Colossus with a Poison Tongue

by Coy Hall

In the City of Saint Ghost, life revolves around an imposing statue, the Colossus, a god cast in bronze. Here is the creator of an alchemical world of priests and soothsayers. But if even the lowliest who live in His shadow are sacred, why is the Titan unable to stem the onslaught of horrors that seep through stone, tunnel in the earth, and bubble in veins?

Why do withered homunculi chew catacombs beneath His streets? Why do golems rise from His clay? Why do devils in copper out think even the most learned of His priests? And why does a blood-boiling plague spare not even the most prosperous of His children?

In this tumult, Calpurnia, Mistress of the Temple of Bastet, slits the caul of her existence, finding the origin of this cataclysmic scourge. She’ll learn one thing above all: This is how the world ends.

Genres: Fantasy, Horror

268 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2024

About the author

Coy Hall lives in West Virginia, where he splits time as a professor of history and author. His books include Grimoire of the Four Impostors (2021), The Hangman Feeds the Jackal: A Gothic Western (2022), The Promise of Plague Wolves (2023), and A Séance for Wicked King Death (2023).

Reviews

[Adam Hulse · Rating 5 out of 5]

What is fascinating about this book is the author's journey to get to this point. We find a tale with one foot in dark fantasy while the other has stepped forward into science fiction. Colossus With a Poisoned Tongue has more in common with the bleak setting and atmosphere of Cormac McCarthy's The Road than the 17th century wonder of Hall's Grimoire of the Four Imposters or The Promise of Plague Wolves.
A tale of devil's, gods, and everything in between. Of false idols and subversion through faith. Hall creates monuments for these fanatical prophets just so he can watch them fall in an instant. This is a story of a future so ruined that it has returned to ancient practices of the occult. It's grimey and grubby in parts like Hall's gothic western The Hangman Feeds The Jackal, but there's also magic on display, which put me in mind of Clive Barker's Weaveworld. Layers that reveal wonders constructed by a confident hand. The setting of Saint Ghost is a sublime example of world building where it's people move under the weight of their traditions and religious beliefs. At first, it felt as though it was a medieval town, but then we find it to have more in common with a dystopian police state. What is particularly masterful is when Hall decides to show us behind the curtain to point out how hollow it is like a theatre prop. This fits in wonderfully with the stories overall message.
To me it felt as though the narrative was exploring the will of humans to seek out just a drop of knowledge from higher powers to build their kingdom upon and how this would ultimately end in despair and death. Blasphemy is revealed to actually just be the hard truth we don't want to consider. The human condition laid bare until we're wondering aloud if we're just all truly alone. Life? Death? Societies come and go. Built up, destroyed, and then rebuilt again and again. All the while, this endless cycle is observed by the true gods and devils. Hall has rolled the dice on an inventive and daring story. I take great pleasure in saying the gamble paid off handsomely.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Coy Hall is an author who often gets lumped into the horror genre; while this isn't an entirely unfair descriptor for some of his work, it also doesn't quite illustrate his style. In fact, I've yet to read anything he's written that strikes me as "pure horror". Rather, Hall belongs to a certain tradition of authors--I would argue Clark Ashton Smith as suitable point of origin--who ignore the commodification of genre fiction entirely, and instead write stories that simultaneously blend tropes from a variety of genres, while ignoring other, expected conventions, to deliver the story they want to tell (as opposed to writing what they think will sell to an existing fanbase). This is both a blessing and a curse: A blessing because, as readers, we are gifted with the work of a true artist. A curse, because it becomes a challenge to determine how to promote/market such books in an era when so much is driven by blink-and-you'll-miss-it social media trends.

In the case of Colossus with a Poison Tongue, a high-level summary alone is enough to make you realize you aren't getting a typical sort of book: in the Earth's future, in the city of Saint Ghost, society has reverted to a religion based upon old, occult ideas (think Aleister Crowley, Dion Fortune, and the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn). Driving this is a fanatical priest and his followers, who worship a giant Colossus statue as their god. Opposing this is a rebel Magus and his band of associates; and stuck in the middle is Calpurnia, Mistress of the Temple of Bastet, who journeys from one side of the conflict to the other... revealing the truth/faults of both extremes.

As expected with Hall, the prose is phenomenal. It is clear he is very deliberate in his word choice, and that he spends a great deal of effort to ensure there are no typos/grammatical errors (which is not a knock against indie publishing: lately this seems to be an issue plaguing releases both indie AND traditionally published).

