Combat Monsters: Untold Tales of World War II

Victory Nelson's Blood Investigations #7.5

by Henry Herz (Contributor), Jane Yolen (contributor), Mary Fan (contributor)

Combat Monsters brings together twenty award-winning and bestselling speculative fiction authors who each bring their own spin on an alternate history of World War II.

New research has uncovered deeply buried military secrets—both the Allied and Axis special operations during World War II included monsters. Did the Soviets use a dragon to win the Battle of Kursk? Did a vampire fight for the Canadians in Holland? Did the US drop the second atomic bomb on a kaiju?

This collection takes real events from World War II and injects them with fantastical creatures that mirror the “unreality” of war itself. Each story—and two poems—feature mythical, mystical, and otherwise unexplainable beings that change the course of history. Dragons rise and fall, witches cast deadly spells, mermaids reroute torpedoes, and all manner of “monsters” intervene for better or worse in the global turmoil of World War II.

Together, Combat Monsters challenge the very definition of monstrous, with the brutality of war as a sobering backdrop.

Genres: Fantasy, Horror, Historical Fiction, Audiobook, Anthologies, Fiction, Science Fiction

Audio CD

First published February 11, 2025

Reviews

[Montzalee Wittmann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Combat Monsters
by various authors
I was expecting a bit more from such high caliber authors. These were interesting, but none were 5*.
Most of the stories are worth the read.

[Faith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This anthology was based on an interesting idea. The editor asked each author to base his or her contribution on a real WWII battle, but to add a “monster”. As usual with a collection of short stories, this book is uneven. But I liked some stories a lot. (I won’t list the authors’ names because the audiobook ARC that I listened to does not list the authors with the tracks, and even the cover of the book does not list all of the authors. So getting the correct spelling of the authors’ names would involve more research than I want to do.) There is a story about bioengineered bears that may not be completely under control. A really scary story involved a special box. Part of the thrill of this one was the anticipation of what was in the box. And it did not disappoint. I also liked the story about the family of dragons. At the end of the book, the editor links each story to the actual battle and tells where you can get more details.

I received a free copy of this audiobook from the publisher.

[Tac Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

As with all anthologies from different writers, some stories are going to be better than others, but there were none I outright disliked and most I really enjoyed. Props to the editor for keeping the stories on theme and having a variety of locations covering the globe.

[Already Overbooked · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was laying eggs!!!

[Todd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like most anthologies this is a mixed bag, none truly bad and some excellent, especially the Maberry story.

[C.J. Daley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for this audio arc.

A concise set of stories meshing monsters with the atrocities of WWII. Vampires, witches, werewolves, dragons, krakens, genetically modified humans and animals, and DNA-altered bears, oh my. I particularly appreciated the generous take on “monster” as well as the shaping of war being the true evil. I don’t tend to enjoy war stuff that alters historical events in any big way as I feel it takes away from the people that paid for the outcome with their lives, and I’m glad to say this one skirted that exceptionally. The editor asked each contributor to ground their story in fact, within real events, but the outcomes were the same and the supernatural elements were simply helping or layered within.

I enjoyed how each story took readers to a new place, a new perspective, a new country even. Including countries I wasn’t even aware took part in the war. We traveled the world and learned of the supernatural just under the surface. We read stories from the beginning of the war, and we read stories from the very bombing that ended the war. The variety within is really what makes this collection so special.

Particular stand outs included a story that acted as almost an unauthorized sequel to Dracula and the Demeter, a werewolf that’s helped by something else, a crazy croctopus taking out strike teams, and the farming bears. I apologize because as I did the audio, which I typically do while driving, I didn’t think to note the names/authors!

https://fanfiaddict.com/review-combat...

[Bruce · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was able to read this book a bit before the date it was released thanks to its editor, Henry Herz, giving me an ARC to review at a recent San Diego Writers Coffeehouse.

First, the stats: there are 19 short stories bookended by 2 prose poems. Each short story is, on the average, 18 pages long.

There are classic monsters (vampires and werewolves), fantastical monsters (Qilin, serpents, trolls, mermaids, Rumpelstiltskin, dragons), bioengineered monsters (bears and a crocktopus), and even a giant mechanical monster and a Kaiju.

