The Black Hunger
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4.7 • 3 Ratings
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- $6.99
Publisher Description
A spine-tingling, queer gothic horror debut where two men are drawn into an otherworldly spiral, and a journey that will only end when they reach the darkest part of the human soul.
“A gothic masterpiece. A devastating exploration of humanity's capacity for evil." – Sunyi Dean, author of The Book Eaters
John Sackville will soon be dead. Shadows writhe in the corners of his cell as he mourns the death of his secret lover and as the gnawing hunger inside him grows impossible to ignore.
He must write his last testament before it is too late.
The story he tells will take us to the darkest part of the human soul. It is a tale of otherworldly creatures, ancient cults, and a terrifying journey from the stone circles of Scotland to the icy peaks of Tibet.
It is a tale that will take us to the end of the world.
"A phenomenal book full of rich historical detail, occult mysticism, and slow, creeping horror. A triumph that should be on your reading list." – Thomas D. Lee, author of Perilous Times
"The Black Hunger reveals its horrors inch by devastating inch." – Molly O'Neill, author of Greenteeth
"A terrifying gothic journey to the place where the very cruelest, hungriest creatures hide in the snow, and wear our faces. This is a magisterial debut." – Michael Rowe, author of Wild Fell
"Rich in historical detail, poignant romance, sweeping adventure, and visceral terror." – Jennifer Thorne, author of Diavola
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Pullen debuts with a decades-spanning, culture-intertwining work of gripping queer gothic horror. In 1921, John Sackville, the son of an earl, recounts his tale of loss and despair from within the confines of an asylum. His life story moves from turn-of-the-century England to colonial India, where John relocates with his longtime lover/manservant, Garrett, before eventually winding back to recount how, in 1870s Scotland, a woman is presumed mad for her bizarre theories about her husband's death. Connecting these threads is the Dhaumri Karoti, an ancient and supposedly eradicated Buddhist sect who, according to legend, consume human flesh. The stakes are astronomically high, both because of the death cult and the risk involved in a queer relationship in British society. Frustratingly, the character of Garrett exists more to fulfill the lover archetype than as a fully drawn person. Still, the tension, drama, and depth of historical detail will keep readers glued to the page. With echoes of such classics as Bram Stoker's Dracula and Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, this is an ambitious and largely successful endeavor.
