This is an excellent sequel to What Moves the Dead. Kingfisher's talent for characterization continues to shine. The way Alex deals with their PTSD from the war and from the events of book one were well-done, as was Angus and Ms Potter's relationship (a highlight of the book for me). Overall, I think this was spookier than book one and faster paced, which I liked. This was a treat to read.

A nice little jaunt back into Gallacia! I really enjoy the voice of the main character, Alex, and the side characters are memorable. The story was straightforward and compelling without being overcomplicated. Definitely recommend for fans of Kingfisher and those who want an quick, spooky read.

T. Kingfisher's brilliance shines through in this novella, delivering a satisfying experience that is not easily achieved in such a compact format. This 5-star read has firmly earned its place on my bookshelves, destined for re-reads. The characters are not only well-developed but also endearing and remarkably realistic. The narrative is beautifully crafted, creating a captivating and atmospheric world that seamlessly blends humor with the elements of folklore horror.

While the novella can be enjoyed as a standalone, diving into 'What Moves the Dead' first will enhance the overall experience. It provides background stories for the fantastic characters. WFaN also offers insights into how they are coping with the aftermath of the events in the preceding book.

Comparisons with the first book might draw attention to a shift in tone, with this novella leaning more towards folklore and a dark atmosphere rather than intense horror action. While some may find the initial installment more gripping in terms of horror elements, I personally found the milder approach in this sequel equally compelling. It resonated with me like a night spent around a fire deep in the forest, exchanging folklore—a captivating experience that left me yearning for more adventures with these witty characters.

Wow, this was another fantastic book! What Moves the Dead was my first T. Kingfisher book, and I'm so glad that this has become a series, I love these characters, and watching them deal with another case was so great!

Alex is a bit traumatized by what happened at the Usher estate, which just piles on trauma from the war. To have to come back to Gallacia, to kan's hunting lodge, for Miss Potter, she who studies mushrooms. So of course Alex has to be there! And of course things aren't as they seemed.

The threat in this book was a bit more hazy then the first. Which makes sense, since this monster attacks in dreams, and dreams are hazy. One thing that I really enjoyed, was that tinnitus plays a role, since I myself have it. I'm not sure exactly how it worked, only that it played a part.

This was another really great spooky, thrilling read with some really humorous narration from Alex, from the housekeeper who really didn't like kan, to the somber musings about the past and the war. It was just a really fantastic story!

Loved reading this book, and if we get more books featuring Alex, I'd love it!

T. Kingfisher is fast becoming one of my favorite writers! How can she create such loyalty and love for her characters in so few pages? I was delighted to find Alex Easton, Angus, and Miss Potter back for more adventures in What Feasts at Night.

Set after What Moves the Dead, Alex arrives at the family hunting lodge. Upon arriving, Alex learns the caretaker has died under suspicious circumstances. Our favorite characters, along with a few new ones, are tasked to uncover what is causing a mysterious illness when one of them starts exhibiting symptoms. Could it be some of the odd mushrooms Miss Potter has found? Or is something else lurking in the spring house?

Beautiful descriptions, humorous situations/dialogue, and more back story about Alex await in What Feasts at Night.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor for the digital ARC in return for my honest opinion.

“When I swore on as a soldier, I had forgotten just as much geometry and Latin as anyone else in my unit, and I once won a bar bet by reciting the prologue of the Canterbury Tales in Middle English.)” - you and me both brother! I was convinced by my HS art history teacher that being able to recite it would be an interesting flex 😅

Gallacia welcomed us back with its strangling arms, pulling us into suffocating bosom of it. You were afraid of mushrooms after reading to first book? Be ready to have nightmares sitting on your chest after this one. Gallacia always sounds like it was on some drug or the other. It never has a bright day and not a jolly crowd. Depression… depression everywhere…

I’m afraid of what could come after this if there is ever going to be a third book. What type of nightmares are cooking in Kingfisher’s brain? While it’s scary, I don’t mind reading three misfits’ adventures. Also, people who won’t put their arms under their pillows…. Tsk, tsk, tsk..

Creepy, quick, and all around chilling, T Kingfisher brings back Alex Easton, the sworn soldier from Gallacia who can’t seem to catch a break when it comes to all things horrific. I enjoyed this second installment more than the first one! It had the perfect amount of psychological terror and quirky characters, in the middle of the woods.

This 150 paged novella will have you flying through it as you try to understand what happened to Codrin, the cabin caretaker, as he was found dead there with rumors flying of a mythical woman who takes your breath in your sleep.

It was really good! I definitely recommend it to anyone who just wants a quick read that will get under your skin in all the best ways.

I was intrigued by the cover of this book, and had been meaning to pick up the first of the series (that cover of the rabbit and the mushrooms is terrifying) with the hope that I would be on a good scary horror romp. Both are short enough that I power read both installments in less than 2 days, and while there are some highs, this series is overall a miss for me.

