seawarrior's review

Go to review page

4.0

Retro Horror is an anthology that summons the feeling of surfing through horror comedies on Tubi to find the one that seems the most monsterous and unhinged. While most of the stories weren't intensely gross or terrifying, they were each entertaining and varied in tone and themes. My favorites were "Mothsquito", "Dippel's Monkey", "Pirantulas", "The Mouth of the Deep" and "Crypto Cage Match". I most enjoyed reading the descriptions of monsters, and would reccomend the anthology to others who appreciate ridiculous creature feature horror stories. 

indiebookaddict's review

Go to review page

5.0

One Monster King to Rule Them All by Gregg Chamberlain
This was a fun read. I liked how the classic monsters were included. It added some nostalgia and had me reminiscing. The author did a great job at including so much detail in a short story.

Mothsquito by Pedro Iniguez
Iniguez wasted no time kicking this story into action. It was intense from the start. I couldn't wait to find out what the scientist had to say about his "weapon". I was surprised to find out more about Mothsquito and how it came to be. Interesting storyline. I couldn't stop reading and really enjoyed this one. My favorite so far.

Dippel's Monkey by Gordon Grice
This one was interesting and had an eerie feel. I was curious to see how Dippel's plan for the monkey would play out. The outcome was way creepier than I expected. This is one that I think would be great as a longer book.

Sloth Zombies by The Frightening Floyds
Voodoo Vicky was certainly a strong and interesting character. The way she sought revenge was unique and dark. I enjoyed how the sloths took care of some of the people in Pine Green. Some brutal moments but it was fantastic!

Puddle of Mud: A Tale of the Bajazid by Kenneth Bykerk
What started out as nice relaxing story quickly went dark. This one really held my interest and once the storm came things got really intense. Not at all how I was expecting this to end but it was a great story with a chilling ending.

Pirantulas by Angela Yuriko Smith
A group of students head out to meet their teacher to observe a new experiment he's been working on. They got much more than they bargained for! A nice creepy little story that might make you rethink camping in the woods. Let's all be glad that Pirantulas aren't real.


The Mouth of the Deep by Stanley B. Webb
This was an intense read. I enjoyed the fast pace of it. The author was very descriptive. I felt like I could have been on board the Festus myself. The twist thrown in was a shocker and only added to the craziness. The story was great as is but given the detail provided by the author this would have been amazing as a longer book. I'd like to read more from this author.

Hunting the Goat Man by Pamela K. Kinney
Three friends head out to hunt the Goat Man and something very unexpected is discovered. Nice, twisted ending on this one. I always enjoy reading about urban legends I just wish this one had a little more detail to it.

Crypto Cage Match by William D. Carl
Wow! I loved the concept of this one. The crypto cage match and the opponents was original. I've read nothing like it before and really enjoyed it.

The Trials of Dr. Rains by Matthew M. Montelione
I loved the time period in this story. I've always had a thing for the early 1900s. This one also held my interest and left me wanting to know more. Very creative writing! I figured there was going to be some kind of twist regarding the forest but what happened isn't what I expected at all. Loved the ending on this one.

Unhallowed Evening by R.C. Mulhare
A "mad" scientist and a friend have plans to bring back a special someone. The reader gets to follow along and see how things go horribly wrong. Mulhare does a great job of laying out the details in this story. It may be short, but the author was very descriptive and gives great insight into the lab and the experiment. I was a bit surprised by the ending. I think maybe the scientist was too!

The Maze by K.J. Watson
I loved all the mystery surrounding the maze and Miss Pope. This story gave off a very Twilight Zone vibe to me. Very trippy and leaves you wondering what is going to happen next.

Overall, I thought this anthology was great. It was nice to read so many new to me authors that displayed such great talent. I look forward to reading more from the authors in this book. If you love retro monsters, cryptids, horror, and amazing cover art definitely add this one to your collection!
More...