading.
That, my friends, is an amazing feeling. To have a series that hooks you that much, that it makes you want to drop every other book when a new entry in the series comes out... That's awesome right there. There aren't many series that have that effect on me, so I treasure each and every one.
The weird thing.. I still can't believe that this series makes me feel that way. I mean come on. Monster Hunters? Gun porn? So not my thing. But the characters.. The plot.. The action and the humor, it all adds up to perfection for me. It's the kind of book that I don't want to put down, I just want to keep reading and savoring it forever and ever.
So Monster Hunter Legion. How was it? Pretty awesome. It was a definite step up from Alpha, which I found kind of tough to get into. Legion takes us back to Owen and crew, where as Alpha concentrated on just Earl off on his own. For me, that's where Alpha suffered.. No Owen? No Julie? No Holly or Trip? It was still good (I mean come on, it was set entirely in Michigan, score) but it lacked the flavor all of those other characters bring to the story. But like I said, there was no such problem with Legion. It felt just like International and Vendetta, but without seeming repetitive or redundant. Why not five stars? I guess just because International is still my favorite, and compared to that, this one just couldn't beat it for the top spot.
Now I'm just left with one problem.. I'm done with Legion and it hasn't even been released yet. Damn it! It's going to be a long wait for the next book in the series... But I have a feeling it'll be worth it. Highly recommended!
September 4, 2012
What can I say? I'm crazy about this series.
Monster Hunter Legion takes place largely in Las Vegas during a convention of monster eradication companies. This was a great premise, IMO, because we'd read in earlier books about other monster hunting companies, but we really hadn't met any worthy of the vocation. So getting competitive, slightly insane mercenaries together for a weekend in Vegas is just a lot of fun.
However, it also necessitated a kind of clunky, outline-like beginning to get all these characters in the same place and introduce some new ones. That doesn't take long, though, and before you know it, the adventure has begun.
The past MHI books have often felt like a roller coaster of action and suspense. This installment maintains the suspense throughout and the action builds steadily rather than hitting and receding intermittently. It's very effective and the climactic action sequence is as good, if not better, than anything in any previous MHI book. By the time everything all came down, I was completely invested, emotionally engaged, and on the edge of my seat.
I loved Monster Hunter Alpha, but this is a great follow-up. The first person POV is back from the first two books, but Correia does switch out and give us at least one more POV, so I appreciated that. I personally love his facility with third person, I think he's one of the best in the business at delineating character "voices" and interpretations.
The story holds together very well and lives on in the thoughts after it's finished. It may be an action-based urban fantasy but it's got all the elements needed for an overall satisfying reading experience.
This story has a lot less "gun porn" than the first three (I thought Alpha already had pulled back on that element). I never minded the gun porn, but it's like my friends teasing me that I like "guy music", it's not for everyone. I also like "guy movies" and, apparently, "guy books". I love that visceral kick I get from hard and fast action whether it be from thrashing guitars, breathless car chases, or stories that include every action device you can think of twisted on its head. I like a wide variety of genres and this no less than anything else.
The first three books are available together in an omnibus called "The Monster Hunters" (very inexpensive in e-book from Baen). So, if you can abide "guy books", I highly recommend this series.
Monster Hunter Legion takes place largely in Las Vegas during a convention of monster eradication companies. This was a great premise, IMO, because we'd read in earlier books about other monster hunting companies, but we really hadn't met any worthy of the vocation. So getting competitive, slightly insane mercenaries together for a weekend in Vegas is just a lot of fun.
However, it also necessitated a kind of clunky, outline-like beginning to get all these characters in the same place and introduce some new ones. That doesn't take long, though, and before you know it, the adventure has begun.
The past MHI books have often felt like a roller coaster of action and suspense. This installment maintains the suspense throughout and the action builds steadily rather than hitting and receding intermittently. It's very effective and the climactic action sequence is as good, if not better, than anything in any previous MHI book. By the time everything all came down, I was completely invested, emotionally engaged, and on the edge of my seat.
I loved Monster Hunter Alpha, but this is a great follow-up. The first person POV is back from the first two books, but Correia does switch out and give us at least one more POV, so I appreciated that. I personally love his facility with third person, I think he's one of the best in the business at delineating character "voices" and interpretations.
The story holds together very well and lives on in the thoughts after it's finished. It may be an action-based urban fantasy but it's got all the elements needed for an overall satisfying reading experience.
This story has a lot less "gun porn" than the first three (I thought Alpha already had pulled back on that element). I never minded the gun porn, but it's like my friends teasing me that I like "guy music", it's not for everyone. I also like "guy movies" and, apparently, "guy books". I love that visceral kick I get from hard and fast action whether it be from thrashing guitars, breathless car chases, or stories that include every action device you can think of twisted on its head. I like a wide variety of genres and this no less than anything else.
The first three books are available together in an omnibus called "The Monster Hunters" (very inexpensive in e-book from Baen). So, if you can abide "guy books", I highly recommend this series.
February 27, 2017
First time read in May 2015, re-read 19-27 February 2017..
I absolutely loved it this time around and has thus bumped up my rating to reflect it, from four to five stars <3 I liked it last time as well, I just enjoyed it more this time I think... It was so much fun revisiting this World and these characters from mostly Owen's POV again ^__^
I also greatly enjoy Oliver Wyman's narration of these audiobooks, I highly recommend checking out really any audiobook with him, he's one of my favourite narrators..
I am excited for the continuation of the story with the sixth book of the series, although, I don't actually know when that will come out...? I suppose I could look.. xD I am considering reading Monster Hunter Nemesis now, actually, while this is fresh in my mind.... Hmmm....
There were a couple of heartbreaking moments in the story, at least they were heartbreaking to me... But I am a softie and I get invested and sucked into stories... xD But I don't know that I would want to change a thing... xD I do the same with movies and tv-shows and it's terribly taxing.. xD
I absolutely loved it this time around and has thus bumped up my rating to reflect it, from four to five stars <3 I liked it last time as well, I just enjoyed it more this time I think... It was so much fun revisiting this World and these characters from mostly Owen's POV again ^__^
I also greatly enjoy Oliver Wyman's narration of these audiobooks, I highly recommend checking out really any audiobook with him, he's one of my favourite narrators..