Let's start with what I liked. In my opinion horror should be relatively short to maximize the scars without weighing the reader down, and these meet this aspect pretty well. I also like a main character that is LGBTQIA+ that is treated like a human first with their gender and sexuality as part of the character, but not the focus of the character, Alex is a great example of this, and the world that is comfortable with a variety of pronouns is a nice place to visit. The choice to add in a number of characters, mostly older characters, is appreciated, the fact that all these characters a fully fledged individuals is even better. The prose and diction are succinct, well developed and well edited.

Now for the misses, there is a lot of world building that just doesn’t seem relevant. Especially in the first book, but also in this one. We do need the war flashbacks and a bit of the cultural background, but in the end the European setting on horseback fighting baddies is something that is familiar to most readers of fantasy and horror, where these books exist. The scares are not new or that interesting, the ghost of a wronged woman and the horror of fungus that take over the bodies of the dead have been done before. While I love some humor mixed into my horror, the humor here is forced, with setups that actually knock the horror and plot to the background for pages at a time.

These aren’t bad by any means, but I have to say that the covers are way better than the story lines. There are some fun moments, and some really lovable characters, which makes these worth a read, but nowhere near the level of some of the other horror-comedy out there.

Now this was T. Kingfisher at her best. The atmospheric horror was absolutely amazing, and the fast-paced writing style was just fantastic. After the first few pages I was immediately immersed back into Easton’s mind, and because of that it’s so difficult to determine if this was better than the first in the Sworn Soldier series. I will read everything and anything written by T. Kingfisher, and this book has convinced me that will never be a mistake.

I am beginning to think that Kingfisher's "The Hollow Place" was a fluke. I really enjoyed the first book that I have read by this author, but I have tried a few other stories by them, including the first book in this series, and have not liked them. I am sure this book will be on par with the first book, which I gave three stars, but I didn't get hooked by the first 10%, so I am DNF'ing this book. I do still think Kingfisher is a good writer, their books just may not ALL be for me.

I feel like with all the build up, it ended too quickly. I would have liked to read more about the dreams.
Still a great story and sequel.

Mesmerizing and equally ghastly tale of our beloved Alex Easton - so soon after the harrowing fungal experience we move to matters of the supernatural and folkloric. Things that mustn't even be believed to be seen and felt in your dreams when you can't tell the difference between asleep and awake.
I don't know how she does it, how Kingfisher weaves all the delicate details and nuance into 160 pages without making it feel like you're drinking from a firehose. We learn even more about Easton's wartime experience and faithful manservant, the redoubtable mycologist, and the ever so colorful villagers. Apart from the horrifying dreams and the creature that stalked them it was delightful.
Many thanks NetGalley, author and publisher!

If you enjoyed What Moves the Dead and the main character, then I recommend picking up this sequel. It's got the right levels of creepy continuing. And I enjoyed how the author put so much personality into the main character and the supporting characters. For me, the characters and the world-building are what make this book and this series so enjoyable.

Disclaimer: This is a translated version of the original Goodreads review (Spanish)

Score: 3.5 Stars.

First of all, I want to thank TOR Nightfire for sending me the ARC of this novel. A year ago I read “What moves the dead”, a book that I loved from beginning to end. You can't imagine my surprise when I found out that there was a continuation of this story, which we now know as the “Sworn Soldier” series.

Being a short story, I can't go deep with the details, because the last thing I want to do is to spoil any part of the novel for you, however, there were a couple of elements that I liked about this book, which I will mention below.

First, I love the way T. Kingfisher manages to transport us to the different locations in his stories. In this case, I imagined touring the house that Alex Easton arrives at after the events of the first book. I liked the feeling of doubt and suspense that he generated when walking through the halls of the house in search of answers about where the person who took care of this place was, and why it seems as if he would never return.

On this occasion, the main threat will be the spirit of a woman who terrifies the town's inhabitants, after hearing about how a legend called "Moroi" comes to life to snatch it from its victims while they sleep.

The characters continue to be a strong point of T. Kingfisher's stories. Being a continuation, we will see a couple of characters return in this sequel, leaving its readers delighted.

While I enjoyed this story, I feel like it lacked more emotion. I saw the end of the novel coming so there weren't many surprises for me. I think that, if it had that surprise factor, I could give it a higher score. However, this is a perfect horror novel to read at night. I have no doubt that the author will make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up when you imagine the scenes that you will discover in this book. I recommend this novel to readers who are looking for a short and concise horror story, but at the same time engaging and entertaining.

What Feasts at Night is the follow-up to T. Kingfisher’s Edgar Alan Poe reimagined gothic novella, What Moves the Dead. Which I loved. Loved, I tell you! So much so that I was beyond overjoyed to hear there would be a book two in the Sworn Soldier series.

