This was a slower paced follow-up to What Moves the Dead, heavy on character development and atmosphere -- it read more like an interlude than a fully fleshed-out novel or novella, but that seems intentional and I definitely enjoyed being back with these characters and this voice!

I didn’t love the first one and truthfully am u familiar with the original book this was based in, overall this was fine but I’ll probably sit out the rest of the series

Kingfisher is quickly becoming a favorite of mine. This is a sequel to _What Moves the Dead_, which was a new take on the "Fall of the House of Usher." This work is less of a re-telling (or if it is, it is not a work I am familiar with), and is in my opinion, even better than the first in the series. This was mysterious without being confusing (which seems to be a hard line to balance) and kept me engage throughout the whole book. The supernatural elements were woven in smoothly so as not to strain my credulity with any one event. I liked (and disliked) the characters as the author seems to have intended. The likable characters were not *so* good as to be unbearable and the dislikable characters were presented as still having redeemable qualities OTHER than likability. The book was tightly plotted and very enjoyable.

There is a single sequence of horror in this book so beautifully described, so perfectly nightmarish and evocative, that it's stuck with me a week later. (The cover of the book evokes it nicely.) I really like the protagonist here, and the worldbuilding, with all its odd and specific pronouns (including for gods!), and the occasional passage like that, of just incredibly striking emotion and impact. But I wish the dramatic finale here had anything like that impact! After all the buildup, the resolution of this story comes so quickly and easily, so slightly, that I assumed there had to be more to it. One of those books that I wish was a few chapters longer, not just because I enjoy being in this world, but because it felt a bit incomplete by the end, given how much of the action here is just leadup and low-key life incident, and how quickly the central conflict arises and disappears.

Sworn Soldier Alex Easton is back to face the terrors of the night, this time in their homeland of Gallacia. Alex and their friend and companion Angus go back to Alex’s hunting cabin to prepare for a visit from their friend, mycologist, Ms.Potter, to find it abandoned, their caretaker dead from a lung ailment that he seemed to catch in the cabin. Rumors abound regarding a legendary creature that steals the breath of their sleeping victims. Can Alex and their friends stop the creature before it’s too late?

T. Kingfisher’s remarkable prose makes for a wonderful reading experience. Descriptive in a smooth and flowing way that makes time fly by with each page, this book is lush with dark imagery. The reader will feel like they are there in the forest on cold days and nights facing an unknown threat, along with its characters. Yet the humor of Alex’s unique viewpoint keeps things just light enough to give this folk horror novel feel a cozy and warm. For its short length, What Feasts at Night is an all-immersive experience that treats the reader to a journey where supposedly mythical creatures live and have the power to steal lives. The worldbuilding was excellent, and sure to captivate readers who love folklore and reading about the legends of particular countries, real or created in the mind of the writer. Kingfisher has such a way with creating quirky and imminently lovable characters that will stay on the mind and in the heart long after the story ends. There needs to be more stories. This reader is not ready to say goodbye to Alex and friends.

Alex Easton and their friends return to us in the much anticipated sequel to What Moves the Dead. This time Easton, Angus, and Miss Potter are visiting Easton's family hunting lodge in their home country of Gallacia, expecting a calm vacation after their debacle with the Ushers and their sentient mushrooms. Instead, they find the lodge's caretaker dead and the nearby villagers whispering about a moroi -- a breath-stealing spirit -- haunting the grounds. Persistent as ever, the crew find the only two people willing to live and work there while they all enjoy their getaway, only to find themselves questioning the validity of the local superstition when odd things start to occur and people start to get sick.

The success of the first book I'm sure led to the inception of the sequel, but it really didn't feel like a sequel aside from it being the same characters. The setting was different physically compared to that of the first book, but it has a very similar aura. It was more bitter and still than the swampy dankness of the Usher's tarn, and the rundown cabin compared to the medieval manor create a different world. Both have a similar ambience with the unsettling undertones though. Both buildings are broken down and worn, and are thought ill of by the local villagers; There is isolation and macabre that parallel between the books. Though this is of novella length, the conflict really took a bit to rev up, and similarly to the first book, the true horror came much later in the book than expected.

I received this ARC in e-book format in response to reviewing the first installation What Moves the Dead. The story itself wasn't particularly difficult to read. More than anything there was just a lot of messy, seemingly unedited writing throughout that was distracting or irksome. That, however, may also be due to this being an advanced copy; Editing often happens in-between the release of ARCs and the official publication. I think that this book was written with a lot of intentions in mind, for all of these things to be successfully conveyed they either needed to be pared down or the book needed to be longer.

