What do you think?
Rate this book
Gunmetal Gods
Death Hymns of Homara
Ah, traveler… come closer. Sit by the fire. Hear my story.
Once, I was a khazi — a holy warrior sworn to the tenets of my faith. But the gods cursed me with an unnatural hunger for blood. So I hunted the wicked, telling myself that if I killed only the deserving, I could still be a righteous man.
One night, I was hunting a woman who murdered children.
She delayed her end by telling me stories. Of mad sultans and eldritch abominations. Of fallen angels and doomed cities. And with every tale, I began to wonder whether I was her executioner — or her audience.
Once, I was a khazi — a holy warrior sworn to the tenets of my faith. But the gods cursed me with an unnatural hunger for blood. So I hunted the wicked, telling myself that if I killed only the deserving, I could still be a righteous man.
One night, I was hunting a woman who murdered children.
She delayed her end by telling me stories. Of mad sultans and eldritch abominations. Of fallen angels and doomed cities. And with every tale, I began to wonder whether I was her executioner — or her audience.
- GenresFantasy
388 pages, Paperback
Published January 27, 2026
14 people are currently reading
147 people want to read
About the author
Zamil Akhtar
15 books488 followersThe Gunmetal Gods Ultimate Collector's Edition is launching from Nov 14 to Dec 5, 2023! Check it out here: https://bit.ly/gunmetalgods
Get your FREE copy of Death Rider, a standalone novella in the Gunmetal Gods series, by joining his mailing list at https://ZamilAkhtar.com
When Zamil was fourteen, he moved from the dry, dune-spotted Arabian peninsula to the hilly, arctic wasteland that is Western Massachusetts. He despises the cold, isn’t very fond of the sun, and prefers spending all day indoors mashing the keyboard in the hopes something great will come of it. When not dreaming up dark and fantastical journeys, he enjoys binging horror movies, wasting precious time arguing about international relations on Reddit, and occasionally traveling somewhere exotic. He currently lives in Dubai with his loving wife and his badly-behaved pet rabbit.
Get your FREE copy of Death Rider, a standalone novella in the Gunmetal Gods series, by joining his mailing list at https://ZamilAkhtar.com
When Zamil was fourteen, he moved from the dry, dune-spotted Arabian peninsula to the hilly, arctic wasteland that is Western Massachusetts. He despises the cold, isn’t very fond of the sun, and prefers spending all day indoors mashing the keyboard in the hopes something great will come of it. When not dreaming up dark and fantastical journeys, he enjoys binging horror movies, wasting precious time arguing about international relations on Reddit, and occasionally traveling somewhere exotic. He currently lives in Dubai with his loving wife and his badly-behaved pet rabbit.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
Read
January 27, 2026This is my first standalone novel. It's out now!
Want to read
January 4, 2026Love the cover art! I can't wait to pick this up. I absolutely loved the prequel novella. I read it in one sitting I was so hooked. Picking up the main series very soon and am very much looking forward to it!
Want to read
February 20, 2026Love the cover art! I can't wait to pick this up. I absolutely loved the prequel novella. I read it in one sitting I was so hooked. Picking up the main series very soon and am very much looking forward to it!
March 12, 2026
Novella: ★★★★ — 4/5
Book 1: ★★★★★ — 4.75/5
Book 2: ★★★★★ — 4.5/5
Book 3: ★★★★★ — 4.9/5
Book 4: ★★★★★ — 4.9/5
StandAlone (5): ★★★★★ — 4.75/5
*Death Hymns of Homara* is a masterful and unsettling prequel to the Gunmetal Gods series, set over five centuries before the events that ignite the main saga. Yet despite the centuries separating it from *Gunmetal Gods*, it feels intimate, yet essential, and very much foundational—like the marrow beneath the bones of the what is the later story. This is a story of a very special holy warrior-khazi; it is structural, slow, infecting fever like suspense with the cruelty, obsession, and cosmic stakes of the main saga still felt. The world is pitch of light by night - where consequences that bleed across centuries can seem easy now. What elevates the writing is Akhtar's relentless insistence that belief must be proven through action. Characters are not defined by what they claim to believe, but by what they choose to do when every option costs something vital.
