Tim Marquitz

In the second entry in the Demon Squad series, Frank Triggaltheron is back at it again doing what he does best. In his usual stylish and snarky self, Frank is the middle of a major grab for power with the fate of humanity at stake. Maximus Longinus, the anti-Christ, is at the center of this power grab. A necromancer and the demon he is working with are trying to resurrect him from his long slumber after having been put to pasture by Lucifer. The devil’s wife and a super powerful white show more knight have their own designs for Longinus.

What Frank seems to do best is take one ridiculous beating after another against far more powerful foes. Although that might deter some with a little less heart and fortitude, it never seems to stop Frank from getting in the middle of the fray. The writing style perfectly matches Frank’s character. It’s fast paced, witty, and sarcastic. I enjoyed Frank’s jokes and sense of humor, although on occasion, it was a bit over the top. I also enjoyed the fight scenes, which this novel is chocked full of. There was a good intrigue. Things weren’t always as they seem, and the plot unfolded to the reader in the same way that it unfolded to Frank. The ending was fiery, and the conclusion left for multiple sequels in the series as there was still much that needed to be resolved. I look forward to reading more and I most certainly recommend this novel for your reading pleasure.

Carl Alves – author of Battle of the Soul show less

I didn't think I was going to like this one, when I first found out it was going to be about zombies. I was wrong, though. But can you blame me? After having been inundated in recent years with the dozens upon dozens of movies, TV shows, video games etc. all featuring the same mindless gory battles against the shambling, moaning hordes of the undead, my initial thought was: been there, done that, now what more can this book offer?

Well, this is the review where I happily eat my words! As it show more turns out, Those Poor, Poor Bastards has a lot more to offer than I'd previously anticipated, on top of that charming little title. The book contains some of the usual trappings you'll find in a lot of zombie stories, but there are some twists as well, and in general I love how the authors have taken the familiar and made something new out of it. Also, while I haven't really read enough of the Weird West sub-genre to consider myself a fan, a "Zombie Western" sure has a particular draw for me.

It is 1868, in the Sierra Nevada. The book begins with Nina Weaver and her father Lincoln riding into Coburn Station, only to find that everything has gone straight to hell in a chuckwagon. The "Deaduns" have arisen and are sowing bloody carnage throughout town, forcing any of the living who remain to band together in order to survive.

In typical fashion, you end up with a large, diverse ensemble cast. Like watching The Walking Dead, you just know before you even start that some of them are going to end up as zombie food. Put a big group of people with disparate personalities and backrounds into a stressful situation and you'll also inevitably get your clashes and alliances forming within the ranks. There are the good folks like Nina and her pa, the priest Father Mathias as well as the charming James Manning. On the other side of the fence you have less savory types and troublemakers like the brothers Daggett or the oily, scummy Mister Strobridge. Then there are those caught in the middle who just aren't sure. With tensions this high and a swarm of Deaduns at the door, it's the perfect set up for explosive conflict. Emphasis on explosive.

So far, with the exception of the western setting, this feels pretty familiar. But then, the authors work their magic and you suddenly find out that things are more than they seem. Bucking tradition, we are actually given an explanation of how the Deaduns came to be, and their origins and motives, not to mention the reveal itself, were so unique that it surprised me. This ended up being a delightfully fun read, in all its blood splattered glory.

Those Poor, Poor Bastards also taught me something important about myself -- that I will never be too old or too jaded for a good old fashioned zombie story! What a fast-paced, crazy wild book. I'll just end this review with suggestion to the potential reader -- there are a lot of characters, so you should definitely try to tackle this novel all in one go if you can, so that their identities will remain fresh in your mind. It won't be difficult, since this is a relatively short book. Besides, once you start reading, you might just find it hard to stop! show less

Admittedly, I'm a bit of a pessimist. I see an anthology series that's in it's fifth incarnation and I fully expect it not to be as good as its predecessors. I'm overjoyed to say that is not the case with the SNAFU series from Cohesion Press. It's hard to believe that a little over eighteen months ago the very first SNAFU anthology saw the light of day.

Here's what I said about the first book...

"My expectations were not that high for this anthology. Although, I love horror, in all it's many show more forms, I've never been that big a fan of the military story. Well, I needn't have worried at all. SNAFU: An Anthology of Military Horror delivers. Every story killed (pun intended)."

Each book in the series has taken a slightly different approach to the military horror theme, this time it's all about hunters, both the hunter and the hunted.

Apex Predator - N.X. Sharps & Tim Marquitz - Nick is the Social Media Coordinator and Commissioning Editor for Ragnarok Publications, a book critic and aspiring author. Tim is co-owner and Editor in Chief of Ragnarok Publications. Tim is also the author of the Demon Squad series and is working on his tenth book in that series. "Apex Predator" is a solid start to this anthology with a group of genetically modified warriors assigned to retire a predecessor gone amok. The story features some well constructed battle scenes.