Overall, I took away a lot of interesting epiphanies about what I think is necessary when writing a sequel that I hadn't thought about before, even when studying it. It also spurred a few creative ideas of my own. Online, it seems like those who have already read T. Kingfisher works or What Moves the Dead very much enjoyed this book.

OMG this was an amazing second book to the sworn soldier series. The imagery was horrific and gothic and unsettling and amazing. I loved having Alex and Angus back in my life. The focus on PTSD and tinnitus in Alex was also well done. Also the moroi and folklore involved in this novella was so well done as well. Moroi are creepy AF and now I won't see moths the same way. I'll leave that there. Oh, and horses.

We're back for another story of Alex Easton, who is headed to her family lodge and is in for a surprise. Upon arrival she and Angus find the caretaker Codrin has died in their absence and the town talks of a demon of nightmares that stalks the grounds.

T.Kingfisher was inspired by Edgar Allen Poe. Now some people like Austin or Dickens, but I hold Poe to be one of the best classic writers of time. It all comes down to atmosphere. A good Gothic Horror should have a setting as ghostly as its monster and as much a character as its hero, and Kingfisher delivers.

In the opening pages, it's implied that Alex is a she, which surprised me. (I'd been calling her he, up until she announced that her father had no sons.) She is an interesting character, war heroine, naive skeptic, and altogether force to be reckoned with when pressed. Her chaperone/sidekick Angus is always steadfast in his support and Miss Potter, a quirky companion, returns to analyze her mushrooms in a new location.

Kingfisher writes a second fast-paced, gripping mystery as good as the first. You can read it one sitting if you've got the time or savor it slowly if you don't.

This was... okay. I really adore the main character, but this story lost the magic and unsettling nature that the first novella had. It felt like it was trying to chase that, but always just missing. The lead up took so long that the actual spooky parts of the book raced through and were over in a second.

What Feasts at Night is the second installment to T. Kingfisher’s Sworn Soldier series. In this novella we continue our story with the young Alex Easton as they head home to Gallacia to host their close friends Angus and Miss Potter. Easton arrives to their family hunting lodge to discover the groundskeeper has passed and the lodge has fallen to the wayside. Easton is perplexed at this discovery and learning more about the groundskeeper’s passing makes it all the more mysterious. Local legend is now deeming the property cursed and Easton now must replace the keeper along with host their friends. Will this curse be the same as the last at the Usher house or are we unraveling an entirely new ailment?

This was another great addition to Kingfisher’s list of novels! It gives you all of the same feelings reading the book as it does looking at the cover! It’s fast paced and captivating. It’s grotesque but oddly charming. The ending is great but it really likes to throw its last punches to leave you thinking about long after it’s over. I’m a T. Kingfisher stan and I just can’t imagine a book that would be bad! The gore and the icky feeling while reading it scratches and itch most fantasy authors just can’t seem to reach. I enjoyed the characters and the setting. It’s a great read for a cold and rainy day! Maybe, just don’t read it before bedtime. Who knows what will haunt your dreams…. 5 stars!

... I think a reader could conceivably start the series with this second novella, although that would mean missing some of its impact and a fair number of references. However, although this is labeled a horror series, I found this sequel significantly less horrific than What Moves the Dead; it’s more of a dark fantasy. So if fungal fiction gives you the shudders, you may want to forego the first book and start with What Feasts at Night instead (a few mushrooms are mentioned here, but they’re not menaces).
... Unlike What Moves the Dead, which riffed on The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe, What Feasts at Night does not appear to be based on any particular work of literature ... That’s fine; using Usher as a springboard may have helped launch the series, and I had wondered if other stories in the series would continue riffing on other old horror works, but with the character complexities and historical backstory now well established, there’s more than enough to build new stories on without borrowing from others. Not that I would mind that; I loved What Moves the Dead and how it addressed and revised some of the more problematic elements of the original Usher tale, plus all the original elements that Kingfisher added.
... As always, Kingfisher does a wonderful job immersing the reader in whatever environment she’s describing; I was reveling in the description of the countryside from the first page.

Really great, creepy horror story. Love the gothic feel and the amazing character dynamics. Highly recommend for gothic horror fans.

"What Feasts at Night" is book two in a series. For me, it was written well enough that I didn't feel like I missed anything SUPER important by jumping into book two. If anything I was curious about plot, character development but it did not hinder the experience of reading this title.

Alex, a retired soldier, returns to his family's lodge. Upon learning his property caretaker died in mysterious circumstances, Alex is stubbornly determined to enjoy the lodge and wilderness. Quickly a horror adventure unfolds in dream or better described-- nightmares.


