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Write Like Hell #3
Write Like Hell: Kaiju Anthology Vol. 3
Twelve tales of monstrous beings, twelve different approaches. Write Like Hell: Kaiju is an anthology of stories focused on terrifying creatures, and the humans who must face them. From Viking sagas, to sci-fi thrillers, you’ll find a host of imaginative and compelling fiction within these pages.
Featuring stories from C. L Werner, Justin Fillmore, Mitchell Lüthi, Scott Miller, Adam Gray, André Uys, Leon Fourie, Matthew Fairweather, Erik Morten & Samantha Bateson, Andrea Speed, and Tyron Dawson, as well as illustrations from Stephen Spinas, this anthology offers up a wide range of tales from authors around the globe, each with their own perspectives and ideas, and all eager to contribute to the genre of kaiju.
Featuring stories from C. L Werner, Justin Fillmore, Mitchell Lüthi, Scott Miller, Adam Gray, André Uys, Leon Fourie, Matthew Fairweather, Erik Morten & Samantha Bateson, Andrea Speed, and Tyron Dawson, as well as illustrations from Stephen Spinas, this anthology offers up a wide range of tales from authors around the globe, each with their own perspectives and ideas, and all eager to contribute to the genre of kaiju.
- GenresHorrorShort Stories
287 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 22, 2020
30 people are currently reading
45 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
August 3, 2020
Set aside everything you thought you knew about kaiju. These are not your grandpa's Godzilla and King Kong stories (don't despair, there are a few wonderful nods to the genre's tropes). This is an excellently curated strong collection of diverse stories featuring kaiju as you never imagined them, but who are sure to invade your dreams......and nightmares.
One thing that sets these stories apart is that the authors all explored what motivates these monsters and why they leave destruction in their wake. Some seek vengeance, some are defenders, some are just looking for a friend. Some are partners with humans, others are completely oblivious to the people and cities in their paths of destruction as they follow migration paths or a primordial summoning.
They are infants, and older than time. Some start as small as a puppy, some grow as large as a planet, some are as ephemeral as a mist. The settings and writing styles are as varied as the beasts. Stories inspired by the traditional Gothic horror, Norse, African, and Aztec myths, Feudal Japan, turn of the century Europe, small town USA, outer space and post-apocalyptic futures. Stories are by turn lyrical, historical, contemporary and futuristic. There is even a rom-com and a crime noir.
Amazing collection of stories and strong addition to this series. It is sure to have a story for every reader. You'll never be able to look at kaiju the same way again!
One thing that sets these stories apart is that the authors all explored what motivates these monsters and why they leave destruction in their wake. Some seek vengeance, some are defenders, some are just looking for a friend. Some are partners with humans, others are completely oblivious to the people and cities in their paths of destruction as they follow migration paths or a primordial summoning.
They are infants, and older than time. Some start as small as a puppy, some grow as large as a planet, some are as ephemeral as a mist. The settings and writing styles are as varied as the beasts. Stories inspired by the traditional Gothic horror, Norse, African, and Aztec myths, Feudal Japan, turn of the century Europe, small town USA, outer space and post-apocalyptic futures. Stories are by turn lyrical, historical, contemporary and futuristic. There is even a rom-com and a crime noir.
Amazing collection of stories and strong addition to this series. It is sure to have a story for every reader. You'll never be able to look at kaiju the same way again!
July 7, 2020
WARNING: don't read in the dark!!
TIP #1 : Don't read in th e dark.
TIP #2 : Read with your back to the wall.
TIP #3 : Don't look under the bed.
I'm serious, y'all!!!
***I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.***
TIP #1 : Don't read in th e dark.
TIP #2 : Read with your back to the wall.
TIP #3 : Don't look under the bed.
I'm serious, y'all!!!
***I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.***
July 17, 2020
Ranging across genres, locations, and time-periods, this anthology provides a variety of perspectives on the question “How might humans act if giant monsters were real?”
This anthology contains twelve kaiju tales, united by the presence of some immense creature or creatures but spanning genres from horror to romance.
‘Big Bloody Ben’ by Adam Gray. When a woman’s body is found completely exsanguinated, Captain Wilbur Stopforth of the Metropolitan Police is drawn into the hunt for a freakish threat. Gray skilfully blends police procedural with a well-rendered giant monster, providing a reasonable arc from rational disbelief to staunch action. While some readers might find certain inaccuracies jarring (for example, captain was not a rank in the UK police force), those not bothered by a movie version of Victorian London are likely to find this fast-paced monster horror.
‘The Bone Fields’ by Mitchell Lüthi. While searching for his second, missing longship—and the crew and plunder on her—Halvor land on an island unmentioned in the tales of previous viking raiders. Lüthi takes the standard pulp trope of a mysterious island inhabited by strange horrors and sets it against heroic but nuanced Norse warriors, creating a pleasing blend of Conanesque fantasy and historical drama.
‘A Boy and his Monster’ by Andrea Speed. Having a life of hiding a strange secret and having that evasiveness destroy each burgeoning relationship, Toshi risks revealing it on his third date with a new boy. In a significant deviation from the usual plots of kaiju fiction, Speed adds a vast monster to one of the classic romance tropes. While this tale is therefore more hopeful than some, it does have the same underlying potentiality of vast destruction so offers something even for readers who usually skim the mushy stuff.
‘January Through the Years’ by André Uys. Still mourning her husband’s death during World War 2, a young woman discovers a strange lizard in the Kent marshes near her home. Setting his story over the course of a series of Januaries, Uys portrays both the growth of a kaiju and the changing relationship with the woman who discovered it, skilfully balancing accessibility with a sense of the alien.
‘Cipactli’ by Scott Miller. When the high priest’s bully of a son disappears, Tepin discovers that cruel jungle and the advancing Spanish might not be the biggest threat to his tribe. Focusing more on universal human behaviour than the flashy horror of human sacrifice, Miller paints Mesoamerican legend from the viewpoint of a child.
‘Honengyo’ by C. L. Werner. With his clan destroyed, Shintaro Oba should be killed on sight; instead Lord Torogawa asks the swordsman stop the monster that is attacking his coastal villages. Werner blends the classic kaiju trope of a vast monster rising from the sea with samurai fiction creating a Gojira movie where the aircraft and science are replaced by catapults and religious rituals, and the politics might be as vicious as the creature.
‘The Whaler’ by Justin Fillmore. An old man tells the tribe’s children of the British whaler that was shattered on the coast and of the tribesperson who had joined its crew. Foregoing extremely detailed descriptions of every part of whaling but keeping the arrogance Ahab showed, Fillmore creates the experience Moby Dick could have been if it were gritty fantasy instead of an exploration of the human condition.