I am excited for the continuation of the story with the sixth book of the series, although, I don't actually know when that will come out...? I suppose I could look.. xD I am considering reading Monster Hunter Nemesis now, actually, while this is fresh in my mind.... Hmmm....
There were a couple of heartbreaking moments in the story, at least they were heartbreaking to me... But I am a softie and I get invested and sucked into stories... xD But I don't know that I would want to change a thing... xD I do the same with movies and tv-shows and it's terribly taxing.. xD
December 10, 2013
Three and a half stars rounded down to three. I liked it, but nearly as much as the MH: Alpha. It may be as simple as me getting tired with the series. Thoroughly enjoyed it, but ... meh. Part of it may simply be I struggle with the whole Owen Z Pitt as the "one." Still, a fun read and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
July 10, 2016
I love this series, action Action ACTION escalation Escalation ESCALATION!!
Oliver Wyman who does the audible narration for this series is phenomenal, he brings the story to life!
Oliver Wyman who does the audible narration for this series is phenomenal, he brings the story to life!
December 16, 2018
Ten moment, keď sa vaše sny stanú skutočnosťou...a vzápätí sa vám pokúsia odhryznúť hlavu, spraviť si večeru z vašich vnútorností a spôsobiť koniec sveta ako ho poznáme. Proste veľká sranda.
December 27, 2014
This was a fascinating book to read. Correia (the self-styled International Lord of Hate after he got caught up in writer’s politics when he refused to toe the line and defied the liberal strangle-hold on sci-fi and fantasy awards) is one of the current kings of pulp fiction for good reason.
Nemesis is the fifth installment in the Monster Hunter series (think Buffy the Vampire Slayer interpreted by The Expendables) and it is chock-full of rip-roaring action. Correia is a self-taught author who did all the right research. He read a ton of science fiction and fantasy and paid attention to what worked. Then he went and did it. In terms of writing craft Correia’s characterization is solid, bold, and memorable. His dialogue drips with snark in delightfully irreverent ways. P.C. has nothing to do with things that flow from this man’s keyboard.
The story revolves around a prior supporting character, Agent Franks from the Monster Control Bureau. Bow now we know (spoiler) that Franks is short for Frankenstein… and he’s been working for the Government on condition that the government never try to make any more like him.
But (coincidence?) a corrupt bureaucrat takes an end-run around the law and sets Franks up for the fall and breaks Franks’ contract with America (and gosh, stated like that a libertarian’s take on the Republican Revolution of 1996 doesn’t seem to be completely unintentional either).
A former government contractor, Correia drips contempt for bureaucratic corruption in the federal government. He’s a devout Mormon, Libertarian, and Gun Nut, and that’s probably stated in reverse order. Correia’s earliest books were sometimes to technically spec-heavy for non-shooters to enjoy as much as his targeted fan base, but this mistake is long in the past. There is very little but sheer fun in this romp.
This book deals largely with cosmology, and Correia has never been one to beat around the bush. He does an amazing job integrating Mormonism and Cthulu-esque noir urban fantasy. I am not a Mormon, though I grew up with them (only non-Mormon in my Boy Scout troop so it was all right to beat me up, for example) and while I prefer Christianity I did not have a hard time reading this book, since the differences are as clear and unapologetic as anything else Correia does (Cliff’s Notes version: orthodox Christianity has Grace and Mormonism has Works). Also, I did some double-checking and Correia is absolutely correct that the Tomte are extortionist thug-punks. This book was well-written by a guy with sincere beliefs whose beliefs inform his writing very well. I can and do respect that and enjoy it more than people mealy-mouthing around.
That being said, this is an action adventure. It can never be a movie because Hollywood cannot afford the sort of property damage involved in this story, but it would be delightful to see them try. Correia continues to cameo-in almost all of the established MHI people, including a fun bit where Preternatural Tarantulas goes after Franks. The story is fast-paced, eventful, and relevant to contemporary issues in a time when a new corruption or scandal comes up every day. Cultural relevance is a big part of a successful story.
Of course, it’s a conservative-libertarian non-politically-correct, alpha-male, anti-government escapist romp, so Hollywood will never make the effort.
That’s fine. Pick up a copy today and check out the difference with your own imagination to supply the special effects.
Nemesis is the fifth installment in the Monster Hunter series (think Buffy the Vampire Slayer interpreted by The Expendables) and it is chock-full of rip-roaring action. Correia is a self-taught author who did all the right research. He read a ton of science fiction and fantasy and paid attention to what worked. Then he went and did it. In terms of writing craft Correia’s characterization is solid, bold, and memorable. His dialogue drips with snark in delightfully irreverent ways. P.C. has nothing to do with things that flow from this man’s keyboard.
The story revolves around a prior supporting character, Agent Franks from the Monster Control Bureau. Bow now we know (spoiler) that Franks is short for Frankenstein… and he’s been working for the Government on condition that the government never try to make any more like him.
But (coincidence?) a corrupt bureaucrat takes an end-run around the law and sets Franks up for the fall and breaks Franks’ contract with America (and gosh, stated like that a libertarian’s take on the Republican Revolution of 1996 doesn’t seem to be completely unintentional either).
A former government contractor, Correia drips contempt for bureaucratic corruption in the federal government. He’s a devout Mormon, Libertarian, and Gun Nut, and that’s probably stated in reverse order. Correia’s earliest books were sometimes to technically spec-heavy for non-shooters to enjoy as much as his targeted fan base, but this mistake is long in the past. There is very little but sheer fun in this romp.
This book deals largely with cosmology, and Correia has never been one to beat around the bush. He does an amazing job integrating Mormonism and Cthulu-esque noir urban fantasy. I am not a Mormon, though I grew up with them (only non-Mormon in my Boy Scout troop so it was all right to beat me up, for example) and while I prefer Christianity I did not have a hard time reading this book, since the differences are as clear and unapologetic as anything else Correia does (Cliff’s Notes version: orthodox Christianity has Grace and Mormonism has Works). Also, I did some double-checking and Correia is absolutely correct that the Tomte are extortionist thug-punks. This book was well-written by a guy with sincere beliefs whose beliefs inform his writing very well. I can and do respect that and enjoy it more than people mealy-mouthing around.
