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Tasty bites of dark, gritty Urban Fantasy. Those Who Fight Monsters: Tales of Occult Detectives is a wonderful collection of urban fantasy short stories. This anthology takes us on numerous paranormal adventures with the intriguing, multifaceted perspective of fourteen hunters and their prey. I enjoyed the diversity of this anthology. While these short stories all share a common thread, they are also each unique. Take a journey into the bowels of nightmare cities, roam the streets with weres and fae, or pull up a stool at your favorite watering hole. No matter where you turn there be monsters...and those who dare to fight them. Here are spoiler-free teasers to give the flavor of each short story in this delectable UF anthology. "So, uh, what exactly is the beast of Felport? Werewolf, demon, undead mutant water buffalo? My grasp of local history is a little shaky" -Little Better than a Beast "Huuuuuuuman." That one came from somewhere off to my left. The shiver became an itch, the urge to follow, to find the treasure such a creature undoubtedly hid here, below ground, in its mines. -Dusted Besides, I didn't have the best of luck with boys. The first time I went out with a guy, he turned out to be a demon. -The Demon You Know... It's always half full of junk and garbage, and the only reason there aren't any bodies to step over is because the rats have eaten them all. You have to watch out for rats in the Nightside; some people say they're evolving. -The Spirit of the Thing When another hunter calls, you go. It's that simple. We who hold back the tide of Hell don't ask for help lightly. -Holding the Line What was it Kitty sometimes said? Just when you thought you were getting a handle on the supernatural, just when you thought you'd seen it all, something even more unbelievable came along. -Defining Shadows The once coal-black hair was shot through with streaks of gray that made him look older than his years. The black hair came from the Morris family tree. The gray was put there by the family profession, begun over a century ago by a man who died in the shadow of Castle Dracula. -Deal Breaker Having Henry Fitzroy, bastard of Henry VIII, romance writer, and vampire based in Vancouver was enough to bring in the fine and freaky. Since Tony had started developing his powers, the freaky vastly outnumbered the fine. -See Me As a former vampire who'd been turned human again with the termination of her maker, Dawn knew just what it was like to feel the darkness as it tried to drag you under. -Soul Stains The Lament was theoretically a neutral zone in the Black, the ebb and flow of magical London that existed out of most people's sight. No fighting, no magic and no Fae. -Under the Hill and Far Away Blame the werewolf in me. When I get annoyed, my mask of humanity slips a little, even with my former employer. -An Ace in the Hole "I'm an equal opportunity succubus," I agreed happily. Whatever the gender, whatever the form, I loved humans. To death. -Hell Bound He worked as a curate at the rightly famous Brooklyn Museum. As such, Knight had access to both religious and blasphemous articles of historical significance from throughout human history. -Impossible Love Luis didn't like to let me stray too far, claiming that I was a magnet for trouble. That might have had some credence, actually; I did seem to draw attention to myself far too much for safety. -Running Wild I highly recommend Those Who Fight Monsters: Tales of Occult Detectives to readers of urban fantasy, paranormal romance, paranormal suspense, and especially to fans of urban fantasy anthologies. Those Who Fight Monsters: Tales of Occult Detectives may appeal to fans of Justin Gustainis, T.A. Pratt, Laura Anne Gilman, Julie Kenner, Simon R. Green, Lilith Saintcrow, Carrie Vaughn, Tanya Huff, Chris Marie Green, Caitlin Kittredge, C.T. Adams, Cathy Clamp, Jackie Kessler, C.J. Henderson, and Rachel Caine. Sensitive reader warning: mild violence, sexual situations. The short story 'Hell Bound' contains explicit adult material. Source: This book was provided by the author or publisher for honest review. **This review (and giveaway) originally posted on my blog: www.FromTheShadows.info**

2022-10-21 05:21