Cameron Trost
Written on Apr 28, 2023
"Killer Creatures from Down Under" delivers what the title promises. This anthology has what it takes to quench the thirst of all those bloodthirsty readers who love (or loathe!) the nasty slithering, flying, buzzing, crawling, swimming, and scampering creatures Australia has to offer. Rather than pack a punch, these tales sink jagged teeth deep into the flesh and rip out vital organs. Fair to say that most of the stories here deserve a star rating of between three and five, so there are no duds. It's always a buzz (poor choice of word?) for an author to get a personal mention, so here goes... My favourite was The Seaside by Robert Mammone for the sheer epic scale of the terror, and I also particularly enjoyed Bait by Anthony Ferguson, and the highly original The Best Omelette in Australia by Fox Claret Hill.
Let's not forget to congratulate the team behind this title from an excellent independent publisher, so hats off to the team at IFWG Publishing and particularly to Deborah Sheldon for picking these tasty morsels (and it was a pleasure to reread her contribution, Species Endangered) and Greg Chapman for designing a cover that really lets the reader know what to expect.