(general disclaimer: I have a story in this collection.)



INHUMAN ACTS is a collection of all new stories, first time in print, that mix Anthropomorphic creatures with the dark and moody Noir. Results are mixed, with a few being unsatisfying in their presentation of the animal aspect of the story-telling. The best of the collection mix the science fiction, the fantastic, and the crushing atmosphere of dark or darkening worlds.



I've broken down the stories for you, in order.



Muskrat Blues by Ianus

(general disclaimer: I have a story in this collection.)



INHUMAN ACTS is a collection of all new stories, first time in print, that mix Anthropomorphic creatures with the dark and moody Noir. Results are mixed, with a few being unsatisfying in their presentation of the animal aspect of the story-telling. The best of the collection mix the science fiction, the fantastic, and the crushing atmosphere of dark or darkening worlds.



I've broken down the stories for you, in order.



Muskrat Blues by Ianus Wolf



This was a smashing good story set in a story-verse where predator and prey still divides the species on some basic levels, but not on all levels. I like the type. The solution of the mystery and justice achieved is believable but... because it's the first story set a Noir book that (at least for me) evokes the the mid-20th century, I'm a little iffy on the technology of the era we're in. That only matters on a medical level that I cannot reveal without spoiling the story. And I'm being picky.



Also, I loved the mudbath. I imagine it would retain heat better than water and probably feel really good on that bum leg. Great idea bringing that into the universe and making it a plot point. I'd like that form my aching bones. I wish I'd thought of it.



I may steal it. I like Pigs. (I have a farmyard bias)



Fixer by Watts Martin



A fixer story with lesbians and bisexuals. I love it. It must be very hard to be a "cleaner" when everybody sheds like mad, so no wonder the protagonist is ready to retire. The story and mystery were decent but I just didn't get what the protagonist's special talents were, since she made a bit of a fuss about that.



This was an expensive job, I would think. She might have to put off that retirement for awhile.



Danger in the Lumo-Bay by Mary E. Lowd



Hey, I love Star Trek and Picard does have a taste for Noir, as we fans know.



This doesn't seem to be a parody of Star Trek: The Next Generation, but there's more than a bit of a homage to the crew of the Enterprise D , so I'm torn.



If you apply the rule of thumb that good furry stories should be best told as a furry story (in another words, turning all the characters human should change more than a few descriptions) then this story presents challenges that I've chosen to answer with the statement that chief engineer is trying to kill the command staff because that's the only way a pussy like him can achieve command of a starship.



Surprisingly, this theory also works well with a few of the ST:TNG episodes also.



The mystery within the mystery is quite nice; a locked room mystery I might have enjoyed more without it being hidden within an enigma and wrapped in a riddle.



On the other hoof, faux fur fan fiction is a whole genre within Furry Fandom that perhaps I should not simply dismiss. Looking at it that way, this Lumo-Bay adventure hits all the points with all the winks and nods in the right places while being told well by a lovely crafts-person.



But I still think its obvious that Geordi is trying to kill them all and making it look like an accident and the command staff is just to civilized to see it.



River City Nights by Tana Simensis



As a former cab driver, this story holds a special spot for me. I know how "Dick" feels being held hostage by a fare, trying to find the degree of conversation they want and felt comfortable with. I thought that was nicely portrayed.



The queue at the reporting desk, that was also a pleasant surprise. In the movies, the hero is almost always running in and getting to the desk sergeant right off. Not only was this scene a nice change, it is probably more realistic (especially in the pre-personal communication age) and it was put to good plot use by allowing the Detective to hook up with Dick.



Every Breath Closer by Slip Wolf



The furriness is well done here and I did not see the end coming. I can't even complain about the Mighty Mouse reference because it's so obviously a different, bigger Mighty Mouse he's referring to. Can't be the cartoon I'm thinking of.



I liked the taxidermy show, I really did.



I might steal this, too.



Ghosts by Solus Lupus



This felt very cyberpunk, to me. Yet, at the same time, I got a cold war vibe (although its not a cold war era piece, clearly). It was properly dark and Noir to be sure. It was less than satisfying, to me, for reasons that have nothing to do with the quality of the writing.



I suspect it's the Ghosts from the title. Without mentioning spoilers, I think I would have liked to have seen a certain ghost a little earlier. To see that ghost "alive," as it were. Maybe a little misdirection.



Just my opinion. The description of the cowering wolf was certainly worth the price of admission.



A Blacker Dog by Huskyteer



I did not know that there was a Black Dog mythos. Now that I know, I'm going to have to steal a little bit of this for a later Brooklyn Blackie story.



This was a nice fantasy tale and a wonderful story of what happens when we let ourselves see the dark side of the best things in our life, the things we've chosen not to think about. Ever.



Noir stories often revolve around the way we chose to use our gifts. Sometimes it's talent, sometimes it's money, sometimes it is opportunity. In this case, Jon Mazza's gift is supernatural and has its limits. His situation is not bleak, but neither is it a smashing success. He's a real person... who just happens to have a talking, invisible dog.



But then everyone has one of those.



The underlying investigation is not complicated nor filled with back alley threats, but of trust and facing fear. It's rare when that trust and fear is the same target (well, Noir is full of betrayal where you come to fear or hate what you once trusted... Huskyteer didn't bring us that. This was a subtle twist beyond that, I think).



Without spoilers, the end is depressing. Perfect.



Crimson on Copper by Tony Greyfox



This is Diesel Punk (I think? It's my first one. I think I like this sort of thing. Someone let me know if I'm right or wrong. I don't get out much.).



