A fascinating anthology, which sets out to mix one of the most horrific wars with more otherwordly terrors. Packed with tales of cannibalism, fabled monsters, cosmic creatures, mad scientists and supernatural hauntings, what comes through even more clearly is how each author strives to put the emphasis of horror rightly on the reality of the War itself, which easily overpowers the fiction.

Not every story lands - the second one was the only one that didn't land for me in terms of storytelling and structure for example, with a couple of others having too abrupt endings - but the brilliant ones make up for it. Stephanie Ellis continues to shine with her writing in a story about observation balloons which really hits home with its eerie ending. One story of torturous scientific experiments in Africa is even more shocking when the author notes its loose ties to a forgotten side of real history which is even more unpleasant than the shocking super weapon they imagine. Stories of stalking in trenches and alien gas are nothing compared to the descriptions of the equivalent reality and the emphasis on the effects on real people over a century ago.

It's uncomfortable reading. As it should be. ( )