I have a soft spot for short story anthologies. Don’t get me wrong -- I love an epic fantasy or a sprawling sci-fi space opera as well -- but there is something special about a book with a few handfuls of small little narratives. Each tale has its own writing style, its own perspective, its own flavor. And if you don’t like one of the stories -- Good News! There’s plenty more to dive into. And these anthologies are easy to read in chunks…putting it down after a few stories without needing to worry about where you were in the book.

I was thrilled to get an early copy of Combat Monsters: Untold Tales of World War II in exchange for an honest review. I had a blast with the anthology and I know I’ll be thinking about some of the stories for a while to come.

Combat Monsters takes a wide and ranging look at World War II from the early years to the final nail in the coffin with the bombing of Nagasaki. As a history teacher in my daytime job, I really connected with this book. There was so much to appreciate about this well-edited book. The stories were put in chronological order; the stories can just about exist on their own even without the monster and supernatural elements; there is a great variety with stories featured from each theater of the last great war.

Whenever I review an anthology, I like to point out a few of my individual favorite stories, so here are the ones that really resonated with me:
The Fourth Man by Jeff Edwards
For me, this was the best of the bunch. Wow. This is a story that really leaned into all the prompts. World War II - check. Supernatural beast - check. Something that shows that perhaps the horrors of war are not the only horrors in this life or beyond - check. I loved the framing device with the main character looking for absolution in the present day for the “sin” he committed during the war, crossing a line that helped the Allies win. There was a great combination of action, and ideas that are going to keep me thinking for quite some time, I think.

Grigoriy’s Army by Catherine Stine
One of the fun things I like to teach about is Hannibal trying to invade Rome with war elephants. Catherine Stine takes the ideas of animals in war and takes it a step further. Through a tragic childhood that left Grigoriy abnormally bright but also stunted socially, he used his and his father’s research to genetically engineer an army of bears to defeat the Nazis. I would have loved for this story to keep going and to see what else poor Grigoriy has up his sleeve after the war ended.

Bockscar by David Mack
The closing story in this collection is about the crew of the plane heading to Nagasaki and the ethical dilemma they find themselves in. I really don’t want to spoil this story, but there is a lot more to see in this story beyond the “should we?” or “shouldn’t we?” questions the crew asks in the moments before they reach Japan. Even without the twist in this story, I was enjoying this one for the simple ethical questions that we are still asking today, but the hidden reasons for the bombing make it all the more juicy.

I would love to write something about each story -- in fact if I wrote this review tomorrow, I’d probably pick two or three different stories to highlight. I found a few new authors to be aware of in the future and enjoyed a new work by some writers I already loved. I really did have a great time with this book and will definitely be checking out other works edited by Henry Herz in the future.

"Much happened during the war that wasn't recorded, that no one will remember except those who lived it."

Who is to say that isn't reality. Wars are atrocious. Reading about real events rooted in reality so unfathomably cruel, is heartbreaking. It would make sense or alliviate some of the horrors perpetrated back then if some unspeakable terror worse than humanity needed to be stopped.

Henry Herz gathered an impressive variety of award winning authors to write a story rooted in World War II. So much happened during the war that I researched the events I didn't know about. If you take the time to do so you not only get an interesting story ranging from Africa, to China, to Italy, to America, and and array of sea battles, but you also get what could be explanations to the astounding feats against impossible odds.

The stories are as varied as the several Emmy award winning Love, Death & Robots series on Netflix. So if you like the Netflix series you are going to love this anthology! Minus the robots, though.

5 stars

An absolutely fantastic short story collection! Combat Monsters provides a superb mix of World War II and the supernatural with each story tied to actual historical battles/events with a healthy dollop of the supernatural on top. Herz assembled a solid list of contributors who did not disappoint in the mission. Many of authors took some of the best "stranger than fiction" World War II events as the basis of their "revised" histories, presenting an entertaining "explanation" for these amazing incidences.

I must admit, I am a huge fan of short story collections, especially as a way to find new authors, but even though I was familiar with the majority of these writers, I loved every minute of this book. Bishop O'Connell's "Nachthexen" and Jeff Edwards' "The Fourth Man" were two of my favorites -- both great examples of how a little supernatural "influence" could explain such odd, statistical anomalies from history. It was also fun to get a little taste of "Deacon"/Mr. Church from Jonathan Maberry's Joe Leger series of books.

Combat Monsters
Untold Tales of WWII
Henry Herz
02/11/2025
Blackstone Publishing

Books about World War II, both fiction and nonfiction, are a major reason behind my reading obsession. So, when Henry Herz’s compilation of authors landed in my hands, I couldn’t help but do a double take, eager to discover what I’d be diving into, This anthology boasts an impressive lineup of authors, each contributing their unique perspective.

The stories are set against the backdrop of real battles and key locations that were pivotal during the war, adding depth and authenticity to the narrative. First, imagine being in the middle of a battle and having the chance to wrangle a Kraken as your ally, using its power to help you take down enemy submarines. How incredible would that be? Or picture having a witch on your side, casting spells that put the enemy to sleep, giving you the perfect opportunity to strike. What an advantage that would be in the chaos of war!

COMBAT MONSTERS is an absolutely gripping anthology, packed with thrilling moments, spine-chilling suspense, and an abundance of fun. It’s an absolute blast to read!

"COMBAT MONSTERS" takes a fairly straight forward theme of World War 2 + Monsters, and the resulting anthology is a whole greater than the sum of its parts. The list of contributing authors is staggering. Editor Henry Herz has built a collection of stories as varied as the historical battles and events that inspired them. No story feels like a rehash or retread of another as the locales, creatures, and characters span every theater of World War 2 imaginable. Each inclusion reads like a snapshot into an entirely different location which keeps the entire anthology engaging from beginning to end. One minute you're in a desert in Africa facing down monstrous mythological serpents, the next you're being hunted by unnatural creatures born of the infamous Unit 731 in the Pacific theater. "COMBAT MONSTERS" is as rock-solid an anthology as you can get. Plenty of thrills, a plethora of chills, and just a ton of fun to read!

This was a gem! I really enjoyed this stories. The indepth story was so engaging and the characters were fantastic!