Dreamwish Beasts and Snarks

Those familiar with five-time Hugo winner Resnick only from his recent comic PI novels (Stalking the Vampire , etc.) will be delighted by this collection of short fiction demonstrating his versatility. “The Lord of the Jungle” features a would-be Tarzan who takes refuge in Africa to evade creditors and build a Communist gorilla nation. “Two Hunters in Manhattan” pits New York City Police Commissioner Teddy Roosevelt against Dracula. The standout stories share the theme of a hunter's obsessive quest for mysterious prey: in “Hunting the Snark,” a guide tracks a powerful predator that's been consuming members of his expedition, while the short but powerful “The Soul Eater” follows a galactic hunter's Ahab-like pursuit of a giant energy being. Resnick packs a wide variety of genre tales full of surprising twists and turns. (Sept.)