• Monster Hunter Alpha

  • By: Larry Correia
  • Narrated by: Oliver Wyman
  • Length: 18 hrs and 47 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (13,119 ratings)

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Monster Hunter Alpha  By  cover art

Monster Hunter Alpha

By: Larry Correia
Narrated by: Oliver Wyman
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Publisher's summary

Dirty Harry meets Twilight. Number 3 in the break-out series and a follow-up to Monster Hunter International and Monster Hunter Vendetta.

Earl Harbinger may be the leader of Monster Hunter International, but he's also got a secret. Nearly a century ago, Earl was cursed to be a werewolf. When Earl receives word that one of his oldest foes, a legendarily vicious werewolf that worked for the KGB, has mysteriously appeared in the remote woods of Michigan, he decides to take care of some unfinished business. But another force is working to bring about the creation of a whole new species of werewolf. When darkness falls, the final hunt begins, and the only thing standing in their way is a handful of locals, a lot of firepower, and Earl Harbinger's stubborn refusal to roll over and play dead.

Track down another Monster Hunter title.
©2011 Larry Correia (P)2011 Audible, Inc.

What listeners say about Monster Hunter Alpha

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Could have been better

I really love the author and the series as a hole, but I only kinda liked this book. I feel as if this book was uninspired it felt like 30 days of night with werewolves with a splash of zombie action. The plot really felt tired and didn't draw me in, don't get me wrong the book has some very good parts , but their overshadowed by an overall lackluster performance.

I'm just gonna come out and say it Earl is a great supporting character, but he is a very weak leading man. Almost all the other characters in this book were way more interesting with one exception I COULD NOT STAND THE FEMALE DEPUTY. I actually found myself rooting for the bad guys in this one for no other reason then they were interesting.

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    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Werewolf on vacation = great 80s horror flick

On the downside, the cast of MHI isn’t involved in this side trip, as werewolf Earl Harbringer goes on vacation. On the plus side, this book gives a great standalone monster mash that feels very 80s horror movie. Earl finds himself in a small town where everything hits the fan. In the best traditions of The Mist, Tremors, or Eight Legged Freaks, I love when small town residents, with their kooky hangups and imperfections, have to come together to battle a supernatural threat.

The known bad/stupid guy Stark is a caricature. The other Big Bad is revealed just like the other books… not so much with any sleuthing or skill, but just letting the bloodsport and maniacal, world ending plot unfold. But, I loved the anti-Earl, KBG werewolf and his crazy dual nature (plus yes, as others note, the Christopher Walken narration was fun). Also, there are one or two unique characters in town that promise future books when the rest of the MHI team can come out to play.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Finally, an interesting book about werewolves

Would you listen to Monster Hunter Alpha again? Why?

Ys, it is an inttersting series and harbinger is a much deeper character than most in this series. Finding out his history and what makes him tick was very interesting.

What other book might you compare Monster Hunter Alpha to and why?

This series is unique unto itself.

Have you listened to any of Oliver Wyman’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Just in this series, but he does an excellent job.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I enjoyed when Harbinger finally got to cut looe.

Any additional comments?

Generally I do not like werewolves in stories. they are usually boring and I avoid them at all costs. this is the first book about a werewolf that is actually interesting and gives you a feel for what the condition would be like. Although it might be said closer to what it would be like if John Wayne was bitten by a werewolf ;)

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

A decent distraction from the MHI story.

This book is not going to have the characters you have grown to love in the first MHI book. Its all about Earl Harbinger. I have to admit,for me,it started a little slow. But then once it got going it was great. Some new characters will be moving on to the next book and you will be happy that they do.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

I read it out of order

I read this book out of sequence, I read Monster Hunter Legion before reading this one, but it wasn’t that big a deal. In Legion they mention what happens in Alpha but most of it is kept a secret from the rest of the team, there are a few things that did not make sense, but not enough to make it awkward.

This story shows just how smart Larry Correia is, the first 2 books (and the 4th one) focused on the trials and tribulations of Owen Pitt, but the 3rd one focuses on Earl Harbinger for a change of pace and a chance to delve deeply into a different character. If he wants to, Larry Correia will be able to write Monster Hunter books forever changing the focus of each book at will.

I am now really excited to read the book that ends the Owen and Julie line and begins a new focus for the series, if that ever happens.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A change of pace. But, in a good way.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Monster Hunter Alpha?

The first scene that comes to mind is the confrontation between Harbinger and Stark. His response to "Who do you think you are?" is classic.

Which character – as performed by Oliver Wyman – was your favorite?

