Classic monsters unleashed

Monster stories have been around for centuries, reimagined into plays, movies, and TV shows. Classic Monsters Unleashed is a monster of an anthology, with around 30 tales to devour. All the usual suspects make an appearance: Dracula, the Bride of Frankenstein, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, the Wolfman, and the Headless Horseman, among many others. It begins with an interesting, brief homage to monsters in the media and discusses the ways they've been reinvented over the years before delving into the meat of the book. Many stories involve twist endings and will keep the reader guessing even if they are familiar with the original story, adding to the intrigue. There are hidden gems--such as a sequel of sorts to H. G. Wells' The Island of Doctor Moreau--that draw readers in and leave them wanting more after the story ends. This anthology features something for every horror lover, with sufficiently spooky tales that incite ice-cold dread. The featured artwork between stories is a feast for the eyes and a wonderful addition.

The 30 gory but playful stories in this bursting anthology gleefully riff on the famous monsters of stage and screen. Indeed, much of the reader's enjoyment will come from noticing that the hideously scarred young protagonist of JG Faherty's "Beautiful Monster" is being cared for by her aunt Victoria Frankenstein or recognizing just what the chatty green narrator of Kelsea Yu's "A Tale of Wickedness" is doing to the children she's captured. Though some pieces are restrained in their ghastliness--including Richard Christian Matheson's "Dead Lions," a sly update of Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and Ramsey Campbell's quietly disturbing "Someone to Blame"--most are constructed to permit maximum bloodshed, such as Owl Goingback's "Blood Hunt," a gothic western yarn about Buffalo Bill and Sitting Bull running into Count Dracula, and the reprint of Joe R. Lansdale's rambunctiously horrific "God of the Razor." But that's what this variety of fiction is about, and it's hard to imagine a crew of Nazis landing on the island of Dr. Moreau (as they do in Jonathan Maberry's "Höllenlegion") without massive trauma resulting. It's a star-studded lineup that succeeds in giving its audience a chance to fully immerse themselves in B-movie horror. (July)