Those who know my tastes know my enjoyment of a book primarily comes down to its characters. And here, the author has delivered a cast of real-feeling, complex characters. Calpurnia is the MC (although hers is not the only POV we get), and following her development from the starting point to where she ends up - THAT is the heart of Colossus with a Poison Tongue. One of the greatest compliments I can give this novel is that a chill went down my spine while reading the last chapter. To clarify, this was not a chill of horror. Instead, it was a raw emotional response to the notions of hope and possibility felt in the aftermath of the climax.

So who should read this book? Well, calling it "science fantasy" might be the easiest way to sum it up, despite my hesitation to attach any label to the work. Fans of the previously mentioned Clark Ashton Smith will enjoy this, of course. And if names like Jack Vance, Frank Herbert, Gene Wolfe, and N.K. Jemisin give you a tinge of excitement - you are probably the right audience for this novel, as well.

Additionally, it's a relatively short book, only about 210 pages, but not a sentence is wasted, and so it is a complete, satisfying tale (not coming across as trivial or underdeveloped). In a way, this is another slap in the face of genre expectations. So many readers of fantasy and science fiction have come to expect doorstopper-length novels, which in turn are only individual installments within a seemingly never-ending series. When a book like this comes along, it's refreshing proof that length does not necessarily equate to quality.

Although I no longer assign star ratings to my reviews, I give my highest recommendation to Colossus with a Poison Tongue.

[Horror Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely mesmerising and unforgettable, this novel is one of gods and choosing which ones you trust before it's too late.

Set in future where the rain is acidic and can kill you, the waters are poisonous, and modern day technology and beliefs are forgotten in favor of caste systems, it paints a bleak look at a future world.

Gods formed into statues are revered, Mages, priests, soothsayers, and oracles are seen as protectors and the voice of their god.

But what happens when the gods are silent in the face of floods and plagues? This novel beautifully examines this with a story of love, greed, power hunger, and revenge.

The outside world of walled cities are infected and treacherous. Only the most hardened can survive. When a mistress of this city escapes to find her love (who was exiled for treason a year previous) she'll find what she seeks but the horrors of the desolate landscape and the changes it causes in people could be her undoing.

A power mad tyrannical high priest in the city watches as his world comes apart when he is unable to stop a string of occult attacks. The city is plagued with golem like creatures, disease, and a rebellion against his rule.

These story arcs are perfectly connected throughout the book and each is told in vivid detail. The images will stick with you!

Choose your gods wisely because even they can lie and manipulate. This is a fantastic novel and I very highly recommended it!

[Catherine McCarthy]

Knowing Coy Hall’s work as well as I do, I was confident that what I was about to embark on would be a work of historical fiction with a dash of the supernatural, delivered through a mythological lens. And up to a certain point that is precisely what I got. Until I didn’t. Instead my supposition was thrown off tangent when suddenly modern world, magepunk, sci-fi and dystopian elements were introduced making this a cross-genre masterpiece.
With hideously compelling villains and an unlikely hero in the form of a female whore, Colossus With a Poison Tongue delivers a dark and highly imaginative journey through a strange world, a world where homunculi, oracles and soothsayers are pawns among priests and gods.
This might seem a most bizarre comp, but in some ways it reminded me of The Wizard of Oz, but a very adult version. I guess it was the journey, the oddness (especially in the characterization) as well as the symbols and false gods that made me feel that way.
Altogether a very clever piece of work.

[Wayne Fenlon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful work yet again from Coy Hall. Colossus with a Poison Tongue is a tricky one to pin down because it doesn't read like anything else. It kind of feels like historical fiction set in the future, while tackling issues of today. That probably makes no sense at all, but I'm sure you'll see what I mean if you read it. And you should. Coy is pushing himself here. Line by line quality work. There really is a hell of a lot to admire.
Superb.
5 stars.

[Remo Nassutti · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Colossus with a Poison Tongue, Coy Hall dwells on notions of power. From the symbology behind the titular colossus to the promises of alchemy, the characters of this broken world vie for control. We follow Calpurnia, trapped between the influences of an aging prophet and a rebellious priest who ventures from the city of Saint Ghost through wastelands and paradisiacal gardens—each with danger lurking beneath the surface.

As she struggles for her dignity and her life, we explore the corrupting influence of power. Hall does an incredible job of weaving together elements of the occult with a wholly creative vision of a dystopian future. While his work always has a strong emotional core, this novel felt most urgent.