‘One Monstrous Pandemic’ by Leon Fourie. After encountering rumours of monsters while on military service, P.K. has searched across the world for proof; now he feels on the verge of finding it, but also that some alien presence is closing on him. Evoking a plausible image of South Africa under lockdown, Fourie builds his tale from flashback and conversation, his hints proving the adage that the monster is often more frightening when the audience doesn’t see it.
‘Starchild’ by Erik Morten & Samantha Bateson. In a far future, the crew of a living spacecraft race to the rescue of another of their kind. Set in a world where habitats have been built on stellar kaiju, this story is the closest to kaiju as friend rather than threat in the anthology. However, Morten and Bateson maintain a clear otherness, adding to the constant sense of threat present in all space disaster stories.
‘Dominion’ by Tyron Dawson. Already reeling from their recent eviction, Oskar and his family find their hope of a new home teetering under the assault of a vast and ancient beast. Focusing on an ordinary family already facing mundane disaster, Dawson explores the role of hope in surviving a kaiju attack. Whilst less action-oriented than some of the other stories, this is still firmly action rather than mood portrait.
‘Kaiju Noir’ by Matthew Fairweather. In a town walled away to protect it from huge roving monsters, a grizzled private investigator ventures into the illegal food trade in search of a missing professor. Fairweather dials the violence and class divisions of crime noir up to eleven, the offstage threat of immense predators making this extreme seem plausible rather than parody.
‘Cthulhu vs. Kaiju’ by Mitchell Lüthi. The military has found a way to bond lesser kaiju with skilled operators to make a weapon against those that threaten humanity; but are they enough to protect against the Dread Lord of R’yleh? Lüthi replaces the ordinary sailors of “The Call of Cthulhu” with the cast of Pacific Rim. While this story does fall within the wider Mythos, it is much more monster-on-monster action movie than cosmic dread.
Overall, this anthology feels well-balanced. While each of the stories is shaped by actual giant monsters, each takes a different perspective on how kaiju might impact humanity avoiding the book becoming simply a chain of fight scenes against immense horrors.
Thus, while not every reader will love every story, the anthology offers a broad enough range that any reader intrigued by the idea of “a world where giant monsters exist” is unlikely to be disappointed. Similarly, those readers who like to devour books in a single sitting.
This also extends to the characters. Although the tone centres strongly around the fast-paced action of classic kaiju, the protagonists are diverse rather than classic action heroes, including sympathetic tribal viewpoints, historically accurate female vikings, and caring fathers.
The only real issue, and it is not a large one, is with the occasional error that has slipped through proofing. Depending on reader sensitivity, these might break immersion; however, the stories are engaging enough that this is likely to be a brief surfacing.
Overall, I enjoyed this anthology. I recommend it to readers seeking a range of interesting perspectives on giant creatures.
I received a free copy from the publisher with a request for a fair review.
This anthology contains twelve kaiju tales, united by the presence of some immense creature or creatures but spanning genres from horror to romance.
‘Big Bloody Ben’ by Adam Gray. When a woman’s body is found completely exsanguinated, Captain Wilbur Stopforth of the Metropolitan Police is drawn into the hunt for a freakish threat. Gray skilfully blends police procedural with a well-rendered giant monster, providing a reasonable arc from rational disbelief to staunch action. While some readers might find certain inaccuracies jarring (for example, captain was not a rank in the UK police force), those not bothered by a movie version of Victorian London are likely to find this fast-paced monster horror.
‘The Bone Fields’ by Mitchell Lüthi. While searching for his second, missing longship—and the crew and plunder on her—Halvor land on an island unmentioned in the tales of previous viking raiders. Lüthi takes the standard pulp trope of a mysterious island inhabited by strange horrors and sets it against heroic but nuanced Norse warriors, creating a pleasing blend of Conanesque fantasy and historical drama.
‘A Boy and his Monster’ by Andrea Speed. Having a life of hiding a strange secret and having that evasiveness destroy each burgeoning relationship, Toshi risks revealing it on his third date with a new boy. In a significant deviation from the usual plots of kaiju fiction, Speed adds a vast monster to one of the classic romance tropes. While this tale is therefore more hopeful than some, it does have the same underlying potentiality of vast destruction so offers something even for readers who usually skim the mushy stuff.
‘January Through the Years’ by André Uys. Still mourning her husband’s death during World War 2, a young woman discovers a strange lizard in the Kent marshes near her home. Setting his story over the course of a series of Januaries, Uys portrays both the growth of a kaiju and the changing relationship with the woman who discovered it, skilfully balancing accessibility with a sense of the alien.
‘Cipactli’ by Scott Miller. When the high priest’s bully of a son disappears, Tepin discovers that cruel jungle and the advancing Spanish might not be the biggest threat to his tribe. Focusing more on universal human behaviour than the flashy horror of human sacrifice, Miller paints Mesoamerican legend from the viewpoint of a child.
‘Honengyo’ by C. L. Werner. With his clan destroyed, Shintaro Oba should be killed on sight; instead Lord Torogawa asks the swordsman stop the monster that is attacking his coastal villages. Werner blends the classic kaiju trope of a vast monster rising from the sea with samurai fiction creating a Gojira movie where the aircraft and science are replaced by catapults and religious rituals, and the politics might be as vicious as the creature.
‘The Whaler’ by Justin Fillmore. An old man tells the tribe’s children of the British whaler that was shattered on the coast and of the tribesperson who had joined its crew. Foregoing extremely detailed descriptions of every part of whaling but keeping the arrogance Ahab showed, Fillmore creates the experience Moby Dick could have been if it were gritty fantasy instead of an exploration of the human condition.
‘One Monstrous Pandemic’ by Leon Fourie. After encountering rumours of monsters while on military service, P.K. has searched across the world for proof; now he feels on the verge of finding it, but also that some alien presence is closing on him. Evoking a plausible image of South Africa under lockdown, Fourie builds his tale from flashback and conversation, his hints proving the adage that the monster is often more frightening when the audience doesn’t see it.
‘Starchild’ by Erik Morten & Samantha Bateson. In a far future, the crew of a living spacecraft race to the rescue of another of their kind. Set in a world where habitats have been built on stellar kaiju, this story is the closest to kaiju as friend rather than threat in the anthology. However, Morten and Bateson maintain a clear otherness, adding to the constant sense of threat present in all space disaster stories.
‘Dominion’ by Tyron Dawson. Already reeling from their recent eviction, Oskar and his family find their hope of a new home teetering under the assault of a vast and ancient beast. Focusing on an ordinary family already facing mundane disaster, Dawson explores the role of hope in surviving a kaiju attack. Whilst less action-oriented than some of the other stories, this is still firmly action rather than mood portrait.
‘Kaiju Noir’ by Matthew Fairweather. In a town walled away to protect it from huge roving monsters, a grizzled private investigator ventures into the illegal food trade in search of a missing professor. Fairweather dials the violence and class divisions of crime noir up to eleven, the offstage threat of immense predators making this extreme seem plausible rather than parody.