The settings are all over the European and Pacific theaters of World War II from Greenland to northern and northwestern Africa, the Soviet Union, central Europe, the Mediterranean, China, Japan, and Burma.

All of the short stories were uniformly well written (as you’d expect from the authors selected to participate). That made it hard for me to choose my favorite story (“Bound and Chained” for the musical reference “Clothilde could sight-read music…”).

If you pick this book up to read (and I hope you do), be aware of two helpful sections near the back of the book as you start reading: Historical Notes (where the author provides some background about the details of story) and About the Contributors (background about each author).

If I had one nit about the stories it would be the small minority of stories that used profanity (specifically the “F-bomb”) in conversation. I was not embedded in Europe or the Pacific theaters and so I do not have any hard data on what profanity was in use in the 1940’s but I am a Boomer who grew up in the years following World War II and I don’t remember people that I rubbed shoulders with using hardly any profanity. Encountering an “F-bomb” in a short story was sort of like bumping a record player and having the needle bounce out of the groove into a neighboring one. It just didn’t seem realistic (to me).

Other than that, the stories were well written and entertaining.

Oh, and if you follow Henry Herz on Facebook, he’s been publishing a series of posts that include pictures of the monster in each short story.

[Pernille A Prolific Page Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Much happened during the war that wasn't recorded, that no one will remember except those who lived it."

Who is to say that isn't reality. Wars are atrocious. Reading about real events rooted in reality so unfathomably cruel, is heartbreaking. It would make sense or alliviate some of the horrors perpetrated back then if some unspeakable terror worse than humanity needed to be stopped.

Henry Herz gathered an impressive variety of award winning authors to write a story rooted in World War II. So much happened during the war that I researched the events I didn't know about. If you take the time to do so you not only get an interesting story ranging from Africa, to China, to Italy, to America, and and array of sea battles, but you also get what could be explanations to the astounding feats against impossible odds.

The stories are as varied as the several Emmy award winning Love, Death & Robots series on Netflix. So if you like the Netflix series you are going to love this anthology! Minus the robots, though.

5 stars

Thanks to NetGalley an Blackstone Publishing for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Bill Philibin · Rating 4 out of 5]

(4.0 Stars)

Overall this is a very good collection of short stories (and poems).

It is difficult to rate all together so here are the stories and a super quick blurb of my thoughts.

Jane Yolen - Wolf Remains - Short poem - ok
Mary Fan - The Night The Moon Burned - Decent Short Story
Eugen Bacon - Kinje'kitile and the Jintu - This was good but seems like it should be part of a much larger work. The story itself was interesting but I don't like the tense it was told in (second person - present tense).
Jeff Edwards - The Fourth Man - I liked the story, but it didn't really go anywhere. Would have liked more.
Peter Clines - The Night Crew - Great narration, excellent story.
Lee Murray - Breakout - Very good, nice buildup, intense action
Bishop O'Connell - Nachthexen - I really liked this one
Tori Eldridge - Gods of the Sea - Great little story, really well done
Harry Turtledove - Gorgopotamus Bridge - Nice one, like an old WWII movie with a monster theme
Catherine Stine - Grigoriy's Army - Good, but seemed like it ended abruptly and should have been longer
Scott Sigler - Svart Hund - Great little story. Sigler always delivers!
Gaby Triana - CS-13 - It was ok, but I had a hard time getting into it. Too much like a technical manual in parts
Henry Herz - Das Mammut - I did not love the narration on this one, but the story was ok.
Ann Davila Cardinal - Best Behave - This was good. Nice social commentary.
Jonathan Maberry - A Terrible Aspect - I liked this one, would like a longer story, more developed!
Andrea Tang - Guardian of the Burma Road - Good story, I liked it.
Kevin Andrew Murphy - Bound and Chained - Just ok for me. Not bad at all, good ending.
Jeremy Robinson - The Scenic Route - excellent narration, good story
Tanya Huff - Apledoorn - Fun little monster story
David Mack - Bockscar - Excellent all around.
Jane Yolen - The Selkie's Job - nice poem

[Hunter Bunter | Kindle Era · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good speculative read. Unfortunately not a lot of variety in the short stories, but a few standouts here and there. If you like fantasy and military history then I highly recommend this book.