At the heart of the novel is a central figure who feels terrifyingly human yet profoundly alien in his moral calculus. He carries within him a dual current—a whispering passenger that justifies, urges, and demands action. Think Dexter in a 'DarkSouls' like world, but with much crueler limits to one's knowledge of the world. Unlike modern heroes or vigilantes, his sense of purpose is inseparable from corruption. The world Akhtar constructs corrodes all boundaries: sacred and profane, love and lust, righteousness and ruin. Holiness offers no guarantee of safety; for example - the same wheel of severed heads that can bypass the sanctified strikes others without mercy. Conviction is never a halo; it is a blade, and someone always bleeds. Yet what a 'saint' is vs what he should be is not we in our world could ever understand fully.
That mystery and later revelation is the landscape itself as it just intensifies the novel’s dread. Blood soaked sand, with grains mixed within the rotting flesh, and decay populate the narrative, tangible and unrelenting through the entire work. If this is your introduction to the world, expect no less insanity and gruesome efforts. Medieval rot is literal and pervasive: worms devour the living and the dead alike, sanctity and putrefaction share the same air. The supernatural is never idle. Mothers and maternal figures loom like both nurturers and poisoners; in the same breathe and soul they have witches branded as saints for the sins they are able to wield power that society fears and feeds upon in equal measure. Desire here is combustible, distorting judgment (like a horror film), revealing moral fault lines, and complicating faith in a manner that is oh so relatable to an ex catholic as myself. Akhtar makes it clear that belief must be enacted. Prayer, declaration, or intent alone are meaningless, but not known to be. Only the choices made when flesh and conscience are at stake define a character. Those moments happen as gooseflesh is intensified through natural consequences to horrible ethics.
Moments of humanity punctuate the horror, giving the story emotional resonance that hits harder precisely because the world is so unflinching. The earlier mentioned women examples of Ana and Mara, young yet burdened by guilt and circumstance, reflect the innocence pressed into the machinery of violence: “A fifteen-year-old girl should not be carrying so much guilt, her own and others… ‘Buy her that dress.’ Mara laughed. It was sweet, like the plucking of a harp… They should enjoy the world while they still see it as a ‘shiny thing’, before grief washes the colors away.” What an introduction to knowing humanity is there - despite being like a candle in a very deep hole. Similarly, Akhtar captures the gnawing, all-consuming nature of grief with brutal clarity: “Only now did I begin to understand what Lunara must’ve felt… It’s a poison that seeps into every thought, even happy ones.” Even amidst the eldritch horror, these human moments of tenderness, regret, and fleeting joy make the cruelty and dread feel sharper, more intimate.
The novel’s narrative architecture echoes the layered, immersive style of *One Thousand and One Nights* (aka Arabian Nights) yet where those tales shimmered with opulence, *Death Hymns of Homara* gleams with utter dread. Stories fold into stories; memory becomes testimony, testimony becomes myth, but what is left for the scripture? Every thread of personal corruption, religious zeal, and supernatural interference is felt across these pages, giving the main saga a weight that resonates even before the first book begins. Political corruption is exposed in a more intonement manner-naivety gives way to abuse of choice, the abuse of power, and theological manipulation are shown to calcify over centuries into institutional horrors, making the later conflicts in *Gunmetal Gods* feel inevitable and terrifyingly natural.
Akhtar does not flinch from depicting the human cost of belief, ambition, and survival. Lines like “‘Peace is bought with death.’ I’m ready to play my part, whatever it may be” and “Mothers weep, hidden from our sight, Love’s faint ember consumed by burning night” reinforce the duality of hope and suffering. Even when you the reader know that hope is like the soil the characters try to grow their food from - dead. Such things are far from the worst possibility. And that is what makes the horror oh so good! The narrative insists that every choice carries a toll, that even survival is measured in what is lost along the way. Joy, sorrow, and fear intermingle so seamlessly that readers may find themselves moved to tears, unsure whether the emotion stems from grief, relief, or awe at the calculated cruelty of the world. For me it felt personal - perhaps that is me, but the reflection of our own world in fantasy is no easy task, yet fundamentally found here like one takes for granted the lore of their own life.
In terms of lore, this prequel deepens and complicates everything. It illuminates the theological, magical, and political foundations of the series, showing how centuries of ambition, devotion, and sin accumulate to shape the world the main characters inherit. No main connection appears between this book and the main series, so reading this will not add any ruin to the later years of this world, but to those of us that have read the main saga already will only miss perhaps the effort of having a character to support as we are left to 1 POV among these pages. The horrors of *Death Hymns of Homara*—brutal deaths, reactive purposes (not so calculated here), subtle manipulations (much more mystery in this one!)—are never gratuitous; they function as mention before - as the marrow that will nourish the main saga’s epic conflicts. In many ways the actions and choices written here are a 180 to the main stories work, however the eldritch elements, from spectral devotion to subtle supernatural manipulations, echo across the centuries in emotional impact, hinting at the cosmic forces that will later shape Kevah, Cyra, Micah, and all others in the series.