That being said, this is an action adventure. It can never be a movie because Hollywood cannot afford the sort of property damage involved in this story, but it would be delightful to see them try. Correia continues to cameo-in almost all of the established MHI people, including a fun bit where Preternatural Tarantulas goes after Franks. The story is fast-paced, eventful, and relevant to contemporary issues in a time when a new corruption or scandal comes up every day. Cultural relevance is a big part of a successful story.
Of course, it’s a conservative-libertarian non-politically-correct, alpha-male, anti-government escapist romp, so Hollywood will never make the effort.
That’s fine. Pick up a copy today and check out the difference with your own imagination to supply the special effects.
March 1, 2021
Whew. Finally got this one finished, which was no mean trick, considering how few reading hours I managed to grab in the last two weeks. This is the fourth book in Larry Correia's Monster Hunters International series. I've read and really liked every one of them, but when I go to tell people about them, oddly enough, I find myself using terms like "rootin'-tootin'" or "rock 'em-sock 'em." They are obviously written by a man who loves plenty of good fight scenes. Don't be looking for elements of paranormal romance here, though there is a nice enough love story included. But these books are all about the adventure, and there are adventures a-plenty, featuring just about every kind of creature you can imagine, most of whom are threatening the very existence of mankind and likely to push the planet off its orbit and into free fall at any time.
Three of the four books are centered on Owen Zastava Pitt (known to his fellow monster hunters as "Z"), and he is a very likable, kick-butt-and-take-names kinda hero. Big, imposing, battle-scarred and brave to the point of foolhardiness, he leads the hunt for the bad things of the world (and beyond), and provides some pretty good laughs on the way. As I mentioned, these are very high-action books, with an extremely elaborate array of weaponry, and enough testosterone to set the pages on fire. Not my usual genre, being so uber-masculine and all, but I have to say, they work for me on pretty much every level. One of the books was told from the point of view of another pivotal character, and while it was quite good, I was glad to have Owen back in the driver's seat with this one.
If you've read the first three books, you know that something big is coming, and this book goes a long way towards moving the reader closer to that inevitable climactic series conclusion. And it has a dragon. Woohoo. It automatically gets an extra star from me just for that alone!
The books are so much fun, I say check 'em out, in order of course, and see what you think. I'll bet you'll be hooked, just like I was. I mean, doesn't this opening sentence from Book 1 make you want to know what happened? "On one otherwise normal Thursday evening I had the chance to live the American dream. I was able to throw my incompetent jackass of a boss from a fourteenth-story window." The explanation behind the event is quite good, but don't take my word for it. Check out the series for yourself. You might be surprised at how much you enjoy it. I was.
Bookin' It
Three of the four books are centered on Owen Zastava Pitt (known to his fellow monster hunters as "Z"), and he is a very likable, kick-butt-and-take-names kinda hero. Big, imposing, battle-scarred and brave to the point of foolhardiness, he leads the hunt for the bad things of the world (and beyond), and provides some pretty good laughs on the way. As I mentioned, these are very high-action books, with an extremely elaborate array of weaponry, and enough testosterone to set the pages on fire. Not my usual genre, being so uber-masculine and all, but I have to say, they work for me on pretty much every level. One of the books was told from the point of view of another pivotal character, and while it was quite good, I was glad to have Owen back in the driver's seat with this one.
If you've read the first three books, you know that something big is coming, and this book goes a long way towards moving the reader closer to that inevitable climactic series conclusion. And it has a dragon. Woohoo. It automatically gets an extra star from me just for that alone!
The books are so much fun, I say check 'em out, in order of course, and see what you think. I'll bet you'll be hooked, just like I was. I mean, doesn't this opening sentence from Book 1 make you want to know what happened? "On one otherwise normal Thursday evening I had the chance to live the American dream. I was able to throw my incompetent jackass of a boss from a fourteenth-story window." The explanation behind the event is quite good, but don't take my word for it. Check out the series for yourself. You might be surprised at how much you enjoy it. I was.
Bookin' It
September 4, 2012
I’ve often looked at this series as a saga that would garner cult classic status but the latest installment of MHI really pushed the writing and story to a whole new level.
The earlier installments have often reminded me of The Black Company in the way it was written, this is certainly not a bad thing mind you as I was a huge fan of that saga, but it was something that would never truly break into the mainstream.
Monster Hunters International always had that same sort of feel to me, mainly because the author is a true gun expert. While his writing is very enjoyable as a gun enthusiast I would imagine it can at times put other people who may not be as familiar with firearms off. It sort of pushed the reading into that niche area of fiction that I’m sure isn’t for everyone.
Now we have the fourth installment of the story that really smashes down all those walls. The gun geek talk decreases greatly and Corriea truly focuses on the two most important parts of the story, his characters and the plot itself.
The story itself is extremely well written and all hinges upon a very interesting and original antagonist that is slowly revealed through the novel also creating a bit of a mystery vibe that ends with the bang fans of this saga are used to.
The work that he spends developing the characters was also obviously no small feat and it will immediately leave you wanting more.
There really aren’t many bad things I can say about this novel. Corriea took everything he was doing well and made it better while shying away from the things that could irritate his audience just enough to still maintain the style of novel you’ve come to expect from him.
If you’re a fan of the series this a must read and his best story yet.
The earlier installments have often reminded me of The Black Company in the way it was written, this is certainly not a bad thing mind you as I was a huge fan of that saga, but it was something that would never truly break into the mainstream.
Monster Hunters International always had that same sort of feel to me, mainly because the author is a true gun expert. While his writing is very enjoyable as a gun enthusiast I would imagine it can at times put other people who may not be as familiar with firearms off. It sort of pushed the reading into that niche area of fiction that I’m sure isn’t for everyone.
Now we have the fourth installment of the story that really smashes down all those walls. The gun geek talk decreases greatly and Corriea truly focuses on the two most important parts of the story, his characters and the plot itself.
The story itself is extremely well written and all hinges upon a very interesting and original antagonist that is slowly revealed through the novel also creating a bit of a mystery vibe that ends with the bang fans of this saga are used to.
