The Monster Hunters

Monster Hunter International #1-3

by Larry Correia

Three titles in this series together for the first time in one huge volume.Monster Hunter With the clock ticking towards Armageddon, Monster Hunter Owen Pitt must face down legions of undead minions—and the cursed family of the woman he loves.Monster Hunter Accountant turned monster hunter Owen made himself the enemy of the most powerful beings in the universe. Now an evil death cult is after Owen for revenge.Monster Hunter Earl Harbinger, leader of Monster Hunter International, is also a werewolf. Now Earl's greatest foe, an ex-KGB werewolf, has surfaced. But Harbinger is an alpha wolf for a reason, and he's not about to roll over and play dead.At the publisher's request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management).

Genres: Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Horror, Fiction, Paranormal, Vampires

1275 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 1, 2012

About the author

Larry Correia (born 1977) is the New York Times bestselling author of the Monster Hunter International series, the Grimnoir Chronicles, and the thriller Dead Six.

Reviews

[Azhureheart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gun-nuts killing monsters for fun and profits.
I read these 3 books in less than a month. It's hilarious, entertaining as hell, action-packed and women are just as kick-ass as the men. It couldn't be any better.
I love the universe Larry Correia created. I love Owen's passion for his guns than can only be matched by his love for Julie. I love how crazy all the hunters are. And Harbinger is just epic. Epic. There is no other word for his awesomeness. The plot are well crafted, even the villains are great.

I can't wait to read the fourth book, Monster Hunter Legion.

[Kat Hooper · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've reviewed these separately at FanLit: http://www.fantasyliterature.com/fant...

[Erica Cole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved every minute of these three and legion is fantastic too. Best books I've read in a looong time! messy situations brute force, lots of swearing and epic battles between good and evil. I should have waited tillthe whole series was done and dusted, but I'm an impatient SOB and have 0 self-disci@ine. Best books I've read in a looong time! messy situations brute force, lots of swearing and epic battles between good and evil. I should have waited tillthe whole series was done and dusted, but I'm an impatient SOB and have 0 self-disci@ine. Best books I've read in a looong time! messy situations, brute force, lots of swearing and epic battles between good and evil. Fab!

[Tom · Rating 3 out of 5]

While the first two books in this collection were a decent read, it's the third book that is the standout. You can see the writing getting better. Also there is a sense of uncertainty as to the outcome and how it is all going to go down.

[Iori · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome story, intense action and well hung plot what can you want more ?

[MikeG · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great collection for binge reading.

[Roberta · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had so much fun reading this omnibus of the first three Monster Hunters books! ( Monster Hunter International, Monster Hunter Vendetta, & Monster Hunter Hunter Alpha) I couldn't put it down, and that's saying something, because since it's several pounds and about 3 inches thick, so it was quite a load to cart around!

These books hold so much action, horror, and humor that it's hard to describe them. They chronicle the adventures of various monster hunters, most affiliated with MHI-Monster Hunters International.

"Monster Problems? Call the Professionals
Established 1895"

These elite fighters risk life and limb to eradicate the monsters that infest the lives of humans, wreaking havoc and carnage beyond a regular citizen's ability to even perceive. They protect the innocent, and destroy the bad guys using their highly honed fighting skills, their flexible minds, and an amazing array of weaponry that almost count as characters themselves.

I've got to warn you, if you can't deal with a pretty severe "squelch" factor, these books might not be for you...Otherwise, the bravery, honor, sheer stubbornness, and tongue-in-cheek snarkiness of the Hunters will keep you on the edge of your seat till the end. To tell you the truth, I enjoyed the monsters and such just as much as the heroes!
I guess I just identify with the tough guys...

[Stephanie Whitman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A pleasant twist!

Book 1 and 2 were good books. The manly over the top testosterone filled gun pôrn became comical after awhile. I'm not a gun person so most of the jargon went over my head.
Book 3, in that regard didn't change. The blood and gore were still all very detailed and the author's obsession with twitching corpses was still prevalent. HOWEVER, it was now from Harbinger's point of view! Correia took time to really flesh out Harbinger as a character. Now instead of appearing to be a macho, alter ego, fantasy of a self obsessed author, the author is actually creating a world that has bad-ass people/monsters in it! The storyline has a strong feel of deja vu from other stories or movies. While still feeling like it's a unique original because that's true too.
There's drag in the telling of the story. No boring parts. It also wasn't so action packed that the reader needed to close the book to take a breather. It was really good if you aren't squeamish!

