tbr_the_unconquered's review
3.0
SNAFU has been one of those independent press horror anthologies that I have really taken a liking to. Some of the premises and lore in the stories are very interesting, the plot lines are racy and the action is kick-ass. The theme in Hunters is around individuals or groups that hunt monsters and the action that develops from this conflict. Here are the stories :
Apex Predator by N.X. Sharps & Tim Marquitz – Genetically modified human beings taking on a rogue creature : Part 1. This was one of the three stories in the collection that focused heavily on the technical side of warfare than the human side. The landscape and antagonist were interesting but the plot was pretty bland. 2 stars.
Two Birds by Evan Dicken – The setting of this story is what really elevated it to a very enjoyable level. Monster hunting in feudal Japan mixed with a plot of revenge and demonic powers had a certain charm to it. It is also a very well structured piece. 4 stars.
Non-Zero Sum by R.P.L. Johnson – There was a shadow of Lovecraftian horrors that fell on this story. A suicide spec ops mission into the heart of a thermonuclear explosion reveals many otherworldly horrors. It is a quick and dirty version of how the soldiers overcome the creepy-crawlies. It had a very interesting character in an ancient monster hunter. 3 stars.
Only Stones in Their Place by Christine Morgan – It is the age of Vikings : blood, sword, conquest, loot and bloody campaigns. It is also a time of ancient evil that seeps out of the ground and makes life a terrifying experience for these hardy warriors. The combat scenes in this short story are really well captured. 4 stars.
That Old Black Magic by James A. Moore – One of the major factors that hooked me to SNAFU as a series have been the short stories by James Moore featuring the enigmatic Jonathan Crowley. Even after reading three or so short stories that featured this character, I am still not sure what he is (human, superhuman, a figment of the imagination are all my guesses). Crowley goes hunting Nazis in France at height of WWII in this story. 4 stars.
Ngu'Tinh by D.F. Schultz – Set during the Vietnam war (I find one Vietnam war story in most of the SNAFU collections) this a tale of Navy SEALS v/s Water Demons. It overflows with the bravado and machismo usually reserved for Hollywood flicks featuring soldiers but the premise is a rather interesting one. 2 and a half stars.
Warm Bodies by Kirsten Cross – Vampires v/s Spec Ops and set in a world that has been overrun by the creatures. 3 stars.
The Bani Protocols by Rose Blackthorn – Rifts open up in the fabric of reality and spew forth chitinous horrors. A group of monster hunters are on their trail and end up with a big twist in the tale on their hands. There was way too much plot promise in this story to restrict it to a short story. 3 stars.
Hungry Eyes by Seth Skorkowsky – Members of an ancient order of French Knights hunt an unimaginably ancient monstrosity in the catacombs of Paris. The story is very atmospheric and intense. I am looking forward to more stories in this series. 4 stars.
The Secret War by David Amendola – The time is WWII and a war between humans and ghouls rage in the frozen wastes of Russia. A very hardy group of soldiers face off against a ravenous enemy in the form of ghouls in a forsaken and lifeless landscape. I count this as my favourite story from the whole collection for its human element. The soldiers know that their enemy is mindless evil and they also know that resistance is futile. Even when faced with such a depressing scenario, they do not hesitate even for a second to walk steadily into battle. 5 stars.
Outbreak by V.E. Battaglia – There was a lot of action in this one and yet somehow it did not resonate with me. 2 stars.
Droch-fhola by Brad C. Hodson – Among all the monster hunters in this collection, this one was the most unique. A Roman legion devoted to hunting monsters takes on an ancient evil during a winter in Britain. The hunters and the monster were all unique characters and while portions of the plot are predictable, the action is unrelenting and entertaining. 4 stars.
Bonked by Patrick Freivald - – Genetically modified human beings taking on a rogue creature : Part 2. It took me time till almost half of the story to understand who was who. Did not quite warm up to the whole theme ultimately. 2 stars.
Apex Predator by N.X. Sharps & Tim Marquitz – Genetically modified human beings taking on a rogue creature : Part 1. This was one of the three stories in the collection that focused heavily on the technical side of warfare than the human side. The landscape and antagonist were interesting but the plot was pretty bland. 2 stars.
Two Birds by Evan Dicken – The setting of this story is what really elevated it to a very enjoyable level. Monster hunting in feudal Japan mixed with a plot of revenge and demonic powers had a certain charm to it. It is also a very well structured piece. 4 stars.
Non-Zero Sum by R.P.L. Johnson – There was a shadow of Lovecraftian horrors that fell on this story. A suicide spec ops mission into the heart of a thermonuclear explosion reveals many otherworldly horrors. It is a quick and dirty version of how the soldiers overcome the creepy-crawlies. It had a very interesting character in an ancient monster hunter. 3 stars.
Only Stones in Their Place by Christine Morgan – It is the age of Vikings : blood, sword, conquest, loot and bloody campaigns. It is also a time of ancient evil that seeps out of the ground and makes life a terrifying experience for these hardy warriors. The combat scenes in this short story are really well captured. 4 stars.
That Old Black Magic by James A. Moore – One of the major factors that hooked me to SNAFU as a series have been the short stories by James Moore featuring the enigmatic Jonathan Crowley. Even after reading three or so short stories that featured this character, I am still not sure what he is (human, superhuman, a figment of the imagination are all my guesses). Crowley goes hunting Nazis in France at height of WWII in this story. 4 stars.
Ngu'Tinh by D.F. Schultz – Set during the Vietnam war (I find one Vietnam war story in most of the SNAFU collections) this a tale of Navy SEALS v/s Water Demons. It overflows with the bravado and machismo usually reserved for Hollywood flicks featuring soldiers but the premise is a rather interesting one. 2 and a half stars.
Warm Bodies by Kirsten Cross – Vampires v/s Spec Ops and set in a world that has been overrun by the creatures. 3 stars.
The Bani Protocols by Rose Blackthorn – Rifts open up in the fabric of reality and spew forth chitinous horrors. A group of monster hunters are on their trail and end up with a big twist in the tale on their hands. There was way too much plot promise in this story to restrict it to a short story. 3 stars.
Hungry Eyes by Seth Skorkowsky – Members of an ancient order of French Knights hunt an unimaginably ancient monstrosity in the catacombs of Paris. The story is very atmospheric and intense. I am looking forward to more stories in this series. 4 stars.
The Secret War by David Amendola – The time is WWII and a war between humans and ghouls rage in the frozen wastes of Russia. A very hardy group of soldiers face off against a ravenous enemy in the form of ghouls in a forsaken and lifeless landscape. I count this as my favourite story from the whole collection for its human element. The soldiers know that their enemy is mindless evil and they also know that resistance is futile. Even when faced with such a depressing scenario, they do not hesitate even for a second to walk steadily into battle. 5 stars.
Outbreak by V.E. Battaglia – There was a lot of action in this one and yet somehow it did not resonate with me. 2 stars.
Droch-fhola by Brad C. Hodson – Among all the monster hunters in this collection, this one was the most unique. A Roman legion devoted to hunting monsters takes on an ancient evil during a winter in Britain. The hunters and the monster were all unique characters and while portions of the plot are predictable, the action is unrelenting and entertaining. 4 stars.
Bonked by Patrick Freivald - – Genetically modified human beings taking on a rogue creature : Part 2. It took me time till almost half of the story to understand who was who. Did not quite warm up to the whole theme ultimately. 2 stars.
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