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Kaiju: Lords of the Earth
From undiscovered realms that linger within the depths of the Earth, Kaiju lie in wait for the moment they are summoned to rise and wreak havoc upon those that dare awaken them from a restful slumber. Although their motivation for destruction is unknown, some believe they are the protectors of the Earth, while others believe they are demons set on total destruction. Regardless of the viewpoints, it can be agreed upon that Kaiju are the Lords of the Earth!
Featuring stories by 16 talented authors, Kaiju: Lords of the Earth explores the many incarnations of Kaiju, from those set on hellish destruction, to those seeking out friendship in a world that fears them. Summoned from the minds of John Ledger, Stephen Blake, Michael Noe, Peyton Pratt, Alice J. Black, R.T. Sirk, Essel Pratt, Vyvecca Danae Pratt, Amanda M. Lyons, Brian Barr, Kevin Candela, Dona Fox, E. Doyle-Gillespie, Roy C. Booth, T.S. Woolard, and Michael Thomas-Knight.
Featuring stories by 16 talented authors, Kaiju: Lords of the Earth explores the many incarnations of Kaiju, from those set on hellish destruction, to those seeking out friendship in a world that fears them. Summoned from the minds of John Ledger, Stephen Blake, Michael Noe, Peyton Pratt, Alice J. Black, R.T. Sirk, Essel Pratt, Vyvecca Danae Pratt, Amanda M. Lyons, Brian Barr, Kevin Candela, Dona Fox, E. Doyle-Gillespie, Roy C. Booth, T.S. Woolard, and Michael Thomas-Knight.
- GenresAnthologies
174 pages, Paperback
First published November 27, 2015
About the author
Essel Pratt
154 books30 followersEssel Pratt is a master of horror and fantasy, conjuring tales that haunt souls and inspire imagination. As a student of psychology and teller of tales, Essel writes to share the complex nature of his imaginings with the world. His ever-expanding catalog of short stories spans multiple anthologies and collections, ranging from whimsical fantasy to bizarre horror, including everything in between. Dedicated fans have praised his creations, labeling his talents as prolific in substance.
Hailing from Mishawaka, Indiana, his passion for writing began in the early years as his imagination taunted from within, begging for a release. Dabbling in art at first, he found that the stories that pleaded to be told could not be imprisoned by ink and paint alone. His most notable and prevalent accomplishments include Final Reverie, Sharkantula, and the multiple short stories that have garnered a following of their own, such as the adventures of Detective Mansfield.
Inspired by C.S. Lewis, Clive Barker, Stephen King, Harper Lee, William Golding, and many more, Essel doesn't restrain his writings to straight horror. His first Novel, Final Reverie is more Fantasy/Adventure, but does include elements of Horror. His first zombie book, The ABC's of Zombie Friendship, attacks the zombie genre from an alternate perspective. Future books, that are in progress and yet to be imagined, will explore the blurred boundaries of horror within its competing genres, mixing the elements into a literary stew.
You can follow Essel at the following:
www.facebook.com/esselprattwriting
Esselpratt.blogspot.com
@EsselPratt
Hailing from Mishawaka, Indiana, his passion for writing began in the early years as his imagination taunted from within, begging for a release. Dabbling in art at first, he found that the stories that pleaded to be told could not be imprisoned by ink and paint alone. His most notable and prevalent accomplishments include Final Reverie, Sharkantula, and the multiple short stories that have garnered a following of their own, such as the adventures of Detective Mansfield.
Inspired by C.S. Lewis, Clive Barker, Stephen King, Harper Lee, William Golding, and many more, Essel doesn't restrain his writings to straight horror. His first Novel, Final Reverie is more Fantasy/Adventure, but does include elements of Horror. His first zombie book, The ABC's of Zombie Friendship, attacks the zombie genre from an alternate perspective. Future books, that are in progress and yet to be imagined, will explore the blurred boundaries of horror within its competing genres, mixing the elements into a literary stew.
You can follow Essel at the following:
www.facebook.com/esselprattwriting
Esselpratt.blogspot.com
@EsselPratt
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
February 18, 2016
Read This!
I highly recommend this book as an atypical Kaiju read. This collection of poetry and assorted tales made me smile with its creativity. I have more than one favorite story that I will definitely read again. With a diverse author and story lineup, you're sure to find something in here to love. Upon air and sea ... from hillbillies to smiling dolls to the smell of human barbecue ... slaughter and salvation ... these stories are mysterious and thought-provoking ... and the writers ingenious.
I highly recommend this book as an atypical Kaiju read. This collection of poetry and assorted tales made me smile with its creativity. I have more than one favorite story that I will definitely read again. With a diverse author and story lineup, you're sure to find something in here to love. Upon air and sea ... from hillbillies to smiling dolls to the smell of human barbecue ... slaughter and salvation ... these stories are mysterious and thought-provoking ... and the writers ingenious.