[Mary Mcqueen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I decided to read this, after listening to a few of Larry Correia’s stories on Audible. The ones that grabbed me had to do with And inter-dimensional insurance agent, and I found them full of action, and with a lot of satire which appealed to me. This one is a wonderful combination of personal shock and fast action, and I kind of loved it. I no longer like to plow through paragraphs of description or emotion, and even though this does have emotion, it’s appropriate and limited. What can I say, we all want to save the world do we not?

[Billy Actually · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent series! First couple of book are 900 pages then it goes down to 300-400. Just gets better and better and the guns keep getting bigger!
I really was wanting a big butch gay hunter and Rigby shows up. I want to see and hear more about him!!! Plus you really need a gay guy on team Z. Loved this series.

[Paps · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the series, altough I didn't love it, a shame because it could have made me a believer. Its an action packed box, with interesting humor andinteresting characters. Altough the author forced some plot points to change drastically from one novel to the other in the hopes of building up the final plot.

[Brian Oravetz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't know what to expect, but

It exceeded anything if have wanted in this genre!

I'm excited to read the rest! You have to love it when an author can tweak stories you may know of, and puts them in a new, enjoyable light.

[Niki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dangerously Delicious

Monster Hunters will always have a special place on my shelf! I loved learning more about Harbringer and his curse.

[shawn johnston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fast paced fun read

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining

[Melissa Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very fun book.

Fast paced and very engrossing. First two books were different than the third. Great character development in a stable world set up.

[Paul Gover · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite series and it doesn't disappoint.

[Corbin Wolfman Simon · Rating 5 out of 5]

3 great stories under one roof. If you like monsters, guns, violence, and comedy; these books are for you.

[Donald · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an omnibus of three novels: Monster Hunter International, Monster Hunter Vendetta, and Monster Hunter Alpha.

After reading Monster Hunter International I can tell you it is one action packed thrill ride. This first installment brings the reader out to page 448 of 1191 and the bullets fly nearly nonstop. There are all sorts of monsters and the PUFF (bounty) money on these things paid out by the government is incredible. If you live through the hunt.

The story follows Owen Pitt, Accountant, as he finds his real calling with Monster Hunter International (MHI). There is enough weaponry to satisfy an NRA conference, enough guts and gore to carry several sequels of Ghostbusters. The werewolves are horror-packed, the vampires terrorize the planet, and the government doesn't always play nice.

In the midst of all the action Owen manages to find love, save the world, and die at least twice. It is just a nonstop ride...well, till it ends. I mean, it has to end someplace.

In Monster Hunter Vendetta, the whole of Monster Hunter International is dragged in to fight an evil death cult bent on revenge for the Old Ones who Owen Pitt pissed off in the first story.

It is action packed and bullets fly. Hell, an orc flies a Russian attack helicopter through a dimensional portal to save the day.

The first two rely on the characters zipping to another evil dimension to fight the bad guys and one wonders how the third installment will pan out...

In Monster Hunter Alpha, Harbinger, head of Monster Hunter International and Werewolf centurion, takes center stage to fight another werewolf who has taken the last surviving member of the previous installments death cult and decided to unleash a werewolf epidemic by practicing on a small town.

Harbinger finds a soulmate in the deal and they fight side by side to save the town. The ending leaves room for more and a desire to read more about these characters.

I liked it. I really liked it. The whole thing was exciting to read and even the most implausible bits were made more plausible in the way they were presented.

Historical note: I finished this without power in the house during the Northeast blizzard of 2013. All praise for books!

[Ryelor · Rating 4 out of 5]

This omnibus of the first three Monster Hunter novels was a pretty good deal. Three books in one, you can't beat that. U read Correia's first book, Monster Hunter International, a few years ago. I read it between a pretty intense, masterfully written series that was very intellectually taxing. MHI came as a breath of fresh air because it was a fun, action packed romp that I could read for enjoyment--just what I needed after reading numerous thousand page books that left my brain feeling like oatmeal. Saying a book is an "easy read" is sometimes taken as a dig, but I believe all types of books have their place, be it the brain mashing "intellectual" novel or the straightforward fun read.