Colossus is a tightly paced story, but we can truly see the iceberg beneath the surface. The many references to history encouraged me to dive into supplemental reading. As a whole, this may have been the most immersive of Hall's novels.

The motif of the mechanical man reappeared in Colossus, this time a benevolent counterpoint to the haunting machines of Hall's Grimoire of the Four Imposters. As a long time reader, I enjoyed spotting this connection.

Like so much great science fiction, Hall delivers a novel that centers on the genre's most important elements, the triumphs and terrors of human ambition.

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Whew! This book is unlike anything I've read before and beautifully written on top of that. Coy has created a deeply complex world full of shocking brutality and dark mystery. This was my first read of his, and believe me when I say I'm just getting started.

[D.S. LaLonde · Rating 5 out of 5]

An outstanding novel set in a dystopian future where technology is mostly lost, the oceans are poisoned, and society has crumbled into individual city states. The citizens worship idols even as greater powers work their machinations outside the city walls. A story of corrupted power and revenge played out in an oppressive world inhabited by well-crafted, unique characters charging along to their ultimate fates. By the time you get your bearings the story is zooming along, going exciting places, but never where you expect.
Highly recommend.

[kenneth m gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Coy hall's latest novel is fabulous. Fabulous in execution, style, content, and the language. This is a story I loved reading, one for the exquisite narrative, second the post apocalyptic tale, itself populated with distinctly delineated characters who view this world from differing vantage points. My favorite being an automaton named Zosimus, the Alexandrian. After an apparent large-scale extinction level event, pockets of mankind have survived. This is one of the better description of after the destruction type story. Man has revived old religions or invented new ones and infused them with the occult.
This is the type of story I take notes so I can later research all the historical details. I couldn't stop the flow of the story to google things. I will definitely reread this book later with a more informed mind.
As always Coy Hall mixes history and horror and creates a one of a kind novel. Men in power using whatever means to retain that power and the common man struggling to survive, but as always there are darker, more powerful things that hide in the deep.
I highly recommend this book for lovers of history, supernatural, and just superlative writing.
I almost forgot to mention the beautiful cover and interior art. The illustrations and story both transported me to another world. Thank you, Coy Hall.

[Allyson Hulett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Coy Hall’s novels get better and better, and the dystopian setting of Colossus demonstrates the vast occult knowledge only he can use, and the horrifying world-building only he can do. A gripping plot, an excellent read. Thank you Coy!

[M.C. August · Rating 5 out of 5]

COLOSSUS WITH A POISON TONGUE is a one of a kind book that centers around a bleak future world that has returned to beliefs in the occult. Hall's prose and storytelling is impressive as usual, and he's a master at expressing death and decay. His world building of City of Saint Ghost is also phenomenal here. And I enjoyed the unexpected profanity as characters insult each other. The illustrations inside the book are equally fantastic and this is another Hall release that I highly recommend.

[Egg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in the murky, Post-Apocalyptic world of a likewise ambiguous, future Apocalyptic event, the world is just beginning to crawl back to assumed civilization. Though the amount of time that has passed is unclear for the most part, there are still artifacts and crumbling structures from the old world scattered around. Some technology has either survived or the skill to create it remains, but it mostly seems to involve what was required to survive the torn and nightmarish world left after the Event: radios, lighting, weather prediction, and such.

Though there are a few “cities” mentioned, the story takes place almost entirely in and around Saint Ghost, where a decadent priesthood obeisant to a massive statue, The Colossus, has arisen. A cabal of priest vie for power and control in a festering façade of civilization teetering on the verge of collapse and trusting upon the dubious words of a looming, effigy of hope as ministered by bitter, selfish, men.

__________

Although, I’ll admit, I did have some difficulty getting into the book, it was because of my own bias. It doesn’t follow conventional norms, and I realized, fairly quickly, I wasn’t going to be able to just cruise through the story as with most books. I was going to have to actually read this one, and it turned out to be well worth the effort. There’s a lot mentioned, but not explained because the characters don’t know or just determine it best not to say. This is fine. The story isn’t about the world, it’s about people and how people are always the same terrible and wonderful creatures they’ve been since creation. I felt very sad for all the characters, even the villains. They’re flawed, terrified, ignorant, animals in a terrible situation. I, as usual, avoided any spoilers, I’ll say: Plato’s Cave comes in many forms.

