Mormons and Monsters, a review (part one)

Ok, thought I would review Mormons and Monsters (or Monsters & Mormons), given I reviewed the Catholic equivalent (Infinite Space, Infinite God) collection of short stories a while back.

The volume is large -- an advantage of eprinting --  and contains a wide variety of formats, styles and genres.  I'll comment briefly on the various stories which for the most part cross Mormon or LDS settings with fiction, mostly science fiction or fantasy, though one detective story as well.

Monsters and Mormons and the Deseret Book -- almost seems like it is another forward.  And it is, but it is also a short story.

Other Duties, is a story about the "other" agent bishop.  Has a nice twist at the end, made me smile. (With short stories it is hard to say much without spoilers).  Would qualify as a Mormon themed urban fantasy, almost pulp, not quite noir.

The Living Wife, polygamy, seeing the dead and how love can accommodate and endure. Haunting in its own way.

Baptisms for the Dead is a Mormon Zombie Apocalypse story.

Pirate Gold for Brother Brigham is another urban fantasy, very Mormon themed, but also a modern ghost story.  The plot twist is what makes it both urban fantasy and a ghost story and that kind of prevents me from more comment.

First Estate is an interesting science fiction story with a nice culture clash, and real character interaction.  Could easily be resold to a wider market.  Not sure if it is all that Mormon but it was very well done.

Fangs of the Dragon is an old style pulp story.  Having recently had to read several fantasy pulp anthologies from the 1970s, I can say it fits in well with the genre, and is a great Porter Rockwall story from start to finish.  More of a novella than a short story.  By chapter 25 you could almost call it a short novel, in the style of that era.

The poetry in the collection was not to my personal taste, so I won't review it, in order to be fair to it.

Charity Never Faileth was great as urban fantasy or as light modern urban horror.  It will help  you have a better perspective on jello.  I'd love to see it get a wider audience.

I'll continue this review in part two.