Reading this book is less an early glimpse and more an initiation. It demands attention, patience, and a willingness to inhabit moral and existential ambiguity. Akhtar’s prose is exacting yet poetic, capable of evoking the terror of the desert, the rot of medieval decay, and the intangible dread of unseen cosmic forces. It is immersive, unsettling, and emotionally resonant in equal measure. By the time the final main installment arrives, the accumulated weight of centuries of corruption, faith, and violence will be felt with remarkable intensity, and *Death Hymns of Homara* ensures that weight is both deserved and unavoidable. In short, this prequel is a triumph. It blends horror, cosmic intrigue, theological meditation, and deeply human suffering with the clarity and precision of a master storyteller. The book is immersive, intellectually challenging, and emotionally devastating. For fans of the series, it is a must-read—not just for its narrative, but for how it magnifies the stakes, deepens the moral landscape, and clarifies why the world of Gunmetal Gods burns with such feverish intensity. *Death Hymns of Homara* proves that faith without action is empty, and action without conscience is damnation, leaving the reader to reflect, long after the final page, on what they would do if faced with the same impossible choices.
Book 1: ★★★★★ — 4.75/5
Book 2: ★★★★★ — 4.5/5
Book 3: ★★★★★ — 4.9/5
Book 4: ★★★★★ — 4.9/5
StandAlone (5): ★★★★★ — 4.75/5
*Death Hymns of Homara* is a masterful and unsettling prequel to the Gunmetal Gods series, set over five centuries before the events that ignite the main saga. Yet despite the centuries separating it from *Gunmetal Gods*, it feels intimate, yet essential, and very much foundational—like the marrow beneath the bones of the what is the later story. This is a story of a very special holy warrior-khazi; it is structural, slow, infecting fever like suspense with the cruelty, obsession, and cosmic stakes of the main saga still felt. The world is pitch of light by night - where consequences that bleed across centuries can seem easy now. What elevates the writing is Akhtar's relentless insistence that belief must be proven through action. Characters are not defined by what they claim to believe, but by what they choose to do when every option costs something vital.
At the heart of the novel is a central figure who feels terrifyingly human yet profoundly alien in his moral calculus. He carries within him a dual current—a whispering passenger that justifies, urges, and demands action. Think Dexter in a 'DarkSouls' like world, but with much crueler limits to one's knowledge of the world. Unlike modern heroes or vigilantes, his sense of purpose is inseparable from corruption. The world Akhtar constructs corrodes all boundaries: sacred and profane, love and lust, righteousness and ruin. Holiness offers no guarantee of safety; for example - the same wheel of severed heads that can bypass the sanctified strikes others without mercy. Conviction is never a halo; it is a blade, and someone always bleeds. Yet what a 'saint' is vs what he should be is not we in our world could ever understand fully.
That mystery and later revelation is the landscape itself as it just intensifies the novel’s dread. Blood soaked sand, with grains mixed within the rotting flesh, and decay populate the narrative, tangible and unrelenting through the entire work. If this is your introduction to the world, expect no less insanity and gruesome efforts. Medieval rot is literal and pervasive: worms devour the living and the dead alike, sanctity and putrefaction share the same air. The supernatural is never idle. Mothers and maternal figures loom like both nurturers and poisoners; in the same breathe and soul they have witches branded as saints for the sins they are able to wield power that society fears and feeds upon in equal measure. Desire here is combustible, distorting judgment (like a horror film), revealing moral fault lines, and complicating faith in a manner that is oh so relatable to an ex catholic as myself. Akhtar makes it clear that belief must be enacted. Prayer, declaration, or intent alone are meaningless, but not known to be. Only the choices made when flesh and conscience are at stake define a character. Those moments happen as gooseflesh is intensified through natural consequences to horrible ethics.