I've heard Larry speak at a number of writing conferences. He's a compelling presenter and knows his guns. He doesn't pretend to be some high-brow, elite writer that appeals only to more sophisticated readers. He's actually a really approachable and cool guy. In the same token, his writing kind of follows who he is. It's not the best writing in the world by any means. But that's ok. It doesn't have to be. These books (MHI, Vendetta, Alpha) are, in my opinion, like a good action film. A good plot and some decent acting can keep me engaged for a couple of hours because my movie watching is very similar to my book reading--I do it for entertainment (mostly). Larry Correia has given us three books where you can just sit back and enjoy the ride.

There were times the writing pulled me out of the story a little. Correia excessively uses passive voice. For the first novel, which he originally self-published (I believe), it wasn't that big of a deal. He was a debut author, did most of the work himself, had a big group of supporters in the gun community. But, you know what? Who cares? "Established" authors throw out cheap advice all the time: "this is how you should write," "avoid using adverbs," "passive voice is for noobs," "don't use Tom Swifty's." Then you read their books and they are riddled with the opposite of their "good" advice. My opinion now is I don't care how it's written. Did I enjoy it? Did I have fun? Would I read it again? Yes, yes and yes with the Monster Hunter series. I enjoyed it. A lot. And to me, that's all that matters.

[David Dalton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review is just for the 1st book in this collection: . I will come back and add to my review of this omnibus collection after I read the 2nd and then 3rd books.

For MHI, I loved it! More monsters than you can shake a stick at, tons of blazing guns, ammo galore, some gore, and plenty of action! Like reading a Buffy the Slayer story and Buffy is on a sugar high. Fun - fun - fun! The end of the world as we know it - - - Unless one of the newest Monster Hunters, Owen Z. Pitt, and his fellow monster hunters can stop the threat. Vampires, zombies, werewolves, demons, spirits, and on and on. Some friendly, most are NOT. I enjoyed the cast of Monster Hunters. Just plain folks one day and then wham! An encounter with a monster of some kind and they are off. Not everyone makes it out alive! Owen is one tough son of a gun. But he gets beat up pretty darn good several times: either fighting Master Vampires or Special Agents from the FBI! He looked worst than Bruce Willis did at the end of Die Hard!

Deep reading? No. But a fun action read. I really liked it and will take a short break and then come back to the 2nd MHI story in this collection: . I certainly plan to keep on reading MH1 stores beyond this collection and then check out other titles by Larry!

[Kurt Korfmacher · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars for the first book.

Owen Pitt's world is turned upside down when his obnoxious boss suddenly turns into a werewolf and attempts to eat him. After throwing his former boss out a window, Owen joins a secret mercenary group known as Monster Hunter International and begins a career of keeping the world safe from supernatural baddies. Along the way he has to figure out a way to keep both his crush and the world from falling into utter darkness.

Overall the book is entertaining, with good voice and likable characters. For every clever plot twist or interesting take on the monsters of old, however, the author stumbles over tired cliches, overused tropes, and turns of plot that serve the author's interests rather than the characters'. The descriptions are colorful and vivid, but the author's love affair with firearms grew tiresome; every time he waxed poetic for a paragraph or two about the smooth action, fine craftsmanship, load, and muzzle velocity of whatever firearm Owen was fondling at the time I felt my eyes glaze over. Thankfully none of these details proved vital to the plot, so they were easy to skim. Also, the "big reveal" was disappointingly obvious from the first read of the prophecy, although how it would come about did bring some surprises.

Still, it's a good combination of a Clive Cussler novel with supernatural horror. If that sounds intriguing to you, give it a read.

[Sissors · Rating 3 out of 5]

While it is personal of course, I really liked the settings of the book. While sometimes I feel the book was a bit too 'slow', I think overall it was a well written book with a good storyline.

However now it comes: To properly enjoy it you need to be a conservative US right wing voter. I am from Europe myself, I expect the author to see everyone from Europe as a communist, and really after a while the constant hammering about how the government is evil is getting boring. Often it doesn't add anything to the storyline whatsoever, it is simply there because the author sees a fiction book as a nice way to promote his political opinion.

Of course it is pretty often you recognize something from the authors political opinion in a book. I have read complaints about for example a David Weber putting right-wing opinions in his books, but personally I haven't had any problems with it in his books. Sadly Monster Hunters reminds me more of some of John Ringo's books: it is more of a political pamflet than a fiction book.