[Natalie Cagle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book. Not what I was expecting. Kind of a refreshing look at battles of World War II. More along the lines of like an inglorious basterds feel. Well done

[Ron · Rating 4 out of 5]

World War II was a terrible time. Now revisit some of those tales with authors who add monsters to the mix. A dragon at Kursk. Japanese sea monsters versus Hawaiian sea gods at Iron Bottom Bay. Norse sea monsters striking HMS Hood. Vampires aiding the Dutch resistance. These are among the interesting stories that can be found in Combat Monsters. So if you enjoy World War II tales mashed up with some familiar horror heroes or villains, pick up this book and indulge yourself!

Thanks Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for the chance to read this title!

[Eamonn Murphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘Combat Monsters’ is an anthology of World War II stories in which creatures from myth and legend play a part in that conflict, sometimes changing the course of history. Dragons, mermaids, vampires and sea monsters feature in tales of military endeavours based on real-life historical situations. Every title is accompanied by a note giving the time and place where the events happened. It’s an interesting concept for an anthology and the writers came up with lively stories. Here’s what you get.

‘Kinje’kitile and the Jintu’ (Tanganyika, June 1940) by Eugen Bacon. Bazi is the only black sergeant in the King’s African Rifles under Lieutenant Blake. As the African troops are not trusted with rifles, only bayonets, Bazi thinks they are doomed in the upcoming battle unless Kinje’Kitile can help. She’s a witch doctor who makes him a lubricant from throat blood, snake oil and crushed porcupine quills which he uses for intercourse with his wife. Don’t try this at home. It’s interesting to get the native point of view on World War II as they were forced into a conflict which wasn’t much in their interest. There’s a mention of Lieutenant Colonel John Henry Patterson shooting tigers on the East African railway as told in the film The Ghost and the Darkness.

‘The Fourth Man’ (Greenland Strait, May 1941) by Jeff Edwards. This story takes place about eighty-five years before Greenland becomes the 51st state of the USA and concerns a famous naval battle between the German battleship Bismark and HMS Hood. On board the Hood is Oliver James Lightroller, an expert in Teutonic nautical mythology with a rucksack full of books. Could the indestructible German ship have supernatural help? Sink the Bismark, on television about once a month, tells the true story but this is a fun alternative and the author is a retired Chief Petty Officer who knows his stuff.

‘The Night Crew’ (English Channel, February 1942) by Peter Clines. More sea adventure as Doctor Ken Kraft, Professor of History and Folklore seconded to the US Department of the Navy and Dar Carter, historian and treasure hunter try to sneak back to England from Dieppe. The old ship they travel on encounters German battleships but it has a night crew who are deadly indeed. A clever story that concludes with a tip of the hat to a classic horror novel.

‘Breakout’ (Minqar Qaim, Egypt, June 1942) by Lee Murray. Rommel’s Afrika Korps were secretly assisted by a thirty-metre venomous snake with fangs ‘the size of fenceposts’ which battles New Zealand’s Maori soldiers in this enjoyable ripping yarn.

‘Nachthexen’ (Voronezh Oblast, Soviet Union, October 1942) by Bishop O’Connell. Lieutenant Vera Lukianovna Belik, flight navigator, is assigned to the 588th Night Bomber Regiment, an all-women force. As a Ukranian, Vera has no love for Russia but the Nazis are worse. The ladies have the worst equipment, battered old Polikarpov PO-2 biplanes built of cloth and wood, but some have other skills which come in handy. The Nazis call them the Night Witches. Mind the cat.

‘Gods of the Sea’ (Solomon Sea, Pacific Ocean, November 1942) by Tori Eldridge. The naval battle at Guadalcanal was a confusing and chaotic affair but a major turning point in the war. Here a patriotic American from Hawaii encounters a sea serpent defending Japan.

‘Gorgopotamos Bridge’(Gorgopotamos, Greece, 1942) by Harry Turtledove. The narrator, Konstantin, is working with a rag-tag band of resistance fighters to blow up a railway bridge which connects Athens to Thessalonika. Konstantin remembers Aristophanes, Socrates and Lord Byron so he’s been around a while. The bridge is defended by a creature from German myth. A solid adventure yarn by an author who’s done a lot of alternative history.

