Title: Hungers as Old as This Land

Author: Zachary Rosenberg

Release date: May 17th, 2023

In the past, I typically passed on doing both a blurb and/or review. When someone reached out, I’d either say yes to one or the other but not both. But over the last few months, I’ve seen more and more reviewers decide to either reduce the number of books they’re taking on or stop reviewing ARC’s completely. It’s a tough spot out there right now and I see it from both sides – as a reviewer and an author. At the time of writing this, I have a novel coming out in two months and (and I completely understand life and no disrespect meant) some of the reviewers I always knew would be willing to read an ARC from me are no longer taking anything on.

So, I decided to make that switch and if someone wanted both, I’d be willing to do that. Every little bit helps.

Which, was why I was excited when Zachary reached out to see if I wanted to check out an ARC of his upcoming novella. I’ve only read a short from Zachary previously, but was really eager and keen to see what he’d created with this western/folklore horror story.

What I liked: The story follows events in Grey’s Bluff, years after the Civil War. Esther and Siobhan are secret lovers, living in Esther’s fathers home and tending to the town as needed. Part of that ‘tending’ is making sure their end of the pact that Esther’s father made with those called The Hungers who live in the mountains is maintained.

I really enjoyed the interactions between Esther and Siobhan and thought they made a really solid, thoroughly crafted couple. I would suspect that they are based on a real-life couple, the little mannerisms Rosenberg adds in suggesting that.

It sets up an exciting wild-west tale and Rosenberg holds nothing back. We get topical and timely socio-political commentary interspersed within. The meat of the story occurs when an old army friend of Esther’s dad is sent to forcefully take Grey’s Bluffs.

Rosenberg uses this as a way to pack a solid quarter of the story with an action-packed sequence. It rumbles us along until we get to the ending and we get to see what happens when those who’ve not treated The Hungers kindly step into their world uninvited.

What I didn’t like: Two things nagged at me. The first is the bigotry/anti-Semitism parts. I feel like it wasn’t expanded upon enough. This is a short, snappy novella – but I would’ve been just as happy if we had another ten pages added and Rosenberg took his time digging into that deeper and making the reader feel more for the characters and less off of historical acceptance. The rise of anti-Semitism over the last few years has been unacceptable, but unfortunately it isn’t something new. I would’ve loved Rosenberg to have these characters discuss how it had impacted them more, instead of an impassioned speech that is delivered. As well, the racism/bigotry plot line could’ve been expanded a bit more too to really work as a powerful novella showcasing this. Knowing the publishers and the publishing house, I’m certain they’d have had no qualms about that.

Secondly – NOT ENOUGH HUNGERS! AH! Zachary! You’re killing me here! They are kept in the shadows and remain there and we get hardly enough description to formulate what they might look like. And they barely get involved to any formidable degree. Definitely something I would’ve loved to see more of! Maybe a sequel or prequel will hit that aspect down the road!

Why you should buy this: This novella packs a ton of emotions and action into its short page count. Rosenberg wields his pen like a master swordsman, slashing beautiful and compulsive prose in each and every paragraph. This one really does a wonderful job of playing to the strengths of what makes westerns great, but also what makes folklore horror great.

Definitely one to snag!

4/5