The work that he spends developing the characters was also obviously no small feat and it will immediately leave you wanting more.
There really aren’t many bad things I can say about this novel. Corriea took everything he was doing well and made it better while shying away from the things that could irritate his audience just enough to still maintain the style of novel you’ve come to expect from him.
If you’re a fan of the series this a must read and his best story yet.
January 8, 2013
I could not have loved this book more! Well, if there were a torrid love scene between Mosh and Holly, maybe. . . But that's just not Larry's style, sadly.
What is Larry's style? Why it's SHEER FUN. It's scary creatures and hilariously snarky dialogue and things going KABOOM! It's orcs sacrificing chickens to make their helicopter go faster! It's velvet Elvis paintings and trailer trash elves and heavily armed men wearing body armor over their fuzzy footie pajamas and chain smoking werewolves strategizing with dry erase boards! (This last is more entertaining than you'd think. Love you, Earl!) Larry's writing is tight: his plotting is impeccable, his characterizations are to die for, and his imagination is so big it's probably stored in some pocket dimension somewhere. I loved the first two books, but I really feel that he's coming into his own with MONSTER HUNTER ALPHA and now LEGION. He's more comfortable with his writing, he's established his world, and now we're going to have some real serious fun with it! If you haven't tried these books, don't start here, you'll have a lot of fun surprises ruined for you! Start with MONSTER HUNTER INTERNATIONAL, but please do start!
*Warning: These are adult books. They contain adult violence, themes, and swears. There is no sex, the violence is not gratuitous, the F-bomb is used sparingly, but they are not for kids, okay?
What is Larry's style? Why it's SHEER FUN. It's scary creatures and hilariously snarky dialogue and things going KABOOM! It's orcs sacrificing chickens to make their helicopter go faster! It's velvet Elvis paintings and trailer trash elves and heavily armed men wearing body armor over their fuzzy footie pajamas and chain smoking werewolves strategizing with dry erase boards! (This last is more entertaining than you'd think. Love you, Earl!) Larry's writing is tight: his plotting is impeccable, his characterizations are to die for, and his imagination is so big it's probably stored in some pocket dimension somewhere. I loved the first two books, but I really feel that he's coming into his own with MONSTER HUNTER ALPHA and now LEGION. He's more comfortable with his writing, he's established his world, and now we're going to have some real serious fun with it! If you haven't tried these books, don't start here, you'll have a lot of fun surprises ruined for you! Start with MONSTER HUNTER INTERNATIONAL, but please do start!
*Warning: These are adult books. They contain adult violence, themes, and swears. There is no sex, the violence is not gratuitous, the F-bomb is used sparingly, but they are not for kids, okay?
June 22, 2012
This book has been amazing. Larry Correia keeps them coming and I can't get enough. I read through this very fast because I kept wanting to pick back up and not stop. The latest Monster Hunter International book was fast paced and added more to the story so far. We see the return of a lot of characters that we are all familiar with and get a glimpse at the big picture. Owen is struggling in this book with becoming who he needs to be. We meet some of the major players here now too, things that have been foreshadowed through the past three books finally starting to come around.
What I did see here was much less persepctiv changes, while the last book Monster Hunter Alpha had more than the first two this one had almost no change at all. 90% of the book is told from Owen's perspective this time. Sorry for those fans of the other characters but I have a feeling we'll see more from them in upcoming books as the four chosen ones have been hinted at. We already saw a book dedicated to Earl in this aspect and now one for Owen. Maybe the next one we will see is Julie's turn up to bat?
Anyway, to all fans of the series you will love this latest entry into the series, and to new readers, start with MonsterHunter International and work your way up. It is definately worth it and will keep you better informed.
What I did see here was much less persepctiv changes, while the last book Monster Hunter Alpha had more than the first two this one had almost no change at all. 90% of the book is told from Owen's perspective this time. Sorry for those fans of the other characters but I have a feeling we'll see more from them in upcoming books as the four chosen ones have been hinted at. We already saw a book dedicated to Earl in this aspect and now one for Owen. Maybe the next one we will see is Julie's turn up to bat?
Anyway, to all fans of the series you will love this latest entry into the series, and to new readers, start with MonsterHunter International and work your way up. It is definately worth it and will keep you better informed.
November 18, 2016
Excellent addition to the MHI series.
The beginning was pretty rough, as the heroes attend a monster-hunting conference and MHI meets its competitors. One of the biggest annoyances I have with the series is the running sentiment that anyone that's not with MHI (either government or other companies) is either evil or painfully incompetent. That sentiment got cranked up to 11 as MHI butts heads with a rival company right out the gate. The over-macho chest-pounding really turned me off, but quickly that mood changed and the hero confessed it was his own personal bias (not really, since the rival characters have always been evil or incompetent) and Owen begins to warm up to many of the other hunters and most of their rivalries turn more toward friendly.
Convention setting aside, the plot quickly picks up as the heroes are thrust into a dangerous situation that requires the combined skills and experience of all the best hunters in the world. The action is wonderful. The characters continue to grow, and there are more than enough 1-liners for comedic moments. I plowed through the second half of the book at full-speed.
I give the first quarter of it a low 3-stars and the remaining 75% a high 4-stars. Averages out to a solid 4.
The beginning was pretty rough, as the heroes attend a monster-hunting conference and MHI meets its competitors. One of the biggest annoyances I have with the series is the running sentiment that anyone that's not with MHI (either government or other companies) is either evil or painfully incompetent. That sentiment got cranked up to 11 as MHI butts heads with a rival company right out the gate. The over-macho chest-pounding really turned me off, but quickly that mood changed and the hero confessed it was his own personal bias (not really, since the rival characters have always been evil or incompetent) and Owen begins to warm up to many of the other hunters and most of their rivalries turn more toward friendly.
Convention setting aside, the plot quickly picks up as the heroes are thrust into a dangerous situation that requires the combined skills and experience of all the best hunters in the world. The action is wonderful. The characters continue to grow, and there are more than enough 1-liners for comedic moments. I plowed through the second half of the book at full-speed.
I give the first quarter of it a low 3-stars and the remaining 75% a high 4-stars. Averages out to a solid 4.
