On the surface Man-Made Monsters by Mad Marv is a terrifying collection of short stories with a horror/conspiracy theme. It has all of the elements fans of the genre would expect: blood, guts, and utter mayhem. It’s funny at times and positively frightening at others. One thing that separates this book from the herd is the sense that the words on the page are real. The reader is given an exclusive view of sickening events that seem like they’ve really happened. As the stories unfold, the eerie feeling builds into full-blown fear.

The title says it all. The five main stories have a common thread: Monsters are real and they are created by man’s hand. Science and technology running amok have negative consequences. In Mad Marv’s world, genetically engineered beasts stalk the city streets, remote-controlled zombie armies threaten to devour, and super-viral strains turn people into disfigured bloodsuckers. Men can be brought back from the grave and women can be programmed to kill. The unsettling part of all this is that Mad Marv’s world is ours, too.

Contributing to what makes this book so devilishly fun are the chapters called Recipe for Disaster. These vignettes, sprinkled throughout the book, give recipes for monster making at home. For anyone who has ever wanted to create a golem or incubate a homunculus, the instructions are here. These recipes are detailed and backed by historic precedence, while offering contemporary cautionary tales. Alchemy gave birth to science. The magicians of the Renaissance are no different from the pharmaceutical companies of today.

Mad Marv’s writing style is punchy and to the point. Like a knife in the back, he assaults the reader. He doesn’t bore you with lengthy descriptions of weather or setting, but he might make you puke with the details of brains splattering on a wall. While he’s not verbose, he does manage to weave intricate tales. His stories are full of plot twists and bone-jarring revelations. There is a decided anti-establishment tone to his writing. Throughout this book he challenges the scientific community and the military/industrial complex.

Man-Made Monsters is everything horror fans could want. The stories are violently disturbing yet have a sarcastically amusing undertone—somewhat like watching clowns being decapitated. Most of all it’s a compelling series of stories that entertains throughout and gives the reader something to think about.