Your fall reading forecast
Katrina Ebuenga, Contributor |
As a new semester approaches, the pressure of upcoming readings has students already reeling from cracking open textbooks set for the new term.
To save you from those academic reading slumps, here are some anticipated titles that offer a reprieve from fall semester reading blues.
Rooted by Leopoldo Goût
With a prologue that hooks you fast and sets the bar high, Rooted by Leopoldo Goût, releasing on Sept. 15, is a grotesque and atmospheric novel that explores Mesoamerican mythologies.
The protagonist, Aurora, is an art lawyer who tasks herself with repatriating artworks back to their rightful homes. When she discovers an Aztec god statue in New Mexico City, she also uncovers something far more sinister than she expected.
As Aurora tries to fight the haunting allure of the statue, her sanity continues to slip over the edge. She is tested by her own psychological deterioration, all the while attempting to uncover the truth about the statue and her family’s lineage.
Despite being a slow-burn horror, there are elements of body horror and ritualistic themes that hover throughout the novel. The slower pace of the book creates an eerie atmosphere, to say the least, and I would highly recommend this read for those who enjoy both horror and psychological thrillers.
And, while the horror aspects are quite grand in their own way, Goût creates a multilayered narrative that exceeds the typical absurdity of the horror genre.
The Ship of Death by Kyle Winkler
For Dungeons & Dragons enthusiasts, this cosmic horror novel creates a sense of creeping dread that has you anticipating the worst that has yet to come. Set to release on Sept. 28, The Ship of Death by Kyle Winkler follows a couple who are given the chance to test an indie board game called “The Ship of Death.”
Rolling the dice becomes more dangerous as the game progresses into a complicated web of tasks and character cards.
In this novel, the line between role-play and reality quickly fades as the characters become too engrossed in the lives they have created in game. And, as people from their real lives start to trickle into the game, it becomes more difficult to distinguish between what is real and what is not.
As the tabletop game becomes more wildly complex, the use of poignant detail and skilful omission shapes the atmosphere of the novel as haunting and uncanny.
With its unique narrative told solely through email chains, game reports, personal journal entries and police reports, this horror novel keeps you fully immersed from the jump.
Winkler creates an enthralling novel that combines House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski and Jumanji, crafting the perfect mix to set a new gameplay in motion.
This read comes with low stakes, but with every flip of the page feeling like the worst to come, it will have you hoping for the perfect D20 success roll in the end.
Milkteeth by Caitlin Starling
Milkteeth by Caitlin Starling releases Oct. 20 and brings an alternative take on a vampire tale.
In this queer supernatural horror, the duality of motherhood and the pursuit of survival are upheld with the utmost importance.
The protagonist, Beatrice, spends her immortal life caring for newly made vampires, who depend upon the web of secrecy she weaves. However, when Beatrice decides to take a third youngling in, her body begins to weaken at an increasingly fast rate.
Making her home in an abandoned office basement, Beatrice creates a secret sanctuary for young nurslings, where she acts as their ‘Broodmother,’ caring, nursing and feeding the younglings until they mature.
When she starts to seek advice from the mortal world, however, her own hunger starts to spiral as she loses control over her body and monstrous instincts.
The narrative is told from the perspective of Beatrice in a way that feels like a bedtime story. There are moments that feel interrupted by another listener, but it is not clear who exactly Beatrice is talking to, much like Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice.
Despite the violence and bloodthirsty acts of Beatrice, I found myself admiring the poetic tone that made the events more digestible for new horror readers.
Defy the Dusk by Danielle L. Jensen
For readers looking for a more fantasy-forward novel, Danielle L. Jensen, a Calgarian author of The Bridge Kingdom series and A Fate Inked in Blood Series, brings a whole new duology this fall.
Defy the Dusk is set to release Nov. 3, and the book will be the first in the Sundering Duet series.
Elemental magic is seen as the abomination that doomed the world in this dystopian, postapocalyptic, romanstasy novel, where one person’s magic has the ability to throw off the world’s balance.
Lirien, the protagonist, is set on making things right after her magic ruined her world years ago, resulting in the awakening of dangerous creatures that now rule the night, the Straxi.
However, when she attempts to go after the king who rules the survivors, she is taken hostage and forced to defend against the Straxi or else her life is forfeit.
The enemies-to-lovers relationship between Vox, the king, and Lirien had me clutching the book and wanting more. While their chemistry and banter stayed at the forefront of the novel, the yearning and angst that arose throughout kept the novel emotionally complex.
Defy the Dusk is actionpacked and is sprinkled with my favourite romantasy tropes, such as forced proximity, found family, and morally grey characters. Jensen blends each element together while still upholding their individual qualities.
With a strong female character such as Lirien paired with a unique magic system, this novel is reminiscent of both Mad Max and Mortal Engines.
