The Hallows

by H.L.Tinsley, Sarah Chorn (Editor), Dawn Larder (Illustrator)

The Hallow serum was once sacred to the Auld Bloods. Used to gain access to their lost ancestral powers, now it is regulated and administered by the powerful Providence Company. Evolved from the echelons of the Auld Church, the company exists to maintain the balance between faith, science and politics.

But keeping the peace between humans and Auld Bloods isn’t easy. Taking Hallow comes at a price. Providence Company Assessor Cam must deal with backstreet bootleggers, burnt-out addicts and floating nuns that won’t stay on the ground.

When a string of Auld Blood deaths appear to have been caused by a corrupted batch of Hallow, Cam begins to suspect all may not be as it seems. Bodies are piling up. Someone is hiding something, and the consequences are becoming monstrous.

Genres: Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Adult Fiction

300 pages, Paperback

First published March 22, 2024

Reviews

[Esmay Rosalyne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Captivating, mysterious and darkly entertaining, The Hallows is an urban historical fantasy mystery that is shocking in its brutality yet delightful in its dangerously alluring air of mystery and intrigue.

On paper, this story sounds like it would be the perfect book for me, but unfortunately this ended up being a ‘wrong book, wrong mood, wrong time’ situation. Maybe I should have just put it aside for now and saved it for the right time, but alas… I am apparently too stubborn for that.

All that said, I can still recognize and acknowledge the brilliance and quality of this story, even though it wasn’t the right fit for me at the moment. Because I don’t feel like I can currently do this book justice in a fair review, I will instead just share some potential pros and cons to give you an idea of what to expect from this little gem and help you decide if it's the book for you.

Reasons why you might love this book:
- Grimdark with heart
- Atmospheric 1920s style urban setting
- Fantasy mystery
- Detective action & unravelling conspiracies
- Magical drugs & powers that comes at an extremely high cost
- Powerful exploration of faith, identity, and individuality
- Steampunk/Gaslamp vibes
- Floating nuns
- A gorgeous cover, hello?!
- Short pagecount, but big emotional impact

Don’t read this if you don’t like the sound of:
- Disturbing body horror
- Limited 3rd person single POV; side characters don’t get much time to shine
- Male protagonist with a confusingly feminine moniker (Camellia)
- Elusive/softer magic system
- Somewhat open and bittersweet ending

All in all, I think Tinsley accomplished exactly what she set out to do, and I will 100% be coming back to give this book a second chance when I am in the right mood for it. Moreover, she blew me away with her strong prose, so I am eager to read more of her works in the future. This was truly a ‘it’s not you, it’s me’ situation, so I would still highly recommend The Hallows if the premise sounds intriguing to you!

Thanks to the author for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The Hallows is scheduled for release on 22 March, 2024.

[Livia Elliot · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Hallows is a dark urban fantasy, with a grim "magic system" (more on that later) that is both unique, very-well presented, and most importantly, has dire consequences that could be devastating for the users. That said, this book does not delve into body horror, and regardless of the setting, is never explicit nor unnecessary dark—everything here has a purpose (for the plot or to ease the reader in), which was very nicely accomplished.

That said, this book is not for YA/NA audiences, but for adult readers. One character has an infatuation with another, but it's not enough to be a romance subplot—just a mere attraction that adds depth to the characters and their interactions.

The story is narrated in 3rd person, following Camellia, a man working as an assessor for the Providence Company. The narrator is not that biased, and it is a mixture of seeing the world through Camellia's eyes, but also not transcribing his thoughts. It was a refreshing point of view, and very well executed.

Something to clarify is that yes, Camellia is a man albeit the name suggests otherwise—and there is a story-justified reason for it. The Providence Company has "themed" teams, and within each theme the assessors has fitting names—for for the Garden team, the members are flowers. I found it well handled, in the sense that (at least to me) Camellia sounded like a woman's name, yet the author managed to clarify it was a man very early on, prompting no confusion.

That brings me back to the prose and the descriptions. Granted, this is my first book from the author, and her prose was polished, flowing (in the sense that the text just carried you from one point to the other seamlessly and engaging), and with a touch of modern slang that accentuated the urban setting and the grimness of everything. The author didn't do "telling" descriptions (e.g., has white hair, blue eyes, a hawkish nose, etc...) but "mood" descriptions, more often aiming to convey that feeling or impression that you feel of a person rather than their looks. Albeit it's not my cup of tea for character descriptions, I somehow had no problem picturing the characters, and thus I consider it very well executed.

In terms of plot and how magic works in this urban setting, there are two "races" (in the fantasy genre sense)—humans and Auld Blood (I believe auld is pronounced as old), and the latter can consume a substance (Hallow) to uncover some power; the type of power is prefixed, and so there are are a number of Auld Bloods. Hallow, the substance, is more a macguffin, and it's not an object but a resource that people can access too. Thus, the plot unfold regarding both the effects of this resource, and what people plan to do with it.

There are some minor political tensions, but they are not deep—and for a reason. We follow Camellia exclusively and, albeit he is an assessor, he is not "high up the chain", and thus not privy to some information. Instead, we found about the political situation when he uncovers it, and the story follows his investigation rather than the people pulling the strings. It was great, and a nice way of conveying that, after all, ours is one small set of interests among an ocean of juxtaposing and contradicting objectives.

As I mentioned above, consuming Hallow does have some negative effects in people's bodies (namely, deformations) but the book never goes into body horror. It is a subtle description, and there is no horror at all—because of the magic system, what happens is expected, and the presentation (in my subjective opinion) leans more towards introducing fantastical creatures rather than something horrorific. Yes, in some cases there are emotions attached to said "transformation" (for example, pity, shame) but it's never the point of the book.