‘Cthulhu vs. Kaiju’ by Mitchell Lüthi. The military has found a way to bond lesser kaiju with skilled operators to make a weapon against those that threaten humanity; but are they enough to protect against the Dread Lord of R’yleh? Lüthi replaces the ordinary sailors of “The Call of Cthulhu” with the cast of Pacific Rim. While this story does fall within the wider Mythos, it is much more monster-on-monster action movie than cosmic dread.
Overall, this anthology feels well-balanced. While each of the stories is shaped by actual giant monsters, each takes a different perspective on how kaiju might impact humanity avoiding the book becoming simply a chain of fight scenes against immense horrors.
Thus, while not every reader will love every story, the anthology offers a broad enough range that any reader intrigued by the idea of “a world where giant monsters exist” is unlikely to be disappointed. Similarly, those readers who like to devour books in a single sitting.
This also extends to the characters. Although the tone centres strongly around the fast-paced action of classic kaiju, the protagonists are diverse rather than classic action heroes, including sympathetic tribal viewpoints, historically accurate female vikings, and caring fathers.
The only real issue, and it is not a large one, is with the occasional error that has slipped through proofing. Depending on reader sensitivity, these might break immersion; however, the stories are engaging enough that this is likely to be a brief surfacing.
Overall, I enjoyed this anthology. I recommend it to readers seeking a range of interesting perspectives on giant creatures.
I received a free copy from the publisher with a request for a fair review.
August 7, 2020
(n.b. I am not a professional reviewer. I won't do an unbiased, objective review. Instead, I tell it how I see it; what I like, what I dislike, what makes me laugh, what awes me, what dismays me. Expect some fangirling or mooing about with disappointment from me.) (also, I will edit to review the last stories; I just wanted to get it down before it's of no use to the authors)
This anthology crosses time and the globe to give us an array of giant monster stories. It's a great read, with only a few issues. I received an ARC for an honest review, so here we go...
1. Big Bloody Ben, Adam Gray
A very short Victorian horror story, with a mysterious exsanguination of people catching a police captain's notice. It was interesting, but could have easily been a longer story. The win felt too easy. I would be interesting to read more stories set in that world, though. Definitely want more of Dr. Whitby; he felt like someone who could be developed into a great hero character.
2. The Bone Fields, Mitchell Luthi
When Norse raiders, to escape a unexpectedly violent storm, land on a mysterious island, they have no idea what they've come across. When their people start vanishing, the raiders begin searching the seemingly dead island, and find a terrible truth. I kept guessing what the kaiju was, and kept being wrong, and enjoyed the to-me surprising reveal. The main character, Thoril, was as strong, brash and capable as the male raiders. Maybe a little too brash? She was definitely a Strong Female Character.
3. A Boy and His Monster, Andrea Speed
I don't know how to describe it without spoiling the surprise. Maybe - Toshi is on his third date with a nice guy. Can it work out? He'll have to share his big secret, first, but will it scare Mason away? This is a take I did not expect from a kaiju story - and it was great.
4. January Through the Years, Andre Uys
It's World War 2's beginning. We're in England. Brittany finds a sad reptile creature in the moors, during a sad point of her own life, and brings it home. As the years go by, her life improves...and Gila keeps getting bigger - alarmingly so. After a few years, he just can't fit. But will he stay away? It's a moving story. The touching ending made me cry. Very well-paced.
5. Cipactli, Scott Miller
It starts off a simple tale in the Aztec Empire...a small, lizard-loving boy, the exasperated girl who was assigned to watch him and the other children, and an entitled bully who likes hurting anyone smaller than him. The bully, Yāōtl, finds fun in 'testing' the boy, Tepin, when challenged, in transversing a swampy area. When he goes too far, however, something in the water...takes Yāōtl down. Tepin flees.
Did I mention Yāōtl was entitled? He's the shaman's son. Warriors are sent to find him. They capture Tepin, the last one to see the bull Yāōtl he shaman is more than willing to torture Tepin until he confesses.
That's when the action intensifies, and. oh boy, I did not expect what happened next. Not going to ruin things. You have to read it to believe.
Now for the nitpicking. Just a little. There was one typo. I'm pretty sure the author meant "baring his body" instead of bearing". Most of the chapters start at the head of a new page; Below the Waves starts in the middle of a page. It's an ARC. Things like that can sneak by. One last thing: I kinda wished Teya had stayed through the story, instead of vanishing after she helped Tepin.
6. Honengyo, C.L. Werner
One of the longest stories. In Feudal Japan, an outlaw demon-hunting Samurai is called by his enemy to learn why Honengyo, a formerly benevolent creature, has gone from feeding the villages to wiping them out. Time is not on Oba's side. Is anyone, really?
This is a true horror story. What happens is bloody, cruel and horrifying. You'll feel helpless watching it all go down.
Are there any other stories in this world, with this hero? Because I would like to read more.
7. The Whaler, Justin Fillmore
This one went from a meh 3-star up to a 5 in an instant. What starts of a seeming retelling of Moby Dick turns into WTF just happened? We start with an old African (Namibian) man telling his grandchildren a story about a local hero (? I don't know what '!Hoa ' means) who boards a whaling ship to earn money for his family. We get to see the viewpoint of some of the crew. We go to ocean. And then...well, I don't want to ruin the surprise. Kudos to the author for such a good story!
8. One Monstrous Pandemic, Leon Fourie
P.K., an investigator of the supernatural, explains to a skeptical hostess what he's doing soliciting her attention. He tells of his kaiju-hunting journey, and why he started it.
This read like one of those old adventure/supernatural stories from Weird Tales, but in the modern era. It was interesting how he tied in COVID-19. All in all, a soldid, stable good read.
9. Starchild: A Kaiju Story, Erik Morten and Samantha Bateson
Kaiju as planet-or-bigger sized starships? Not just ships, but travelling homes? Very interesting idea. A kaiju-ship is in danger; another is trying to rescue it. Got a little confusing, but that that was due to perspectives changing.
10. Dominion, Tyron Dawson
A very small, very bleak story set in 1910's Ireland. The Moore family, evicted from their house, have already faced despair. Hope seems to come in the city. Until the kaiju comes... I want to know what happened next. But maybe it's just life after that. The kaiju is an interesting variation.
11. Kaiju Noir, Matthew Fairweather
*One of my favorites*
It's just an ordinary day for a gumshoe; a dame walks in with a case. Find her missing dad. Our wry gumshoe goes to dig up info, bumps into a mob keeping secrets, gets roughed up, and grows more dogged to solve the case. And that's all that's ordinary about this story. I really liked this author's writing style, and I usually dislike first-person present tense writing. Looks like I'm going to go find more writing by this author!
12. Cthulhu vs. Kaiju, Mitchell Luthi
Summary
I liked all of the stories. Definitely well-worth reading at least once. Since my copy was the ARC, I cannot say anything about the illustrations.