I enjoyed this title because it was short. I love a good short read. Humor is a driving force behind the main character, and the plot. I enjoyed the fairytale-ensue setting. I would recommend this story to horror and fantasy readers alike. I would also recommend this story to readers dipping their toes into the genre of horror/fantasy if they haven't dived into it before. An easy read that has made me curious for more installments.

Thank You to Netgalley for the ARC of this book and TOR Nightfire for providing the title.

It’s not mushrooms this time. Not that there isn’t something creeping around the old hunting lodge that retired soldier Alex Easton inherited from their family in the remoter parts of their native Gallacia. And not that Easton isn’t still experiencing PTSD and a whole, entire and entirely justified case of the collywobbles at even the thought of anything that might possibly have to do with mushrooms after the fungus-powered monstrosities in Easton’s first outing, What Moves the Dead.

In fact, after the events in What Moves the Dead, it’s not at all surprising that Easton is searching for a bit of peace and quiet. It’s just a surprise that they’ve gone home to Gallacia to find either of those things. Because it is clear from Easton’s opening remarks regarding this trip to their homeland, the whys and wherefores of the whole thing, and their thoughts and feelings about Gallacia and anything to do with it that they would much rather have stayed in Paris.

As Easton makes VERY clear on the way to that hunting lodge they haven’t visited in the past ten years, at least in the conversation they are having with themselves inside the confines of their own head, they are feeling very put upon by this whole trip. Their reluctance, at least, is apparent in the conversation they are having aloud, the one between themselves, their very good horse Hob, their batman and general factotum Angus, and Angus’ mustache, which seems to convey rather strong opinions of its own in spite of not actually being able to say a word.

Besides, it’s all Angus’ fault. Well, Angus’ fault as well as Easton’s own sense of propriety – no matter how much they’d like to let THAT go hang itself at the moment. Because Eugenia Potter, that redoubtable English mycologist who so ably assisted them with the fungal infestation in the House of Usher in What Moves the Dead, has been invited to Gallacia to observe the local fungi, with Easton as her ostensible host.

Honestly, it’s to further Miss Potter’s romance with Angus, but no one is admitting that. It wouldn’t be proper.

Easton planned to arrive at the lodge a few days ahead of Miss Potter, expecting to find the place in reasonable shape, just needing a bit of restocking and tidying up. That’s how Easton remembers it from the last time they were there. But Easton also remembers a caretaker taking care of the place, a caretaker that Easton has been paying a salary to for years and years, and as recently as the preceding month.

So, it’s obvious when Easton and Angus arrive that things are not quite what they expected. The house is a mess, the caretaker is a few months dead, and no one seems to be willing to be employed to help Easton and Angus get the place cleaned up and cleaned out, in spite of the good wages in hard currency that Easton is more than willing to pay in this poverty-stricken village where those things are seldom seen or even heard of.

Which is the point where Easton should have rescinded the invitation to Miss Potter and run back to Paris as fast as their horse’s legs could carry them. Because there’s something uncanny about the caretaker’s death, and there’s something dangerous haunting the old hunting lodge.

At least, this time, it’s not mushrooms.

Escape Rating A-: I’m not sure whether to say that What Feasts at Night isn’t quite as creepy as What Moves the Dead, or to say that it is even creepier. Let’s say I’m creeping along that fence and not sure which side I’ll fall off onto.

What Moves the Dead was a creepy story that turned out to be a bit more scientifically inclined than anything that happens within it might lead the reader to expect.

What Feasts at Night, very much on the other hand, reads much more like a fever dream story about pneumonia and PTSD. Or a ghost story about PTSD. Or a nightmare about a ghost that’s strangely cured or killed through PTSD that only masquerades as being about pneumonia. Or all of the above.

The fever dream aspects of the story, particularly as the pneumonia, or the wandering local vampire/ghost creeps its way into the dreams of both Alex Easton and the grandson of the bitter old woman they finally manage to hire to take care of the house, manage to both make the story even creepier AND slow it down at the same time. Because for the longest time not much happens except in dreams and that’s not a quick process until the end. Not helped at all by the fact that no one local will really EXPLAIN anything about what might be happened, and Easton clearly didn’t get told the right stories when they were growing up.

But at that point, where the dream and the ghost and Easton’s PTSD all emerge on the same battlefield, it’s chilling and riveting and every frightening thing the reader has been expecting all along. It just feels like it takes a while to get there. But then, that’s what dreams do.

