**Review for NetGalley and Interstellar Flight Press in exchange for ARC**

Sam Kyung Yoo's debut novel is about a spirit detective, Han-gil, whose career goal is to track down and eliminate soul-eating spirits. The plot points largely relate to Han-gil's spirituality and work with other practitioners.

The length and pacing was perfect for the content. I think this would work really well as a short series, or even a comic book series- the front cover illustration gives the book a lot of character and makes me wish that there were even more images from the artist. Oftentimes I feel that other novellas tend to have all the action bundled up in one spot, but there was a consistent flow throughout in this.

Character-wise, I again feel that just enough is given to be satisfying for this novella. Han-gil's relationships with supporting characters help drive the plot forward and prevents the action scenes from feeling empty or low-stakes.

I think a glossary would have been helpful since there are many new (to me) terms that are used. They are of course explained quite well initially, but sometimes I do need a refresher. Other than that, I enjoyed learning about stuff that I didn't already know.

Seriously did not spot a single grammatical or spelling error; also did not feel like there was an excess of sentences at all. Really well-edited.

I hope to see more works from this author in the future!

Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to read this in an exchange for an honest review!

As a big k-drama fan, especially supernatural/paranormal ones, I was pretty excited to come across this. Yes, it was short obviously because it was a novella, and some worldbuilding was definitely missing. I could see this turning into a series of novellas to expand on the world and characters and I hope this is something the author considers! I really liked the characters and was engaged with the story the whole time. I finished this in one sitting and had a blast reading it. I definitely recommend this as a short but fun read for anyone who likes k-dramas or Korean culture in general!

I really enjoyed this beautifully-written book about spirit detectives in South Korea, facing a terrible, soul-stealing creature and their own traumas. The writing is elegant but never snooty; the characters are well-developed and change and grow over the course of the narrative; and the exploration of multiple Asian cultures and their interactions with one another is handled without pedantry. I highly recommend it.

Small Gods of Calamity was, in short, a brilliant read.
This novella (I believe it to be a novella) follows Han-gil, a detective who takes on otherworldly spirits. Particularly, worm spirits, which most of the spiritual community seems to little about--except Han-gil, and his adoptive sister Azuna. Han-gil is haunted by his past, particularly by the death of his mother, which he witnessed in the wake of an attack by one of the worm spirits. Now, as he hunts down a killer who is possessed with one, Azuna puts him in contact with Yoonhae, one of the only survivors of a worm spirit possession. Yoonhae, who as a child, passed a worm spirit to Han-gil's mother.
There is plenty on interpersonal tension, if you like character driven stuff. There's also plenty of tension from the plot, which moves along at a brisk pace. It's short and sweet, pulling the reader through dozens of emotions (the ending made me cry a little, ngl), ending on a positive note for all the main characters. It's a hopeful story, about loss and love, about letting go of the past to move forward with life. It's about perseverance and forgiveness.
It also touches on a lot of really triggering topics, such as self-harm, suicide, loss of sensations, depression, transphobia, loss of control, and more. None of this feels as if it is there for shock value, and is often presented as very frank, honest manner. The way the characters react and process these topics feel real and honest, contributing to the story and their characters.
I'd love to see more stories from this world. I feels like many supernatural/urban fantasy detective stories--chief among them the OG Hellblazer comics--in the way it blends social issues, personal struggles, and the rightrope walk of mystery and fantasy elements key to making a story like this work.

Out of Context Emojis: 🌊🪱🐇🏳️‍🌈🎮📋

Immediately grips you with the investigation, you won't want to put this book down. I absolutely adored the setting with urban fantasy routed in Chinese, Korean & Japanese mythology. I'd love to read more of this world & characters on a new case. If you enjoyed the idea of K.K and the investigative team in Ghostwire Tokyo and want that expanded upon but in Seoul, then this is for you.

Han-gil is a great protagonist, his banter with Wonshik at the start whilst addressing rumours was top notch. There's plenty of LGBTQIA rep in this book and starts off with Han-gil being Bi & Ace. This was awesome, always looking for more Ace rep in books.

Many thanks to Interstellar Flight Press and NetGalley for my first eARC.