Moments of humanity punctuate the horror, giving the story emotional resonance that hits harder precisely because the world is so unflinching. The earlier mentioned women examples of Ana and Mara, young yet burdened by guilt and circumstance, reflect the innocence pressed into the machinery of violence: “A fifteen-year-old girl should not be carrying so much guilt, her own and others… ‘Buy her that dress.’ Mara laughed. It was sweet, like the plucking of a harp… They should enjoy the world while they still see it as a ‘shiny thing’, before grief washes the colors away.” What an introduction to knowing humanity is there - despite being like a candle in a very deep hole. Similarly, Akhtar captures the gnawing, all-consuming nature of grief with brutal clarity: “Only now did I begin to understand what Lunara must’ve felt… It’s a poison that seeps into every thought, even happy ones.” Even amidst the eldritch horror, these human moments of tenderness, regret, and fleeting joy make the cruelty and dread feel sharper, more intimate.
The novel’s narrative architecture echoes the layered, immersive style of *One Thousand and One Nights* (aka Arabian Nights) yet where those tales shimmered with opulence, *Death Hymns of Homara* gleams with utter dread. Stories fold into stories; memory becomes testimony, testimony becomes myth, but what is left for the scripture? Every thread of personal corruption, religious zeal, and supernatural interference is felt across these pages, giving the main saga a weight that resonates even before the first book begins. Political corruption is exposed in a more intonement manner-naivety gives way to abuse of choice, the abuse of power, and theological manipulation are shown to calcify over centuries into institutional horrors, making the later conflicts in *Gunmetal Gods* feel inevitable and terrifyingly natural.
Akhtar does not flinch from depicting the human cost of belief, ambition, and survival. Lines like “‘Peace is bought with death.’ I’m ready to play my part, whatever it may be” and “Mothers weep, hidden from our sight, Love’s faint ember consumed by burning night” reinforce the duality of hope and suffering. Even when you the reader know that hope is like the soil the characters try to grow their food from - dead. Such things are far from the worst possibility. And that is what makes the horror oh so good! The narrative insists that every choice carries a toll, that even survival is measured in what is lost along the way. Joy, sorrow, and fear intermingle so seamlessly that readers may find themselves moved to tears, unsure whether the emotion stems from grief, relief, or awe at the calculated cruelty of the world. For me it felt personal - perhaps that is me, but the reflection of our own world in fantasy is no easy task, yet fundamentally found here like one takes for granted the lore of their own life.
In terms of lore, this prequel deepens and complicates everything. It illuminates the theological, magical, and political foundations of the series, showing how centuries of ambition, devotion, and sin accumulate to shape the world the main characters inherit. No main connection appears between this book and the main series, so reading this will not add any ruin to the later years of this world, but to those of us that have read the main saga already will only miss perhaps the effort of having a character to support as we are left to 1 POV among these pages. The horrors of *Death Hymns of Homara*—brutal deaths, reactive purposes (not so calculated here), subtle manipulations (much more mystery in this one!)—are never gratuitous; they function as mention before - as the marrow that will nourish the main saga’s epic conflicts. In many ways the actions and choices written here are a 180 to the main stories work, however the eldritch elements, from spectral devotion to subtle supernatural manipulations, echo across the centuries in emotional impact, hinting at the cosmic forces that will later shape Kevah, Cyra, Micah, and all others in the series.
Reading this book is less an early glimpse and more an initiation. It demands attention, patience, and a willingness to inhabit moral and existential ambiguity. Akhtar’s prose is exacting yet poetic, capable of evoking the terror of the desert, the rot of medieval decay, and the intangible dread of unseen cosmic forces. It is immersive, unsettling, and emotionally resonant in equal measure. By the time the final main installment arrives, the accumulated weight of centuries of corruption, faith, and violence will be felt with remarkable intensity, and *Death Hymns of Homara* ensures that weight is both deserved and unavoidable. In short, this prequel is a triumph. It blends horror, cosmic intrigue, theological meditation, and deeply human suffering with the clarity and precision of a master storyteller. The book is immersive, intellectually challenging, and emotionally devastating. For fans of the series, it is a must-read—not just for its narrative, but for how it magnifies the stakes, deepens the moral landscape, and clarifies why the world of Gunmetal Gods burns with such feverish intensity. *Death Hymns of Homara* proves that faith without action is empty, and action without conscience is damnation, leaving the reader to reflect, long after the final page, on what they would do if faced with the same impossible choices.
February 28, 2026
Death Hymns of Homara
From the author of the Gunmetal Gods saga, Zamil Akhtar, comes his first standalone novel, also fantasy and set in the same world as his previous books. But don't worry, you don't need to have read the other volumes in the series or know anything about the plot to enjoy Death Hymns of Homara. The events take place in a different place and time (550 years earlier, to be exact) than Gunmetal Gods, making it a perfect title to read on its own without the intention of starting another saga, or as a gateway to this world.