‘Grigory’s Army’ (Stalingrad, Oblast, Soviet Union, 1942) by Catherine Stine. Grigory once bashed his head and his brain changed. He understands DNA and engineered bears that obey commands and work for him, clearing the forest and planting crops. War comes and the Red Army recruits him and them to fight Nazis. A sad story about how innocent people get caught up in war.

‘Svart Hund’ (Rjukan, Norway, February 1943) by Scott Sigler. A Norwegian commando team, half-starved from living off the land for six months, must sabotage a hydroelectric plant defended by two hundred Nazis. They are helped by Mister Aumont, a scary older English gentleman who carries a dented old ivory box about the length of his forearm from which something wants to escape. Another tale which highlights an important, little-known area of the war.

‘CS - 13’ (Caribbean Sea, May 1943) by Gaby Triana. Ensign Mario Ramírez Delgado of the Cuban navy captains an eighty-three foot CS-13 which is not powerful enough to take on a German U-boat but does, with a little help from some friends. There are plenty of naval tales in this collection.

‘Das Mammut’ (Gremuchii, Soviet Union, July 1943) by Henry Herz. The editor of the anthology contributes this long story in which a fictional machine takes on a fictional dragon. The Mammut is a gigantic metal land dreadnought and the dragon is a three-headed flame breather piloted by T34 tank commander Andrei Petrov. It’s perhaps harder to empathise with Russians in our time but they are largely responsible for beating the Nazis.

‘Best Behave’ (Salerno, Italy, September 1943) by Ann Dávila Cardinal. Jorge from Puerto Rico befriends a local old lady called Signora Acheros and gets involved when her ancient silver spoons are stolen by a man in his barracks, but there’s no need. Looting and worse behaviour are common in war but not all soldiers are bad boys.

‘A Terrible Aspect’ (Monte Cassino, Italy, April 1944) by Jonathan Maberry. A killer, codename Deacon, sneaks into Monte Cassino on a secret mission shortly before it is due to be bombed to rubble by the Allies. He encounters a powerful supernatural lady keen to rescue her werewolf man who is being held in the dungeon by Nazis who want to steal his power. Deacon is not a normal human so there are a lot of monsters here. A good yarn but I’m not keen on scenes of torture.

‘Guardian of the Burma Road’ (Henan Province, China, June 1944) by Andrea Tang. Much of the story takes place in New York where the Yang family have settled and become prosperous using their dragon magic. But young Nathaniel wants to defend the homeland from the Japanese and his sister Susannah can’t stop him. This was a change of pace because the protagonists went to war reluctantly and the action wasn’t shown in any detail. Ex-Pats are in a tricky situation when the land of their fathers is threatened and they can stay safe, or not.

‘Bound and Chained’ (Dresden, Germany, April 1944) by Kevin Andrew Murphy. Heinrich Himmler visits Dresden library in search of ancient magical tomes, assisted by librarian Clothilde von Penzlin who knows more than him. This tale went off in unexpected directions and showed a good knowledge of old occult books, if the ones mentioned exist. It’s marvellous how far an ambitious chicken farmer could go in those days; all the way to Hell, hopefully.

‘The Scenic Route’ (Ramree Island, Burma, February 1945) by Jeremy Robinson. Captain Tyler Moss has twelve men left out of two hundred in a godforsaken swamp where something bigger than the crocodiles is eating people. A great monster and a surprising twist make this work well. Like half the stories here, it would be a fine B-movie.

‘Apeldoorn’ (Apeldoorn, the Netherlands, April 1945) by Tanya Huff. Henry FitzRoy, special forces, is a weapon. “I’m a weapon. Aim me,” he tells Major General Harry Foster of the First Canadian Infantry. Foster wants to get the Germans out of Apeldoorn but with the war so near its end, he doesn’t want to bomb the town and kill civilians. Henry starts a campaign of terror to scare the Germans out. He can do this because he is not only a bastard son of Henry VIII but a vampire, too. Tanya Huff has written Bloods, a series of novels about his adventures if you want more.

‘Bockscar’ (Pacific Ocean, August 1945) by David Mack. The Superfortress Bockscar is carrying the atomic bomb Fat Man to Nagasaki when some of the crew mutiny and need to be told certain secret information. A clever twist on real history with plenty of authentic detail.

That’s all, folks. The stories are bracketed by two short poems from Jane Yolen and there’s also an introduction by Joshua Palmatier, historical notes by editor Henry Herz and an ‘About the Contributors’ section with information on the authors.

