Bites of Violence: Volume Two breaks off in ten short stories, the longest of which is just over two pages. The short stories are well-written snapshots that read like a videogame, delving into battles through vivid descriptions of tactics and scenery, yet devoid of the human emotions of war. Indeed, the anthology feels like a camera is posed to take a wide shot on a series of exciting battles, as though the reader is watching intense, depersonalized large-scale clashes with an emphasis on the action, not the actors.

This approach, and the short, palatable lengths of the stories, gives the opportunity to traverse into new worlds, from snow-covered mountains where soldiers wage battle with huge skis tied to their feet, to the desert on horseback with “Holy Army of the Three” in just pages, like a travel narrative with a focus on real-time battles.

In each story, there are clear opposing sides, some of which seem to bear resemblance to true military battles, as the vivid imagery of “Beach Attack” draws parallels to the invasion of Normandy’s beaches in World War II, while others lead readers to the fictional land of “Trahpal.” While individual characters are not introduced, and back stories are not developed, they do not need to be: the appeal of this work lies in the ability to take in the great treacheries and terrors of war in a grand, sweeping overview that piques the reader’s interest and takes them to a set conclusion, leaving them wanting for the next story, much like the various levels of a videogame.

“Bites” is the correct title for this collection, as these wide-angle views into battle are extensive enough to explore the soldiers themselves, but rather tell of the mastery of war itself, with small pictures extracted and bottled into twelve over-arching stories that will delight videogame fans and fantasy lovers.

Number of Pages: 42

Recommended For: a stormy afternoon or an evening with a dramatic sunset

Enjoy it With: a bottle of Gatorade or a can of sweating beer

For fans of: video games and war stories

Best Place to Buy It: http://www.amazon.com/Bites-Violence-Volume-Two-ebook/dp/B00CXDUF02/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1375657610&sr=1-2&keywords=bites+of+violence