I enjoyed this book. It’s funny how it was able to stick with me. I started reading this book Back in Oct, got away from reading for quite some time yet I still had this book with me when I picked it back up to finish it.

A young man has grown up at a religious compound. He's ready to dedicate his life to Balahl. Then Dellia arrives and teaches him all about the world while stealing his heart. They prepare to escape and are captured.

This is a novella but felt like the beginning of a book with the rest of it missing. The story was ok. The scene with the god was dark and gruesome. My problem is that just as the story got going it was abruptly over. There were too many loose ends.

(More like 2.5 stars to me, but it was closer to three that to two.)

This story had promise. The protagonist was intriguing and talented and his love interest was similarly engaging. I also found the religious scaffolding in the story compelling.

But too much happened in too short a time. There was significant world building—a bit too much for what felt a novelette. Major elements of the world the characters lived in appeared very quickly and were not well explained. The end was extremely rushed.

I feel like the author has a potentially interesting world that people who really like Game of Thrones. Perhaps a fully developed novel would fix the plot holes and the “Huh?” moments I frequently experienced as a reader. I also wondered if this is part of a larger group of stories set in the same world, but a quick search revealed little.

I think fans of dark fantasy who won’t mind the missing elements too pesky would find this enjoyable, but it’s not for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me a copy of this to review.

Theobard’s solitary, silent existence, was abandoned at the Sanctuary by his parents. Why did they abandon him? His life is turned upside down by the sudden arrival of a fascinating woman, a beautiful golden-eyed girl called Dellia.Through Dellia, he discovers secrets of his past that make him “special.” His monastery will not be the same. Dellia has secrets of her own. He finds out her secrets. What are her secrets? When he does, Theobard endures the betrayal he feels.

The author has written a psychological thriller and horror. The isolated horror themes brings the terror of the story alive. Personally, I found this to be a slow read which made it difficult to keep keep me reading it. I do think many readers won’t have this problem especially those who like horror.

An interesting short story. I liked Theobard, he was sweet and I liked how he was a amalyak and could talk to all races of people and to animals. Dellia was also a good character, I liked her bluntness. Also dak, he seemed like the big brother to Theo to me.

I wish there had been more to this story! I was hooked by the writing from page one and I would have loved to have seen a full novel

Theobard was abandoned as a child... Then Dellia comes along and she reveals his true nature.. It turns everything on its head.

The story was dark and gothic and like I said... NEEDED MORE!

This short from Michael J. Stiehl with it's dark tale of a gothic fantasy was entertaining and left me wanting more. An enjoyable novella for those dark fantasy readers.
Theobard was abandoned as a child and raised in a monastery, where he enjoys his life among the silent brothers and is content with his menial work. But when a golden eyed girl named Dellia comes along, she reveals his true nature and completely turns his world upside down. His faith is tested and he is forced to make a decision on who he will follow.

Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book for an honest review.

Imagine living cloistered in a hidden monastery, shrouded in silence, with few memories of your parents or days beyond its walls. Imagine what would happen if an interloper challenged everything you thought you knew and everything you were taught to believe. Would you see the monastery as a home, a sanctuary or a prison?

These are a few of the questions, Michael J. Stiehl, tackles beautifully in his novella, Sanctuary. It's a captivating read that easily draws you into the world of Theobard, a young initiate who has spent his life in service to his goddess, Bulahl. His mentor, Dak is his teacher, friend, and confidant. However, the arrival of Dellia, brought to the monastery as a captive who quickly finds grudging acceptance among the brothers thanks to her abilities as a mechanic who can fix anything. Dellia opens Theobard's eyes that things at the monastery are not what he has always been taught to believe.

"Sanctuary" was a wonderful albeit quick read that I recommend to those who enjoy horror and fantasy stories. I look forward to reading more of Michael J. Stiehl's work.

I was provided with a copy of Sanctuary by netgalley in return for an honest review.

Black Hare Press Pub. date: 11 October, 2022

Edbert was brought to the brotherhood at eight or 9 1/2 parents drop them off like any scared child he reached for his dad but when is dad called him a devil and turned his back on him Edbert was truly alone. Soon though he would learn the ways of the silent brotherhood speak their sign language and learn to worship bulla when traders come to the sanctuary and bring Dahlia he isn’t prepared for her cunning manipulative nature and so he totally misses it in only see the beautiful girl he believes her to bey. DAX is his mentor and tells him she is a Mechanica he also tells Ed Bert that he is in charge of teaching Dahlia the sign language but over there time together Dahlia will teach him much more than he would teacher and in the end it will not only open his eyes but change is whole life. I was really sad and disappointed at the ending and wish they had a second book with these characters but that is just my opinion on the whole I think this was a very good story and I enjoyed it very much and would definitely want to read more from this collection. I thought for just a short book the character development was awesome I thought their abilities were super cool and original I just wish it would’ve ended differently. I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

Enjoyable little horror/fantasy novella gifted to me by the good people at netgalley in return for an honest review. Theobard lives amongst the brothers of a monastic sect who never speak and has dwelt here since brought by his parents as a child. His mentor and friend is Dak.... "his thick, black monastic robes made his head look as though it were floating disembodied in the night".... Day to day life follows a comfortable and well trodden path, homage and respect always given to their goddess Bulahl..."to serve Bulahl is a great honour"...However with the arrival of a beautiful and vibrant young girl Dellia, Theobard begins to believe their is something sinister and unsettling in the "Sanctuary" soon decisions taken will put both in mortal danger. I really enjoyed "Sanctuary" and would recommend to lovers of both horror and fantasy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Michael J for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Theobard can hardly even remember his arrival to the Sanctuary, it was do long ago. He will live out his days in silence, using only sign language to communicate with the others. It is how the respect and honor their god. But the arrival of a particular girl turns everything on its head. Through her, Theobard learns more about himself, the world outside, and the evil residing in the only home he's ever known.

Labeled as speculative fiction, this book is a slow burn horror. You feel the oppressive atmosphere right from the get go and the desire to learn what's happening is strong. The slowly unfurling facts are told in a beautifully haunting way that keeps you reading page after page.

Theobard as a character is captivating in himself. Being told one thing his entire life causes him to question all the new information being fed to him. Who can he trust? What can he even do? His battle to see what is really happening and what to do with the information is a fascinating one.

The story telling, characters, and pacing were all perfectly executed. I will be looking up more work by this author. The only complaint I could give if I had one is simply that I would love more. A lot is packed into these 67 pages, but if more were offered I'd greedily gobble up every last drop.

This is a brilliant fantasy Novella, for readers young to old. It takes skill to write a complete, compelling story in novella form. Michael J. Stiehl definitely has the skill. If good fantasy is your thing, then have fun spending time reading this book. Thank you to Black Hare Press and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.

I enjoyed reading this book. It felt rich in detail and the story was riveting. My only complaint is the story ended so abruptly I felt as though I had run into a brick wall. Still, the ending was unexpected, and I respect that.

This is book 7 of 8. It is the only one in the series I have read.

Theobard is a young man preparing for his life as a monk in the Sanctuary, an order that serves Bulahl. Life with the Brotherhood is a quiet one, but he knows what to expect and he finds peace in his work and routine.

He has no idea what is in store for him . . .