Official Review: Attack of the Dogmen by Stephen Benson

[Mallory Porshnev]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Attack of the Dogmen" by Stephen Benson.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Attack of the Dogmen by Stephen Benson takes place in Germany at the end of World War II. A team of American soldiers is sent into a small village to deliver the message to any remaining Nazi troops that the war is over. What they find is beyond their wildest imaginings. There is something strange going on in the village that is causing airplanes to lose power. There are sightings of strange creatures that appear to be part man and part dog. The American team must handle these obstacles and stay together to survive the attacks. Aided by a mysterious woman they meet in the village, the soldiers fight for their lives while uncovering knowledge of the strange goings-on in this tiny German village. 

The action starts right away in this novel. From the beginning, the horror is unleashed and the suspense steadily builds. This is definitely an edge-of-your-seat thriller. The dogmen have a werewolf-like quality, and it is easy to visualize the destruction they create. In addition to having the horror elements, this book also has a science fiction feel to it. The explanations of the strange occurrences are often otherworldly. There is also a bit of mystery as the team struggles to understand what exactly is going on. Thrown on top of it all is a sprinkling of romance for a well rounded read. 

I really enjoyed this book. I found it easy to read, and it kept me engaged. There was a large cast of characters. Although in a horror story, you know that everyone is expendable, and I don't tend to get too attached to anyone. Still, I appreciated the full cast and the relationships between them. The dialogue was funny at times and helped to break up the gruesomeness of the events. 

My favorite part of this book was the horror aspect. I liked reading about the team's struggle with the dogmen and their bloody battles for survival. I thought that part was written very well, and the details were great. What I didn't enjoy was when the plot kept twisting. I appreciate plot twists, but some of the ideas introduced were just too far out for me to really get behind the reasoning. 

I give this book 3 out of 4 stars. There were a handful of editing errors, but nothing major. It was entertaining from start to finish. While I found the conclusion to be a bit outlandish, it was still a fun story. I would recommend it to horror, science fiction, and military novel fans. If you're hoping for more historical fiction thrown in with the horror, I would say that you will be disappointed. If anything, this leans more towards the science fiction side. However, if you can suspend disbelief and just have fun with it, it is an enjoyable book. 

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Attack of the Dogmen
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[Tablito]

The American soldiers are concerned about staying alive, their mission to inform the remaining Nazi troops that the war has ended can wait.

[LinaJan]

I like horror and mystery so I am in! Thank you for such a thorough and informative review

[NetMassimo]

Historical fiction is not my kind of stuff, so a novel with science fiction and horror elements is OK for me. Thank you for your great review!

[Drado_27]

Wow, love the concept! I'm glad that the book doesn't go in historical direction but in a sci-fi one. Enjoyed your review.

[Krista Ash]

I look forward to reading this book sometime. The science-fiction elements sound really intriguing. Thanks for the review!