T. Kingfisher returns to the world of sworn soldier Alex Easton in What Stalks the Deep, a truly claustrophobic horror novella that sees Easton swapping Gallacia for the dark caves of West Virginian coal mines. This third installment in the Sworn Soldier series blends gothic atmosphere with witty banter, giving us a tale that is just as eerie as it is humane.
Alex Easton does not want to visit America. They particularly do not want to visit an abandoned coal mine in West Virginia with a reputation for being haunted. But when their old friend Dr. Denton summons them to help find his lost cousin―who went missing in that very mine―well, sometimes a sworn soldier has to do what a sworn soldier has to do…
T. Kingfisher has a knack for crafting this Sworn Soldier stories, but there was something even more refreshing about What Stalks the Deep as Kingfisher takes us to the United States and away from Gallacia. The Appalachian coal mines added contrast between locations that made for a fresh location. There is still a sense of dread like the first two novels, but this one is set more in the claustrophobic dark mines of the United States opposed to Eastern Europe.
While What Stalks the Deep is a horror novella, this is decidedly lighter than the first two entries. With a focus on the mines and what may lay beneath you would think the sense of dread would be at its highest, but it is not always sustained as I would’ve hoped. However, Easton’s humor, wit, and personal fears are still there which gave for more rounded horror story and made the lighter side of things more enjoyable.
Like the first two entries, What Moves the Dead and What Feasts at Night, the novella format gives us a fast-paced, relatively short story without a lot of extra space. However, Kingfisher is able to squeeze in a bit of horror, mystery, and interpersonal dynamics in such a short format to give us a quality and great reading experience.
After reading the first novella, I am always excited to read more about the adventures and mystery of Alex Easton. What Stalks the Deep was a super enjoyable dark, gothic horror with some outstanding characters and a refreshing new location. Although it is horror, Kingfisher wonderfully balances it with humor to avoid being overly bleak. The audiobook, once again narrated by Avi Roque, gave a voice to Alex Easton and added to the reading experience.
What Stalks the Deep hits bookstores everywhere as part of the Sworn Soldier series by Tor Nightfire. The audiobook is available for preorder via Libro.fm!
