What Moves the Dead (Sworn Soldier, #1) in Reading with Style

Jul 23, 2022 Megan added it

Shelves: horror, historical-fiction, fantasy, fiction, science-fiction, noteworthy-reads-2022

This retelling of "The Fall of the House of Usher" was excellent. It was scary, and it provided explanations (I mean, I like the original, but my main struggle when it comes to enjoying horror--I'm not naturally inclined toward it--is that I usually want the science fiction explanations for what's going on if we're not purposely doing something exhaustively unfathomable). The tone and pov were perfect: Easton's perspective was always crystal clear, and often very charming and funny, and the pivo ...more

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Oct 09, 2022 Ann rated it really liked it

Shelves: horror-thiller, 2022, rws

I have never read The Fall of the House of Usher, though god knows I’ve tried. It is one of those mental block books for me. I had a Poe phase as a child, but Usher was too dense and it always left me in a sleepy, dazed state. After reading this book, I tried to read the source and the same thing happened.
Happily, the retelling was not soporific. This was a page-turner, with plenty of gothic gloom and slow-burn creepiness. The climax was delightfully unnerving.
In the afterword, the author says ...more

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Oct 23, 2024 Joanna rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobooks, 2024-read, rws-2024-fall

Creepy and weird, not too long, and just what I needed to keep me alert during a long drive. I found myself in the car by myself yelling, "The dead don't walk." I couldn't resist comparing it in my mind to The Girl with All the Gifts. But this was much more evocative and gothic than the more tongue in cheek zombie story.

I wish I'd read this in print instead of audio. I think stopping for some of the creepy moments might have been better. The story deserves a slower reading than it got from me li ...more

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Oct 18, 2024 Deidre rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites

I don't really love horror, per se, but Kingfisher's delightful, irreverent, almost light hearted and comedic approach is the kind of horror I apparently do love.

This is a short novellas inspired by Poe's "The Fall of the House of Usher", and it goes down like the syrupy, bitter alcohol the author describes. Gothic and dark and terrifying, but also humorous and delightful.

Loved this, and it's perfect as a little short treat for spooky season. ...more

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