This was a great novella, with little distractions and surprises. The storyline was very linear and straightforward, exploring the characters more than trying to overcomplicate what works.

Picking this up, I was able to read it in one sitting - the writing flowed well and was broken up into nice satisfying chapters to allow easy reading.

There is definitely a lot in the small novella that could lead to more in the future - and I would gladly read those too! A very interesting world has been introduced, which I would love to see more of.

Overall, the story is more a 4.5 but with everything in mind and potential it is definitely a 5.

This was a refreshing novella. It was intriguing and in the same genre of Kat Richardson, whom I enjoy. I am always interested in the ghost superstitions in the Asian communities. It was a short and sweet. If I had to suggest one thing though, there is some discrepancies in Yoonhae and being able to speak when afflicted both as a child and as an adult. There are several contradictions through the piece that makes this unclear. Other then that it was good.

A very enjoyable read that introduced me to the paranormal/spirit genre. It was easy to follow the storyline as it read like a short movie. The characters were also interesting to follow along with as they sought to find the truth.

Sam Kyung Yoo, Small Gods of Calamity. Interstellar Flight Press, 2024. Pp. 151. ISBN 978-1-953736-28-4.
By Julie Reeser
Small Gods of Calamity is a debut novella by Sam Kyung Yoo. Yoo has had a short, but illustrious, short story career publishing in magazines such as Fantasy and Strange Horizons with work showcasing themes of East Asian folklore and ghosts. This foundation has served them well for this strikingly emotional urban fantasy.
The novella is set in Seoul, a landlocked city. Kim Han-gil is investigating an apparent suicide when he smells the sea. This is his first clue that his past has once again caught up with him, and that the death at his feet is something much more sinister. Because that smell isn’t actually the sea, it’s a spirit.
A misunderstood detective with a traumatic past is a dime-a-dozen, and normally wouldn’t be enough to catch my attention, but the mystery of Han-gil’s past and the unusual magic in this novella grabbed me hard and wouldn’t let go. I am not one for copaganda, and neither is Yoo. The main protagonist is an outsider of a different variety to his colleagues. While he might be a bit of a vigilante, it’s not for the typical violence or misanthropy. It’s to save lives from things that his fellow police can’t see and don’t believe exist. His coworkers don’t just ignore him though, they tease and taunt, and generally make Han-gil’s life a lonely one.
Han-gil can sense spirit energy, and with the help of his adopted sister, he performs exorcisms and banishes the malevolent who would harm the living. Every partner he’s assigned leaves, and everyone at work thinks he’s lost his mind. He’s resigned to being a social outcast, working on his own, and he mostly tries to ignore the taunts and whispers of his peers. He has more important, compassionate, things to do. While this might be admirable, it’s also one more weight in his pocket as he tries to tread water. Without help, Han-gil is going to sink, and this deep character arc brought me immense pleasure as a reader. When the help that he needs turns out to be the person he blames for his grief and loss, I couldn’t stop reading.
There is a whiff of martyrdom from some of the characters, but Yoo never crosses the line all the way. This is a particularly important point because the flip of the misanthrope is the martyr, and neither would be as interesting as the sincere. Yoo’s delicate threading of this needle raises this novella to a higher plane for me.
The pacing is spot-on and tight, with every scene advancing either character or plot without losing the emotion or depth. Yoo pairs water with grief throughout the novella, and it is careful choices like this that really make the novella shine. The amount of detail was just enough to satisfy me while still leaving me wanting more. I actually stopped reading early on to sit in admiration of how deftly Yoo handled a lengthy phone conversation. This might seem a strange moment to admire, but phone dialogue is one of the hardest scenes to write well, and rarely does it evoke the powerful character imagery as Yoo does here.
I loved the rituals and magic that Yoo meshed together for this fictional Seoul. The sensing of different souls, or spirits, was very cool and unique with each practitioner having an idiosyncratic manifestation. As someone who is particularly sensitive to smells and sounds, this gave me a bit of a thrill. I love it when a magic system feels possible, especially in urban fantasy. The spirit wards crafted by the characters were also beautiful in concept and execution, and I found myself coming back to this magic system over and over long after I’d finished reading. I hope this becomes a series because I’d like to read more of this kind of magic.
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the trans rep in this novella. Yoo shows some of the pain that a trans person can often experience, but it never felt exploitive or performative to me. Yoo does what so many other authors don’t--the trans characters are integral and secondary, just like any other demographic. Is there pain and sadness for any of the trans characters? Yes. Are there trans characters living their best lives? Also yes. From victim to physician, each trans character had their own truth. More of this, please.
I don’t know if it’s possible to categorize a paranormal murder mystery with some body horror as cozy, but Sam Kyung Yoo has gotten as close as I think is feasible with Small Gods of Calamity. The perspective of a compassionate cop who tolerates the negatives of the system because it’s the best way he can save lives, to the gentleness with which we are shown how to forgive the impossible puts this novella at the top of my comfort reads. Highly recommend.

