Oh our poor Alex Easton on another terrifying adventure. Not only does the PTSD of the war plague this poor man, but also the events that occurred at the Usher's home.

I have not read the prequel novella What Moves the Dead, but this sequel does not rely on you having done so. Any references or knowledge needed from the first novella are explained clearly and directly. The plot in no way ties into the first, though it uses repeat characters.

I enjoyed how natural the inclusion of non-binary identities in this fictional world, seen most directly in this book through religious and military context. In particular, I loved Alex Easton (non-binary MC) and their narrative voice. They directly address the reader at times (acknowledging that they are writing this story down), but it’s always engaging and not immersion breaking. Their worldview, experiences, and overall personality were endearing.

I also found Kingfisher’s depiction of PTSD and tinnitus, and how they wove into the encounter with the moroi, original and engaging. Overall, this was a well-written, fun, spooky adventure, and I think many will enjoy it.

I enjoyed this story but not quite as much as the first book. This was much more of a slow burn thriller and took me a bit to get into. Overall if you liked the first book I would still recommend this one.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

We rejoin Alex Easton and Angus, returning to a family hunting cabin in Gallacia. They make a grim discovery and are forced to find alternate assistance from the nearby village, where they hear disturbing tales of a supernatural lean. This installment digs deeper into Easton's war experiences, the relationship between Angus and Easton, and gives background on both characters which enhances the story flow.

This was incredibly different from What Moves the Dead, but I loved it just as much. The only problem I have with this is waiting for the next installment, with what tiny amount of patience I posses

"What Moves the Dead" is a reimagining of Edgar Allen Poe's "The Fall of the House of Usher". It's well written & super creepy. Reading it, the story felt very familiar, but I couldn't pinpoint why at first. I thought it was because I had read Poe's work, but then I read the author's note where she talks about "Mexican Gothic". That's when I realized this is why the story felt familiar. "Mexican Gothic" is one of my fav books, & Kingfisher's story has similarities to it. That being said, "What Moves the Dead" is its own story & I really enjoyed reading it. In it, we are introduced to a character named Eaton, who is the narrator. I really loved Eaton & was thrilled to read his continuing adventures in "What Feasts at Night". Eaton is well developed & he has a unique voice. He feels very real to me & I could picture him as I read the book. This 2nd book also is creepy, but there is some humor in it as well. I definitely recommend reading both.

This was just as gripping as what moves the dead. It wad very good and is sire to be a hit with readers within. This genre

T. Kingfisher is one of my favorite authors, and has been since her web publishing days. What Feasts at Night is a follow up to the wonderful What Moves the Dead, which first introduced sworn soldier Alex Easton and their allies. Alex is a fantastic character. This novella follows them as they head back to an old family hunting lodge in Gallacia so that they and their manservant Angus can host Miss Potter as she spends her days mushroom hunting. Alex hasn't been back to the lodge in years, and things have declined in their absence. The most recent caretaker died under mysterious circumstances that the townsfolk seem reluctant to discuss. Meanwhile, Alex has begun having some very strange dreams.

The trio of Alex, Angus, and Miss Potter is still a delight to read about. In this story they are joined by a local grandmother who agrees to serve as their housekeeper, and her slow but steady grandson, as well as the local priest. Complicating the new mystery is Alex's ongoing struggle with ptsd, and reluctance to believe that they have encountered yet another horrific mystery. Like the previous story, this is a quick read with wonderful characters and a fantastic historically adjacent setting. I will read as many of Alex Easton's adventures as Kingfisher would like to write.

What Moves the Dead was my book club’s first group read and I was SO excited to find out there was going to be a sequel!

Another incredible 5 star from T. Kingfisher for me. They always nail storyline, character development, and gothic/eerie/haunting atmosphere.

As with What Moves the Dead, you must go into this read in an appropriate head space. If you’re looking for a thrilling horror that drags you into the woods by your toenails- this isn’t it. This is a tale that slowly seeps into your bones and your being and haunts you in unexpected ways.