Two Birds - Evan Dicken - Evan received his M.A. in East Asian History from the Ohio State University, after which he spent more than a little time in Japan. He writes whatever he has ideas for: primarily science fiction, horror, and fantasy. "Two Birds" is an entertaining tale steeped in Japanese folklore.

Non-Zero Sum - R.P.L. Johnson - Richard was born in Botswana and raised in England, he now lives in Melbourne, Australia with his wife and two young sons where he works as a structural engineer and part-time writer. "Non-Zero Sum" is a terrific story of a suicide mission with a team being dropped into the after-effects of a nuclear detonation in the middle of the Sonoran Desert. What they discover is truly mind blowing.

Only Stones in Their Place - Christine Morgan - Christine works at a psychiatric treatment facility. The long overnights play havoc with her sleep schedule, but they offer her ample time to write on the company clock. So, in a sense, her hourly rate is not too shabby when you think about it. "Only Stones in Their Place" features Vikings, Norse mythology and some very well-written fight scenes.

That Old Black Magic - James A. Moore - James is the award winning author of over twenty novels, thrillers, dark fantasy and horror alike, including the Serenity Falls trilogy (featuring his recurring anti-hero, Jonathan Crowley). As a matter of fact, "That Old Black Magic" just happens to feature Jonathon, and is one of my favorites in this collection.

Ngu'Tinh - D.F. Schultz - I searched and searched for info on D.F. Shultz and finally gave up. I'll just call him the elusive D.F. Schultz. "Ngu'Tinh" is a wonderful tale of demons and dolphins in the Vietnam war.

Warm Bodies - Kirsten Cross - Kristen has a story in every SNAFU book in the series. Quite an accomplishment. "Warm Bodies" features a very convincing new breed of vampires called Taints. This is the story of a training exercise for new recruits fighting these monsters and things go horribly wrong.

The Bani Protocols - Rose Blackthorn - Rose Blackthorn writes speculative fiction from the high mountain desert of eastern Utah and has had a number of stories appear in some pretty impressive anthologies over the years, "The Bani Protocols" is a somewhat Lovecratian story featuring other worldly hostiles with a great twist.

Hungry Eyes - Seth Skorkowsky - Seth was born beneath the pine trees of East Texas. He's the author of the Valducan series; An ancient order of knights wages a hidden war against demons, monster, and dark cults. Each Valducan knight is sworn to a holy weapon imbued with a unique power and each has their own story to tell. "Hungry Eyes" is set in this very world and works well as a stand-alone story and serves as a nice introduction to the series.

The Secret War - David Amendola - David is another author it's difficult to find infomation on, but he has had stories in the odd numbered books in the SNAFU series. "The Secret War" is an exceedingly violent story of upir, the generic Russian word for bloodsucking monsters such as vampires and ghouls.

Outbreak - V.E. Battaglia - Yet another author without much of a presence on the interwebs. "Outbreak" is another of my favorite stories in a book filled with above average tales. I do enjoy a story where the good guys don't always win.

Droc-fhola - Brad C. Hodson - Originally from Knoxville, TN, writer Brad C. Hodson currently hangs his hat in sunny Southern California. He’s done rewriting and script doctoring work on films in every genre, as well as some original projects. His first novel, DARLING, is available through Bad Moon Books. "Droc-fhola" is set in the Roman Empire with an elite group of Centurions battling the unknown.

Bonked - Patrick Freivald - Author, Beekeeper, Teacher. I've been reading Patrick's work for several years now. I loved his teenage zombie books, Twice Shy & Special Dead. And his new series featuring Matt Rowley, a commando for the International Council on Augmented Phenomena. "Bonked" is a short story set in the Matt Rowley universe and was just what I needed to tide me over to the next book.

I don't know that military horror was a thing before the SNAFU series of anthologies, but it's certainly a thing, now, and I hope they keep on coming.

SNAFU: Hunters is currently available as an e-book from Cohesion Press. If you subscribe to Kindle Unlimited you can read it at no additional charge and if you're an Amazon Prime member you can read it for FREE through the Kindle Owners Lending Library.

I highly recommend all of the books in this series. show less

Some guys get all the hell. Frank 'Triggaltheron' Trigg, having barely averted armageddon two months before in the previous Demon Squad book, is back in the soup when he's beset by several near-simultaneous crises--a zombie-resurrecting necromancer, a called-in favor that means killing a being that already killed a powerful demon's top enforcers, and the rumored resurrection of the Antichrist. He's got to deal with hidden agendas, long odds, dire consequences, apocalyptic endgames, and worst show more of all, blue balls.

All this is delivered fast and hot, and is a hell of a lot of fun. Trigg is an entertaining, dirty-minded and snarky narrator, sort of like that uncle you never see anymore because of the restraining order. The action and the twists in this tale are well-paced and superbly delivered, running all the way to the surprise at the end that sets up book three. I enjoyed this one a lot, and am looking forward to the next. show less