Book Review: Monster Hunter Alpha, by Larry Correia

I first came across Monster Hunter International back in 2014.  It was a kind of story I had never seen before, and while it intrigued me, I wasn't sure I would like it - but it was extremely enjoyable.  In 2015, I read the sequel, Monster Hunter Vendetta, and enjoyed it just as much.  After that, I've been involved in reading many other things, and it took me a while to get back to this series.  Monster Hunter Alpha, the third installment, is just as good as the first two.

This time around, the organization Monster Hunter International (MHI) isn't in the picture.  This is a solo story for Earl Harbinger, the leader of MHI.  Earl gets a visit from an old friend who reveals that a werewolf from Earl's past is back in the United States.  It is clear that Earl has a desire to stop this werewolf at all costs for personal reasons.

As Earl tracks down this werewolf, he starts to learn that things are not as they seem, and it takes quite a while for things to become clear.  The danger he encounters is very unexpected, and there are some major surprises as the story unfolds:  Mr. Correia does not disappoint.  The Monster Control Bureau (MCB) also puts in an appearance and they manage to complicate the situation immensely.  Eventually, Earl and the MCB learn that they have stumbled into a plot that could bring about the end of the world, and find themselves trapped in the small town where it is happening.  Unable to reach out to MHI, he must trust in the representatives from the MCB and the local townspeople to help him combat this great evil.  Of course, the members of this small town are not well armed, but they come up with some creative ideas.  And, eventually, we learn that the title means.

The story moves at a great pace, and Earl finds both friends and enemies in unexpected places.  We get a good peek into Earl's past (he has been around for close to 100 years), and what his life has been like as a werewolf, and his struggles to control it.  Each chapter starts with an entry from Earl's journal, detailing his struggle with being a werewolf, and his desire to be rid of the curse and be a normal man again.  We learn many of Earl's abilities as a werewolf, what elements he has learned to control, and which elements he still struggles with - you get a real sense of what it would be like to have all the senses of a dog with you at all times, and you just can't turn them off.  Yeah, you might be able to heal quickly, and it might take a silver bullet to kill you, but you also have such a heightened senses of smell and hearing that it makes it hard to focus.

We also find that the events of the previous two books have a bearing on the story in this one.  One thing I would have really liked when reading Alpha was a refresher on the plot of the first two books - after all, it has been 3 or 4 years since I started reading the series.  I recognized a few names, but I was kind of vague on most of it, and I think it would have been nice to be able to connect the dots in a few places.

Overall, this is a great continuation of the series, and it was fantastic getting a glimpse into the past life of the leader of MHI.  Earl is tough as nails and has no fear.  If you like guns, monsters, guns, action, and more guns, you should enjoy Monster Hunter Alpha.

As always, I'd love to hear from you if you have read any of the books in this series and have enjoyed them as much as I have.  Please feel free to leave a comment.