The follow-up to T. Kingfisher’s bestselling gothic novella, What Moves the Dead.
Retired soldier, Alex Easton, returns in a horrifying new adventure.
After their terrifying ordeal at the Usher manor, Alex Easton feels as if they just survived another war. All they crave is rest, routine, and sunshine, but instead, as a favor to Angus and Miss Potter, they find themself heading to their family hunting lodge, deep in the cold, damp forests of their home country, Gallacia.
In theory, one can find relaxation in even the coldest and dampest of Gallacian autumns, but when Easton arrives, they find the caretaker dead, the lodge in disarray, and the grounds troubled by a strange, uncanny silence. The villagers whisper that a breath-stealing monster from folklore has taken up residence in Easton’s home. Easton knows better than to put too much stock in local superstitions, but they can tell that something is not quite right in their home. . . or in their dreams.
The series
In a world where shadows linger longer than daylight, a soldier who has left the battlefield discovers that danger and mystery are never far behind. The Sworn Soldier series follows this journey through forgotten estates, misted forests, and remote villages where the ordinary masks the uncanny, and every familiar path can conceal something strange or threatening. Each story unfolds with carefully drawn characters, unexpected companions, and histories that refuse to stay buried, blending suspense, quiet humor, and a haunting atmosphere that grows heavier with every page. The landscapes themselves feel alive, echoing with folklore, whispered secrets, and subtle menace, while the soldier’s perspective grounds the extraordinary in human resilience, wit, and curiosity.
Read full series description
As the series progresses, the narrative expands into intricate webs of intrigue, exploring how choices made in quiet moments can ripple through lives in ways both terrifying and illuminating. Shadows in abandoned halls, forests that seem to breathe, and remote villages that harbor ancient grudges all come alive under a storytelling style that balances tension and reflection, dread and darkly comic insight. The protagonist’s journey is as much inward as outward, revealing how courage manifests not only in confrontation but in observation, patience, and the quiet determination to understand what others overlook.
Blending dark fantasy, gothic horror, and introspective character moments, the series invites readers into a world where the uncanny is woven seamlessly into everyday life, where folklore and superstition are never far from reality, and where every encounter, human or otherwise, carries weight. With richly textured settings, morally complex characters, and a pervasive sense of suspense that is never forced but quietly insidious, this is a journey that lingers long after the final page, drawing readers to return to its mysterious corners again and again to uncover new layers of wonder, danger, and the subtle power of resilience.
Be the first reviewer
Sign in and write the first reader review.