Thank you Tor Nightfire for the ARC of What Feasts at Night. I can’t wait to snag a physical copy for my collection!

I loved What Moved the Dead and was very excited for this next novella. I was a bit underwhelmed as the pacing felt slow and not much happened. I did like the eerie feel to the reading. I was excited to read about some of the old characters that I loved and also meet some new likeable ones.
THANK YOU to Netgalley for the ARC of this book!

Following their harrowing ordeal at the house of Usher, Alex Easton has returned to Gallacia in hopes of finding rest within the the dark woods and their family's secluded hunting cabin. With their companion Angus along for the journey, Easton soon finds that things in Gallacia are not as they once were.

The hunting lodge, for one, has been left in shambles.
The beloved caretaker is dead.
And word has it that something terrifying is lurking in the deep wood, hiding in the shadows of the autumn chill.

"What Feasts at Night" boasted a promising premise as the follow-up to T. Kingfisher's novella "What Moves the Dead." While beautifully written and delivering an atmospheric setting, "What Feasts at Night" shows that its predecessor may have, regrettably, been such a home run because of the foundation (in Poe's "Fall of the House of Usher) it had to stand on in the first place.

"What Feasts at Night" felt tedious and dreadfully slow until the last 30% of the story; not saying much for such a short novella. And even then, its horror elements felt underdeveloped, rushed, and not nearly as impactful as those found in "What Moves the Dead." While T. Kingfisher's characters remain compelling enough, they couldn't fully redeem this second novella for me.

After completing What Moves the Dead, I wasn't sure if I would ever be able to breathe (or sleep) normally ever again. Anytime I spotted fungi they would stop me dead in my tracks and my brain would tell me to run! Then I found out that this little gem was being released and my body started to tingle. I just knew that I had to read this and I couldn't request this fast enough. I think I burned a hole through my phone's screen.

Should I cry now or cry later? This really pains me to say this, so I'm just going to come right out and say this. This bored me and it really wasn't my favorite. (Hides head in shame) I adore this author so much with her creepy tales but this one didn't do anything for me. Things really didn't pick up until the last thirty percent. For being such a short tale the story should have taken me almost instantly like her others have. It just didn't. *sigh*

What Feasts at Night has a hauntingly spectacular cover and one I would hang up on my wall. The story just didn't do it for me. Very slow-paced and not enough action to hold my full interest. I'll still read books by her because who wouldn't?

Like many others, I was absolutely fascinated by Kingfisher’s WHAT MOVES THE DEAD, so I was incredibly excited when I heard we would be getting a follow-up. And while I admittedly don’t remember much of the events of the first novella, this one felt even more intimate and heart wrenching (in all the best ways). For me, this was a quieter kind of horror, not the kind that necessarily makes you scared when you go out at night but the kind that gets told around the fire like a folk tale and you only remember once it’s too late. It’s as much of a character study more than something that’s distinctly scary, although the author’s prose is decidedly haunting long past when you first read it. Easton’s descriptions of their time as a soldier is endlessly fascinating and although I can’t account for its truthfulness, it certainly feels intimate and real. If you enjoyed the first iteration of Sworn Soldier or you’re looking for something gothic and a little bit horrific to pick up, this is definitely worth the read!

Though it’s never discussed explicitly in our terms (it’s certainly built into the world of Sworn Soldier), there’s something about these books that is so innately queer, from the concept of the sworn soldier to the fact that God’s Gallacian pronouns are apparently Ha/Har.

This novella is like historical folklore, almost surprising in the fact that it’s not real than anything. The worldbuilding is innately complemented but the character building along the way, with the author using the real world as a mold to create something decidedly its own. The way that Easton talks about PTSD (or soldier’s heart) and other facets of being out of the war but never escaped from it makes this novella so much more than just a haunting little story, even if it’s definitely that. It’s a little finicky and different from a lot of what I think I typically read, full of superstition and old-country style vibes, but an enjoyable read all the same.