It never fully connected for me. I'm not sure if I just struggled with the characters and not bonding with them or what exactly was the issue. It was good otherwise.

Full circle

That's how I would describe the story. But before going into details about the plot, it is important to mention some content warnings, since the book does not have them.

—Mention of mental illness
—Suicide
—Insult to trans people
—Attempted murder of a child
—Toxic work environment

So, if any of those situations could be a trigger, please read this book with caution.

Anyway, as I mentioned at the beginning, the story is a full circle and focuses on two main unknowns:

1. Who is the person possessed with the spirit worm
2. Know how Shin Yoonhae is related to the death of Han-gil's mother and the spiritual worm.

To solve/understand these unknowns, you have to pay attention to the details.

It all begins with the first case of suicide and the investigation that leads Han-gil and his new partner Wonsik to discover what is really happening.

In the process we discover what Han-gil's life is like, both work and personal, and we see that his other colleagues don't have a very good opinion of him and… well, he doesn't have a personal life. His only close relationship is with his adoptive sister.

We soon discover who is behind the suicides and who are the next potential victims and the motivation behind those choices. We also understand who Yoonhae is and his involvement in everything that is going on.

Something that disappointed me a little is that, in my opinion, Wonsik and Han-gil's detective work is left as a loose end. It is not mentioned if he intends to continue working at the police department, or if Wonsik and HG's working relationship is saved and HG will begin to trust his partner.

Another thing is, as the story progresses, tension builds around the method they will have to use to exorcise the spiritual worm, mentioning that it is something theoretical that they have never tested before. But in the end that tension leads to nothing. It all happens pretty quickly and with few hiccups.

The truth is that I expected a little more calamity to happen.

But in summary, it was a good book, I really liked it. It makes good use of cultural resources in relation to not only Korean beliefs, religions and spiritual practices, but also a bit of Japanese and Chinese beliefs as well. I liked the diversity of its characters.

An excellent book.

Small Gods of Calamity follows supernatural detective Han-gil as he follows a spirit that took the life of his mother years ago. He’s seen as an oddball by the rest of the police force, and is actively avoided by most, so he leans in his adopted sister, another practitioner of the supernatural, to help. But when she is too far away to help with his next case, she sends help in an unwelcome form: the boy who, years ago, his mother healed, in turn passing the spirit over which ultimately killed her. He has an affinity for detecting spirits and energies, and their forced companionship has Han-gil reassessing his feelings for him.

Kyung Yoo’s novella is a study in how to set up a story and characters in a short time, where each word is essential and because this was done so well the reader is able to connect deeply with what is happening even in a short time. Even though a lot of the background to the story came from the internal thoughts of the main character, it’s balanced with enough dialogue and sharing of the world that it doesn’t feel like a ton of info dumping.

My only complaint about this story is that there isn’t more of it! Though well written, I wanted to see more of Han-gil’s story and am eager to see what comes next in the fine line he treads between the real and supernatural. It was a great first taste to what is hopefully an expanded world and story in the future!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I couldn't have started my reading year any better. Small Gods of Calamity is pure perfection!

