Nick Horvath's Reviews > Maximum Firepower: An ’80s Action Anthology

Time to dive fist-first into my most anticipated book of the year!
I will update this review as I decimate each story.

First up:

CYBORG VS. MANIMAL 2: ARENA OF DEATH by Steve Stark

I knew this one had the potential to jump straight into my all-time favorite list . . . and holy sh!t it did not disappoint! Steve Stark, my favorite badass horror author, went ahead and chucked Joe R. Lansdale's "The Pit"--my all-time favorite short story--into a meat blender with ALL my favorite '80s action, sci-fi, and horror influences, then used that f*cker as a cybernetic fist-weapon in cage fight to the death!
It's as if he wrote this one specifically for ME. The Running Man, Bloodsport, Rocky, Jaws, Predator, Alien, Full Metal Jacket, and quite possibly SLEDGE HIMSELF, all get their glorious homage in this epic tale of gladiatorial badassery. Sorry, I gotta go read this bad motherf*cker again! I'll be baaaaack!

LIVE LIKE A COP, DIE LIKE A MAN by David Irons

Damn this one was BRUTAL! I got strong That Yellow Bastard vibes. The snuff film our battered cop had to watch of his own family was one of the most disturbing things I've read in a long while. Wish this one had a full length novel follow up!

VIGILANTE NINJA OF VAN NUYS by Michael August

Oh hell yes. This one reminded me of the glorious Troma romps from the 80s. Over-the-top gore, silliness, midget biker gangs, and a Walmart ninja. What's not to love? An absolute blast from word one. August has a truly funny prose style that had me in stitches as the chucked saw blades decapitated asshole after asshole. Pitch perfect 80s shlock.