This is one of the few books I’ve bought digital that I’ve decided to also pick a physical copy. I want it on my shelf.

[M.E. Proctor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phantasmagoria. The word popped into my head the moment I finished Coy Hall’s “Colossus”. I also thought of a Magic Lantern, which actually figures in one scene, and a Hall of Mirrors. All the characters are caught in an illusion. Calpurnia’s is faith, and Sylvester and Mugge mirror each other’s illusions of power. Nothing is solid in the world they inhabit: deadly storms, creatures made of mud, fragile moths, rusting carcasses. In “Colossus” Coy Hall takes the baroque tapestry of “The Promise of Plague Wolves” with its otherworldly creatures and raging diseases, and projects it into a dystopian future that has turned backwards. It is wonderfully disorienting, like a rich and slightly disconnected dream that leaves you with bright images in the morning.

[Savannah Craven · Rating 5 out of 5]

If a picture is worth a thousand words, how many pictures are worth a thousand well-chosen words?

[Damien Casey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t simply compare this one to a few movies. This unlike anything I’ve read. Consider Robin Hood set in the Blade Runner universe directed by Osgood Perkins… I tried… and it failed. Coy Hall has crafted a book that feels like the science fiction epic of Dune, or Hyperion, but set in the book of Eibon from The Beyond. Every Hall book has an atmosphere, you can almost taste the air in his writing. This one tasted like bark falling from a tree and that funeral home in Phantasm. I have no idea what that means, but when you read the book, you’ll get it. I want to tell you if you like cosmic horror this is for you, but that label feels too camp, I want to say sci-fi horror like Event Horizon, but that doesn’t capture the quietness going on here. One thing I will say, that everyone who has read this, and will read this will agree about: it’s a special book… and that Mugge may be the meanest son of a bitch in fiction.

[Josh Hitch · Rating 5 out of 5]

A different dark fantasy

It reads like a dark fantasy with walled cities, gods, idols, and religious hierarchy. However its actually far into the future of a broken world, where there is some machinery but its scavenged. The tale is moved by lust of power between two men, one because he just wants it and the other for mostly revenge. However they are little more than pawns. The tale is great but the world building is what sets the story apart its truly immersive and pulls you in. Always interesting and keeps you guessing til the end.

Highly recommended, its a different kind of tale that plays with common themes but in an unique way. Not read a bad tale by Hall yet, looking forward to diving into more of his works.

[Derek Hutchins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not many books manage to blend science fiction elements and fantasy. Among those who succeed I count The Dark Tower, and Colussus with a Poison Tongue by Coy Hall. Set in the far future where society has been rebuilt after a devastating war, only this society is centered around mysticism and the occult, a world where survivors worship a giant statue and revere it as god. A bleak view of the future that blends apocalypticism and ceremonial magic, for there is magic to be found, even in the bleakest of places, in the darkest of times.

[KDS · Rating 2 out of 5]

This has been somewhat of a disappointment, especially given how much I was looking forward to it. There's unfortunately not a lot I can say that's positive here. It starts strongly with an interesting premise, full of great potential with religious occult, a teased post-apoc world and plenty of magepunk. Unfortunately, it is let down by a plain writing style which is completely unsuited to convey the dark atmosphere and visceral world it so wants to depict, whilst also being unable to penetrate the depths of the subject it wanted to plumb.

In fact this is the fundamental issue - the book doesn't really know what it wants to be. It's future set, but feels medieval, yet the characters dialogue is almost slang in tone. The descriptions barely flesh out the world enough and as a result, there's nothing tangible to grip onto. There's also little engagement with the characters and their motivations simply feel too alien or senseless to care about. The ending when it comes improves things, but isn't deep enough to be thought provoking. It's simply too messy and contrived when coupled with the structureless story that labours in its wake.

There is some genuine horror moments and some unsettling creatures, but again everything is described so plainly that it's hard to feel their power through the pages.

A surprise miss which promised to be one of the year's dark gems.

[Michael Shotter · Rating 5 out of 5]

In his typical fashion, Coy Hall kicks off this blend of post-apocalyptic science fiction, horror, and occultism with aplomb, inserting the reader into the midst of a theocratic city-state's impending collapse in a way that makes the place and its inhabitants feel "real" and authentic in just a few pages.

As the story unfolds, layers are steadily peeled away to reveal the larger world, shaped by the quirks and motivations of its key figures, as well as tantalizing glimpses of what lies beyond the scope of the story and the lives led by those in it who aren't movers and shakers. This further solidified the aforementioned sense of place and authenticity such that by the book's end, I felt as though I'd spent a meaningful amount of time in the world and been made privy to the details of pivotal events that profoundly altered it.