This anthology crosses time and the globe to give us an array of giant monster stories. It's a great read, with only a few issues. I received an ARC for an honest review, so here we go...
1. Big Bloody Ben, Adam Gray
A very short Victorian horror story, with a mysterious exsanguination of people catching a police captain's notice. It was interesting, but could have easily been a longer story. The win felt too easy. I would be interesting to read more stories set in that world, though. Definitely want more of Dr. Whitby; he felt like someone who could be developed into a great hero character.
2. The Bone Fields, Mitchell Luthi
When Norse raiders, to escape a unexpectedly violent storm, land on a mysterious island, they have no idea what they've come across. When their people start vanishing, the raiders begin searching the seemingly dead island, and find a terrible truth. I kept guessing what the kaiju was, and kept being wrong, and enjoyed the to-me surprising reveal. The main character, Thoril, was as strong, brash and capable as the male raiders. Maybe a little too brash? She was definitely a Strong Female Character.
3. A Boy and His Monster, Andrea Speed
I don't know how to describe it without spoiling the surprise. Maybe - Toshi is on his third date with a nice guy. Can it work out? He'll have to share his big secret, first, but will it scare Mason away? This is a take I did not expect from a kaiju story - and it was great.
4. January Through the Years, Andre Uys
It's World War 2's beginning. We're in England. Brittany finds a sad reptile creature in the moors, during a sad point of her own life, and brings it home. As the years go by, her life improves...and Gila keeps getting bigger - alarmingly so. After a few years, he just can't fit. But will he stay away? It's a moving story. The touching ending made me cry. Very well-paced.
5. Cipactli, Scott Miller
It starts off a simple tale in the Aztec Empire...a small, lizard-loving boy, the exasperated girl who was assigned to watch him and the other children, and an entitled bully who likes hurting anyone smaller than him. The bully, Yāōtl, finds fun in 'testing' the boy, Tepin, when challenged, in transversing a swampy area. When he goes too far, however, something in the water...takes Yāōtl down. Tepin flees.
Did I mention Yāōtl was entitled? He's the shaman's son. Warriors are sent to find him. They capture Tepin, the last one to see the bull Yāōtl he shaman is more than willing to torture Tepin until he confesses.
That's when the action intensifies, and. oh boy, I did not expect what happened next. Not going to ruin things. You have to read it to believe.
Now for the nitpicking. Just a little. There was one typo. I'm pretty sure the author meant "baring his body" instead of bearing". Most of the chapters start at the head of a new page; Below the Waves starts in the middle of a page. It's an ARC. Things like that can sneak by. One last thing: I kinda wished Teya had stayed through the story, instead of vanishing after she helped Tepin.
6. Honengyo, C.L. Werner
One of the longest stories. In Feudal Japan, an outlaw demon-hunting Samurai is called by his enemy to learn why Honengyo, a formerly benevolent creature, has gone from feeding the villages to wiping them out. Time is not on Oba's side. Is anyone, really?
This is a true horror story. What happens is bloody, cruel and horrifying. You'll feel helpless watching it all go down.
Are there any other stories in this world, with this hero? Because I would like to read more.
7. The Whaler, Justin Fillmore
This one went from a meh 3-star up to a 5 in an instant. What starts of a seeming retelling of Moby Dick turns into WTF just happened? We start with an old African (Namibian) man telling his grandchildren a story about a local hero (? I don't know what '!Hoa ' means) who boards a whaling ship to earn money for his family. We get to see the viewpoint of some of the crew. We go to ocean. And then...well, I don't want to ruin the surprise. Kudos to the author for such a good story!
8. One Monstrous Pandemic, Leon Fourie
P.K., an investigator of the supernatural, explains to a skeptical hostess what he's doing soliciting her attention. He tells of his kaiju-hunting journey, and why he started it.
This read like one of those old adventure/supernatural stories from Weird Tales, but in the modern era. It was interesting how he tied in COVID-19. All in all, a soldid, stable good read.
9. Starchild: A Kaiju Story, Erik Morten and Samantha Bateson
Kaiju as planet-or-bigger sized starships? Not just ships, but travelling homes? Very interesting idea. A kaiju-ship is in danger; another is trying to rescue it. Got a little confusing, but that that was due to perspectives changing.
10. Dominion, Tyron Dawson
A very small, very bleak story set in 1910's Ireland. The Moore family, evicted from their house, have already faced despair. Hope seems to come in the city. Until the kaiju comes... I want to know what happened next. But maybe it's just life after that. The kaiju is an interesting variation.
11. Kaiju Noir, Matthew Fairweather
*One of my favorites*
It's just an ordinary day for a gumshoe; a dame walks in with a case. Find her missing dad. Our wry gumshoe goes to dig up info, bumps into a mob keeping secrets, gets roughed up, and grows more dogged to solve the case. And that's all that's ordinary about this story. I really liked this author's writing style, and I usually dislike first-person present tense writing. Looks like I'm going to go find more writing by this author!
12. Cthulhu vs. Kaiju, Mitchell Luthi
Summary
I liked all of the stories. Definitely well-worth reading at least once. Since my copy was the ARC, I cannot say anything about the illustrations.
July 13, 2020
If you are a fan of Lovecraft, then this anthology is made for you. A variety of authors bring “monsters” of every description to wriggle their way into your dreams and nightmares. For me, reading this kept me enthralled far into the night. So turn your lights down low, wrap a blanket around you and prepare to be afraid…..very afraid.
June 25, 2020
I might be a tiny bit biased here... I did, after all, select some of these stories myself! Still, there's a reason I chose the ones I did.
See, when we decided to put this anthology together, we had something very specific in mind. We asked our authors to write stories that had more to them than just fast-paced action and epic monster fights. We wanted to see stories with heart! Stories that touched upon what it means to survive in a world where such things are not only possible, but very, very real.
Write Like Hell: Kaiju presents a glimpse into such a world. With twelve stories of monstrous beings, this anthology covers huge swathes of genre territory, which is something that delighted us when we first selected the manuscripts that would eventually make it into the book you find before you. Mention a ‘kaiju tale’ and people often think of titanic figures clashing over cities as mankind watches on, impotent and lost. Well, this collection has that—of course it does! But it has something else, too. A touch of fantasy for the sword & sorcery lovers, a sprinkling of horror for the cult of Lovecraft, and a glimpse at a possible future among the stars.
BIG BLOODY BEN
There’s been a murder. Of course there has, but this time it’s different. Something strange is happening on the streets of London. People are disappearing, and nobody knows why. Working with little more than a hunch, Captain Stopforth of the London Police must investigate every clue and follow every lead, no matter how horrifying their conclusion.
Adam Gray’s Big Bloody Ben is a rip-roaring adventure set in Victorian London, pitting the indomitable Captain Stopforth against, well… You’ll just have to read to find out!