I’m not sure how much World War II means to younger generations. When I grew up in the 1960s and 70s old black and white war films featuring decent chaps with stiff upper lips fighting the Hun were on television every Sunday, and since everything was shut there wasn’t much else to do but watch them. The war wasn’t that far back. The serious British films were succeeded by Hollywood versions in which Nazis fired a million bullets but couldn’t hit the all-American hero. More entertaining but not as true. These stories aren’t at all true (spoiler!) but they are entertaining. They also contain enough real facts and information to give the reader some understanding of that terrible conflict. Worth a look.

[dnrizm · Rating 4 out of 5]

During World War II, alliances and rifts were stirred into motion due to a few military superpowers hellbent on globe domination. These battles were waged in the theater of war for six years. And for brave men and women gave their lives and innocence in order to defeat evil and stop tyranny, genocide and inhumane acts. Something else awoke with the warmongering and shed blood. The spent munitions and fallen soldiers disturbed the hidden and sleeping monsters that hid in the shadows or underground or under water for millennia. Are they here to help us or harm us? Whose side are they on in this war waged by men? Are they on a side or have we just irritated an immortal beast with our loud explosions and nuclear bombs?

This anthology was a horror/sci-fi fan's answer to historical war fiction. I would love to see a few of these stories as a short or full length feature film. Almost like Love Death + Robots meets Band of Brothers/The Pacific. The diversity of characters and cultures was fun. Like a history lesson based on myth, grounded in reality and some facts. I recommend this one if you ever wanted to know if a werewolf actually killed Nazis.

Narrators were amazing. I will be digging up more work by these talented authors.

[Matt McRoberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

A decent batch of short stories. I enjoyed most of them enough.

[Hope · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like most anthologies, some stories I liked, some I didn't. The idea behind this is fascinating: each author is given a specific real-life battle in WWII and told to add monsters. The result is 20 stories, mostly of lesser-known battles with monsters varying from witches and werewolves to witch doctors and Hawai'i gods. A few I enjoyed were Gorgopotamos Bridge, Bound and Chained, The Scenic Route, and Das Mammut (at least until the ending).

Overall, though, a lot of these stories were downers. Yes, I get it is war, but listening to multiple stories in a row where things ended badly for everyone is not my cup of tea. Readers who enjoy realistic stories and don't mind this will probably enjoy it more than me.

I listened to the audiobook version, which had a different narrator for each story. Several narrators performed in the accents of the main characters (Greek, German, ect) which sometimes made it hard to understand, but with one or two exceptions, the narration was well done.

Thank you to Netgalley for the review copy.

[Kelly {SpaceOnTheBookcase]]

Have you ever started a book that you just know you're going to love, but it's just not the right time to read it? That is Combat Monsters for me. This is a book I should have been able to dive head first in, but with the world burning around me and WWII no longer seeming like a distance memory I found myself getting distracted while reading and not being able to dig into the stories. I'll try again down the road. The audiobook has quality narration, it's not a you problem it's a me problem.

Thank you Blackstone & Blackstone Audio for the gifted ARC/ALC.

[Zane · Rating 5 out of 5]

For such a weirdly specific prompt (monsters and their involvement in WW2 battles), this collection was fantastic. Of the 19 stories, I wasn't a fan of 2 of them. The rest were all very well written, succinct, and kept me interested. It was cool to see all the locales that aren't usually associated with WW2, like Egypt and Somalia and while there were the traditional werewolves and vampires, there was also a giant Nazi-controlled snake, a 3-headed kaiju, witches, and genetically modified bears. Each story was insane in a very good way.

On a side note, the first thing that came to my mind was John Langan's "The Wide Carnivorous Sky" from his eponymous short story collection - it would've fit perfectly with these stories, if the war periods had been extended to the present day. Another collection exploring other theaters of war would be just as interesting.

[Christopher Spears · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun anthology that combines monsters with actual WW2 history. I actually ended up learning more about the war by reading the book. The two standouts for me were two poignant stories that take place in China: The Night The Moon Burned and Guardian Of The Burma Road. (According to family legend my Chinese great grandfather worked as an engineer on the Burma Road.)

[Scott M James · Rating 1 out of 5]

Life is too short. DNF at about a third of the way through the book.