December 5, 2018
Good book
Not bad for a collection of short stories. Entertaining and fairly fast paced. I enjoyed it. Would have liked more stories.
Not bad for a collection of short stories. Entertaining and fairly fast paced. I enjoyed it. Would have liked more stories.
July 14, 2016
Kaiju (“strange beast”) is primarily a subgenre of the monster movie that became codified in Japan. They’re mostly gigantic monsters that are nigh-unstoppable by conventional armaments, and run around destroying cities or fighting other giant monsters. The seeds of the story type were sown in the original King Kong movie, but it was Gojira (“Godzilla”) that codified it, and inspired most of the later examples.
This is a collection of sixteen short stories and poems on the theme of kaiju, all appearing here for the first time. The book opens with “Call of the Vailathi” by John Ledger, a poem that cautions that even when the kaiju is on your side, it is still a destructive force. …At least it has a rhyme structure, that’s good. The closing tale is “Unleashed in the East” as fracking releases a monster from the Java Sea, and two airline pilots must make a decision between saving themselves and saving the world.
I really enjoyed “The Wolf and the Rabbit” by Alice J. Black, in which a disaffected pub worker connects with another random survivor, and finds the will to do what must be done in this crisis. If the monster seems too easily dispatched, there are hints it wasn’t the only one.
Also good is “Frankentop” by Amanda M. Lyons, which is told from the perspective of an artificial intelligence that both wants to be loved, and to protect itself. Unfortunately, the latter is easier than the former. Internet references abound.
“I Awoke…Wutoomba!” by Roy C. Booth homages the Marvel monster comics of the late Fifties and early Sixties. Jack Lieiber, writer of fantastic fiction, travels to a South Seas island and runs into an assortment of stock characters, including the title monster. This one is mostly going to please Marvel fanboys who get all the in-jokes.
Most anthologies have a dud or two, but seldom to the level of “The Plastic Centipede” by R.T. Sirk. The monster itself is a cool idea, a giant centipede made of discarded mannequin parts and the vengeful spirits of a gangster’s victims. But spellchecker typos, misplaced commas, badly structured sentences and characterization by telling, not showing make this story come off like the first draft of a fanfic, rather than a professionally published story. This is clearly a failure of editing, as these banes of small press publishing should have been caught early on.
“A Day at the Racetrack” by Essel Pratt is also sub-par, as waste in a stock car racetrack’s inner pond turns animals giant-sized. Regional stereotypes are played for broad humor, as are potty jokes.
The rest are decent enough stories. Due to the very uneven quality, I would recommend this book only to kaiju fanatics or fans of a particular author for that one story. Call it 2 1/2 stars.
This is a collection of sixteen short stories and poems on the theme of kaiju, all appearing here for the first time. The book opens with “Call of the Vailathi” by John Ledger, a poem that cautions that even when the kaiju is on your side, it is still a destructive force. …At least it has a rhyme structure, that’s good. The closing tale is “Unleashed in the East” as fracking releases a monster from the Java Sea, and two airline pilots must make a decision between saving themselves and saving the world.
I really enjoyed “The Wolf and the Rabbit” by Alice J. Black, in which a disaffected pub worker connects with another random survivor, and finds the will to do what must be done in this crisis. If the monster seems too easily dispatched, there are hints it wasn’t the only one.
Also good is “Frankentop” by Amanda M. Lyons, which is told from the perspective of an artificial intelligence that both wants to be loved, and to protect itself. Unfortunately, the latter is easier than the former. Internet references abound.
“I Awoke…Wutoomba!” by Roy C. Booth homages the Marvel monster comics of the late Fifties and early Sixties. Jack Lieiber, writer of fantastic fiction, travels to a South Seas island and runs into an assortment of stock characters, including the title monster. This one is mostly going to please Marvel fanboys who get all the in-jokes.
Most anthologies have a dud or two, but seldom to the level of “The Plastic Centipede” by R.T. Sirk. The monster itself is a cool idea, a giant centipede made of discarded mannequin parts and the vengeful spirits of a gangster’s victims. But spellchecker typos, misplaced commas, badly structured sentences and characterization by telling, not showing make this story come off like the first draft of a fanfic, rather than a professionally published story. This is clearly a failure of editing, as these banes of small press publishing should have been caught early on.
“A Day at the Racetrack” by Essel Pratt is also sub-par, as waste in a stock car racetrack’s inner pond turns animals giant-sized. Regional stereotypes are played for broad humor, as are potty jokes.
The rest are decent enough stories. Due to the very uneven quality, I would recommend this book only to kaiju fanatics or fans of a particular author for that one story. Call it 2 1/2 stars.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews