BOOK REVIEW: THE LEADERS OF THE PACK (A WEREWOLF ANTHOLOGY)

When it comes to fiction, werewolves are the underdog in comparison to the breadth and scope of the vampire. For every werewolf story, there is at least twenty that focuses on a vampire. Why this is the case, escapes me as I have always found the werewolf to be the most interesting character.  

For me, the werewolf allows for more brutal an in depth examination of the human condition. Vampires have historically been, for the main part portrayed as the sexy, leech, a social pariah, living on the outskirts of humanity. However, they have it pretty easy; they can pass for human, and so long as they don't eat at Italian or French restaurants, don't decide to take up sunbathing as a hobby, avoid carpentry, and keep clear of religious objects, they can live a long and fulfilling life.  

Compared to the werwolf, yes they can walk in the daylight as a human, but in general, they don't have control over the beast inside, they have to live with the guilt of going out on a full moon, and ripping some poor hapless soul to shreds, to feed the beast within. I think this is a much more horrible way to live, hell I feel guilty if I eat the last bag of crisps in the house, never mind if I have just eaten the neighbour, or worse still the neighbour's cat.  

However, if you look hard enough, there is a wealth of fangtastic werewolf fiction out there. Graeme Reynolds, owner of Horrific Tales Publishing and one of the definitive werewolf series High Moor has put together an anthology of werewolf stories from some of the finest werewolf authors (note that's authors who write werewolf fiction, not authors who are actually werewolves *) working in the genre today.  

The twelve stories featured here are also part of the expanded universes of each of the authors, now this might sound a little bit off-putting, as you might think they are not standalone stories, but don't let that put you off.  Leaders of the Pack is an excellent anthology, filled with exciting, unique and interesting riffs on the werewolf legend. There are a few stories here, where I hadn't read any of the expanded universes, and based on the quality presented here, I will be checking out the longer works from these authors. And at no point in reading this anthology did I ever feel I was missing out on any crucial backstory, as these are all self-contained stories. 

One of the strengths of this anthology is the breadth of stories presented here. At the same time, many of them share similar takes on the myths and legends, the ability to change at will, or beholden to the power of the full moon, and the stress and method that the transformation requires, they all deliver a unique take on the classic horror trope. Here are some of my favourites of the anthology. 

One common theme is the historical nature of the legends, and a few of the stories have a basis in ancient Europe and Roman times, with one of my favourites of the anthology being set a Roaman era Britain. No matter what your take on Lycanthrope legend is, you are sure to find a story that appeals to you.  

Opening with Glenn Rolfe's 'The Dead Brother Situation., which sees our protagonist determined to spend a quiet weekend in a log cabin, where all he wants to do is have a good old werewolf feast. The but the owners of the cabin have selfishly decided to pop over at the same time. The ensuing carnage is a great opener to the and serves as a tasty amuse-bouche for the rest of the book. 

David Wellington's 'Hunters Moon' shares a similar wilderness setting, with hunter Laura Caxton, searching for her vampire prey. She enlists the aid of the local law enforcement, to track the vampire, but there is far more out in the woods than just a vampire. This was one of my favourites of the whole anthology; Wellington has created a tense action packed story that merges his excellent vampire series with his werewolf universe. I was a massive fan of his vampire series, which is one of the most exciting and unique riffs on the vampire, but sadly his Frostbite series passed me by, after reading this story, I will be hunting out his werewolf novels.   

Following on from one of my favourite stories is my outright favourite story, 'The Original' by David Watkins. Set in Roman times, Marcus, a lone Roman soldier, the last survivor of a legion that was slaughtered in a battle with a bunch of rowdy Celts. After a chance encounter with a tribe of Celts, Marcus is drawn into a battle with a werewolf that has been terrorising the tribe. Watkins' take on the werewolf, and its place within the Celtic mythology, is a joy to read, realistic dialogue, and pitch-perfect action sequences combine with the wild Celtic magic to create a genuinely thrilling experience. 