May 27, 2012
When I read that the advance eARC was out, I was torn. If I read it 4 months early, that meant I'd have an even longer wait until the next book. But how could I leave an MHI story unread?! Ultimately, I gleefully caved and bought the ebook!
First, I love that the story is occasionally told from the perspective of other hunters. I sincerely hope that we get a short story or novella, heck even a full novel, from Holly's perspective! Mosh is also quite fun.
Secondly, the story races along, decadently hopping from one action sequence to the next. Yet, the author still manages to infuse humor and humanity within the battle carnage. It hooks you in immediately and never drops the ball!
Thirdly, I loved the cameos of past favorites. I won't spoil the surprise, but I'm sure you'll be happy to read about them!
Finally, I just have to describe the book as action brain candy. Amazing characters, an inexhaustible supply of monsters, and a helluva good story.
I'm buying the hardcover in September, (you should, too). But in the mean time, give the eARC a sneak peak! All in, baby!
First, I love that the story is occasionally told from the perspective of other hunters. I sincerely hope that we get a short story or novella, heck even a full novel, from Holly's perspective! Mosh is also quite fun.
Secondly, the story races along, decadently hopping from one action sequence to the next. Yet, the author still manages to infuse humor and humanity within the battle carnage. It hooks you in immediately and never drops the ball!
Thirdly, I loved the cameos of past favorites. I won't spoil the surprise, but I'm sure you'll be happy to read about them!
Finally, I just have to describe the book as action brain candy. Amazing characters, an inexhaustible supply of monsters, and a helluva good story.
I'm buying the hardcover in September, (you should, too). But in the mean time, give the eARC a sneak peak! All in, baby!
May 25, 2016
I am so glad we are going to get more of this series. It just gets better and better!! I knew that situation with Owen and Julie was going to come up! Cannot get enough of these monster hunters!! Had me on the edge of my seat biting my knuckles at times wondering how they were going to get out of this one. PS Franks needs a girl-friend to mellow him out! I volunteer!!
September 28, 2017
Great book, thought shot through it because the next one is about Franks!!! Four stars, because the Pitt men decided to have their important convo without the Mrs. Excuse me, but she has a right to be there for her husband's last moments. Eff you Pitt males!
And i want to know what Strider is and to see Franks wipe the floor with him. What a jerk!
Good read, per usual. On to the next!
And i want to know what Strider is and to see Franks wipe the floor with him. What a jerk!
Good read, per usual. On to the next!
March 29, 2019
This was everything I dreamed it would be.
Mega Monster Madness set loose in Las Vegas? Someone toss me a free sample 20 millimeter cannon from a trade show and tell me where to sign up!
Mega Monster Madness set loose in Las Vegas? Someone toss me a free sample 20 millimeter cannon from a trade show and tell me where to sign up!
December 23, 2012
If you like guns, and dislike the old horror-movie trope of "our bullets have no effect on the monster," then you should check out the Monster Hunter International series of novels by Larry Correia.
The latest Monster Hunter novel is "Monster Hunter Legion." It continues the series reprising the roles of most of the characters you've gotten a chance to meet in the previous novels. What's cool about this novel is the unique way Correia has found to recycle some well-loved characters from previous novels.
Monster Hunter Legion goes to Vegas, baby. The challenge our monster hunters face is making sure that what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.
The premise of the story is that during WW2, both the Allies and the Axis powers pursued wonder weapons programs using physics and metaphysics. And at least one metaphysical weapon developed at Los Alamos were about twice as dangerous as the nuclear bomb. Scared, our boffins buried it and hoped it would stay that way. Of course, it doesn't.
A theme running through all the Monster Hunter books is the notion that the government is a mindless behemoth that blunders along pursuing policies that have a great deal of collateral harm. In Legion, government policy decisions move from indifferent to malevolent as we see bureaucrats vie for power using innocent citizens and monster hunters as cannon fodder.
I think the good news is that government is as stupid when run by Santa Claus as it is when run by nice Mormon millionaires.
Larry Correia loves guns and he knows lots of first-responders. If Godzilla were to try to eat Detroit, he knows the sort of fellas who'd take the call. And of course, his monster hunters would be listening on their police scanners so they could show up to blow daylight through that Japanese import.
In a series of novels like Monster Hunter, the characters take on the life of their own. You read about them and when a new novel comes out, you get to visit with some old friends. That's one of the pleasures of a series of books. I don't really think Dirk Pitt as Matthew McConaughey, or Al Giordino as Steve Zahn, because I got to know them long before the movie came out by reading all the early Clive Cussler novels. Same goes for Jack Ryan who really isn't Alec Baldwin, Harrison Ford, or Ben Affleck, because I read all the early Tom Clancy novels. The difficulty as a series goes on is that these characters tend to wear out. The smart author thus has multiple characters to whom he can pass the torch.
This means each novel should introduce new heroes and villains at a pace commensurate with the rate at which they are being killed off. And every novel should kill off at least someone significant. If you always kill off someone who's just been introduced, your audience notices and begins looking for Red Shirts. This is why villain design is very important. If the hero must defeat the villain in each novel, then your really-good-at-evil villain must either fake his own death at the end, or die.
Maybe I should write a novel where the villain goes to prison, becomes rehabilitated and spends the rest of the novel trying to repay his debt to society while "heroes" are trying to kill him off, thinking his humanitarian efforts are just nefarious schemes.
Larry Correia knows how to kill off good guys as well as bad guys. And if you like those good guys, then you miss them. In Monster Hunter Legion, the good guys get an assist from the ghosts of lost compadres.
Monster Hunter Legion does a good job of introducing some new good guys, disclosing some more of force of evil who's pulling the strings. Some of the story-questions that remained partially understood at the end of Monster Hunter International are elaborated upon here. Mr. Correia is very good at raising a story question, then answering it in part. He's also very good at the incomplete infodump. Perhaps you've seen the Thin Man movie where the detective gets a call from an informant, and as he's taking down the information, a gunshot rings out killing the informant mid-infodump. There's no such phone calls, but there is a very satisfying interview with Management that illustrates this.
I can go on, but I won't. Just get Monster Hunter Legion and find out for yourself. 5 stars of 5.
