Everline Blackthorn is a warden, a group of magic-wielding members at the enclave who are trained to protect the Hallowed Lands from the monsters that live beyond the borders. Everline is just as competent as her peers – except she can’t use magic. Not only that, but everyone knows what her mother did the night she was born. Her father and High Commander at the enclave, Fenn, refuses to tell her the truth of what happened that night. So one night, after encountering a monster that looks too human, she begins to think that Fenn is keeping more secrets. Desperate for answers, she leaves the enclave to search for the truth. And when she encounters another human-like monster, she finds herself breaking rules and making deals that could send her into exile. Unholy Terrors by Lyndall Clipstone is a dark fantasy novel in which Everline takes matters into her own vulnerable hands and goes to great lengths to find who she is and so much more.
Everline is technically an illegitimate child. Her father, during a time of poor judgment, got together with Ira and produced Everline as a result. However, on the night that Everline was born, the vespertine – the monsters that roam the Moorlands and beyond – breached the wall and attacked the town. And Ira left her post. Fenn went after her, but it was too late. So he raised her among the other wardens and kept the details about her birth a secret. The only thing Everline knows about her mother is that she was a traitor who broke her vows and lost her life. And with the strange appearances of human-vespertine creatures, Everline can’t help but feel like it’s all connected. Convinced that Fenn will never tell her the truth, she ventures out on her own. But her best friend Lux and her half-sister Briar insist on coming with, despite the dangers ahead.
When they encounter Ravel, a similar human-like vespertine, he proves to be more problematic. At least, more than the other creature they confronted and killed. He lures Lux away from their camp, and takes her to the Thousandfold – the lands where monsters and dark magic originate. The location where Saint Lenore gave her life to defeat Nyx Severin – the evil monster who created the vespertine and whose worshipers thought of him as a god. Desperate to rescue Lux and convinced that the Thousandfold holds the answers that she longs for, Everline manages to take Ravel prisoner and strike a bargain. She will spare his life if he takes her to the Thousandfold so that she may rescue her friend. But she must also break her sacred vows to ensure that his magic will protect them. And neither of them can ignore the feelings they develop for one another in Unholy Terrors.
Clipstone finds a way to incorporate the familial conflict and complex relationships that appear in the human world, into a realm with monsters and human-like monsters. Everline and Briar have a complicated sibling rivalry. Ravel has a heartbreaking backstory with which readers will sympathize. On the other hand, the world-building comes up short, and the whole premise of blood magic might rub readers the wrong way. It comes off as more creepy than entertaining. While Clipstone has a lyrical and descriptive writing style, so many of the scenes were redundant and slow-paced. Additionally, the romance between Everline and Ravel wasn’t completely believable. I wasn’t against it, but I wasn’t necessarily hoping that the “enemies-to-lovers”/”forbidden love” trope would work out. In any case, readers who enjoy dark fantasy novels will enjoy this one.
Lyndall Clipstone joins us for a Cantina Conversation to talk about how she developed this dark story and any plans for future works. Check out upcoming episode of the Cantina Book Club podcast and purchase Unholy Terrors, available now.
