Josh Reynolds’ Monmouth’s Giants, a Casefiles of the Royal Occultist anthology from 18th Wall Productions, collects together 13 tales of monsters, magic, occult history and stoic British nerve. In 1920s London the position of Royal Occultist, a sort-of-policeman tasked with investigating occult crimes and mysterious goings-on, is held by the impeccably dressed if slightly bumbling Charles St. Cyprian, with the valuable help of apprentice/assistant (depending who you ask) Ebe Gallowglass. Over the course of these stories the pair battle all manner of mysterious creatures and disreputable characters, getting by on bravery, ancient knowledge, a stiff upper lip and just a little bit of luck.
The stories featured here are provided in chronological order, from St. Cyprian’s first meeting in 1913 with his predecessor, Thomas Carnacki, deep beneath London in the titular Monmouth’s Giants and onwards through the early years of the 1920s. It’s interesting to see the characters of St. Cyprian and Gallowglass subtly shift from story to story, reflecting Reynolds’ growing surety (remembering that they’re not presented in publication order), but the unchanging core of their relationship is based on the entertaining contrast between St. Cyprian’s blithe overconfidence and Gallowglass’ no-nonsense pragmatism (and violent streak). For all the darkness of these stories, they largely don’t take themselves too seriously, and they’re almost all peppered with wry humour, mostly stemming from that central relationship which works remarkably well despite – or perhaps because of – the two characters’ differences and constant bickering.
Reynolds draws upon his evident love of occult detective fiction, creepy creature horror and mythological history in tales ranging from the darkly sublime – a desperate man clinging to what he can’t keep in The Wedding Seal; the appeasement of a hungry pastoral spirit in Deo Viridio – to the delightfully ridiculous – the intentionally daft Owd Hob; a team-up with Harry Houdini and Arthur Conan Doyle (and more) in The Door of Eternal Night. Many of the tales explore London, its vibrant nightlife and shady back streets, and there’s a tangible sense of time and place in the decadent sophistication of the London rich and the rougher, harder-edged reality for the working classes. Each story is followed by brief but satisfying Author’s notes offering little insights into Reynolds’ thoughts and inspirations, and the whole thing ties together into an excellent introduction to a series which, since 2011’s Krampusnacht (included here), has grown to well over 50 stories.
This is unashamed pulp fiction, wearing its influences on its sleeve, and while some stories hit the mark better than others, all told it’s a fun, entertaining, satisfying anthology. There’s a real variety here, from a couple of novella-length tales to one that’s really just a brief but entertaining vignette, and while the excellent The Unwrapping Party introduces a villain who goes on to become something of a recurring antagonist (including making an appearance in Fane of the Black Queen, a brand new story), these are mostly standalone episodes revealing glimpses of an established world rather than a single ongoing, linked narrative. You could certainly read this cover to cover in one go, but it’s probably best enjoyed by dipping in and out and enjoying one or two at a time. If you like your occult fiction dark, pulpy and witty, tipping its hat to early classics of the genre and even borrowing a few fictional (or even real life) characters to play with, then chances are you’ll find lots to enjoy in this anthology. Hopefully it’s just the first of many to come.
Review copy provided by the publisher
See also: all the Josh Reynolds reviews and interviews on Track of Words
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