The latest Monster Hunter novel is "Monster Hunter Legion." It continues the series reprising the roles of most of the characters you've gotten a chance to meet in the previous novels. What's cool about this novel is the unique way Correia has found to recycle some well-loved characters from previous novels.
Monster Hunter Legion goes to Vegas, baby. The challenge our monster hunters face is making sure that what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.
The premise of the story is that during WW2, both the Allies and the Axis powers pursued wonder weapons programs using physics and metaphysics. And at least one metaphysical weapon developed at Los Alamos were about twice as dangerous as the nuclear bomb. Scared, our boffins buried it and hoped it would stay that way. Of course, it doesn't.
A theme running through all the Monster Hunter books is the notion that the government is a mindless behemoth that blunders along pursuing policies that have a great deal of collateral harm. In Legion, government policy decisions move from indifferent to malevolent as we see bureaucrats vie for power using innocent citizens and monster hunters as cannon fodder.
I think the good news is that government is as stupid when run by Santa Claus as it is when run by nice Mormon millionaires.
Larry Correia loves guns and he knows lots of first-responders. If Godzilla were to try to eat Detroit, he knows the sort of fellas who'd take the call. And of course, his monster hunters would be listening on their police scanners so they could show up to blow daylight through that Japanese import.
In a series of novels like Monster Hunter, the characters take on the life of their own. You read about them and when a new novel comes out, you get to visit with some old friends. That's one of the pleasures of a series of books. I don't really think Dirk Pitt as Matthew McConaughey, or Al Giordino as Steve Zahn, because I got to know them long before the movie came out by reading all the early Clive Cussler novels. Same goes for Jack Ryan who really isn't Alec Baldwin, Harrison Ford, or Ben Affleck, because I read all the early Tom Clancy novels. The difficulty as a series goes on is that these characters tend to wear out. The smart author thus has multiple characters to whom he can pass the torch.
This means each novel should introduce new heroes and villains at a pace commensurate with the rate at which they are being killed off. And every novel should kill off at least someone significant. If you always kill off someone who's just been introduced, your audience notices and begins looking for Red Shirts. This is why villain design is very important. If the hero must defeat the villain in each novel, then your really-good-at-evil villain must either fake his own death at the end, or die.
Maybe I should write a novel where the villain goes to prison, becomes rehabilitated and spends the rest of the novel trying to repay his debt to society while "heroes" are trying to kill him off, thinking his humanitarian efforts are just nefarious schemes.
Larry Correia knows how to kill off good guys as well as bad guys. And if you like those good guys, then you miss them. In Monster Hunter Legion, the good guys get an assist from the ghosts of lost compadres.
Monster Hunter Legion does a good job of introducing some new good guys, disclosing some more of force of evil who's pulling the strings. Some of the story-questions that remained partially understood at the end of Monster Hunter International are elaborated upon here. Mr. Correia is very good at raising a story question, then answering it in part. He's also very good at the incomplete infodump. Perhaps you've seen the Thin Man movie where the detective gets a call from an informant, and as he's taking down the information, a gunshot rings out killing the informant mid-infodump. There's no such phone calls, but there is a very satisfying interview with Management that illustrates this.
I can go on, but I won't. Just get Monster Hunter Legion and find out for yourself. 5 stars of 5.
October 20, 2012
This is the 4th book in the Monster Hunter series and it was an absolutely spectacular book. Tons of action, more information on Owen being the Chosen One, dragons, and nightmares coming to life all make for a super engaging, high octane read.
I listened to this on audibook and I highly recommend listening to this series on audiobook. The books are incredibly well read and lots of fun to listen to. I read the first couple books in the series and have listened to the last two. I actually enjoy listening to these books even more than reading them.
Owen and crew are in Las Vegas for the first annual International Monster Hunter convention when things go very wrong. An ancient world war II lab experiment is rampaging through the desert. This creature can bring a person’s worst nightmare to life. Owen and company have to take out this creature before it turns Las Vegas into a literal hell on earth.
This book has tons of action and guns; and some great new characters too. This is a wonderful storyline that is somewhat self-contained but also does an excellent job of building the overall storyline about Owen being the Chosen One.
This is the first book where we really get a look into the international monster hunter scene. Let me tell you some of these international monster hunters are just as kick-ass as our favorite Monster Hunter International crew. A new American based monster hunter team also enters the story; they are PT (Paranormal Tactical) and they cause a lot of trouble for MHI.
All of our MHI favorites are here, with a couple new MHI recruits along for the ride as well. Earl’s girlfriend, Heather, even makes an appearance. I hope we see more of her in future books. Owen’s brother Mosh also plays a big role in this story.
The enemy they are facing off with is an especially evil one. This enemy can bring a person’s nightmares to life. When all the Monster Hunter conference attendees are trapped in one hotel together...well that makes for quite a dangerous situation. All these Monster Hunters have some pretty awful nightmares.
Seeing what nightmares the Hunters face-off with tells us a lot about their characters. We learn a lot more about what Holly had to endure too.
As you can imagine from the above there is a ton of monster fighting in this book. Some of the monsters are pretty disturbing. There is a lot of gore and violence and swearing; but if you are a fan of this series that’s nothing new. A lot more gun-talk again in this book book compared to the previous one.
Corriea does an excellent job of having a story that is resolved in this book (taking out the nightmare fiend) and tying it in with the overall story. We learn a lot more about task force Unicorn, which was mention in the previous book, and a lot more about what it means for Owen to be the Chosen One. All of these stories are building towards something big and this is the first book where that is really brought out into the open and discussed.
Overall a spectacular continuation of this series. This is a wonderful action packed story with some great new characters. There is an excellent story tied up in this book, but we also get more of the overall story about Owen being the Chosen One and the rising monster activity. Just a perfectly balanced book. I really enjoyed it a lot. Highly recommended to those who like action-packed urban fantasy and don’t mind learning a lot about guns. I can’t wait to see what happens next.
I listened to this on audibook and I highly recommend listening to this series on audiobook. The books are incredibly well read and lots of fun to listen to. I read the first couple books in the series and have listened to the last two. I actually enjoy listening to these books even more than reading them.