'The Kiss of Divna Antonov' by Jonathan Janz is a story set within his excellent 'Wolf Land'. When disgraced university lecturer Clark encounters the divine and mysterious Divna, he finds that he might have a chance to find redemption and regain his standing within the university. Poor Clark, you should have known that nothing good comes divine European temptresses. The almost noir, James Cagney feel of the narrative lends this exquisite story a unique feel within this anthology. 

The Hunt by Thomas Emson takes the unusual track by setting the bulk of the story in an Esso garage. In terms of setting alone, this is a bold move, but the sense of claustrophobia and tension that Emson creates around it is spot on. With additions like the mention of Benson and Hedges cigarettes adding the Britishness of the story and the use of the spilt time period narrative with Roman times allows for a clever use of setting the scene for the larger universe. Smart, witty and blood-soaked, this goes to show that you should never strike up a conversation in a roadside petrol station. 

'Blood Relations' by Graeme Reynolds is long awaited return to the world of High Moor, my all time favourite series of werewolf novels. Stop reading this right now and go and buy the complete set. It was one of the first books I ever reviewed on the site, and it still remains one of my favourites. This story follows on from the events of High Moor, and just being able to step back into that world, made my week. Hopefully, Mr Reynolds will get his finger out and write another High Moor novel. 

'Hybrid: Bloodlines' by Nick Stead, is best described as the punk version of a werewolf story, brash, in your face and filled with youthful energy, while it might not be the best written in the anthology in terms of tightness of writing, the sheer energy and the in your face narrative more than makes up for this, and when combined with an astute take on the werewolf curse and how it is passed on makes for a great read.  

Ray Garton's 'Outside of Nowhere' sees two strangers have a chance meeting, and when Emily decides to tell her tale, Garton, the narrative takes a hard left turn into one of the most extreme bloodsoaked and fur lying tales in the anthology. Slightly reminiscent of Garton's Live Girls, this a down and dirty tale, that plays on the darker side of lycanthropy. 

 T W Piperbrook's thrilling werewolf chase story 'The Great Storm' is a hair-raising chase in the woods tale, that has a brother and sister fighting for their lives as a werewolf chases them through a snowy forest. A lean narrative and a fine eye for the actions scenes lifts this story above its simple premise. 

 Matt Serafini's inventive take on the cause of lycanthropy, set in one of my biggest fears, a gated community, is a nice change of pace and concept. His use of an utterly different take on the source and cause of lycanthropy is a welcome addition to the anthology, and the ever-building sense of paranoia endows this tale with a powerful sense of dread. 

Paul Kane's 'Lifeline' can best be described as a feminist werewolf tale. As the abused protagonist's history is revealed, she transforms from an abused lover to a revenant of revenge. Kane cleverly keeps the whole notion of the werewolf and its appearance until the final act of the story, allowing us to become fully invested and rooting for our hero when the proverbial finally hits the fan. 

Jeff Strand's'Ivan's Night Out' is the shortest story in the anthology, but Strand's unique, irreverent humour spills of the page. Ivan may be a nasty, nasty man, but Strand can help but make you root for him as he tries to have the bloody perfect night out.  

The Leaders of the Pack is an excellent anthology, the mix of takes on the werewolf legend and the varied mix of narrative styles, ensures that you never feel that you are reading the same story twice. Some of you may be familiar with a lot of the universes presented here, and you will relish the chance to step inside them once again, and for those of you who have never read them, then I am jealous of you for getting the opportunity to find so many vast new worlds to conquer 

• Ginger Nuts of Horror accepts no responsibility if any of these authors are in fact werewolves, that a risk you will have to take if you ever meet them. ​

Since the dawn of time, across almost every culture, there have been legends of shapeshifters.
Men who turn into beasts and prey upon anyone unfortunate enough to cross their path.
Of the shapeshifter tales, none invokes as much terror as the legend of the werewolf.

The stories of men who become wolves persisted through the centuries from campfire folk tales to the modern age, where we are still thrilled and horrified by tales of bloodthirsty predators in our midst.

Twelve of the most successful authors of werewolf fiction in the 21st Century have returned to their worlds and characters, to bring you a truly blood-soaked collection of werewolf horror.

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