Monstrous: 20 Tales of Giant Creature Terror
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Book Summary Information
Editor: Ryan C. ThomasEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2009-01-15
ISBN: 193486112X
Number of pages: 280
Publisher: Permuted Press
Book Reviews of Monstrous: 20 Tales of Giant Creature Terror
Book Review: Some Real Standouts Make This Worth Reading
Summary: 4 Stars
3 AND 1/2 STARS.
Overall, this is a very satisfying collection. I found a few typos that I wish were corrected during the editing phase - (hint, hint, Mr. Thomas!) ...but I would definitely recommend this for horror lovers and, of course, fans of giant creatures everywhere. While the average score for this collection is a 6.5 out of 10 -- which is certainly above average -- I've broken down the highlights for fans to jump right to the great ones...
PRESENT TENSE, FUTURE IMPERFECT by D.L. Snell = 6 out of 10
The upside: It had some nice twists and unique details.
The downside: The sense of space and descriptions were sometimes confusing, especially where the characters were in relationship to other people and creatures. Time travel is a no-no.
CRABS by Guy N. Smith = 7 out of 10
The upside: Very dark, unrelenting danger that takes no prisoners.
The downside: Editor Ryan Thomas should have adjusted the very British words for an American audience to smooth over the flow of reading. It took me nearly five minutes to figure out that "French letter" was a condom.
A PLAGUE FROM THE MUD by Aaron A. Polson = 8 out of 10
The upside: Believable scenario with a great foundation. Consistently builds in suspense.
The downside: Should have been a novella or even better; a novel.
LOST IN TIME by Steve Alten = 7 out of 10
The upside: A classic revenge tale; you know exactly where it's going. Great writing.
The downside: You know exactly where it's going. Ending feels like a punch line.
SCALES by J.C.Towler = 6 out of 10
The upside: Unique resolution.
The downside: Basic cave dive. Some confusing bits and not everything connected smoothly.
THE ENEMY OF MY ENEMY by Patrick Rutigliano = 5 out of 10
The upside: Delightfully gross and descriptive. Will make you itch all over.
The downside: The clunky sentences give the story a rocky tempo. Switching uniforms had
no payoff.
SAVAGE by E. Anderson = 4 out of 10
The upside: Antagonist point of view was nice.
The downside: Overwritten. The entire premise has been written hundreds of times in Conan.
ATTACK OF THE 500-FOOT PORN STAR by Steven L. Shrewsbury = 6 out of 10
The upside: The title says it all.
The downside: The title says it all. A continuity error.
KEEPING WATCH by Nate Kenyon = 8 out of 10
The upside: Very smooth prose, beautifully paced, great ending.
The downside: Only if you miss out on reading this one.
NIRVANA by James Thomas Jeans = 9 out of 10
The upside: Incredibly fast paced, loaded with danger and humanity, amazing premise.
The downside: I want a novel of this material!
THE LONG DARK SUBMISSION by Paul Stuart = 3 out of 10
The upside: It's only 11 pages.
The downside: Confusing descriptions. Feels uninspired.
WHATEVER BECAME OF RANDY by James A. Moore 8 out of 10
The upside: Original concept, clean prose, has characters you care about and can relate to.
The downside: Even in a world of giant creatures, this one is still hard to swallow.
COOTIES by Randy Chandler = 8 out of 10
The upside: Delightfully dirty and a huge guilty pleasure of perverse fun.
The downside: The double ending was not necessary.
EXTINCTION by Evan Dicken = 9 out of 10
The upside: Extremely satisfying with beautifully painted mythology. Hugely entertaining.
A great achievement being the author's first published story.
The downside: Setup feels a little familiar.
THE COVE by Gregory L. Norris = 4 out of 10
The upside: Blends genres of a crime thriller and monsters.
The downside: Too convoluted, with too many problems to get into. Creatures seem like an afterthought. Characters felt shallow and two dimensional.
THE LOCUSTS HAVE A KING by R. Thomas Riley = 6 out of 10
The upside: Authentic military mission with good characters and flows nicely.
The downside: Feels a little incomplete and rushed with background details and mythology.
THE BIG BITE by Jeff Strand = 8 out of 10
The upside: A unique and consistent voice with extremely smooth and clever prose.
The downside: Ending felt like an afterthought.
GONE FISHIN' by John R. Platt = 6 out of 10
The upside: Small, focused story without using nuclear waste or government cover-ups.
The downside: Characters seemed distant. There was no description of the creature other than being big with teeth.
SIX-LEGGED SHADOWS by David Conyers & Brian M. Sammons = 7 out of 10
The upside: Nicely crafted and thoroughly conceived, leaving a nice trail of clues.
The downside: A twist on a popular theme which could be spoiled early for some readers.
THE ISLAND OF DR. OTAKU by Cody Goodfellow = 5 out of 10
The upside: Fans of the Japanese Kaiju genre will most likely enjoy this.
The downside: I couldn't get into the story, not a fan of obvious political views, especially in a short.
Summary of Monstrous: 20 Tales of Giant Creature Terror
Move over King Kong, there are new monsters in town! Giant beetles, towering crustaceans, gargantuan felines and massive underwater beasts, to name just a few. Think you've got what it takes to survive their attacks? Then open this baby up, and join today's hottest authors as they show us the true power of Mother Nature's creatures. With enough fangs, pincers and blood to keep you up all night, we promise you won't look at creepy crawlies the same way again.Horror Books
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