Owen and crew are in Las Vegas for the first annual International Monster Hunter convention when things go very wrong. An ancient world war II lab experiment is rampaging through the desert. This creature can bring a person’s worst nightmare to life. Owen and company have to take out this creature before it turns Las Vegas into a literal hell on earth.
This book has tons of action and guns; and some great new characters too. This is a wonderful storyline that is somewhat self-contained but also does an excellent job of building the overall storyline about Owen being the Chosen One.
This is the first book where we really get a look into the international monster hunter scene. Let me tell you some of these international monster hunters are just as kick-ass as our favorite Monster Hunter International crew. A new American based monster hunter team also enters the story; they are PT (Paranormal Tactical) and they cause a lot of trouble for MHI.
All of our MHI favorites are here, with a couple new MHI recruits along for the ride as well. Earl’s girlfriend, Heather, even makes an appearance. I hope we see more of her in future books. Owen’s brother Mosh also plays a big role in this story.
The enemy they are facing off with is an especially evil one. This enemy can bring a person’s nightmares to life. When all the Monster Hunter conference attendees are trapped in one hotel together...well that makes for quite a dangerous situation. All these Monster Hunters have some pretty awful nightmares.
Seeing what nightmares the Hunters face-off with tells us a lot about their characters. We learn a lot more about what Holly had to endure too.
As you can imagine from the above there is a ton of monster fighting in this book. Some of the monsters are pretty disturbing. There is a lot of gore and violence and swearing; but if you are a fan of this series that’s nothing new. A lot more gun-talk again in this book book compared to the previous one.
Corriea does an excellent job of having a story that is resolved in this book (taking out the nightmare fiend) and tying it in with the overall story. We learn a lot more about task force Unicorn, which was mention in the previous book, and a lot more about what it means for Owen to be the Chosen One. All of these stories are building towards something big and this is the first book where that is really brought out into the open and discussed.
Overall a spectacular continuation of this series. This is a wonderful action packed story with some great new characters. There is an excellent story tied up in this book, but we also get more of the overall story about Owen being the Chosen One and the rising monster activity. Just a perfectly balanced book. I really enjoyed it a lot. Highly recommended to those who like action-packed urban fantasy and don’t mind learning a lot about guns. I can’t wait to see what happens next.
January 21, 2019
4.5 Stars
Another fun entry in the Monster Hunter International series, this one just misses out on a full five stars for me.
This one starts off a bit differently, kicking things off at a monster hunting conference in Las Vegas. Different companies from all over the world have converged to network and learn new and better ways to kill monsters, which sounds like more fun than the actual professional conferences I’ve been to. As usual though, there is more going on than just a conference, and when a massive bounty is set it starts a race between companies to see who can claim the prize. Things take an unexpected turn from there, as MHI and their allies are forced to face off against nightmares and ruthless government agencies (it’s a toss up which one of those is more deadly).
After switching things up in Monster Hunter Alpha by focusing on Earl Harbinger and changing the tone of the story a bit, we’re back to the familiar routine established in the first two books and tag along with Owen Z. Pitt for most of the story. And it is a fun story. I thoroughly enjoyed the addition of the myriad other hunting companies from all over the world, it introduced some cool new characters and really made this whole contract monster killing world feel more fully realized. There is all kinds of entertaining banter and interactions, both between the MHI and with the new hunters.
As usual, the action kicks off, and from there on out it is a non-stop ride straight through to the end. The action is fast and furious, with some interesting new creatures thrown in. We also get a segment from a new POV that I enjoyed, and I’m very curious to see how that particular character develops.
The only thing keeping this book from a full five stars for me is that as much fun as the action was, once it got going it didn’t leave much room for a lot of character interactions. I would have liked to see a little more of the aftermath once all the monster killing was done. It’s a very minor complaint though, and overall this was another extremely fun and enjoyable story in Larry Correia’s awesome world.
Another fun entry in the Monster Hunter International series, this one just misses out on a full five stars for me.
This one starts off a bit differently, kicking things off at a monster hunting conference in Las Vegas. Different companies from all over the world have converged to network and learn new and better ways to kill monsters, which sounds like more fun than the actual professional conferences I’ve been to. As usual though, there is more going on than just a conference, and when a massive bounty is set it starts a race between companies to see who can claim the prize. Things take an unexpected turn from there, as MHI and their allies are forced to face off against nightmares and ruthless government agencies (it’s a toss up which one of those is more deadly).
After switching things up in Monster Hunter Alpha by focusing on Earl Harbinger and changing the tone of the story a bit, we’re back to the familiar routine established in the first two books and tag along with Owen Z. Pitt for most of the story. And it is a fun story. I thoroughly enjoyed the addition of the myriad other hunting companies from all over the world, it introduced some cool new characters and really made this whole contract monster killing world feel more fully realized. There is all kinds of entertaining banter and interactions, both between the MHI and with the new hunters.
As usual, the action kicks off, and from there on out it is a non-stop ride straight through to the end. The action is fast and furious, with some interesting new creatures thrown in. We also get a segment from a new POV that I enjoyed, and I’m very curious to see how that particular character develops.
The only thing keeping this book from a full five stars for me is that as much fun as the action was, once it got going it didn’t leave much room for a lot of character interactions. I would have liked to see a little more of the aftermath once all the monster killing was done. It’s a very minor complaint though, and overall this was another extremely fun and enjoyable story in Larry Correia’s awesome world.
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March 1, 2013
A leaner, sleeker MHI novel! This entry in the series is about 1/3 shorter than the previous three and, while miss a lot of that extra detail, I understand perfectly why Correia might have left it out. This novel takes place over a weekend at the first annual monster hunter conference in which all the world's hunters (and related parties -- including "monsters' rights" activists, politicians and academics) gather in Las Vegas to network and discuss things relevant to their field. As such, this novel actually takes place during a very limited time-frame and there isn't as much need for all the extra action and information which occupied the other novels. Also, unlike the first two (in which Pitt witnessed excerpts from other peoples' lives) or the third (in which the reader is witnessing things from multiple points of view and reading excerpts from Earl Harbinger's memoirs), this fourth novel involves only a single "memory vision" and no excerpts from anyone else's POV or memories.