What is it about? In the city of Homara, we follow the point of view of Razi, a member of a mercenary group paid to maintain order and peace in Homara and its surroundings. While he follows the path of righteousness and honor taught to him by his friend and mentor, he secretly gives free rein to his dark side.
At the same time, on the outskirts of the city, followers of certain evil entities or blasphemous gods who go against the religion of Lat begin to appear. The horrors they bring with them are unimaginable, and soon life in that place becomes a living hell that makes its inhabitants doubt the true power and interest of their deities.
We enter a fantasy world inspired by Arab culture, which includes characteristic elements such as vast expanses of desert, sand, camels, and spirits such as Djinn or efrits.
It is also important to note that at various points in the book, some characters tell us stories about the past, the sultans, their cults and religions, and the ancient world, which at times makes it feel like you are reading something out of The Thousand and One Nights but grimdark. These stories help to expand the lore and explain events from the past that are affecting Homara in the present, as well as revealing the life stories of certain characters and how they came to be where they are today.
It is a tremendously atmospheric work. From the first page, you can feel the desolation, darkness, and oppression of a gloomy world struggling to resist, as if the clouds and sandstorms permeated the very soul of the city and its inhabitants and reached the reader.
This book is brutal. It takes powerful elements of horror such as demons, djinns, curses, human sacrifices, macabre cults, etc., and inserts them into a dark fantasy setting. Horrifying beings appear that are reminiscent of those of the master of Providence but much more grotesque, with a good dose of body horror and gore.
But it's not all war and abominable horrors, as the book constantly tests the characters' morals and values and invites the reader to reflect on them. Can murderous instincts be controlled or channeled? Is it valid to commit horrible acts in order to protect and save your people or those you love?
Religion is key to the plot. Each town that is introduced worships a god, who is often terrible and vengeful towards his own followers. There are thousands of different deities depending on the area they are in, and sometimes people switch from one to another depending on the circumstances.
It talks about faith, both the loss of it and the absolute confidence that your god will answer your prayers.
I loved the book. As a fan of fantasy and horror, it was right up my alley. Not only does it offer a different take on traditional fantasy, but it also complements it with blood and repulsive Lovecraftian-style creatures. There is no shortage of battles, sieges, and political intrigue surrounding a troubled protagonist of questionable morals. It's one of the best books I've read lately and will be among my top reads of 2026.
Thanks to Zamil Akhtar for providing me with an ARC
From the author of the Gunmetal Gods saga, Zamil Akhtar, comes his first standalone novel, also fantasy and set in the same world as his previous books. But don't worry, you don't need to have read the other volumes in the series or know anything about the plot to enjoy Death Hymns of Homara. The events take place in a different place and time (550 years earlier, to be exact) than Gunmetal Gods, making it a perfect title to read on its own without the intention of starting another saga, or as a gateway to this world.
What is it about? In the city of Homara, we follow the point of view of Razi, a member of a mercenary group paid to maintain order and peace in Homara and its surroundings. While he follows the path of righteousness and honor taught to him by his friend and mentor, he secretly gives free rein to his dark side.
At the same time, on the outskirts of the city, followers of certain evil entities or blasphemous gods who go against the religion of Lat begin to appear. The horrors they bring with them are unimaginable, and soon life in that place becomes a living hell that makes its inhabitants doubt the true power and interest of their deities.
We enter a fantasy world inspired by Arab culture, which includes characteristic elements such as vast expanses of desert, sand, camels, and spirits such as Djinn or efrits.
It is also important to note that at various points in the book, some characters tell us stories about the past, the sultans, their cults and religions, and the ancient world, which at times makes it feel like you are reading something out of The Thousand and One Nights but grimdark. These stories help to expand the lore and explain events from the past that are affecting Homara in the present, as well as revealing the life stories of certain characters and how they came to be where they are today.
It is a tremendously atmospheric work. From the first page, you can feel the desolation, darkness, and oppression of a gloomy world struggling to resist, as if the clouds and sandstorms permeated the very soul of the city and its inhabitants and reached the reader.
This book is brutal. It takes powerful elements of horror such as demons, djinns, curses, human sacrifices, macabre cults, etc., and inserts them into a dark fantasy setting. Horrifying beings appear that are reminiscent of those of the master of Providence but much more grotesque, with a good dose of body horror and gore.