In the end I have it 3 stars, which imo is still generous. If you are definately on the right wing in US politics you will should enjoy this book just fine, but for everyone else the politics could very well become bothersome. Personally I am planning to finish the series, but won't start others from this author.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I totally love these books. Owen Pitt has a decent job as an accountant, until a werewolf tries to eat him. Unlike most urban fantasy books, he reacts by enthusiastically throwing it out a 14th story window, and then dropping a desk on it to kill it. He discovers monsters are real, and a monster hunting organization offers him a job. And things just get weird when Owen eventually finds out the Old Ones are invading, and he's this generation's champion, born and raised to fight them.

These are a great reaction to all the paranormal romance books with sexy monsters -- in these books, the monsters are (mostly) psychos in need of killing. There are some excellent exceptions, though. The books are mostly funny, sometimes sad, goofy, terrifying, and full of interesting creatures and excellent guns. A really nice change of pace. The ones that are told from Owen's point of view are my favorites, but I like the periodic focus on other characters, too.

One note -- the first book was self published, and the grammar and editing kind of shows it. Be patient -- it gets better.

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is for the first book in this omnibus, "Monster Hunter International". This book started off great - just a few pages in there was a humdinger of a battle between Owen, the main character, and a werewolf. Then it proceeded to Owen going to Monster Hunter International boot camp where some interesting secondary characters were introduced. I enjoyed the interactions between Owen and his comrades. Just barely out of boot camp, Owen and his team get into another big knockdown with some vampires and zombies and Owen saves the day. Unfortunately, that was how the rest of the book went - big battle, lots of casualties, Owen gets the crap beat out of him but manages to do something foolhardy and thus saves the day. Again, and again and again. It got monotonous. I'm not going to bother to read the rest of this omnibus edition.

[Ken · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good enjoyable reading time

I got book 1 for free and got hooked! So buying this 3 book set made the most since price wise! I am not sure if the next two books are the series end since there are several over arching plots happening. Very good reading time and I will be purchasing the next two. This series is unique because as I said there is an overarching plot in the series so far and the main plot in each book(s). The author must have the whole series outlined really well since the story(use) mesh really well with same characters but they are not always the main ones in the book. I look forward to where the next two books take overarching as well as the next two books main plots. They look to be good reading. The cost is higher than most of my buying but since I know from this book(s) the value should be worth it.

[Mike Bunner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alright. Guilty pleasure time. The Monster Hunter series (currently at 5 books) are the adventures of the owners and employees of a private company that operate in the shadows hunting down and eradicating demons and monsters that have invaded our dimension. Governments are required by law to publish a bounty for each entity wanted and the government hunting agencies and the private companies compete to get them first. This is usually not on a friendly basis, and deals are sometimes made between them, but usually because dealing with the devil you know is better than dealing with the one you don't.

If you enjoy witty characters, angst, hidden agendas and no-holds barred action, give the series a try with the first book, Monster Hunters International. A fun read for horror-action fans.

[Philip Berghan-Whyman · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first book (origin story) was readable pulp. The second bored me to bailing on it.

This was like second-rate Dresden with guns. The gun porn was good, but the dialogue and characterisation was often weak. The back story hooks were obvious, so the later reveals were unsurprising and unsatisfying.

The hero "Z" - think accountant / line backer / special forces sniper / MMA fighter / thug / nice guy - is actually quite boring. He is too competent at too many things.

I wanted to enjoy this series, but it didn't happen.

[Dutch · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! This book was leant to me by a friend and I devoured it. The story pulled me in tried and true. I especially enjoyed how the monster hunters came together, the history of the Shackleford family and the true identity of Earl Harbinger.

I'm a big fan of the Dresden Files and, in my opinion, this book has the same intensity and rich storylines.

Next up, Monster Hunter Vendetta!

[Jean-paul Jarboe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very entertaining book. If you're a fan of the the Dresden Files series you will like this series as well.

I really like how Larry Correia turns a phrase and caught myself highlighting a lot of the dialog because it was so fun and clever.

My only real issue with the series was the detail Correia went into on guns. It's the right call for the character, but I found it a bit tedious.

That said, I'd recommend this series to anyone.