THE BONE FIELDS
When the crew of the longship Varúlfr take refuge from a storm on a mysterious island, they are confronted by the relics of an ancient belief, and the remnants of a long forgotten civilisation. As the true horror of the island reveals itself, they’re forced to wonder if they really have stumbled upon Hel’s kingdom… or something worse.
In The Bone Fields, Mitchell Lüthi paints a bloody picture of Vikings, the old faith, and the perils of the high seas.
A BOY AND HIS MONSTER
As a boy, Toshi bonded with a 300-foot kaiju, and saved the world. Now, as an adult, he’s finding that protecting the world from a rampaging monster may have been the easy part. How do you have a social life when your best friend could wipe out a city in hours? Toshi hopes to find out. A Boy and His Monster, by Andrea Speed, is a heart-warming tale of the trials of early adulthood, and how even saving the world won’t stop you from being nervous on a first date.
JANUARY THROUGH THE YEARS
Brittany, a devoted wife, is left a widow when her husband doesn’t return from the war. Left damaged and alone, she realises that life must carry on, and so it does… Until the discovery of a strange creature in the marshes changes everything.
André Uys’ January Through the Years is a beautifully written story about love and loss, and the voids we fill along the way.
CIPACTLI
Across unchartered seas, hidden by lush forests and unscalable mountains, the New World flourishes. Untouched by the ravages of the Old World, Tepin and his people explore the vast wilderness that surrounds them, and share great stories of the creatures that lurk within the woods. But beneath the shadow of the pyramid something stirs, and it is hungry.
Scott Miller’s Cipactli is a spellbinding glimpse at a world before the West, with captivating characters and a thunderous climax that’ll see you looking to the next page for more.
HONENGYO
Another village has been found in ruin, with only the massive prints of a monstrous creature left to identify the culprit. The Honengyo has turned upon the people of the Hoshin clan, and only death and destruction will sate its appetite. Left with little choice, Lord Torogawa calls upon the infamous wandering samurai, Shintaro Oba, to deal with the beast. But can he and his demon-killing sword, Koumakiri, prevail against something as old as the very mountains themselves? And what of his own personal quest for vengeance?
C. L. Werner’s Honengyo transports us to Feudal Japan, where quarrelling clans and treacherous assassins leave chaos in their wake, while cunning sorcerers and demons align with one another to bring about a new order.
THE WHALER
The South Sea Company plies its trade all across the Atlantic, harvesting from the seas with reckless abandon, and little thought of anything but profits. Where their whalers go, blood is sure to follow, and who is to stop them? But things change when the mysterious Xa joins the whaler Agnor Rose at the port of Namibe.
In Justin Fillmore’s The Whaler, we join the crew of the Agnor Rose as they hunt the open seas for whales, before learning the truth about the mysterious Xa and his glowing eyes.
ONE MONSTROUS PANDEMIC
Petrus Kruger is an expert in the occult, and an investigator of all things paranormal. Convinced that he’s responsible for unleashing an accursed pandemic upon the world, his investigations take him to the very heart of the catastrophe as he searches for the cause of One Monstrous Pandemic.
Leon Fourie’s dark tale is both timely and imaginative, weaving a link between many of the world’s great myths and folk tales, and creating a vision of a new and hidden history co-existing alongside our own.
STARCHILD
Great kaiju swim between the stars, and upon their backs, nestled between moon-sized craters and great limbs, are the cities of humanity. Though the future has given us boundless technology and the ability to do wonders, it is not without its own threats…
Erik Morten & Samantha Bateson offer up a truly unique take on mankind’s future among the stars. Featuring a host of characters and high stakes, Starchild is a thoroughly enjoyable tale of cosmic proportions!
DOMINION
The 20th century gave birth to modern marvels, industrial empires, and technological phenomenons, but beneath the sooty chimneys of Dublin, it gave birth to something else, too.
Tyon Dawson’s Dominion focuses on the plight of the downtrodden, and the struggles of a family on the brink. Set in Ireland at the turn of the century, Dawson’s tale blazes its own path as it spins a yarn that falls somewhere between Lovecraftian horror and a story of real-world threats.
KAIJU NOIR
Down on his luck, detective Donald ‘Mick’ Murphy is content to drink himself to death until a client walks in with a case that will change his life forever. In a world where going beyond city limits means a tango with giant monsters, Mick leaves no stone unturned in his search for Dr Jochovic, a kaiju scientist. Ruffling the feathers of mob bosses and hitmen alike, Mick discovers the dark secret at the heart of his city.
In Kaiju Noir, Matthew Fairweather takes well-worn noir tropes and flings them in the face of a kaiju tale, creating something both enjoyable and fascinating. Featuring tough, cynical characters, and a bleak and inhospitable world, Kaiju Noir is both absurd and fantastic, and well worth reading.
CTHULHU VS. KAIJU
It’s been years since the first Emergence, since the first specimen of the kaiju scourge awoke from millennia of dormancy beneath the sea and wrought untold devastation upon the cities of man. Much has since been lost, but a great deal gained, too. In the crucible of extinction-level events, a new breed of super-soldier, capable of interfacing with the beasts, was born. We follow Captain Reynolds and his crewmates, Kiyo and Maks, seasoned kaiju pilots with many an averted disaster beneath their belts. To them, saving the Earth is just another day at the office, and they thought they’d seen it all… Until the balance begins to tip in favour of a new threat, of a being far more ancient and powerful than they have yet encountered. Everything is in place. The stars have finally aligned.
In Cthulhu vs. Kaiju, epic fantasy author Mitchell Lüthi has penned a love letter to both cosmic horror and kaiju with a single stroke of his pen, and harnesses the chilling ambience of At the Mountains of Madness and the action-packed ostentation of Pacific Rim. This one will leave you breathless, and clawing at your ears for the voices to stop.
See, when we decided to put this anthology together, we had something very specific in mind. We asked our authors to write stories that had more to them than just fast-paced action and epic monster fights. We wanted to see stories with heart! Stories that touched upon what it means to survive in a world where such things are not only possible, but very, very real.
Write Like Hell: Kaiju presents a glimpse into such a world. With twelve stories of monstrous beings, this anthology covers huge swathes of genre territory, which is something that delighted us when we first selected the manuscripts that would eventually make it into the book you find before you. Mention a ‘kaiju tale’ and people often think of titanic figures clashing over cities as mankind watches on, impotent and lost. Well, this collection has that—of course it does! But it has something else, too. A touch of fantasy for the sword & sorcery lovers, a sprinkling of horror for the cult of Lovecraft, and a glimpse at a possible future among the stars.
BIG BLOODY BEN
There’s been a murder. Of course there has, but this time it’s different. Something strange is happening on the streets of London. People are disappearing, and nobody knows why. Working with little more than a hunch, Captain Stopforth of the London Police must investigate every clue and follow every lead, no matter how horrifying their conclusion.