But it's not all war and abominable horrors, as the book constantly tests the characters' morals and values and invites the reader to reflect on them. Can murderous instincts be controlled or channeled? Is it valid to commit horrible acts in order to protect and save your people or those you love?
Religion is key to the plot. Each town that is introduced worships a god, who is often terrible and vengeful towards his own followers. There are thousands of different deities depending on the area they are in, and sometimes people switch from one to another depending on the circumstances.
It talks about faith, both the loss of it and the absolute confidence that your god will answer your prayers.
I loved the book. As a fan of fantasy and horror, it was right up my alley. Not only does it offer a different take on traditional fantasy, but it also complements it with blood and repulsive Lovecraftian-style creatures. There is no shortage of battles, sieges, and political intrigue surrounding a troubled protagonist of questionable morals. It's one of the best books I've read lately and will be among my top reads of 2026.
Thanks to Zamil Akhtar for providing me with an ARC
February 2, 2026
What if Dexter Morgan lived in a Cronenberg desert nightmare?
Summary:
Death Hymns of Homara primarily takes place in the desert city of Homara where our protagonist, Razi, is part of the mercenary force called The Order of the Green Field. But, Razi has a secret. Inside him is The Stranger; a part of Razi that revels in death and killing. The only way that Razi keeps The Stranger at bay is by keeping to The Straight Path - a strict set of codes - only killing those who he has verified are killers themselves.
Unfortunately for Razi, things are no longer simple. He and his fellow soldiers find a blood covered shrine with body parts neatly stacked up. Then things go downhill from there. A warlord arrives demanding supplication and slaves from the city; a witch appears, casting spells that create horrific monsters out of pieces of the dead and bring eldritch horror to life; a force of foreigners rides in looking for the witch; and those in charge of Homara drag Razi into the middle of political intrigues he is ill-equipped to handle. Unfortunately for Razi, he has no choice but to get involved with all of this and try to navigate a world he never expected.
Pros:
While this is part of the Gunmetal Gods world, it is a stand-alone prequel that requires no prior knowledge of Gunmetal Gods.
This story is trippy in all the right ways; a nice touch of horror, in the Cronenberg body horror style, to give it a life of it's own.
The characters draw you in and make you care about what is happening.
Cons:
While there are only a handful of incidents, if you have issues with horror, body horror, or dismemberment in particular, this book could be problematic for you.
Several times, other characters will tell a story to someone in the book and that story is told to us. Despite most of these, eventually, becoming directly relevant to the main storyline, this "clip show" style of storytelling may not be for everyone.
Final thoughts:
I really liked this book; I found myself saying "What the Hell?" multiple times thanks to the bits of horror. There was just the right touch of horror and weirdness! I always enjoy it when a story setting gets explored more and I get to find connections between different stories in a shared world or universe. I'm eager to continue the main series and see what other connections between this book and that series I can find. If you enjoyed Gunmetal Gods and like a bit of horror, this book is for you.
My rating:
4/5 Great/Stand out!
Edition Note:
I read a digital ARC provided by the author.
Summary:
Death Hymns of Homara primarily takes place in the desert city of Homara where our protagonist, Razi, is part of the mercenary force called The Order of the Green Field. But, Razi has a secret. Inside him is The Stranger; a part of Razi that revels in death and killing. The only way that Razi keeps The Stranger at bay is by keeping to The Straight Path - a strict set of codes - only killing those who he has verified are killers themselves.
Unfortunately for Razi, things are no longer simple. He and his fellow soldiers find a blood covered shrine with body parts neatly stacked up. Then things go downhill from there. A warlord arrives demanding supplication and slaves from the city; a witch appears, casting spells that create horrific monsters out of pieces of the dead and bring eldritch horror to life; a force of foreigners rides in looking for the witch; and those in charge of Homara drag Razi into the middle of political intrigues he is ill-equipped to handle. Unfortunately for Razi, he has no choice but to get involved with all of this and try to navigate a world he never expected.
Pros:
While this is part of the Gunmetal Gods world, it is a stand-alone prequel that requires no prior knowledge of Gunmetal Gods.
This story is trippy in all the right ways; a nice touch of horror, in the Cronenberg body horror style, to give it a life of it's own.
The characters draw you in and make you care about what is happening.
Cons:
While there are only a handful of incidents, if you have issues with horror, body horror, or dismemberment in particular, this book could be problematic for you.
