Moonflow

De: Bitter Karella

Narrado por: Venus Rose Fischer

Annihilation meets Manhunt in three-time Hugo Award nominee Bitter Karella’s debut horror novel—a gloriously queer and irreverent psychedelic trip into the heart of an eldritch wood and the horrors of (cis)terhood.

I see something out there, in the woods. It does not have a face.

They call it the King’s Breakfast. One bite and you can understand the full scope of the universe; one bite and you can commune with forgotten gods beyond human comprehension. And it only grows deep in the Pamogo forest, where the trees crowd so tight that the forest floor is pitch black day and night, where rumors of disappearing hikers and strange cults that worship the divine feminine abound.

Sarah is a trans woman who makes her living growing mushrooms. When a bad harvest leaves her in a desperate fix, the lure of the King’s Breakfast has her journeying into those vast uncharted woods. Her only guide is the most annoying man in the world, and he's convinced there’s no danger. But as they descend deeper, they realize they’re not alone. Something is luring them into the heart of the forest, and they must answer its call.

Reseñas de la Crítica

“A bizarre and fiercely original splatterpunk phantasmagoria of queerness, Moonflow is like a gay Jodorowsky film from Hell. Deranged and gleefully weird as fuck, this is an impressive debut from a singular literary talent.”—Eric LaRocca, author of Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke

"Weird, wild, and oh-so-wretched, Moonflow is the trans botanical horror we need in the world right now. Moonflow will sink its tendrils into you and infest you with its spores...and you'll enjoy it."—Drew Huff, author of The Divine Flesh and Free Burn

“I’ve never read a book like Moonflow before! It has the energy of a John Waters movie: crass, profane, populated with memorably bizarre and grotesque characters, packed with social commentary and bittersweet pathos—the type of art that is necessary for the current moment.”—Briar Ripley Page, author of Corrupted Vessels

"Is it legal to have this much fun reading a book? I'm in awe of Bitter Karella's incredible gift for creating biting satire without a shred of cruelty. Moonflow made me laugh out loud while genuinely caring about its wild cast of characters, from its all too relatable failed protagonist, to its mondo trash cinema meets Women Who Run With The Wolves villain. This is the queer splatterpunk salvation/dissolution comedic relief narrative we need in these dark times. I had a f*cking blast."—Joe Koch, author of The Wingspan of Severed Hands and Invaginies

"Luminous, trippy and an immensely satisfying read, Karella's Moonflow establishes her as a bona fide horror fiction maestro of the most accomplished order." —Gemma Amor, Bram Stoker and British Fantasy Award-nominated author of Itch!

"Moonflow is so much fun. Expert world-building, genuinely creepy situations, and characters that are easy to root for. Unique, funny, and frighteningly real. This is what horror is all about." —Sam Rebelein, Bram Stoker Award-nominated author of Edenville

“A triumph of queer, horny, hippy horror that’ll make you cackle, gasp, and scream! With its cast of iconic characters, imaginative enchanted setting, gripping story, and mind-bending horrific imagery, Bitter Karella’s Moonflow is a trip to die for.” —Eve Harms, author of Transmuted

"Moonflow is a deranged horny dayglo escapade that is so utterly queer to its core. Beyond the delirious visions, there’s a profound exploration of community and belonging. I adored this weirdo book."
—Jane Flett, author of Freakslaw

"Bitter Karella is a powerhouse of horror. Moonflow is equal parts ridiculous, revolting and charming. It rockets into your psyche with drug-fueled mommy milker cults at 200mph and I loved every second of it." —Lor Gislason, editor of Bound of Flesh and Little Guts

it feels like a being watched on the woods and I loved it

the book keeps an incredible pressure of unsettling horror cover to cover. TURF'y cults, cosmic horrors and mushrooms

Authentically Sicko

This is one of the best books I’ve read this year and I have nothing like it in my repertoire to compare it to. There are breastfeeding raccoons. Why are there breastfeeding raccoons?! Did I actually read that or did the fungus goddess get to me, too? I don’t know. Just read this book.

Not what I thought I was getting

All right, y'all. I really don't know what to make of this book yet. I'm still three hours away from finishing and, honestly, I'm not sure I can. When I purchased this book, I thought I was going to get something mysterious and creepy and interesting. I have a morbid fascination with cults, I find mushrooms very intriguing, and I love the LBGTQ+ community. This book somehow manages to have all of those things, but they're entirely overshadowed by the utter ridiculousness of the characters. It almost reads like satire or dark comedy instead of mystery. The dialogue is just awful. I have no problems with swearing or anything like that. I just found myself repeatedly thinking, who on earth talks like this? Who thinks other people talk like this? The characters are weak, shallow, and mostly two dimensional. None of them are relatable. None of them are even very likeable, which isn't a requirement, but it's nice to have at least one character you're rooting for. At this point, they could all get eaten by the forest and I wouldn't even blink. I normally read books at least twice to try to catch the nuances, and if I can manage it I'll update with any other thoughts. But if you're looking for something thoughtful, mysterious, eerie, and suspenseful, this is not the book for you.