[Book Club of One · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like other short story anthologies, Combat Monsters gathers content grouped together around a general theme, for this volume it is science fictional or fantastical tales across the theaters of combat of world war II. It includes contributions from well known authors like Harry Turtledove, Tanya Huff, Jonathan Maberry, Peter Clines, and several others.

Based on the theme of the collection, one would not be surprised to find that the Russian Night Witches, are featured here as actual witches. That elderly civilian appearing British gentlemen are holders of great power. That some events without definite answers, such as why His Majesty's battle cruiser Hood sank so quickly, here have explanations beyond the ken of humans.

The book opens and closes with light poem like stories. From there the reader journeys to different regions of conflict, encountering different peoples, factions and the greater war between good and evil. Some stories revel in the gore of bodily disintegration through the engines of combat or the just the pure fragility of the body against supernatural forces. Often their are inhuman creatures seeking captured family or revenge. And of course their are Nazis hunting for supernatural powers, and zombie Nazis.

Overall the stories are quick, sometimes fun, other times bathed in the pathos of loss and death.

Particular stands outs for me were:

The Night Crew by Peter Clines

Two academics that might be something more escape occupied France towards Britain when something older aboard their ship awakes.

Grigoriy's Army by Catherine Stine

A genius but troubled man, injured in a fall, creates and trains his own special creatures that are then 'volunteered' to serve the motherland with him as their leader/controller.

Best Behave by Ann Davila Cardinal

A gentle Puerto Rican serving in the American army, finds someone that reminds him of home who he wants to help, but sometimes the monsters are other humans.

There is also a story (Das Mammut, by Henry Herz ) about a Russian dragon versus a German At-At, that was a great blending of genres.

Recommended to readers of alternate worlds, fantasy or supernatural war horror.

I listened to the audiobook version, so missed out on the illustrations, but each story had a different narrator helping to differentiate them and better match the different tones, characters and settings of the stories.

I received a free digital version of this book via NetGalley thanks to the publisher.

[The Void Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

**Book Review: *Combat Monsters: Untold Tales of World War Two***
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Wow, what a fantastic read! With so many short stories, each written exceptionally well, this anthology is a must-have for any fan of alternate history or speculative fiction. I highly recommend picking up a copy and diving in right away—every tale brings something unique and thrilling to the table.

**Overview**

*Combat Monsters* brings together twenty award-winning and bestselling speculative fiction authors, each offering their own spin on an alternate history of World War II.

New research has uncovered deeply buried military secrets—both the Allied and Axis special operations during World War II included monsters. Did the Soviets use a dragon to win the Battle of Kursk? Did a vampire fight for the Canadians in Holland? Did the US drop the second atomic bomb on a kaiju?

This collection takes real events from World War II and injects them with fantastical creatures that mirror the “unreality” of war itself. Each story—and two poems—feature mythical, mystical, and otherwise unexplainable beings that alter the course of history. Dragons rise and fall, witches cast deadly spells, mermaids reroute torpedoes, and all manner of “monsters” intervene for better or worse in the global turmoil of World War II.

Beyond the sheer creativity, *Combat Monsters* also challenges the concept of monstrosity itself. Who are the real monsters—the supernatural creatures, or the brutality of war? This thematic depth adds a weight to the stories that lingers long after the final page.

**Final Thoughts**

With gripping tales, masterful world-building, and a fresh approach to familiar events, *Combat Monsters* is an absolute standout in the genre. Highly recommended—grab a copy and get lost in these brilliant, beast-infused retellings of history!

Happy reading 👹📚

[Jon Drum · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blending history with fantasy is a delicate art, and Henry Herz masterfully navigates this terrain in "Combat Monsters," offering a unique lens through which to view the events of World War II. Herz re-imagines pivotal moments of the war, not through a traditional historical account, but by infusing them with fantastical elements drawn from folklore and diverse sources. This approach casts familiar narratives in an entirely new light, transforming historical battles into epic clashes of mythic proportions.

It's true that this fusion of genres might not resonate with every reader. Purists of either fantasy or historical accounts may find the blend unconventional. However, for those willing to embrace this imaginative approach, "Combat Monsters" provides a truly intriguing experience. Herz doesn't simply overlay fantasy onto history; he intricately weaves the two, creating a tapestry where the battles of World War II are brought to life with a fresh and captivating perspective. The book endears itself to readers precisely because of this daring combination, offering a way to engage with historical events through the enthralling lens of fantasy.

