Sometimes, you just want to turn off your brain and take in a story about monsters. Whether it be a creature feature film or a novel about the things that go bump in the night, tales about monsters are a mainstay of entertainment. In the Fatal Folklore trilogy, Bill Schweigart takes the monster-based horror concept but swaps out the standard monsters for creatures from mythology and folklore. This combination puts a refreshing spin on genres that are dominated by sexy vampires or brooding werewolves. The horrors from the lore of several different cultures are on full display in all three books in this trilogy. If you are in the mood for a good monster mash, I recommend this series. Read on, as I give a brief review of the three books in the trilogy.

The Beast of Bancroft

Score: 1.5 / 5

The first book in the Fatal Folklore trilogy, The Beast of Bancroft, is admittedly lackluster when compared to its two sequels. Yet it stays just entertaining enough to make the reader want to see where the conclusion takes the novel. The two main characters of the series, Ben and Lindsey, get the majority of their character development in this novel. The trade off though is that this novel has a lot less action than its sequels. Even with more dialogue than action, this novel sets up a solid foundation for the two subsequent novels. The Beast of Bancroft has a few exciting sequences, as well as an intriguing twist, but is overall the lowest quality story in the trilogy.

Northwoods

Score: 3 / 5

With the background of the main characters set up, Northwoods kicks the trilogy into high gear. It is definitely the most exciting book in the trilogy. It’s much more of a thriller than the first book and introduces a fun new character in CBP Agent Davis. It also gives a lot of depth to Alex Standing Cloud, who was only a minor player in the first book. My only complaint with Northwoods is that too much of the character-based conflict centers around Ben and Lindsey’s relationship. Even after putting each through a near-death experience and describing the destruction of an entire town, Schweigart focuses more than necessary on petty squabbles between his two main characters. Although this negatively effects the overall story’s pacing, Schweigart is eventually able to reverse course by giving the reader an exhilarating conclusion.

The Devil’s Colony

Score: 3.5 / 5

The Devil’s Colony, the final book in the trilogy, picks up where Northwoods leaves off. Schweigart wisely inserts an element of mystery into the final entry of this series. Ben and Lindsey go undercover to infiltrate a group of white supremacists who are seemingly connected to the Cryptid attacks from the previous books. This third installment is a true thriller, and the stakes the characters are facing keep getting higher until finally culminating in an electrifying climax. Schweigart also does a good job of connecting the various characters’ growth and experiences from the previous two books. Everything comes full circle and ties up nicely.

Overall, the Fatal Folklore trilogy is very enjoyable. It may not redefine the creature-feature genre, but it does add some nice new twists to the existing formula and shies away from tropes that have been very common in recent stories of monsters and supernatural creatures. Check this series out if you’re in the mood for exciting, fast paced tales of man vs. monster.