In "Colossus with a Poison Tongue," Hall's collapsing far-future world contains a mishmash of otherwise incongruous elements, surviving remnants of our possible near-future, present, and antiquity, cobbled together into a society that "functions," or at least serves to delay the entropy seemingly taking place outside its walls.

The story's central themes are those of power, specifically that cultivated and lost via religions and the trappings of the occult. The author makes several interesting observations about such things but in ways that feel organic and not too heavy handed, which results in a satisfyingly thought-provoking tale that feels less like it's trying to suggest how the reader should think about such things and more that it would be wise and beneficial for them to do so for themselves.

"Colossus with a Poison Tongue" isn't what one might call a "feel good" story, with its weighty premise and tone, but it isn't completely hopeless or nihilistic either, offering the reader far more to ponder than the utter display of pointless and perpetual despair it so easily could have devolved into. Ultimately, for me, that's the real magic of this tale, and why I'd wholeheartedly recommend it to just about anyone who enjoys any sort of speculative fiction. Thus, if you've never experienced Coy Hall's unique style and voice as an author, I believe this would be an excellent place to start.

[Regan MacArthur · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great, dreamlike read that's guaranteed to haunt the reader for a long time. I'd call it a story of the Apocalypse, except that it's got more than one. Where other authors would stretch the action out over five or six books, Coy Hall gives us the best bits in one slim volume.
 
𝐶𝑜𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑠 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑎 𝑃𝑜𝑖𝑠𝑜𝑛 𝑇𝑜𝑛𝑔𝑢𝑒 is a dark fantasy/sci fi/occult horror book. It's got sharp dialogue, vivid characters, and some action-horror sequences that'll burn themselves into your mind like a brand. The story is set in the future, but civilization has fallen so low that the era might as well be called the Dark Ages. The story begins in a walled city called Saint Ghost, a place ruled by an enjoyably despicable religious figure named Lancelot Mugge. Mugge is a cruel yet pathetic middle-manager type I could see being played by Rowan Atkinson in a movie. Mugge gets the funniest lines.

The main character, Calpurnia, is a religious official as well. She's a temple prostitute, but her heart belongs to Sylvester Wrenn, a man who has been exiled from Saint Ghost by Mugge. What's Wrenn been up to while he's been out in the wilderness?

It's not long before Wrenn's revenge plot kicks into overdrive and Calpurnia has to flee the city, the only place she has ever known, for the post-apocalyptic landscape. From then on, she travels a twisting, dangerous road, not knowing who or what to believe in.

This story has monsters and magic and enough mayhem to outdo the Book of Revelation. I never knew what was going to happen next. If a reader hasn't experienced a book by Coy Hall before, I think 𝐶𝑜𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑠 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑎 𝑃𝑜𝑖𝑠𝑜𝑛 𝑇𝑜𝑛𝑔𝑢𝑒 would make an excellent place to start.

I found myself thinking of classic horror movies often as I read along. It has to do with the characters in the book. I kept imagining them being played by the likes of Christopher Lee and Vincent Price and Bela Lugosi. I don't know exactly whom I'd want to play Zosimus, but his speech about what power does to people is just begging to be spoken aloud. Fantastic stuff.

[Sarah Huntington · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this is going to be a long and mostly incomprehensible review, that will possibly only make sense to me.
Many years ago, my Grandma asked me to read the Bible. I will not share my views about that, lest I insult an entire large mass of people, but, I did like revelations. I was reading a lot of Arthur C Clarke at the time, and read Childhoods End. I realised that particular book might be a futuristic/ technological take on revelations, complete with the Rapture. Reading Colossus with a Poisoned tongue reminded me of that memory, for reasons I'm not sure I can explain properly.
There was the story, the plot, the characters, but then there was so much more happening. Like a boiling point beneath the words where everything had a deeper meaning. Metaphors in a sentence or paragraph, that to me, held two meanings, as in, it was part of the story but also a statement. The hero's journey aspect too, was captivating. This book was expert level at mixing genres so perfectly, that a whole new genre was brought to life. I think this is likely the most unusual and unique story I've ever read. Because of the author's talent, the writing always feels like I'm reading a fictionalised version of actual history. So much so, that it made my brain a little dizzy and I had to remind myself that I was in a story. It's hard to say more, without spoilers. It was elegant, and intelligent, dramatic and complex, but also hopeful. I feel like that Meme, where that guy is trying to explain the plot of something with a backdrop of complicated equations. Also worth mentioning is the sheer amount of knowledge needed in a person to create a tale like this. Remarkable and beyond impressive. I think Coy Hall will end up with a huge cult following and I will be one of them.