Thank you, Henry Herz, for daring to explore this fascinating intersection. "Combat Monsters" is a testament to the power of imagination to illuminate even the most well-trodden historical ground. Readers are encouraged to approach this book with an open mind, ready to witness World War II as they've never seen it before, transformed into a realm where history and fantasy collide in spectacular fashion.

[Cassie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Where Combat Monsters succeeds is the sheer variety of perspective and influences within. Too often our tales of WWII are centered in the European front. By including such a variety of authors with their own interests, influences, and histories the reader is given maybe the most comprehensive view of the stages for this war I've ever seen in one place. It was wonderful to see in a book that hasn't fallen aside as niche or only boosted because it's in translation find inspiration from the Sino-Japanese second war, North Africa, the Caribbean, New Zealand, Myanmar, all the way up into the Nordic countries. (Though, personally, I think the rather complicated involvement of Finland could have made a great story even if their 'flip' came late and these stories focused around the allies primarily )

These different settings also are a gateway to explore some of the less common mythical/mystical things of our globe. For some of these stories it introduces not only the reader to a predominate cultural symbol they might not have heard of but for the protagonist of the story it might be a nod to their own reconnection to their roots. Those of us who still love a good vampire, werewolf, or dragon story get our cookies too.

A fantastic concept with many flavors, but no one story really propelled into an eternal favorite. Though, none also flopped entirely, which can be a blessing in an anthology.

[Will Swardstrom · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a soft spot for short story anthologies. Don’t get me wrong -- I love an epic fantasy or a sprawling sci-fi space opera as well -- but there is something special about a book with a few handfuls of small little narratives. Each tale has its own writing style, its own perspective, its own flavor. And if you don’t like one of the stories -- Good News! There’s plenty more to dive into. And these anthologies are easy to read in chunks…putting it down after a few stories without needing to worry about where you were in the book.

I was thrilled to get an early copy of Combat Monsters: Untold Tales of World War II in exchange for an honest review. I had a blast with the anthology and I know I’ll be thinking about some of the stories for a while to come.

Combat Monsters takes a wide and ranging look at World War II from the early years to the final nail in the coffin with the bombing of Nagasaki. As a history teacher in my daytime job, I really connected with this book. There was so much to appreciate about this well-edited book. The stories were put in chronological order; the stories can just about exist on their own even without the monster and supernatural elements; there is a great variety with stories featured from each theater of the last great war.

Whenever I review an anthology, I like to point out a few of my individual favorite stories, so here are the ones that really resonated with me:
The Fourth Man by Jeff Edwards
For me, this was the best of the bunch. Wow. This is a story that really leaned into all the prompts. World War II - check. Supernatural beast - check. Something that shows that perhaps the horrors of war are not the only horrors in this life or beyond - check. I loved the framing device with the main character looking for absolution in the present day for the “sin” he committed during the war, crossing a line that helped the Allies win. There was a great combination of action, and ideas that are going to keep me thinking for quite some time, I think.

Grigoriy’s Army by Catherine Stine
One of the fun things I like to teach about is Hannibal trying to invade Rome with war elephants. Catherine Stine takes the ideas of animals in war and takes it a step further. Through a tragic childhood that left Grigoriy abnormally bright but also stunted socially, he used his and his father’s research to genetically engineer an army of bears to defeat the Nazis. I would have loved for this story to keep going and to see what else poor Grigoriy has up his sleeve after the war ended.

Bockscar by David Mack
The closing story in this collection is about the crew of the plane heading to Nagasaki and the ethical dilemma they find themselves in. I really don’t want to spoil this story, but there is a lot more to see in this story beyond the “should we?” or “shouldn’t we?” questions the crew asks in the moments before they reach Japan. Even without the twist in this story, I was enjoying this one for the simple ethical questions that we are still asking today, but the hidden reasons for the bombing make it all the more juicy.

I would love to write something about each story -- in fact if I wrote this review tomorrow, I’d probably pick two or three different stories to highlight. I found a few new authors to be aware of in the future and enjoyed a new work by some writers I already loved. I really did have a great time with this book and will definitely be checking out other works edited by Henry Herz in the future.