Several times, other characters will tell a story to someone in the book and that story is told to us. Despite most of these, eventually, becoming directly relevant to the main storyline, this "clip show" style of storytelling may not be for everyone.
Final thoughts:
I really liked this book; I found myself saying "What the Hell?" multiple times thanks to the bits of horror. There was just the right touch of horror and weirdness! I always enjoy it when a story setting gets explored more and I get to find connections between different stories in a shared world or universe. I'm eager to continue the main series and see what other connections between this book and that series I can find. If you enjoyed Gunmetal Gods and like a bit of horror, this book is for you.
My rating:
4/5 Great/Stand out!
Edition Note:
I read a digital ARC provided by the author.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I want to preface this saying while I did receive an ARC of this book my rating reflects the genuine quality writing and story telling that I have come to expect when reading a novel from Zamil Akhtar. However I am not an author and I apologize if my review is slightly disjointed or vague as I would hate to spoil experiencing this book. With this being said Death Hymns of Homara is by all accounts a gripping adventure from start to finish. If you have never delved into the gunmetal gods world before don’t let this deter you from enjoying what I can only consider my top read of the last 6 months. A general spoiler free breakdown of this book truly doesn’t do it justice due to the pure visceral impact the author has with his visual storytelling, I’ve read a lot of grimdark over the past 3 years and it has been ages since I’ve felt the genuine disgust I felt with some of the characters in this book and I wouldn’t change a thing about them. My best attempt to describe this novel to someone unfamiliar with the gunmetal gods world would be a man and his struggle with a personality he calls the stranger, a raw instinct to kill which through a ritualistic means of marking, verification, and killing other killers he is able to sate his need to kill all while walking “the straight path”. This path leads him to a woman that even though she could only be described as a horrific infanticidal monster he just can’t bring himself to claim this mark. The idea of the straight path to our character Razi is something taught to him by his mentor and his rais Zafar, I believe the relationship between these two characters is something that when all is revealed will leave you both satisfied and wanting more, but in the beginning of the novel this duo of characters are tasked with resembling the severed bodies of a caravan, on these body’s they would find bloodwriting a dangerous and feared form of sorcery favored by a heretical cult known as the path of the children. Throughout the novel these severed corpses will reappear until they would finally meet the bloodwriter themselves and in this instant the whole world Razi knows would be turned on its head because these two souls are more linked than he could even imagine.
February 4, 2026
So many aaahh moments in this book – I learnt to expect the unexpected fairly quickly. Though I couldn’t help but try and put together all the pieces, I invariably had to keep adjusting my speculations as new pieces were added to the puzzle.
While this is a complex story with many threads and much backstory, it’s told in relatively straightforward language that holds your hand as it weaves and meanders. There’s lots of secrets and deceptions and you don’t quite know who to cheer for – if for anyone at all.
The characters are particularly well done. All are complex and unique and handle the many difficult (often agonising) situations they face with varying degrees of fortitude and/or resignation. This, with the darkness of the world, and the cultures depicted in general, make this unputdownable story a winner.
One small complaint I have (and it’s probably a ‘me’ thing as I find myself in this situation a little too often) is not really being able to establish a good timeline of events. So I didn’t really have a comfortable sense of when things happen/ed and how timings have affected present-day storyline and characters. Not a very big deal as it all came together, but I did occasionally feel a little confused and had to look for, or sometimes remember, clues relating to timeframes.
Overall, an excellent, intriguing story.
While this is a complex story with many threads and much backstory, it’s told in relatively straightforward language that holds your hand as it weaves and meanders. There’s lots of secrets and deceptions and you don’t quite know who to cheer for – if for anyone at all.
The characters are particularly well done. All are complex and unique and handle the many difficult (often agonising) situations they face with varying degrees of fortitude and/or resignation. This, with the darkness of the world, and the cultures depicted in general, make this unputdownable story a winner.
One small complaint I have (and it’s probably a ‘me’ thing as I find myself in this situation a little too often) is not really being able to establish a good timeline of events. So I didn’t really have a comfortable sense of when things happen/ed and how timings have affected present-day storyline and characters. Not a very big deal as it all came together, but I did occasionally feel a little confused and had to look for, or sometimes remember, clues relating to timeframes.
Overall, an excellent, intriguing story.
February 10, 2026
I received an ebook copy from the author in return for my opinion on the book.