One thing that does kick the story along, frequently, often, and with more than a bit of a rueful laugh, is that it’s clear from the volume of conversations that Easton has with themself that the author has never met a Fourth Wall she wasn’t more than willing to batter her way through head first, whether using her protagonist’s head or even her own.

Which is one of the things that made listening to What Feasts at Night so much creepy fun, as the narrator, Avi Roque, has a rough, smoky voice that is perfect for Easton as it lets us inside their wry, sarcastic, self-deprecating head even as they tell both themselves and us that they realize that they should have known better at so many points along the way of the story they are now telling, if only they hadn’t let their logic get in the way of observing what was actually happening around them.

I enjoy Alex Easton’s voice, even when I’m not nearly so certain about the story they are telling. Horror is not my jam, but in this case I’m here for the characters, and Easton’s perspective is compelling even when the story they are in the middle of is creeping me right the hell out.

You know, not only do I love that this has turned into a series, but I enjoyed this one more than book 1.

I love the dynamic between Alex and his crew. The widow added another amusing layer to an already fun cast of characters. I enjoyed how the story seemed so normal until it wasn’t. There’s a bit of ambiguity at play here that is done extremely well.

There’s a creepy feeling that surrounds the entire cabin, from the animals on the wall to each of the steps the widow takes in her superstitions. It’s the perfect setting for things to go awry.

Another super satisfying read from one of my favorite authors.

What Feasts at Night is the second book in T. Kingfisher's remarkable Sworn Soldier series. I found the first book, What Moves the Dead, a bit creepier, but I thoroughly enjoyed this one as well. This series is a wonderful blend of history, horror and my favorite, humor. The cover art is enthralling - beautiful but oh, so disturbing! They go perfectly with their books. That's what caught my eye in the first place and made me want to delve into these books. You don't have to read the first book in order to enjoy this one, but I highly recommend it. You don't know what you've been missing!

Alex Easton, a Sworn Soldier, just wants some rest and relaxation after the horrendous goings on at the Usher manor (What Moves the Dead). They feel like they've survived another war. They just want sunshine, but as a favor to his batman Angus and Miss Eugenia Potter, they instead go to the family's hunting lodge in the cold, damp forests of their home country, Gallacia. Something is wrong right off the bat; the caretaker is dead, the lodge is in a mess and the grounds are very quiet. The villagers believe a breath-stealing monster from folklore is living on the grounds. Alex doesn't believe much in local superstitions, but they feel like something is wrong at their home...and in their dreams.

T. Kingfisher has quickly become a favorite author of mine. This series is absolutely riveting; I hated that I had to stop reading in order to go to The Bad Place (AKA "work"). Alex Easton is a great lead. They are a retired sworn soldier, having seen much death and destruction during war and suffers from soldier's heart (PTSD). After fighting fungus in What Moves the Dead, now they are dealing with a moroi from folklore, which is a woman who sucks the breath out of you and kills you. (Fighting fungus? What could possibly be scary about that, you might be thinking. O-ho, you definitely need to find out what moves the dead!) I love Alex's great sense of humor - inner musings are especially entertaining - and their relationship with Angus and Hob. Angus was Alex's batman during the war, and is their faithful companion (who occasionally can be quite mouthy), and Hob is Alex's horse who has quite the attitude. I was quite happy with the reappearance of Miss Eugenia Potter, the mycologist (studies fungus) who loves to paint mushrooms. Alex and Angus brought Miss Potter to Gallacia to paint as a thank-you for her help in the past fungus adventure. Angus is apparently quite fond of her, and their interactions with each other are funny and sweet. Two new characters in this story were the Widow Botezatu, who comes to cook and clean for Alex, and Bors, the nice young man who does work around the lodge. The Widow was particularly entertaining; tough soldier Alex seemed to be a bit afraid of her! I loved the mixture of gothic horror and humor. As with the first book, my only problem with this one was the pronouns. Alex goes by they/them/their pronouns, plus here we have ka, va, etc. They interfere with my rhythm of reading the story; when I come to them I stumble and have to go back and read the lines again to get back into the flow. Other than that, I'm hooked on this series. I hope we have plenty more opportunities to check in with Alex and company!

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.

**4.5-stars rounded up**

What Feasts at Night is the 2nd-release in the Sworn Soldier series by one of my favorite authors, T. Kingfisher. When I read the 1st-book in this series, What Moves the Dead, an atmospheric reimagining of Edgar Allen Poe's The Fall of the House of Usher, I believed it to be a standalone novella.