The novella is mainly told by Han-gil's pov, but we do have 2 (I think?!) chapters told by Yoonhae's perspective. Han-gil is an excellent main character to follow. He's highly intelligent, very resourceful, compassionate, and with some big traumas that keep him up at night. I do love competent characters, and Han-gil embodies that so much. He's creative and invents new methods and new items all the time, which he definitely deserves so much more credit for. However, he's being ridiculed and has been the center of many rumors that have tainted his reputation at his job and in the spiritualistic world, ever since his ex-partner stumbled upon an exorcism and hurt himself and Han-gil. I loved how the author portrayed Han-gil as a survivor with scars, both literal and metaphorical. He has nightmares and insecurities that stem from his past, but he still pushes through. He's kind but not social, and I found that so endearing. He's trying, okay? Talking to people isn't that easy lmao.

Did I mention that he's bi and asexual??? And it's not the main center of his life, just seamlessly part of his life?

Yoonhae is also a great character, and I wished for more chapters with his perspective. Well, I wish for more chapters of this story, in general, but Yoonhae's perspective is so different from Han-gil's. Yoonhae is light and calm, whereas Han-gil has a more intense warmth to him. Yoonhae deals with survivor's guilt and child's neglect, which don't allow him to see how great he truly is and how far he's come. He's sorry for bringing so much pain to Han-gil, and even his parents, even though it wasn't his fault. He's just so good, you know? Like purely, innocently good.

I loved both Han-gil and Yoonhae so much!! Though, I have to say that I loved everything about this novella a lot. The prose is precise and sharp with a crispiness that I miss a lot in fantasy books. It doesn't have that flowery prose that oftentimes makes me wonder what the author means lmao. It cuts to the point, and it is compelling. I couldn't stop reading even if I wanted to, and I certainly didn't want to! The worldbuilding is lush and fully vivid, and since this is only a novella, it's very impressive. The author explains about the spiritual world, the ghosts/spirits, and the worm spirit without making it an info dump. We're provided with all the information we need in the same crispy and precise prose, and I really liked it!

Another important element of the story was Han-gil's bond with his sister. They have such a deep love and deep understanding of each other that makes everyone in awe of it.

But what I didn't expect from a novella was the deep nuance and social commentary that came with it. I don't usually take quotes, but this novella is soo good, and it has resonated with me so much.

"She's my older sister," Han-gil says.
Wonshik blinks. "You were in speaking in Japanese, though."
Han-gil feels incredibly tired. "Yeah, because she's Japanese. I'm adopted."

You'd be surprised by how many assumptions people make and how often we are asked to explain our entire lifestory so others can understand it through their assumptions and curiosity. Something similar to the case above even happened when I was on vacation, as if our background is anyone's business....

"It's not like it's Yoonhae's responsibility to educate him or anything."

Some people who mean well sometimes believe that it's the authors' or other people's duty to explain and educate them on things they don't know much about, and while it's good that they wish to learn it, it's not others' job to educate them. Do your research and don't expect others to do it for you...

I loved this novella so much, and I wish it was a full-length book. It's become one of my favorite stories, and I already want a dozen fanfiction stories to be written for this. The characters, the prose, the setting (Seoul with a spiritual world!!!!!!), and the social commentary make this novella PERFECT! I loved everything about it. Please buy it!!!

And I definitely need to read anything this author has ever written and will ever write. Sam Kyung Yoo is a talent nobody wants to miss!

I Got an eArc from NetGalley, this is probably not the final version of the story.

This was my first time reading an eArc from NetGalley and this book called my attention immediately, I'm not that into paranormal investigation books so I thought it would be interesting in this new year to start to exploring new genres, this one was kinda interesting, I really liked the protagonist right from the beginning, the book is set in South Korea and have some influences and characthers from China and Japan in it's worldbuilding. I do have to agree with some other reviwers, even thought it's short, it can drag a little bit. Once the final version of the book is released I do plan on reading again to see if this middle part gets better. Because the story was interesting and I do hope we get to see more of these characthers in other books.

I requested this book because it sounded like an interesting premise, but I could not anticipate how it would blow my expectations. This novella is an urban fantasy that intertwines east asian culture, a thriller murder mystery and parasitic monsters.

The supernatural elements are seamlessly integrated into the urban landscape of Seoul, creating a unique setting for Detective Kim Han-gil, a detective with a side-hustle of trying to exorcise soul eating parasitic worms that seem to be undetectable to anyone but him. He is both misunderstood in the magic community and at work, but he keeps trying to do the right thing and exorcise these demons. I knew I was going to like him once I read the last phrase of chapter 2:

“Han-gil just waves dismissively. He’s officially exhausted his communication stamina for the day."