This was the first story of Zamil's that I have read and I must say that I really enjoyed it. The book had me hooked from the beginning. I struggle to read ebooks as something just seems off about them but the story managed to help me get over that obstacle.
I'm familiar with the author's other books in the series but I haven't had the chance to read them yet and if this standalone story was anything to go by, I think I will enjoy them greatly. There were some great characters and character moments in the book.
My only slight gripe with the book was the pacing of the final third or so. It may have just been my experience reading it, I read the first half in a couple of days but the remaining half over a week or two. Something towards the end felt a little bit different to me but I couldn't quite put my finger on it.
Overall I enjoyed the story and will definitely be diving into the Gunmetal Gods series at some point very soon. Thank you, Zamil
This was the first story of Zamil's that I have read and I must say that I really enjoyed it. The book had me hooked from the beginning. I struggle to read ebooks as something just seems off about them but the story managed to help me get over that obstacle.
I'm familiar with the author's other books in the series but I haven't had the chance to read them yet and if this standalone story was anything to go by, I think I will enjoy them greatly. There were some great characters and character moments in the book.
My only slight gripe with the book was the pacing of the final third or so. It may have just been my experience reading it, I read the first half in a couple of days but the remaining half over a week or two. Something towards the end felt a little bit different to me but I couldn't quite put my finger on it.
Overall I enjoyed the story and will definitely be diving into the Gunmetal Gods series at some point very soon. Thank you, Zamil
February 22, 2026
Dark, gritty and brutal! The trademarks of Zamil Akhtar at their bloodiest once again, but this time in a standalone setting with a much more claustrophobic style.
It covers themes of abandonment, trauma, loneliness and redemption whilst stuck in the mind of an extremely torn antagonist.
I struggled with some of the flashback/story chapters that often felt meandering despite serving a greater purpose. Additionally, the finale was sudden and a little underwhelming when compared to Akhtar’s greater works - although I feel that was very purposeful here.
By no means an easy read thematically, but a chilling exploration of darkness and how/if the cycle can ever be broken. Brilliant once again!
It covers themes of abandonment, trauma, loneliness and redemption whilst stuck in the mind of an extremely torn antagonist.
I struggled with some of the flashback/story chapters that often felt meandering despite serving a greater purpose. Additionally, the finale was sudden and a little underwhelming when compared to Akhtar’s greater works - although I feel that was very purposeful here.
By no means an easy read thematically, but a chilling exploration of darkness and how/if the cycle can ever be broken. Brilliant once again!
February 14, 2026
Death Hymns of Homara is a standalone novel within the Gunmetal Gods series. The story takes place 550 years before the events of Gunmetal Gods and can be read at any point during your journey through this captivating creation of grimdark fantasy and cosmic horror.
Thank you to the author for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Full review here: https://www.sffinsiders.com/blog/revi...
Thank you to the author for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Full review here: https://www.sffinsiders.com/blog/revi...
February 22, 2026
Wasn’t sure if I was going to like it as much as other books in the series but give it a chance. The short stories inside all tie into the main plot and there are a bunch of nods to other books and mentions of characters. An excellent standalone story in the gunmetal gods universe made all the more richer if you have read the previous books. Loved that Zamil leaned into the horror with this one
February 16, 2026
It's like Lovercraft but now the horror is palpable!
Death Hymns of Homara transfers us some time ago into the past of the universe we know so well from the Gunmetal Gods series. It's a different story, and sometimes it's even a different earth. It's like a deep dive into a world, entirely engulfed by its last cataclysmic days. But even in this world there is still hope, purity and maybe even bits of light. Although that light might have a greenish color.
There is of course a narrative hidden inside the narrative and if you like Sheherezade's tales, but on a darker, more sinister note, you will also enjoy this. And be prepared for some unexpected (at least for me) disclosure at the end.
I can't wait for more books in this Universe and especially a continuation of the Gunmetal Gods' storyline!
Death Hymns of Homara transfers us some time ago into the past of the universe we know so well from the Gunmetal Gods series. It's a different story, and sometimes it's even a different earth. It's like a deep dive into a world, entirely engulfed by its last cataclysmic days. But even in this world there is still hope, purity and maybe even bits of light. Although that light might have a greenish color.
There is of course a narrative hidden inside the narrative and if you like Sheherezade's tales, but on a darker, more sinister note, you will also enjoy this. And be prepared for some unexpected (at least for me) disclosure at the end.
I can't wait for more books in this Universe and especially a continuation of the Gunmetal Gods' storyline!
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews