Content levels
Hero archetypes
Protagonist archetypes
Tropes
Themes
Synopsis
"The Vorrh follows a brilliant cast of characters through a parallel Africa where fact, fiction, and fantasy collide. Tsungali, a native marksman conscripted by the colonial authorities--against whom he once led a revolt--is on the hunt for an English bowman named Williams. Williams has made it his mission to become the first human to traverse the Vorrh, a vast forest at the edge of the colonial city of Essenwald. The Vorrh is endless, eternal; a place of demons and angels. Sentient, oppressive, and magical, the Vorrh can bend time and wipe a person's memory. Between the hunter and the hunted are Ishmael, a curious and noble Cyclops raised by Bakelite robots; the evil Dr. Hoffman, who punishes the son of a servant by surgically inverting his hands; and the slave owner MacLeish, who drives his workers to insanity, only to pay the ultimate price. Along with these fictional creations, Brian Catling mixes in historical figures, including surrealist Raymond Roussel and photographer and Edward Muybridge. In this author's hands none of this seems exotic or fantastical. It all simply is"--
The Vorrh: content & age rating
Intended for adult readers (18+).
This surrealist fantasy contains graphic body horror (surgical mutilation of hands), colonial violence, psychological torment driving characters to madness, slavery, and disturbing imagery. The narrative is deliberately disorienting and experimental, suitable only for mature adult readers.
What to know going in
This book has strong violence, moderate sexual content, and moderate language. Content notes include child harm, torture, slavery, and death (see the full list above).
Who'll love this
Adult readers who enjoy challenging, dreamlike fantasy with historical figures mixed into an unsettling parallel Africa will find this darkly imaginative.