Having loved it as much as I did, imagine my surprise when I learned we were going to be getting more stories following the witty, charming and delightful MC, Alex Easton. Alex has quickly become one of my favorite character perspectives to read from. Kingfisher channels her signature sense of humor beautifully into this character and reading their perspective feels like you are sitting with a friend, as they tell you the most horrifying vacation stories ever.

In this installment, Alex, along with some of the best side characters ever, including Hod, Angus and Miss Potter, travel to Alex's family's hunting lodge, deep in the dark, cold forests of Gallacia. When they arrive the rest and relaxation they were hoping for is impossible to find, as the caretaker has died and the property is in disarray.

The local village is a titter, claiming that a breath-stealing monster, coming in the cover of night, has taken up residence at the hunting lodge. While Alex generally doesn't put much stock in local rumors, or the monsters of lore being real, having just survived what they did at the Usher manor, it's hard to write off the possibility entirely.

Soon things that Alex could have never imagined, nightmare-like situations, begin to become reality. Maybe something is going on in the lodge after all?

I loved this. I'm already excited to read it again and to get a hard copy for my shelves. I'm not sure what the plans are for the Sworn Soldier series, but I truly, truly hope this is not the last we are going to see of these characters.
Whether there is one more to come, or sixty more, I am here for them all!!

Kingfisher succeeded again in making me care so much about these characters and what was happening to them. Even though this is just a novella, it packs a punch. The atmosphere, plot progression and horror imagery, were all so well done. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys a dark, gothic story, following fun and engaging characters. If you enjoyed the first book, I definitely think you will love this one as well.

Thanks to the publisher, Tor Nightfire and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review.
I will be keeping my fingers crossed for more Alex Easton!!

Creepy, Queer, and Keeps You on Your Toes. 5/5 Stars.

This sequel. Amazing. I have no words. Just kidding, I have some words. I LOVED What Moves the Dead. It was horrifying and traumatizing in the best way, and Kingfisher wrapped up the story with SCIENCE (albeit slightly unrealistic science). I knew I would love coming back to these characters and seeing what crazy, creepy, potentially-fungus related shenanigans they got up to next. And I was NOT disappointed. The slight decrease in dubiously-realistic science was more than made up for with Alex Easton's SASS. Also Miss Potter and Angus. Just them. And Bors. Absolute perfection in the form of a 150 page novella. This one will stick with me for a LONG time.

What Feasts at Night allows us to return to the side of Alex Easton as they travel back home to Gallacia in order to check up on their old hunting lodge that has been in the hands of a caretaker known as Codrin. Upon arriving at the loge, however, they find that Codrin is nowhere to be found and the lodge has, for all intents and purposes, been abandoned, with Codrin nowhere to be found. When they ask around, they discover that Codrin had died, and that there are rumors circulating about a creature known as the moroi who steals people's breath...

What I liked: The dry, witty voice of our protagonist and narrator, Alex Easton, remains front and center in this book and made for a highly enjoyable reading experience. I felt Kingfisher did a great job of capturing Alex's struggles with PTSD and how those effects have continued to impact their everyday life, all while incorporating the trademark humor and cleverness of the narrative voice. I also continue to really love Alex and Angus' friendship and how well they are able to understand and be there for one another in all the unique ways they both need it. I really liked the new characters introduced in this book as well, such as the Widow Botezatu and her grandson, Bors, who come to work at the hunting lodge and bring some vibrancy to the story with their distinctive personalities. The horror elements of this book were a bit muted, but still wonderfully creepy and unsettling in all the ways Kingfisher writes them best, and I loved all the inclusions of various Gallacian folktales and superstitions, as I felt they added some more color and intrigue to the story.

What I didn't like: This book was a bit on the slower side, and it honestly felt a bit more like it was just 'going through the motions' rather than bringing a lot of new ideas to the table. If I look back on this book and try to recount what happened, I feel like there's really not all that much to say about it, and while that's not always a bad thing, it just feels like something was missing from this story. Kingfisher's writing is always excellent, but this book lacked a little of the energy What Feasts at Night held. I also missed that we didn't get to spend just a bit more time with the delightful Miss Potter, as I really enjoyed her in the previous book.

Although this isn't what I'd consider one of my favorite T. Kingfisher book, it's still a very solid short horror novella that has plenty of humor, creepiness, and interesting characters to keep things entertaining.

T. Kingfisher has done it again with this addition to the Sworn Soldier series. Alex Easton travels to his home country and finds more than he bargained for with a horrifying folktale come to life. I absolutely loved this edition to the world and hope for more stories set in it.