Adam Gray’s Big Bloody Ben is a rip-roaring adventure set in Victorian London, pitting the indomitable Captain Stopforth against, well… You’ll just have to read to find out!
THE BONE FIELDS
When the crew of the longship Varúlfr take refuge from a storm on a mysterious island, they are confronted by the relics of an ancient belief, and the remnants of a long forgotten civilisation. As the true horror of the island reveals itself, they’re forced to wonder if they really have stumbled upon Hel’s kingdom… or something worse.
In The Bone Fields, Mitchell Lüthi paints a bloody picture of Vikings, the old faith, and the perils of the high seas.
A BOY AND HIS MONSTER
As a boy, Toshi bonded with a 300-foot kaiju, and saved the world. Now, as an adult, he’s finding that protecting the world from a rampaging monster may have been the easy part. How do you have a social life when your best friend could wipe out a city in hours? Toshi hopes to find out. A Boy and His Monster, by Andrea Speed, is a heart-warming tale of the trials of early adulthood, and how even saving the world won’t stop you from being nervous on a first date.
JANUARY THROUGH THE YEARS
Brittany, a devoted wife, is left a widow when her husband doesn’t return from the war. Left damaged and alone, she realises that life must carry on, and so it does… Until the discovery of a strange creature in the marshes changes everything.
André Uys’ January Through the Years is a beautifully written story about love and loss, and the voids we fill along the way.
CIPACTLI
Across unchartered seas, hidden by lush forests and unscalable mountains, the New World flourishes. Untouched by the ravages of the Old World, Tepin and his people explore the vast wilderness that surrounds them, and share great stories of the creatures that lurk within the woods. But beneath the shadow of the pyramid something stirs, and it is hungry.
Scott Miller’s Cipactli is a spellbinding glimpse at a world before the West, with captivating characters and a thunderous climax that’ll see you looking to the next page for more.
HONENGYO
Another village has been found in ruin, with only the massive prints of a monstrous creature left to identify the culprit. The Honengyo has turned upon the people of the Hoshin clan, and only death and destruction will sate its appetite. Left with little choice, Lord Torogawa calls upon the infamous wandering samurai, Shintaro Oba, to deal with the beast. But can he and his demon-killing sword, Koumakiri, prevail against something as old as the very mountains themselves? And what of his own personal quest for vengeance?
C. L. Werner’s Honengyo transports us to Feudal Japan, where quarrelling clans and treacherous assassins leave chaos in their wake, while cunning sorcerers and demons align with one another to bring about a new order.
THE WHALER
The South Sea Company plies its trade all across the Atlantic, harvesting from the seas with reckless abandon, and little thought of anything but profits. Where their whalers go, blood is sure to follow, and who is to stop them? But things change when the mysterious Xa joins the whaler Agnor Rose at the port of Namibe.
In Justin Fillmore’s The Whaler, we join the crew of the Agnor Rose as they hunt the open seas for whales, before learning the truth about the mysterious Xa and his glowing eyes.
ONE MONSTROUS PANDEMIC
Petrus Kruger is an expert in the occult, and an investigator of all things paranormal. Convinced that he’s responsible for unleashing an accursed pandemic upon the world, his investigations take him to the very heart of the catastrophe as he searches for the cause of One Monstrous Pandemic.
Leon Fourie’s dark tale is both timely and imaginative, weaving a link between many of the world’s great myths and folk tales, and creating a vision of a new and hidden history co-existing alongside our own.
STARCHILD
Great kaiju swim between the stars, and upon their backs, nestled between moon-sized craters and great limbs, are the cities of humanity. Though the future has given us boundless technology and the ability to do wonders, it is not without its own threats…
Erik Morten & Samantha Bateson offer up a truly unique take on mankind’s future among the stars. Featuring a host of characters and high stakes, Starchild is a thoroughly enjoyable tale of cosmic proportions!
DOMINION
The 20th century gave birth to modern marvels, industrial empires, and technological phenomenons, but beneath the sooty chimneys of Dublin, it gave birth to something else, too.
Tyon Dawson’s Dominion focuses on the plight of the downtrodden, and the struggles of a family on the brink. Set in Ireland at the turn of the century, Dawson’s tale blazes its own path as it spins a yarn that falls somewhere between Lovecraftian horror and a story of real-world threats.
KAIJU NOIR
Down on his luck, detective Donald ‘Mick’ Murphy is content to drink himself to death until a client walks in with a case that will change his life forever. In a world where going beyond city limits means a tango with giant monsters, Mick leaves no stone unturned in his search for Dr Jochovic, a kaiju scientist. Ruffling the feathers of mob bosses and hitmen alike, Mick discovers the dark secret at the heart of his city.
In Kaiju Noir, Matthew Fairweather takes well-worn noir tropes and flings them in the face of a kaiju tale, creating something both enjoyable and fascinating. Featuring tough, cynical characters, and a bleak and inhospitable world, Kaiju Noir is both absurd and fantastic, and well worth reading.
CTHULHU VS. KAIJU
It’s been years since the first Emergence, since the first specimen of the kaiju scourge awoke from millennia of dormancy beneath the sea and wrought untold devastation upon the cities of man. Much has since been lost, but a great deal gained, too. In the crucible of extinction-level events, a new breed of super-soldier, capable of interfacing with the beasts, was born. We follow Captain Reynolds and his crewmates, Kiyo and Maks, seasoned kaiju pilots with many an averted disaster beneath their belts. To them, saving the Earth is just another day at the office, and they thought they’d seen it all… Until the balance begins to tip in favour of a new threat, of a being far more ancient and powerful than they have yet encountered. Everything is in place. The stars have finally aligned.
In Cthulhu vs. Kaiju, epic fantasy author Mitchell Lüthi has penned a love letter to both cosmic horror and kaiju with a single stroke of his pen, and harnesses the chilling ambience of At the Mountains of Madness and the action-packed ostentation of Pacific Rim. This one will leave you breathless, and clawing at your ears for the voices to stop.
December 10, 2022
For me, this was very difficult to choose a star rating. While eacv story was very well written, about half of them left me wanting much more. Many of them were excellent, satisfying, entertaining, and deserving of 5 stars. The ones that weren't for me really brought the level of the anthology down and left me disappointed and wanting for so much more. I'm not one to really enjoy criticizing others... I really don't enjoy it. When it comes to the stories I felt let down with here, what I'll say is that my imagination is vast, but if I wanted to write my own ending or my own story, I'd have done so and submitted it when I received the news about this anthology in the works, asking for submissions. I chose not to, so I expected more from what I read. I wanted the writers to finish the stories they start. Don't make me do their work for them. Don't leave me hanging, and don't make me imagine what they're trying to get to. The creativity was truly off the charts, but the laziness of some of the writers in leaving some of these stories so openly not finished is the bane if my existence as a reader. I just found that too many of these were left open to interpretation, and perhaps it's that my life doesn't allow for that, or I'm just tired of create-your-own adventures, but I want the ending provided, cuz I want to know what the writer envisioned, not what they expect ME to come up with after they've laid out a great foundation. If all of the stories had truly been complete, this would absolutely have been a 5-star book.