The pace of the story is quite fast, as expected of a Novella that includes as much story and context as this one, but it has the right pacing overall. It slows down perfectly in the right moments to show us flashbacks of what brought the characters to this point. The change of pace and tone once we get a perspective from a different character was a really nice touch as well.

An honorable mention goes to the description of the different character’s souls and how they were perceived by different people who somehow could feel/see/hear/... them. It really made me wonder about the different colors, tastes, feelings and smells. More than that, the description of how they were perceived was detailed enough to paint the picture, but left just a bit of room for your mind to fill in the gaps.

The only complaint I have is the one I usually have with Novellas: I felt like it ended right when I was connecting with the characters. I wanted more: more about the Han-gil’s detective partner, who surprised him time and time again by not listening to rumors and trying to help; more about Azuna, as she seems like an amazing character that could be so much more; even more of Yoonhae and why he was able to do what he does.

My main critique and something to take into consideration is that this is a urban fantasy with a side of murder mystery. But it is just a side, as the entire thing is not the only focus of the story and it was quite predictable. However, the fantasy setting more than makes up for it!

Overall, I really enjoyed this beautiful story about grief, guilt, forgiveness and making peace with our own demons.

Thank you very much Interstellar Flight Press and NetGallery for providing me this ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

4.5
This was my first read of 2024, and I loved it! Knowing a tiny bit of Korean helps, but it's not needed to enjoy the story. This short novella fits a lot of world-building into it, and I was honestly fascinated by it the entire time. The characters felt unique and like real people; their motivations were easily understood. Han-gil is an interesting protagonist and it was fun to slowly learn more about him and his motivations as the story progressed. This story feels like something that would translate well into a television show or a webcomic! This plot is very well-paced, there were only one or two moments when it slowed down oddly, and even then it was barely noticeable. The story arc is well done and the ending wraps everything up. The only thing that hamstrings this story's weight a little bit is the length! I know it's a novella, so obviously it's going to be short. But I feel like it was longer, they could have had the time to flesh out the world a little bit more and explain precisely how some of the elements of the story work. However, this might just be because I want to know more details of how spirit sense works and why every person's way of perceiving spirit energy is different. I honestly really liked this story, and I really hope there's more written about these characters and this within this story world!

I actually liked the book quite a lot, it was just way too short. It ended where other books just get started. Well, I'm hoping for a second part.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

This novella manages to pack a lot in.
Kim Han-Gil is a detective who also can sense the supernatural. He is not respected by his police colleagues or there larger community with connection to psychic affinity, but seems to be the only one who can sense these inimical worm spirits parasitically possessing people and killing them.

I enjoyed the setting in Korea and what seems to be Korean folklore influences. There are some heavy topics- a trans character who is not accepted by her family after gender reassignment and suicide references. Took be several pages to get into the narrative, but the length ultimately left me wishing for a bit more. I could see potential if the author wanted to write more with these characters.

I liked the growth of the main character. The plot was engaging. The growth of the two main characters was interesting to me.

Small Gods of Calamity by Sam Kyung Yoo is an upcoming gem that's not talked about enough. This book should be getting more press. It's urban fantasy with the backdrop of Korean folklore and set in modern day Seoul.

The novella opens with a suspicious death, with ghosts who can only speak using smoke, and with the smell of the ocean. Detective Kim Han-gil is haunted by the smell of the ocean and the past. He's doing his best but sinister worm spirits might get the better of him. To make matters worse, his sister, more of an expert in exorcising spirits than he is, is in Japan.

Small Gods of Calamity is a story about personal history and how it influences the present, about resentment and coming to a more nuanced understanding of the past. It's also about forgiveness and letting go, too. Most importantly it's about family and friendship and the family you find. There's great queer and ace rep, great friendships and found family dynamics.

I know this book hasn't even been released yet, but I really want a sequel. I want to spend more time with Han-gil, Azuna, and Yoonhae. I want more stories set in the world that Sam Kyung Yoo has created.