I'll reiterate this at the end, but this is hands-down the book I'm anticipating most in 2024. I absolutely fell in love with T. Kingfisher’s writing because of What Moves the Dead, and have subsequently read several other horror novels from her. I love the humor and what seems to be in-depth research she brings into her horror stories. It makes for such an enjoyable read.

I adore the characters in this series, and feel so incredibly protective of them. We have the chance to meet them all again, but the interactions feel too brief for my taste. Miss Potter is a national treasure, Angus a true companion, and Hob the bestest boy. Easton carries this book so well, and is ranked up there with some of my all-time favorite protagonists. What Feasts at Night really gives the reader a look into the trauma that Easton carries, and not just because of what they experienced in book one. We are given insight into their previous life as a soldier, and the things that left a lasting mark. I appreciated this addition, but at times I felt too far-removed from the current situation. It was the lore, and superstitions that I really enjoyed. I won't give too much away, but it's a folktale that I have always been interested in, and was excited to read about.

My only real complaint? It's too short. I wanted more! This hasn't even been published yet and I want another. This felt woefully short. That being said, I adore Easton. I adore T. Kingfisher's gothic horror/fantasy writing, and would read an instruction manual if she wrote it. I couldn't recommend this book more.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for the e-ARC I received in exchange for an honest review. This was my most anticipated book of 2024, and I am beyond grateful I was able to read it early.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for the ARC of this book!

Kingfisher does it again. This book is the sequel to What Moves the Dead and follows Alex Easton on another spooky, "WTF is going on?" adventure. While book one was based on The Fall of the House of Usher and Other Tales, this one takes the already established characters and world and adds in folklore. Seamlessly blending real world events, fictional places, and folklore, this is another great horror read. I would read a whole series of books about Alex Easton and spooky things (although they do deserve a vacation after this book).

Alex Easton returns in a delightful, creepy tale set in Easton's home country of Gallacia.

Easton is still dealing with the effects of war. On top of that they are also dealing with the events of the previous book. Set on some rest and relaxation, Easton heads to the family hunting lodge. Unfortunately, upon arrival, the caretaker is found dead, the lodge is in shambles, and there's a strange sort of silence hanging over it all. Will Easton figure out what happened? Will Miss Potter still be able to visit? And what's all of this local talk about some creature that steals your breath? You'll have to read this to find out!

Even though this book wasn't quite as compelling as the first, it was a lot funnier, but with less horror action. The story was still intriguing and introduced to me to some folklore with which I was previously unfamiliar. If I had to label this I would call it folk horror, but with wit. Easton is a fascinating character and I love their interactions with the lively Miss Potter and the townsfolk.

Overall, this was a delightful novella, even if a little light on the horror aspect. The characters were well drawn, some fascinating, and the razor sharp wit was just the cherry on top.

Highly recommended, especially to fans of the first novella. Let us hope now for another installment!

*Thank you to NetGalley, Tor Nightfire and the author for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it!*

Thanks to Netgalley and tor. Com for a digital ARC of this book.

What Feasts at Night is the second book following What Moves the Dead which was a retelling of The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allen Poe.
You are reintroduced to several characters from the first book and get to dive a little deeper into their lives.

This story takes place in a fictional town where there is a vast history of tales of the unknown are passed down from generations, but our lead MC who is non binary, has been oblivious to these stories and is trying to learn them to figure out if it had anything to do with the odd death of their caretaker.

And from there with Angus by their side and Miss Potter showing up to lend her help the adventure really begins.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this title before it's release date.

I had not read anything by T Kingfisher before I got access to this book, but I am definitely a fan now. I quickly read the first book in the series (which I loved by the way), and the sequel did not disappoint. The novel continues the story of Alex Easton, but this time, with a return home. Alex is faced with a village that is keeping secrets, a house that is acting strangely, and dreams that are not what they seem.

T. Kingfisher has done it again.
Brought back into a world where fungi can possess the mind and turn one mad, we continue on a journey with Alex Easton who is returning to his home is Gallacia after his harrowing experience at the House of Usher.
Upon his arrival to his hometown, he discovers that the caretaker of his lodge has mysteriously died and no one in town is giving him an explanation as to what happened. As he tries to discover the truth, he comes across a tale about a creature called the Moroi. She is an entity rumored to steal the breath of those she has chosen to haunt.
Easton dismisses the existence of such a creature at first until something odd starts to happen to one of his new caretakers…

This book was excellent. It’s a slow burn that creeps up on you with its descriptive imagery and captivating setting. I felt as though I was experiencing everything that Easton felt: dread, fear, and anxiety. The details of his PTSD were so visceral especially when tied to his chronic tinnitus. As someone who suffers with it myself, I could hear exactly what he was describing and it made the anxiety all the more real.

Kingfisher did a fantastic job with this installment of the Sworn Soldier and I hope there will be more in the future.

4.5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.✨