August 27, 2020
I loved this varied and well imagined collection of short stories with the theme of Kaiju.
Kaiju is a Japanese word that means "strange beast" but is translated into English as "monster" . The Kaiju are imagined as giant beasts, creatures of mythology, essentially indestructible, often evil, maybe neutral and occasionally misunderstood. They arrive from elsewhere, emerging from the sea, from space, from an hibernation and wreck havoc.
My favourite story was "A Star Child", but then "January through the years" was so poignant. Scary and hard to finish was "The Bone Fields" . And then cheering on the kaiju in "Cthulhu vs Kaiju". A must mention "A Boy and his Monster" about honesty in relationships.
A great anthology of monster stories, a must read for lovers of Dark Fantasy.
Kaiju is a Japanese word that means "strange beast" but is translated into English as "monster" . The Kaiju are imagined as giant beasts, creatures of mythology, essentially indestructible, often evil, maybe neutral and occasionally misunderstood. They arrive from elsewhere, emerging from the sea, from space, from an hibernation and wreck havoc.
My favourite story was "A Star Child", but then "January through the years" was so poignant. Scary and hard to finish was "The Bone Fields" . And then cheering on the kaiju in "Cthulhu vs Kaiju". A must mention "A Boy and his Monster" about honesty in relationships.
A great anthology of monster stories, a must read for lovers of Dark Fantasy.
May 31, 2022
Phenomenal!
What blew me away was the quality and variation of the stories. I definitely found some new favourite authors. You start out with a Victorian Gothic thrill in "Big Bloody Ben", then you get chilling Viking lore in "The Bone Fields", and "January Through the Years" gives you an unbelievably satisfying ending. "Cipactli" takes us to the dark world of the Aztecs and "Honengyo" is a masterful work based on ancient Japan. The "Whaler" weaves a tale of revenge, "Cthulhu verus Kaiju" is a whole new take on Lovecraftian mythos, and "Starchild" is unlike any sci fi I've read. I could go on but you get the idea. I really can't do justice to how good this book is and the scope of imagination. My hat is off to the editors for their selection of stories. Well done!
What blew me away was the quality and variation of the stories. I definitely found some new favourite authors. You start out with a Victorian Gothic thrill in "Big Bloody Ben", then you get chilling Viking lore in "The Bone Fields", and "January Through the Years" gives you an unbelievably satisfying ending. "Cipactli" takes us to the dark world of the Aztecs and "Honengyo" is a masterful work based on ancient Japan. The "Whaler" weaves a tale of revenge, "Cthulhu verus Kaiju" is a whole new take on Lovecraftian mythos, and "Starchild" is unlike any sci fi I've read. I could go on but you get the idea. I really can't do justice to how good this book is and the scope of imagination. My hat is off to the editors for their selection of stories. Well done!
May 18, 2023
Kaiju - japans second greatest invention after anime
From the deep they dwell from the heavens they drift… an humanity stand in fear of there power.
10 stories lay a lot have amphibious kaiju a few create truly original strange monsters that blow your mind. This anothology is made by different authours so each story differs has some lead from the Kaijus actions outher follow a humans response, this gives you story you will or won’t like.
After reading them you’ll find this a keep of an anthology hope they keep finding more diverse kaiju for the next one.
From the deep they dwell from the heavens they drift… an humanity stand in fear of there power.
10 stories lay a lot have amphibious kaiju a few create truly original strange monsters that blow your mind. This anothology is made by different authours so each story differs has some lead from the Kaijus actions outher follow a humans response, this gives you story you will or won’t like.
After reading them you’ll find this a keep of an anthology hope they keep finding more diverse kaiju for the next one.
July 27, 2020
A great collection of stories.
No two are alike which made the experience more entertaining.
Multiple categories are covered so definitely something for everyone.
Engaging and thought provoking, Pacific Rim plus.
No two are alike which made the experience more entertaining.
Multiple categories are covered so definitely something for everyone.
Engaging and thought provoking, Pacific Rim plus.
January 2, 2022
It was one HELL of a ride.
I think some were a little bit too drawn out but most were well written by their respective authors and each and every story had a uniqueness about them.
I enjoyed the fact that every single story had a different aspect, culture, or even ethnicity to them.
I think some were a little bit too drawn out but most were well written by their respective authors and each and every story had a uniqueness about them.
I enjoyed the fact that every single story had a different aspect, culture, or even ethnicity to them.
July 11, 2020
These stories are excellent. They will definitely creep you out!
October 16, 2020
Interesting read. Not what I was expecting, but I enjoyed it. I'd recommend for fantasy/sci fi fans.
I received a free copy from StoryOrigin and am voluntarily leaving my honest review.
I received a free copy from StoryOrigin and am voluntarily leaving my honest review.
April 15, 2024
fun look at Kaiju
September 16, 2020
What I Think: This collection is dedicated to the Kaiju, monsters of the deep that move but within and outside our realm. Some of the tales are so real that I had to get up and look out my window a few times to be sure that the world is still as I know it, Corvid 19 et al. I love monsters so Kaiju are at the top and these tales show them in all their glory. It was a really tough choice to make but without further ado, let’s see my favorites!
The Bone Fields – Mitchell Luthi: I have always loved tales of Northmen so it was insta-love with this. It did not dissapoint either, eerie with that creeping feeling of cold that just spreads down my back as the journey unfolds. Even though I already know it will end quite horribly, I still wonder how it will happen. The suspense was almost unbearable and made my heart pound harder in my ears. The end kept this tale in my mind, because, while it was no crescendo, it was pure helplessness in words, which for me, is a nightmare of its own.
A Boy and His Monster – Andrea Speed: This was an unexpected friend in an unexpected tale. As the owner of a massive secret tried to introduce his love to his world, it spun a tale with a simple end that was too real for my liking. I’m terrified of dogs and after Jerry? Me and dog. Never. Happening!
January Through the Years – Andre Uys: I still can’t decide how I feel about this tale, which is crazy because you know how opinionated I am. I had to digest it properly in the hope that I could explain all the emotions it made me feel. Once I looked beyond the flagbearer of primal fear, of course.
Cipactli – Scott Miller: This tale sports another one of my favorite ethnic groups and reminded me of how cruel kids can to each other which is why I cosnciously try to teach my students to be kind, not for the rewards as parents are wont to do without knowing, but for the sake of kindness itself being its own reward. It did not stop terror from flowing through my veins, as my concern for Tepin increased with each page. It was a reminder that you don’t mess with Mothre Nature without facing the consequences. I didn’t want the tale to end as I got greedy because it showed that even monsters like my beloved Kaiju can have more empathy than humans. I would love to see what became of this friendship that seems to come out of kinship.
