Combat Monsters: Untold Tales of World War II
Subtitled “Untold Tales of World War II,” this book is a collection of fantasy stories based on real events and presented by an assembly of experienced authors of speculative fiction. All take place in World War II but are set in various venues with different characters from across the globe. The most interesting characters are, of course, the “monsters.” These creatures are truly multicultural and include vampires, werewolves, three-headed African predators, various dragons, ghosts, giant snakes, witches, a “Gorgopotamos,” a “Croctopus,” sorcerers, and a few others.
As with any anthology, some stories are better than others. But even the less than splendid stories are still entertaining, and some are ironically humorous. I found among the best was one from Henry Herz, the book’s editor: “Das Mammut,” which includes a dragon versus a man-made monster (I laughed contentedly reading this one). Another was “Gorgopotamus Bridge” by the master of alternate history, Harry Turtledove. All of the stories are interesting and give the reader different insights into the diverse times and places of WWII, even excluding the “monsters.” Recommended.
