Librarian's note: An alternate cover for this ASIN can be found: here
Colin and Click are headed back from the Hellpocalypse timeline, when things go sideways and they end up somewhere they were never supposed to be. Soon Colin is recruited by none other than The Fat Man himself, and tasked with saving Christmas in a small Texas town that's plagued by the denizens of Krampus.
Is Santa really just a jolly old fat man? How much trouble can a few gankerl be? Do lederhosen make Colin's butt look fat?
Can Colin save Christmas?
Get answers to all these questions and more in this wacky Christmas fantasy fiction installment in the Junkyard Druid Novellas series. Get your copy now, or Santa may leave coal in your stocking!
M.D. Massey describes himself as the prototypical INTJ. His eclectic background provides him with a rich tapestry of experiences to draw on when crafting fiction, as evidenced by the believable worlds and relatable characters he creates.
As a former Army combat medic (91B), professional martial arts instructor (Krav Maga, JKD, FMA), and women's self-defense instructor, he possesses a unique understanding of close combat, firearms, and criminal violence that few authors can match. This knowledge provides an element of realism to the Druidverse™ novels, setting them apart from other fantasy series.
Mr. Massey lives in the Texas Hill Country with his family and a huge American bulldog that keeps him company while he writes. When he's not in his office or at the local coffee shop writing, you can find him in his garage pummeling inanimate objects or knife-fighting with his friends.
𝑪𝒐𝒍𝒊𝒏 𝑴𝒄𝑪𝒐𝒐𝒍 𝑺𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒔 𝑪𝒉𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒎𝒂𝒔, a Junkyard Christmas novella by M. D. Massey
This book is well proofed and edited. There were well developed, relatable characters, good plotting and flow, and no cliffhanger ending. Although Colin McCool is one of my favorite fictitious characters, I was a little disappointed in the story line. Yes, Santa was one of the characters and, yes, it took place at Christmas time. However, there really wasn't a mystery here, just some baddies for Colin to fight.
Plus, I have a eccentricity that makes me dislike songs like "Here Comes Santa Claus" that state that Santa "...knows we're all God's children; that makes everything right..."and books like this one (Location 857: Colin: "You don't deliver presents on Christmas Eve anymore?..." Santa: "Only to the poorest of households, ...") which indicate that Santa always makes sure the poorest among us get gifts. It just ain't so, and even in fiction, indicating all good boys and good are treated equally, no matter their economic situation, is not only ridiculous, but also hurtful. Do those children who get up on Christmas morning and don't get any gifts, or very few, feel somehow less than their more economically situated friends/classmates? Do they somehow believe they are considered to be naughty by Santa?" Yeah, it's a big red trigger for me. And it cost what should have been a fun, lighthearted read that I would gladly rate 5 stars into a 4 star rating -- and I thought a long while about whether to make it a 3 star rating.
Krampusses,Krampi call them what you want,but you know they're up to no good
Fabulous read, forget the night before xmas and "nothing was stirring not even a mouse" theres trouble afoot,krampusses,krampi are running a muck, no mice to be seen but there is a rat,friend or foe read on to find out, Colin McCool's in trouble for sure,will he save xmas and will the fabled fatman (who looks decidedly fitter than our jolly fatman) keep his end of deal?
Short, quick Christmas-themed read with a hair of magic and old St. Nick. Colin gets highjacked and forced into doing the right thing on Christmas.
This is a stand-alone story but I do think having read the first Druid novel would make it go down easier. There are a lot of references in this story that a first-time reader will not get and I think that diminishes the tale a bit.
Still Good v Evil and the spirit of the holiday make this a pleasant and quick read for the time off.
Colin sets off to rescue his girlfriend but gets hijacked by Claus. Yes, the big guy needs Colin to take out some goat badies who are trying to ruin Christmas. He gets aid from a rat and one of Santa's helpers. After his beat down in the sewers he ends up in lederhosen and a puffy white shirt. Colin and Rupert save the day and he even gets a job offer. Stinky good time saving Christmas.
Colin, Claus and Krampus... How's that of alliteration? No Grinch, but more than enough baddies trying to steal the good cheer from Christmas. Toss in a little from "It's A Wonderful Life" and add a sewer battle scene. This may not be "A Christmas Carol," but it's A fun romp for McCool fans.
Great read for this time of year. Colin is on his way to save his girlfriend when he an Click get waylaid by someone who needs a little help. Colin strikes a deal and goes on a little adventure to help out a classic legendary character. Massey does a nice job in integrating the Christmas holiday into this story.
Thank you, Mr. Massey, for this short celebration of Christmas spirit! Anyone who's read any other Druidverse novels will love this. Those who are new to Colin & his adventures may have a little trouble keeping up, but can enjoy it as well. Merry Christmas to you,too, M.D. Massey!!
I’m a big fan of the Colin McCool series and this episode rates as excellent in mho. If you haven’t been privileged with the experience, please be kind to yourself and get book 1. Or, you can start with this book as it is mostly a standalone.
Colin McCool Saves Christmas is exactly what it sounds like, Colin has to save a small town from some evil Christmas monsters. The story is fun enough but shallow, carried heavily by Colin’s usual charm. I’m glad it didn’t overstay its welcome.
Colin once more shows that he's leaning toward the good. Dealing with St Nick gets him thinking a bit more about actions and even language. As usual, I wanted more but the story was complete as it was written.
Poor Colin he just can't take a trick at all but this time he finished on top sort of but the way he got there is very interesting and well worth the time to read and enjoy
A fun, magical arse kicking of a holiday tall tale.
What's not to like in a story of Krampuses, a leaned down St Nick, Colin in his usual mess that worsens before it gets better and all mixed up with druidry and comic relief. Lederhosen, snicker.
Another fun Colin McCool adventure! He has his own Ebenezer Scrooge moment at the beginning and then gets to work preventing the agents of Krampus from ruining Christmas.
M.D. Massey comes through again with proper details and enticing morsels of tidbits to keep us entertained. Until, next time, true believer. Merry Christmas
So much fun! Haven’t read any of the books in this series before, but I will now. This isn’t the usual Christmas UF read. It kept me on my toes and made me want to know more about Colin McCool.
This was an early Christmas treat for me and it will be for other fans of the series.
The story takes place straight after book 2 of the Trickster series. Colin is mysteriously sidetracked from getting to Fallyn and needs to save the day.
It’s a novella so everything moves along at pace. Just because it’s Christmas based it isn’t saccharine. It’s more traditional and earthy, and I picked up some new St Nick folklore that I’d not heard of before.
There’s a couple of things mentioned that I’m looking forward to seeing more of in future books.
This will be a great stocking filler.
* Reviewed as part of the author’s Beta Reader team.