[S.J. Shank · Rating 5 out of 5]

Colossus with a Poison Tongue by Coy Hall is a remarkable post-apocalyptic novel with a twist. Set in "a future society based on Renaissance occultism," the book is a sort of grisly science fantasy that also deserves to be called horror. Featuring a cast of soothsayers, harlots and automatons, the story is absolutely unique and the world-making lush (and I'm sure packed with hidden symbolism that I missed). Coy Hall's power of invention are on full display. Highly recommended!

At first, the story reminded me of the decrepit dystopias of Jack Vance and Gene Wolfe, but the longer I read, the more my mind turned to Tanith Lee. Like all these writers, Hall approaches his world-making with abandon, unbounded by trope or convention. But what is particularly Lee-esque is how he inflicts the cruellest vagaries on his characters, resulting in a resolution that is all the sweeter.

[Mark Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like nothing I’ve read before.

Coy’s latest is both a dystopian nightmare and a medieval tale of men usurping Gods. It tackles the rise of AI through the guise of golems, covid via the four horsemen of the apocalypse, religion as the lost embracing false idols, all sprinkled within a cosmic horror lens.

His prose is captivating and poetic, ugly and stark, punchy and disturbing in equal measure. An example of this is describing in great detail a hidden eden beneath the ground to then switch to a ritualistic torture of a man made to eat himself. I don’t know many writers who can write so lyrically at both ends of the spectrum.

If you like historical fantasy with a gut punch of horror, then this is the book for you.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

You can't pigeonhole this book. It reads like a history novel but is in fact post-apocalyptic. And where it is set also feels fluid, initially, from the description of the priests and religion, it had the sense of ancient Egypt, but then you get Calpurnia and immediately you settle for ancient Rome vibes. Regardless, this is a dark, occult novel telling a tale of the pursuit of power and how it corrupts those who seek it. Cosmic elements creep in alongside golem and demons leading to a fantastical and engaging tale. This is a little gem of worldbuilding and one which I think has possibilities for future work.

[Laurent Carbonneau · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed my too-short time with this, enough to think that this could have benefited from more breathing room. It's very readable and very dense - in the sense of there are lots of ideas at work that grab you instantly and leave you wanting more. The denouement feels too abrupt, in a sense, since you haven't had time to form as much of an attachment to the particulars of Hall's world, and some characters remain broad sketches more than realized individuals. "It's really interesting and I wanted more of it" feels like a somewhat churlish critique, but here we are.

[Shem · Rating 5 out of 5]

my takeaways:

-starts off feeling like a medieval horror but by the end, it's definitely more like post-apocalyptic grimdark occult horror with a tiny dash of cosmic horror. the world is gritty, brutal, violent, and broken. it's a society that's reverted back to the times of city-states, occultism, and religious idols; when man's ambition defies natural law and order.

-only about 240 pages long but it's really well paced, not a single sentence or word is wasted.

-prose and storytelling is easily the best part.

overall, this book was a hardcore 4.5

[Julien L · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every Coy Hall horror book I've read has felt like a Castlevania game: horror elements tinged with other genres, and this one feels pretty goddamn Castlevania. What I really like too is how Wrenn is a mirror of The Magus, and that they're both equally shitty people. It sets up this Robin Hood premise and flips it on its head, and becomes commentary on the abuse of women. Good stuff.

[Robert Kluver · Rating 5 out of 5]

Colossus With a Poison Tongue presents a vision of the far future where Middle Age ideas of gods, priests,and piety persist. There’s intrigue and suspense (and some gnarly gore) as Calpurnia navigates a doomed world. It’s a unique, wonderful read that feels both timely and timeless.

[Wintry Monsters Press · Rating 5 out of 5]

A struggle for power over religion. Magic and clay men. Gods and devils. The occult. There's a lot of world building here for a short novel; so much more could be told if Hall decided to return to this history he's previewed at another point in time.

[Patrick Stanley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome Novel! Great occult renaissance setting in 2471.
Awesome characters some human some not. Amazing!
5 Stars!