So does it work? Yes. It works very well. It weaves together the most important elements of the idiosyncratic third novel with the defining features of the preceding two, and escalates the meta-plot -- things are getting worse and the end of the world looms. Pitt has been trying to avoid his destiny, but the events chronicled in this novel make that impossible; likewise, there have been clear power struggles going on within the various government agencies charged with containing and obfuscating the nature of the "real world", and those struggles lead to an almost untenable situation over the course of this monster hunter conference.
My two complaints? We never learn the fate of "Management" (though i suppose we could guess, it really isn't even clear enough to be implied) or Agent Franks. Dagnabbit, I demand answers!
So does it work? Yes. It works very well. It weaves together the most important elements of the idiosyncratic third novel with the defining features of the preceding two, and escalates the meta-plot -- things are getting worse and the end of the world looms. Pitt has been trying to avoid his destiny, but the events chronicled in this novel make that impossible; likewise, there have been clear power struggles going on within the various government agencies charged with containing and obfuscating the nature of the "real world", and those struggles lead to an almost untenable situation over the course of this monster hunter conference.
My two complaints? We never learn the fate of "Management" (though i suppose we could guess, it really isn't even clear enough to be implied) or Agent Franks. Dagnabbit, I demand answers!
August 1, 2017
Boy, I'd forgotten how much fun these books are to read. It's been quite a while since I read the third book, Monster Hunter Alpha and perhaps because that one was told from a different POV character, and didn't include our normal cast, I had subconsciously decided to take a break...? I've had books 4 and 5 on my shelf for many months but always seemed to choose something else. But I recently conducted a quick inventory of my must-reads (I'm not getting any younger) and realized I really needed to get back to this series.
I'm happy I did. This was just the sort of wild adventure, gun-porn, monster hunting, snarky, over-the-top action-packed kind of novel that I needed to read this week. I will always be happy to read stories in this universe from the perspective of other characters but I think the main group, with Owen at the center, is the best way to go. Here the MHI team travels to Las Vegas for the first ever convention of international monster-hunter groups and of course the competition and one-upmanship is serious business. When a dormant WW2 experiment arises, it's all-hands on deck to try and stop the thing. Of course, there is more going on than just the pure-action surface plot and we see some definite progress on the multi-novel story arc that's been developing throughout. Also, we get some solid lead-ins to the next book with some teasers about "Nemesis".
I won't let so much time lapse before reading the next one but will still want to pace myself so as not to leave too much time in between publication of future volumes. But when I need an adrenaline fix, I know where to turn.
I'm happy I did. This was just the sort of wild adventure, gun-porn, monster hunting, snarky, over-the-top action-packed kind of novel that I needed to read this week. I will always be happy to read stories in this universe from the perspective of other characters but I think the main group, with Owen at the center, is the best way to go. Here the MHI team travels to Las Vegas for the first ever convention of international monster-hunter groups and of course the competition and one-upmanship is serious business. When a dormant WW2 experiment arises, it's all-hands on deck to try and stop the thing. Of course, there is more going on than just the pure-action surface plot and we see some definite progress on the multi-novel story arc that's been developing throughout. Also, we get some solid lead-ins to the next book with some teasers about "Nemesis".
I won't let so much time lapse before reading the next one but will still want to pace myself so as not to leave too much time in between publication of future volumes. But when I need an adrenaline fix, I know where to turn.
June 28, 2014
Had to reread this after the release of Monster Hunter Nemesis, I would say the below is still a good description.
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So I've been waiting for the release of Monster Hunter Legion for months now, and having read it, now all I want is the next book! This book is great! Z is maturing and coming to grips with being The Chosen One. After starring in Monster Hunter Alpha, Earl is present but not on screen much, but we get cameo appearances by .
I should admit that I'm having trouble with one shelf distinction for these books. And that being are they a Series (e.g. Discworld, The Destroyer, Jack Reacher, etc.) or are they a Multi-Book Story (e.g. The Lord of the Rings or Otherland). There is obviously an overall story arc here, but there seems to be only a small part of it revealed in each book. So are they stand alones in the same universe, or one story?
Having said that, either way these books are awesome! And you can get the ebook omnibus of the first three novels (The Monster Hunters) over at Baenebooks.com for only $6.
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So I've been waiting for the release of Monster Hunter Legion for months now, and having read it, now all I want is the next book! This book is great! Z is maturing and coming to grips with being The Chosen One. After starring in Monster Hunter Alpha, Earl is present but not on screen much, but we get cameo appearances by .
I should admit that I'm having trouble with one shelf distinction for these books. And that being are they a Series (e.g. Discworld, The Destroyer, Jack Reacher, etc.) or are they a Multi-Book Story (e.g. The Lord of the Rings or Otherland). There is obviously an overall story arc here, but there seems to be only a small part of it revealed in each book. So are they stand alones in the same universe, or one story?
Having said that, either way these books are awesome! And you can get the ebook omnibus of the first three novels (The Monster Hunters) over at Baenebooks.com for only $6.
January 12, 2013
This is another spectacular book by Larry Correia. It's a romping, stomping tale of supernatural invading death and destruction stopped by the will and firepower of Monster Hunters. The plot is pretty straightforward and doesn't have a whole lot of surprises or interesting twists, which I think is the reason that I can't rate it as high as the previous books. It seems a whole lot like a bridge book where it sets the stage for more to come, and really just creates supporting events for the future. Not his strongest work, but I'll definitely be reading more.
August 12, 2017
Another rip-roaring, bullets flying adventure with Own Pitt! Nightmares can be terrifying. When they come from a monster hunter's memories and are made flesh it can be hell on earth. All this comes just in time for the first ever monster hunter convention in Vegas. Recommended!
As a side note there seemed to be an uptick of profanity in this intallment. This doesn't bother me per se but it might others.
As a side note there seemed to be an uptick of profanity in this intallment. This doesn't bother me per se but it might others.
January 11, 2024
These are just really fun books to read between more serious chunkier fantasy and sci fi books. They don't take themselves too seriously, but they have good writing, good characters, cool worldbuilding, and fast paced plots. I really enjoyed this particular entry for the action, setting, and the villain. Also, I really like that we get a little more lore here and a little more information about the overarching full series plot line. I'm going to keep reading these this year when I need a break from other stuff. They're also really good on audio.
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