‘The Maiden’s Sleep’ by Michael J. Stiehl – Novella Review

Description

Bow has hit bottom. Banished from the town of Dunwynn, his hands crippled by the town guard, he drinks his days away in a hut made of sticks and mud. He is a long way from being part of the legendary father/daughter duo Knife & Bow.

That’s because his daughter is dead. Killed by The Maiden’s Sleep, a plague that ran rampant through Dunwynn all spring and summer, killing only young women.

Now, there are two children in his hut asking him to find their missing father. Against his better instincts, and to make a little money, he decides to help. It’s a decision that will lead him into the darkest corners of Dunwynn, revealing a secret sect of alchemy and a plot to achieve unspeakable power.

Can Bow play the hero one more time, or will the truth about The Maiden’s Sleep be his end?

Overview

Name – The Maiden’s Sleep [Novella/Short Story]

Author – Michael J. Stiehl

Publisher – World Castle Publishing

Genre – Fantasy/Horror/Thriller [Adult fiction]

Chapters – 8

Pages – 121 (Kindle Edition); 1052 (Kindle Reader Locations)

Cover – 7.5/10 [Cover Designs by Karen]

Release Date – 16 January, 2024

Order at – Amazon

“Received a ‘Review Copy’ from NetGalley and the Publisher, World Castle Publishing, in exchange for an honest review.”

Review

NO Spoilers

I came across this novella while going through the horror category on NetGalley. Firstly, the cover got my attention straight away. And secondly, the description seemed really intriguing. So without any further delay, I hit the ‘Request’ button. And in next to no time, there was an email in my inbox – “Your approved request to view The Maiden’s Sleep ARC…”. No doubt, I was delighted to see it! With this being my very first approved request on NetGalley (having recently registered/joined), I was also super excited! Hence, I would like to thank the author, NetGalley, and the publisher (World Castle Publishing) for accepting my request, and providing me with the review copy.

So what’s the novella about?

It starts off with the protagonist/narrator – Bow, being asked by a brother-sister duo to help find their missing father (they are offering him money for his troubles too). But Bow, an ex-royal guard and now a full-time drunkard who spends his days alone in a shack he likes to call home, is not interested. Losing his wife after childbirth, Bow was left with only one person to really look after – his daughter, Knife. The father-daughter duo quickly rose to fame as heroes in the eyes of the people by dispatching bandits who had become a menace. Their choice of weapons and their equally efficient use at ridding the thugs earned them their respective names – Bow and Knife. But the fairytale sadly came to an abrupt end when Knife was taken away from Bow by a mysterious disease/illness called ‘The Maiden’s Sleep.’ It spread like a wildfire, targeting and killing only young women throughout. There was no cure. And despite trying his hardest, Bow couldn’t save Knife from the plague’s fangs of death, leaving him utterly heartbroken and an emotional mess.

And now, he has no-one to care for, and no purpose in life apart from drinking away his remaining days. So when an opportunity presents itself for him to spend even more money on the booze, Bow hesitantly considers taking up the job. How hard could it possibly be?

With help from Freneck, a low-rent alchemist, he sets out to find the kids’ father – Aston Ozker. What the duo don’t know yet, are the horrors that await them in their path. Starting from Ozker’s home, they discover a bone-chilling trail that leads them from the streets of the provincial town of Dunwynn, to Zolmavaz (how cool is that name?!) – the town’s largest cemetery, and ultimately to the Turecek Keep, a place where there’s rumors of monsters hiding in the shadows…

Bow, who always had a talent for following things, is more than eager to get to the bottom of this mystery which is getting nastier by the second as things slowly start to unfold. And as Bow points out – When I’m curious, I don’t stop.

Can our duo of “a washed-up drunk and a down on his luck alchemist missing half the stuff he needs to be dangerous” brave all the odds and find the truth behind Ozker’s disappearance? What initially seems like a simple enough search, turns out into a straight-up nightmare involving monsters, a dangerous and equally deadly form of alchemy, and the shocking discovery behind the secret of ‘The Maiden’s Sleep’…

What was great about it?

• It was fast-paced, intriguing plus equally exciting, and with a nice mix of well-written plot and characters – everything a novella needs to be considered pretty good! (at least in my personal opinion).
• The writing style was a bit different than what I’m used to reading on a regular basis (for instance – I say; I reply; I ask; he replies; says the girl, etc.). Although written in Bow’s first person perspective, I’m not exactly sure what this specific style is referred to as. But I still think it suited the novella really well.
• Bow’s past is present in small bits throughout, and that does add a certain depth to his character which is emotionally driven by the loss of his daughter.
• The duo of Bow and Freneck was really fun! There’s humor there, but also a sense of mixed emotions between the two given their shared past as well. I wouldn’t hesitate to read more of their adventures together!
• Read it in one sitting. Now that… sure sounds like a good novella, eh?

What didn’t quite fit the bill?

• The horror element could’ve been utilized more in my opinion.
• I was also hoping that there would’ve been a bit more lore/world building present, increasing the length by a little bit. I was certainly enjoying being part of the story and the characters (especially the duo!).

Other info.

• Note: – Mature themes present (blood/gore).

Final thoughts

Enjoyed it fully! The plot was pretty solid, and the characters – especially the duo of Bow and Freneck, were well-written and super fun to read (would’ve loved to spend some more time with the duo for sure). There’s some good ‘ol humor present, along with some underlying emotions. The mystery/thrill element is what added more to it in my opinion, and the alchemy was just an icing on top of the cake. The horror element was there, but not quite what I was hoping for. Nonetheless, this was a really fun read, and overall, a pretty good novella! I would certainly recommend that you check it out.

Rating: – 8.4/10 (Pretty Good!)

“A really fun and intriguing read with a nice plot, and some equally well-written characters, making it a pretty good novella!”