Honengyo – C.L. Werner: Once more with another ethnicity I love (what can I say? Love should come more naturally than hate)! This tale took me on a journey of both the mystical and the monstrous until it became real to me. It made me wish there was one from Africa as well because we’ve got myths you won’t believe! The sheer knowledge of weaponry had me doing research and I am still on it. But, it also made me sad as once more, humans play with what they do not understand, twisting it into evil and all for that petty emotion only humans seem to have.
The Whaler – Justin Fillmore: I was wrong. Africa got a word in after all and had me crowing with delight (mentally, of course. Not ready for bedlam just yet)! The tale is so quintessentially African that I had to look up the author, curious to know how he crafted this tale. And, oh goddess, the end was killer! Please, don’t make this racial either because my dreamiest dream that I have ever dreamed is still my red-haired and freckled Irish spitfire that turns my life upside down (afterall, all the colors in the world where put here to mix and blend). It is another retelling of Mother Nature herself wreaking her vengeance, embodied in a human.
Dominion – Tyron Dawson: This Kaiju was terrifying for it is depression and anxiety, fear and hopelessness all rolled into one. It is every self-doubt and mental disorder to those it held in its grip. While the end was triumphant, the idea that negative energy could have been what summoned it, not only stayed with me, but made me want to slay my own demons!
Verdict? A perfect dozen, this collection belongs on the keeper shelf just so you can read all your favorites again and again!
The Bone Fields – Mitchell Luthi: I have always loved tales of Northmen so it was insta-love with this. It did not dissapoint either, eerie with that creeping feeling of cold that just spreads down my back as the journey unfolds. Even though I already know it will end quite horribly, I still wonder how it will happen. The suspense was almost unbearable and made my heart pound harder in my ears. The end kept this tale in my mind, because, while it was no crescendo, it was pure helplessness in words, which for me, is a nightmare of its own.
A Boy and His Monster – Andrea Speed: This was an unexpected friend in an unexpected tale. As the owner of a massive secret tried to introduce his love to his world, it spun a tale with a simple end that was too real for my liking. I’m terrified of dogs and after Jerry? Me and dog. Never. Happening!
January Through the Years – Andre Uys: I still can’t decide how I feel about this tale, which is crazy because you know how opinionated I am. I had to digest it properly in the hope that I could explain all the emotions it made me feel. Once I looked beyond the flagbearer of primal fear, of course.
Cipactli – Scott Miller: This tale sports another one of my favorite ethnic groups and reminded me of how cruel kids can to each other which is why I cosnciously try to teach my students to be kind, not for the rewards as parents are wont to do without knowing, but for the sake of kindness itself being its own reward. It did not stop terror from flowing through my veins, as my concern for Tepin increased with each page. It was a reminder that you don’t mess with Mothre Nature without facing the consequences. I didn’t want the tale to end as I got greedy because it showed that even monsters like my beloved Kaiju can have more empathy than humans. I would love to see what became of this friendship that seems to come out of kinship.
Honengyo – C.L. Werner: Once more with another ethnicity I love (what can I say? Love should come more naturally than hate)! This tale took me on a journey of both the mystical and the monstrous until it became real to me. It made me wish there was one from Africa as well because we’ve got myths you won’t believe! The sheer knowledge of weaponry had me doing research and I am still on it. But, it also made me sad as once more, humans play with what they do not understand, twisting it into evil and all for that petty emotion only humans seem to have.
The Whaler – Justin Fillmore: I was wrong. Africa got a word in after all and had me crowing with delight (mentally, of course. Not ready for bedlam just yet)! The tale is so quintessentially African that I had to look up the author, curious to know how he crafted this tale. And, oh goddess, the end was killer! Please, don’t make this racial either because my dreamiest dream that I have ever dreamed is still my red-haired and freckled Irish spitfire that turns my life upside down (afterall, all the colors in the world where put here to mix and blend). It is another retelling of Mother Nature herself wreaking her vengeance, embodied in a human.
Dominion – Tyron Dawson: This Kaiju was terrifying for it is depression and anxiety, fear and hopelessness all rolled into one. It is every self-doubt and mental disorder to those it held in its grip. While the end was triumphant, the idea that negative energy could have been what summoned it, not only stayed with me, but made me want to slay my own demons!
Verdict? A perfect dozen, this collection belongs on the keeper shelf just so you can read all your favorites again and again!
August 10, 2020
Rating and reviewing anthologies is so hard. There were some - a far amount actually - that I found boring and predictable, but then some really shined. There were enough parts that I had to drag myself through that I knew this anthology would be down at least one star.
So the first volume of write like hell was a bit confusing because it was a zine trying to be an anthology. Then the second saw great improvements. With the third... I won't say that they messed up by taking reader submissions, but I do think that such a narrow subject was a mistake. They asked for submissions that fit the theme yet were unexpected and different. I'm not sure they met that goal. A lot of these were just your average kaiju tale or the most obvious spin one might put on a kaiju tale - such as it being friends with someone. I guess I just wasn't all that impressed with the offerings. Hopefully, the lovecraftian one will be better.
The one that shines above the rest is Kaiju vs Cthulu. That one saved the whole anthology.
So the first volume of write like hell was a bit confusing because it was a zine trying to be an anthology. Then the second saw great improvements. With the third... I won't say that they messed up by taking reader submissions, but I do think that such a narrow subject was a mistake. They asked for submissions that fit the theme yet were unexpected and different. I'm not sure they met that goal. A lot of these were just your average kaiju tale or the most obvious spin one might put on a kaiju tale - such as it being friends with someone. I guess I just wasn't all that impressed with the offerings. Hopefully, the lovecraftian one will be better.
The one that shines above the rest is Kaiju vs Cthulu. That one saved the whole anthology.
August 3, 2020
"HUMANS FACING MONSTERS"
What do you do when you come up against a monster.....Run like Hell.
This is a mix of great stories that will keep you awake,but entertained.
Anthology was great dark fantasy thrillers at there best.
Some new and familiar Authors here.
Some books will really scare you so read under the blankets....
What do you do when you come up against a monster.....Run like Hell.
This is a mix of great stories that will keep you awake,but entertained.
Anthology was great dark fantasy thrillers at there best.
Some new and familiar Authors here.
Some books will really scare you so read under the blankets....
April 7, 2021
A fun and diverse anthology with something for everyone (maybe not everyone) - https://www.alwroteabook.com/2021/04/...
In a fit of whimsy, I hereby announce I will give everyone five stars, but the reviews may not reflect it.
In a fit of whimsy, I hereby announce I will give everyone five stars, but the reviews may not reflect it.
February 6, 2021
Great compendium of short horror stories loved a boy and his monster and the bone fields, some stories are stronger than others but generally an excellent book. I received a complimentary copy from Storyorigin and am leaving a voluntary honest review
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