In this particular book, it would have to be the protagonist, Earl Harbinger. Nickolai Petrov and his arguments with the Tvar were enjoyable in print. But, he sounded a bit too much like Christopher Walken early on in the recording for him to be my favorite in this recording.

Any additional comments?

This is another great installment to the M.H.I. series. Even though the book follows Earl Harbinger on a personal mission and leaves the main protagonist of the first two books sidelined save for a throw away comment or two, it is still a great listen. Alongside the main story, we are introduced to more of the M.H.I. world. With old villains, new villains, pieces of Harbinger's personal history, and our introduction to a seedier shadow agency of the government, there is a lot new and old to enjoy.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

The Best of this Series Yet

I love the Monster Hunter Series... its about a group of good guys who fight the mystical forces of evil. The characters are likeable and the stories are great. Larry Correia has a great sense of humor... his characters have some funny one liners from time to time, which makes it more amusing. And I really enjoy the reading by Oliver Wyman.

This Monster Hunter Book is better than the others for two reasons: 1) the main character (Earl Harbinger) is more likable than the main character in the other books (Owen Pitt). 2) Oliver Wyman chose to use a voice similar to Christopher Walken for one of the characters, and it really help bring the book to life!

This is the best book so far in a really great series. I highly recommend the Monster Hunter Series!

--Glenn

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Fun Modern Supernatural Action Thriller

Monster Hunter Alpha is my favorite of the three Monster Hunter books written by Larry Correia. Having well established his setting and main characters in the first two novels, he really gets a chance to expand on a character that was he hadn't really focused on, even though he was key to the previous two books: Earl Harbinger. Continually adding detail throughout the book while not getting bogged down in exposition, he really shined the spotlight on this interesting and entertaining character. Earl is intelligent, smart-mouthed, kind-hearted, and very, very competent at what he does: Monster Hunting. As you might expect, there is plenty of action and heroic derring-do. What you might not expect is that it is sprinkled with lots of humor and wit. There are some pretty grizzly scenes worthy of a horror novel, but there is also a bit of mushy stuff as well. The story is fast-paced and entertaining. Delving into the how and why of the character's motivations makes the actions so described actually matter. It's a nice balance of character development and narrative that should appeal to modern fantasy fans who favor action over romance. It also moves along the overall arc of the MHI novels a bit, so if you liked the first two you'll definitely want to pick this one up.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Awesome

All 3 Monster Hunter books were Awsome and I cant wait for the 4th thru.... I will be purchasing all of them as I can't imagine the story line ending or flattening out. High action, great characters and great story from the "get go" to "get done".

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    5 out of 5 stars
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The evolution of the King of the Werewolves

I read all three of these in print before getting the audio version, and while I liked them very well in print, they are even better in audio format. Reader Oliver Wyman nails a wide variety of voices and personalities for everything from subhuman monsters to crusty century-old werewolves and a combat accountant.

Monsters of all types are real, and outbreaks are quietly suppressed by the various government agencies for multiple nations as well as private contractors. Monster Hunters International is one of those private groups, recruiting constantly to keep up with demand for their services and to offset the inevitable losses of personnel.

Earl Harbinger is in charge of MHI, and this book is largely devoted to his story, how he became a werewolf and learned to control his homicidal urges, and how he became a recruit for special forces that dealt with monstrous situations.

He's come to Copper Lake, Michigan, at the height of winter, traveling solo, and finds himself at the center of a werewolf outbreak. A competitor in the monster hunting business has also arrived with a crew, and a contingent of government monster hunters is on hand. Earl finds that he knows some of the other players, including another aggressive and evil werewolf, Nicolai. Nicolai wants to settle a very old score.

Meanwhile the townspeople find themselves being attacked, turned into werewolves, and they have to fight or die.

There's a magical amulet involved, and the magic associated with it strips Earl of his werewolf curse. Human for the first time in many years, he's having trouble adapting to his new weaknesses, the injuries he's acquiring in this battle, and though he's wanted to get rid of the curse, it's obviously a mixed blessing. Deputy Heather has been turned in the process of fighting the werewolves, and she's displaying special powers, perhaps related to the amulet or the strength of the alpha werewolf in the town. Earl is going to have to kill her, though, because she's been turned, and that's his job. Very few of the supernatural beings have ever qualified to be safe from eradication, and Earl himself was a rare one. Now he's just another human, struggling to stay alive while trying to save the town and conquer evil.

In that fight, it turns out that a snow cutter, a big snow plow with rotary blades, really kicks butt when tackling werewolves!

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