What Feasts at Night by T. Kingfisher is a great eerie Gothic horror novella. It’s the second book in the Sworn Soldier series, but can be read as a standalone. Although I would recommend reading What Moves the Dead, both of these books are excellent!
This is another great story of Alex Easton, a retired army soldier, that inherits a hunting lodge in Gallacia. Many believe it is haunted by a Moroi, a demon that crouches on your chest while you sleep and steals the breath from your lungs.
I loved this book and definitely would recommend! This book comes out on February 13, 2024… You can pre-order now!
Thank you NetGalley and Tor Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Somehow, despite having only having 3 goodreaders following me (my friends), NetGalley and T. Kingfisher’s publishers were kind enough to give me an ARC for this incredible sequel. I could kiss them all square on the lips!

I LOVED “What Moves the Dead” and I’m very elated to say the same for “What Feasts at Night.” It has wonderful blend of genres like its predecessor, and contains juicy and morbid content that automatically pulls me in and spits me the fuck out. Read this damn book y’all. I will be preordering a physical copy 🤪

Also this book has Hozier vibes. If you know, you know!


Edit: I love the iOS game “Year Walk.” I can confidently say that this books is probably the most similar book that I know of. It is very atmospheric, hauntingly beautiful, downright creepy, and full of folklore. No wonder I love this book so much!

Kingfisher has a lot of strengths as a writer, foremost of which is her ability to evoke an atmosphere. I was crunching dead leaves and staring up at gray skies right along Easton and Angus as they trudged through the woods, and I too had trouble gasping for breath while Easton walked in the dream realm. She also wrote a very thoughtful, sensitive description of what life is like for a soldier, even after everyone around them insists the war is over. I look forward to more adventures with the Gallican soldier.

Another winner from T Kingfisher! I was delighted to revisit old characters as well as to meet some new ones in this story. A quick and engaging read that I simultaneously didn’t want to put down and didn’t want to end.

"What Feasts at Night" by T. Kingfisher continues the chilling adventures of retired soldier Alex Easton, who is still recovering from their traumatic experiences at the Usher manor. In this horrifying new adventure, Easton is drawn back to their family hunting lodge in the cold and damp forests of Gallacia.

The novella sets the stage for a suspenseful narrative as Easton arrives at the lodge, only to find it in disarray and the caretaker dead. The atmosphere is shrouded in an eerie silence, and the villagers' whispers of a breath-stealing monster from folklore add to the growing sense of unease. Despite Easton's rationality, there's an acknowledgment that something is amiss, both in the physical realm and within the realm of dreams.

T. Kingfisher's storytelling in "What Feasts at Night" seems to blend the uncanny with the psychological, exploring the thin line between folklore and reality. The novella promises a continuation of the atmospheric horror introduced in the previous work, "What Moves the Dead." As Easton confronts the mysteries within their home and grapples with the strange occurrences, readers are likely in for another gripping and spine-chilling experience.

If you've had the opportunity to read "What Feasts at Night," feel free to share your thoughts on how T. Kingfisher builds upon the atmospheric horror and psychological elements in this continuation of Alex Easton's story.

Kingfisher is absolutely brilliant at creating atmosphere. Add in the fascinating characters and you have an amazing story. Highly recommended!

I so enjoy the character of Easton and Kingfisher's voice in general. This was another wonderful adventure with just the right amount of spooky, visceral descriptions.

I was lucky enough to be able to read this before its release date, and I found the book quite enjoyable. I would give it 3.5 stars, as there were some aspects I didn’t enjoy or didn’t think were necessary, but overall the book and the story itself were good! In my opinion, there was a lot of world building and explaining that I didn’t actually find all that important to the story itself, and it was a little slow getting to the action and the thriller/supernatural aspect of the book, but once it got there, I really did enjoy it.

I did not read What Moves the Dead before reading this and I didn’t find the story hard to follow at all. There were only a few mentions of the previous book that I didn’t understand, but it wasn’t a deterrent and didn’t effect this story whatsoever. After reading this I do think I’ll be going back and buying What Moves the Dead so I can read that as well. If you want a short, spooky, supernatural story, this is the one for you!