Detective Faraday is a Hyena with the unwanted nickname of Smiley. The murder suspect is not a Hyena and is, in fact, a queer little cooper robot with no registered owner. The murder victims are numerous. There was enough foreshadowing to hint at the how and not enough to hint at the mastermind behind it all.



It was nicely done, although the Furriness only adds a flavor to the text but not the plot. I found myself not minding too much. Possibly, some days it bothers me more than others. Possibly, it was that good.



Vermin's Vice by T.S. McNally



Rats and Mice living in a town divided. The furriness used as an allegory to race and class distinction to good effect, if not much depth. Dark times and weariness, wariness, and worry. Split POV was a little confusing at first but then it's been a tough week for me. I appreciated it at the end.



Cynical, but Noir can be like that.



Scorned by K.C. Alpinus



This was very much in the mold of the classic hard-boiled PI story you find in Noir; especially the movies on late night TV. I liked it very much; reminding me of the longer stories I'd sometimes get in Ellery Queen Magazine way back when.



I had a little trouble keeping Frank and Preston apart in my head in some scenes, but I read this in two or three sittings, so there's that. Furriness added to the flavor-text and depth of the investigation, not the solution so much, but that's OK.



I think I might have wanted full disclosure Maltese's relationship with Sapphire a little earlier. Not just because I love seeing Lesbians represented, but it seemed a little too convenient when the signature perfume scent was detected and she knew who's it was at the time.



Good classic story without being derivative. Thanks for that.



Bullet Tooth Claw by Marshall L. Moseley



I have always loved the Uplift Universe by David Brin.



This wasn't that universe and the Uplift here is a different thing. The virus was as good an explanation for a Furry version of our world as any, and produces a slightly different earth-world, so Big Kudos for world-building, even if we don't get to explore it here much. Reminds me of early San Francisco, I think, if SF had built built on top of dead and dying SF... new in ways, yet old enough that corruption set in.



A society sophisticated enough strike a balance with various elements and needs as is practical. A society primitive enough that a man (or dog) can take the law into his own hands when he needs to.



In this, the element of Noir seems best brought out.



The whiskey, the guns, the failed police dog are familiar elements.



The plot's quite satisfactory, yet I'm dubious of the usefulness of the McGuffin to the villain because I'm uncertain of the age of it. No spoilers.



I found the ending scene to be mournful, soulful, and left me teary eyed.



Nice work.



Guardian Angels by Nicholas Hardin



I was struck pleasantly by the violence. It reminded me of Dark City; but in a less complicated way. It reminded me of Supernatural, but in a more serious way. In short, it's a wonderfully visual story. I don't remember a single line or piece of dialogue other than "It's what we do," but then it's a visual story without apology. Next to the final scene in Bullet Tooth Claw, it has possibly the most images that will stay with me from the book.



If things fell apart slower, if the tale was longer, some of the dialogue might have come out more naturally. It's not a think piece, but it could have been since these character flirt with the metaphysics of good vs evil.



This could have been a movie with humans, it would not have lost the visual impact, plotting, or metaphysics. Again, as mentioned when spoke of Mary's Star Trek nod, I really do prefer to see the animals skins as something more than the characters have dressed up in. Here the angels have enhanced senses because they are angels.



Brooklyn Blackie and the Unappetizing Menu by Bill Kieffer



OK, this is my story, and I can't very well review it. I would like to once again publicly thank Ocean Tigrox for liking my story enough to greenlight it even though it was more than twice too long a story and, of course, for his help and guidance in bullying what I had into a smaller and better story.



So, instead of reviewing it, I'm going to tell you a secret about this story that you will only read here on Goodreads.com: The description of my lead that you won't see in the story. It's long, but you made it this far.



Blaine “Brooklyn Blackie” Black is a six foot tall Grey-Wolf/German Shepard hybrid. He stands six foot tall at the crown (not counting the ears), which puts him a three to four inches shorter than the average male wolf. While he'd never admit it, his custom-made “lucky shoes” are actually skillfully disguised platform shoes adding an inch.



His arms and legs are long, giving him a great reach and a wide stride that vexed him in boot camp. His hands are also wide and his large feet are considered “throwback.” They are practically paws and he had to wear “corrective” footwear to teach him how to use his heels “properly” as a child. He is self-conscious about his appearance and identifies as Wolf when asked. By the same token, he is aware of his duel species and often internalizes conflicts by giving himself Dog and Wolf options taken from Aesop's Lessons.



He comes from a big family, having 7 brothers, all full wolves. Needless to say, he has some Daddy Issues. These will come up as plot points when I can fit them in.



Brooklyn is covered in completely in black fur, due to the Beta-defensin 3 protein that sometimes occurs in Dog/Wolf hybrids. Technically, this coloring mutation would also make him a “Sport.” It is commonly believed, however, that you can't have both Sport and Throwback aspects in the same person.



Although, more people of more species have seen Brooklyn naked than his usual for post-war America, very few have noted this apparent conflict. No doubt they are distracted at the time.



The protein also seems responsible for making Brooklyn stronger than he appears and a fast healer.



Brooklyn is an extreme polyglot. He picks up languages, including body language, amazingly fast with good retention. Except for that terrible and public breakdown in the middle of the “No Remember” Trials (the Aesop version of the Nuremberg Trials), he'd still be at General Einhorn's side in the Army. After that, he's been prone to violence and street level vigilantism.



He inspired by a pastiche of great radio classic detectives. Brooklyn Blackie started out as a place holder until I could think up a better name. I never did.