The Beast Within [Paperback]

Matt Hults (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 14, 2008

Throughout history they have existed in folklore and nightmares… By day they walk among us, hidden in plain sight. They are our neighbors and friends. But when the sun sets and the full moon rises, the beast within comes out… And the hunt begins. Grab a silver bullet and prepare yourself for 20 tales of animalistic terror crafted by authors from around the world. Travel across the ages and go beyond the myth to discover the horrific secrets of the werebeasts. See what lurks in the swamps of Florida; sprint across the rooftops of London in a deadly chase; follow an unfortunate soldier’s footsteps into the forests of Africa; find pity for a wounded soul who has yet to realize the full nature of his powers. These stories and others are ready to take you through a series of bone-snapping transformations that will make you howl for more. From ancient cultures to the high-tech future, nowhere is safe from the shape-shifting bloodlust of The Beast Within. Lee Battersby Michael Stone Rick Farnsworth John C. Caruso Norma Lehr William D Carl Raoul Wainscoting Joel A Sutherland Mark W Coulter Gary A BraunBeck Richard Moore Steven Wedel John Palisano Belea T Keeney David W Hill Gina Ranalli Trent Hergenrader Vince Churchill Mike Hultquist Matt Hults

Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Graveside Tales (October 14, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0980133815
• ISBN-13: 978-0980133813
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,418,099 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The REAL reviews, September 14, 2010

By 

Matt - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Beast Within (Paperback)

Being the editor of this anthology I figured most would consider my review somewhat biased, but it should be known that this anthology recieved raves from such independant review sites as Horrorscope, Goodreads, Monsterlibrarian, and Speculasphere. Amazon won't let me post the links, but a Google search should help prospective buyers find any information they are looking for--information that's more accurate than the one review that makes mention of a character dying by "firing squad" which does not appear in this book. If you're still uncertain, vist Gravesidetales to read story samples and interviews with the authors.

It should also be mentioned that Lee Battersby's novelette "The Claws of Native Ghosts" (which opens the anthology) won the 2008 Australian Shadows Award. The Australian Shadows Award is the pinnacle award for horror fiction in Australia.

-Matt Hults

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A beast of a book, January 6, 2011

By 

BrandonLayng - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Beast Within (Paperback)

The Beast Within, a horror antho that in my opinion brought the beast back to the were-creature subgenre. The sheer variety of monsters in this book (expect more than your average werewolf)and the depth the stories delve into life as the were-creature or their potential victims, makes this a collection worth reading. The artwork is a bonus you don't see enough of in books these days, only adding value to the product you're buying. But don't kid yourself, right from the first story you'll realize it's not just a book you hold in your hands -- it's an experience. I thoroughly enjoyed each story. I honestly can't single one out and hold it above the rest. From Joel A Sutherland's "Beached", John Palisano's "The Marine" or Gary A Braunbeck's "Some Touch of Pity", this enough thrills, chills and laughs to keep you up at night and garnering strange looks on the commute to work. Mr. Hults did a superb job of selecting these stories. Well worth your money.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable Full Moon Reading, November 30, 2010

By 

Urban Werewolf "Horror and Spec. Fic. Junkie" (Seattle, WA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Beast Within (Paperback)

I had to give a little love to this small press anthology after seeing the sabotage attempt below. I personally enjoyed a lot of the stories in here as a fan of all things lycanthropic. True, it's not without a very few flaws, but on the whole, very satisfying and enjoyable stories. I'll give a few of my favorites, though by no means the only enjoyable stories in the lot.

"Claws of Native Ghosts" is the opener and gives a brilliant first person narrative of a British soldier's madness that is only made worse by the spirit of a beast that attaches itself to him. "Like Cat and Dog" takes a new spin by entering a world inhabited by both humans and non-shifting anthropomorphic canines and felines that struggle to control predatory urges. A nice action story with several good turns. "Desert Heart" is a marvelous short western story about a sheriff with a special ability for tracking the lycanthrope that surfaces in his small town. "Let's All Welcome the New Guy" is a hilarious take on company sensitivity training that had me chuckling for several minutes after I finished. "Okie Werewolf Seeks Love" is just plain fun for the narrative and story it tells. "SQ 389" takes a wonderful sci-fi approach blended with some traditional werewolf lore upgraded for a world of virtual reality and the police that protect it. "Of Silver Bullets and Golden Teeth" (one of my favorite titles) is an excellent frontier adventure involving Navajo legends. "The Immaculate Conception" is very amazing take on a unique form of shape-shifting breaking out aboard a slave ship.

And really those are simply the ones that stand out in my mind right now, just about all of the other stories are enjoyable too. Recommended for any fan of varied shape-shifting mythos.