[Teresa Brock · Rating 4 out of 5]

Combat Monsters
Untold Tales of WWII
Henry Herz
02/11/2025
Blackstone Publishing

Books about World War II, both fiction and nonfiction, are a major reason behind my reading obsession. So, when Henry Herz’s compilation of authors landed in my hands, I couldn’t help but do a double take, eager to discover what I’d be diving into, This anthology boasts an impressive lineup of authors, each contributing their unique perspective.

The stories are set against the backdrop of real battles and key locations that were pivotal during the war, adding depth and authenticity to the narrative. First, imagine being in the middle of a battle and having the chance to wrangle a Kraken as your ally, using its power to help you take down enemy submarines. How incredible would that be? Or picture having a witch on your side, casting spells that put the enemy to sleep, giving you the perfect opportunity to strike. What an advantage that would be in the chaos of war!

COMBAT MONSTERS is an absolutely gripping anthology, packed with thrilling moments, spine-chilling suspense, and an abundance of fun. It’s an absolute blast to read!

[Benjamin Spada · Rating 5 out of 5]

"COMBAT MONSTERS" takes a fairly straight forward theme of World War 2 + Monsters, and the resulting anthology is a whole greater than the sum of its parts. The list of contributing authors is staggering. Editor Henry Herz has built a collection of stories as varied as the historical battles and events that inspired them. No story feels like a rehash or retread of another as the locales, creatures, and characters span every theater of World War 2 imaginable. Each inclusion reads like a snapshot into an entirely different location which keeps the entire anthology engaging from beginning to end. One minute you're in a desert in Africa facing down monstrous mythological serpents, the next you're being hunted by unnatural creatures born of the infamous Unit 731 in the Pacific theater. "COMBAT MONSTERS" is as rock-solid an anthology as you can get. Plenty of thrills, a plethora of chills, and just a ton of fun to read!

[The Smoog · Rating 2 out of 5]

A great concept for an anthology, unfortunately it doesn’t really live up to it. There were a handful of stories here that were really enjoyable (I loved the one with the Soviet dragon, for example), but mostly they were either pretty poor or instantly forgettable. The lion's share seemed to - probably predictably, I suppose - fall into one of two types: "we’ve got a secret monster which will KILL YOU ALL!" or "Aw mah gawd, they’ve ghat a MONSTER!" Very few of the stories tried to do something clever, and for most you could see the ending coming almost by the end of the first page or two.

I listened on Audible, and the narration is about the same as the story quality: a few were great but, as others have said, largely not so good (there was one which I couldn’t decide whether was AI or not, one who made some of his characters sound like Disney's Goofy, another who wanted all Germans to sound like high-pitched Arnold Schwarzeneggers)

[Charles A · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is pretty much a mess. I knew that it would be uneven - all anthologies are - but I hoped for some gems of which there weren't really any. Some stories were 'good' enough - maybe Mammut, A Terrible Aspect and Scenic Route which was dumb but fun for me - but none were 'great'. More than a few stories were just bad - Kinje'kitile was gibberish and Nachthexen was some dumb modern take (Ukraine! Feminism!) with unbelievably bad air combat scenes. Its also amazing to see modern authors force 'Colonialism bad' over and over again, as if that was an overarching theme of WW2. It isn't too hard to see a pattern develop in these stories as they moved along. Nice try, I guess, but I think some of these authors were using wikipedia for their WW2 research.

Not worth the time. Supernatural WW2 has been done much better - do yourself a favor and dig out a few Weird War comic books instead of reading this- they're superior to this tome on all accounts.

[Scott Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Audiobook) This work is for the history buff that enjoys some sci-fi/monsters in a work of reading. Combat Monsters takes various vignettes from World War II, from the sinking of the Hood to the dropping of the atomic bomb over Nagasaki, but instead of straight historical fact, the authors add elements of fantasy and science fiction. From Kaigu to vampires, witches to Kraken, all of these elements are blended into the tales, making for a rather enjoyable mix of tales. The stories are rooted in legit historical fact, with a history synopsis at the end of the work to summarize the facts. Still, the elements of monsters are brought in to the tales in such as way that you as a reader could see how such things might have played out. The audiobook has a good mix of readers which is a nice touch. Overall, a rather enjoyable read/listen.