Nevertheless, something I need to clarify, is that Hallow (the substance) is nothing like Dune's spice or other similes. Likewise, it is not like Green Bone's jade at all. Granted, there is a religious side to Auld Bloods in this book, but it just adds to the worldbuilding.

Furthermore, albeit we follow a man, there is a large cast of characters, and several women who are very well developed and interesting characters on their own. Yes, there are floating nuns, and some comic relief situations (for a lack of a better word), and all that made the world feel alive.

Tinsley has crafted a very complex world that feels lived in. It has history, mythology, it has ruins and artefacts nobody remembers. It has religion, prejudice, a social structure, and people wanting to change it one way or another. All of that is packed in such a short novel (took me about ~6.5 hours to read it).

The ending is not open, as in the sense it provides closure for the book's plot, but it could very well give room to a sequel—and I really hope it does, because it was such a ride!



TL;DR: urban fantasy for adult readers, with a complex world building, a unique magic system, a large cast of characters, and a flowing prose that verges the modern with the lyrical in an accessible way.

[Chris Haught · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an eARC of this title from the author...

In today's fantasy market, doesn't it seem that every single book is part of a series? Some of these things sprawl out over many years and volumes, and readers crave that of their favorite authors and books.

But it's awfully refreshing to grab hold of a standalone every once in awhile. There's no prior knowledge required going in, and you don't have to comb over websites to get book summaries to refresh your mind to what's happened so far in the time since you put down the last volume.

Grab and go. And that's what we have here. If you like grimdark settings and shady characters, this is for you. A noir inspired mystery with a sharp investigator, check. Entertaining side characters and monstrous surprises, check. And of course, what action story would be complete without fighting nuns?

[Tim Hardie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ancient Bloodlines
Illicit Substances
Floating Nuns

With a tagline like that, alongside the mysteriously strange yet beautiful cover created by Dawn Larder, you immediately know that HL Tinsley’s latest novel is going to be something different. I’m a huge fan of her writing and the grimdark fantasy world she created in The Vanguard Chronicles. The Hallows has the same characteristic HL Tinsley writing style I love so much, but with this novel she’s changed direction, this time using the grim noir genre to great effect.

The Hallows is a short standalone novel exploring the issue of how people adapt when faced with change. Set in an era reminiscent of the 1920s, two separate races try to coexist during a tumultuous period of history. Humans are in the ascendency, whilst a race known as the Auld Bloods faces the prospect of life as their magical powers wane. Religion is another key theme in this novel. The Aulds worship the Auld God but the church is also going through a period of upheaval. Led by their charismatic Mother Superior Ashya, the church has had to adjust. Whilst it remains a religious institution, it now operates its affairs through the powerful Providence Company, their key function being the regulation and use of a substance known as hallow.

Hallow is the root of magic in this world. Fatal to humans, Auld Bloods who take hallow are able to unlock specific magical abilities such as heightened perception (sixers), strength (stouts) and persuasion (sirens). Continued use eventually leads to physical transformation, although some Aulds are unable to survive the change. For example, Mother Aysha is a seven-foot-tall reptilian creature, her true form as an Auld Blood Ancient, which has been unlocked through the use of hallow over the centuries.

Many Aulds choose not to take hallow, appearing indistinguishable from humans as a result. In the past, they would have been transformed by hallow into fantastical and varied beings. Now the two races live together side by side, the magic of the Aulds carefully managed and regulated by teams of assessors, who work for the Providence Company. The assessors’ role can be dangerous, and they each use code names as a result, which is inspired by the name of the unit to which they are assigned. In the novel the central character is Camellia (Cam), a sixer working for the Garden crew alongside other units such as the Weeklies and the Dockers.

This is a novel with some dark themes and darker moments. However, what I particularly enjoyed was how it’s also a very British novel, with a sense of fun and moments of laugh out loud humour running through it. There’s tea, people go on picnics and sometimes they are forced to eat awful quiche at funerals, and these things are all skilfully woven into this fantasy world in a way that feels credible and real. In my opinion, very few people can deliver a comic line as deftly and with such perfect timing as Tinsley.

“The term ‘built like a brick shit house’ could have been coined to describe Angeli. He had the look of a man whose shadow could beat you to a pulp.”

All of Tinsley’s characters shine in this novel. There’s a real sense of love, respect and found family amongst the assessors. The moments of bickering and snark between Cam, Forget-Me-Not, Daffodil (Daff) and Lavender as the Garden Crew are well-written and give the novel heart and soul. Daff and Cam have a great relationship and despite being very different people I really believed in their friendship. Forget-Me-Not was another of my favourites and this passage captures him perfectly.

“Forget-Me-Not was wandering down the stairs. He was wearing silk pyjamas and a thick, padded robe, brandy tumbler in one hand. Nobody knew how to do a day off like Forget-Me-Not. It was only two in the afternoon. There was no way of telling whether he’d just got up or was just going to bed.”

Other standout characters for me were Sunday, Tussie, June and Sister Ramona. There’s also a brilliant cameo by one of the Auld Blood Ancients, the Lord of Spiders. His scene was so well written and genuinely creepy, making it one of the most memorable parts of the story for me. If Tinsley continues writing in this world he could be one of the all-time classic fantasy villains in years to come. He reminded me of Hannibal Lecter in Manhunter before he moved centre stage in The Silence of the Lambs.

Alongside the excellent character work, Tinsley has built a unique and memorable fantasy world for them to inhabit. The 1920s aesthetic works really well, fitting perfectly with Cam’s world-weary view as he tries to uncover the mystery behind a series of sudden and unexplained Auld Blood deaths. There’s also a romantic element which combines with the religious themes, as Cam has feelings for his late wife’s sister, June. Needless to say, this is a complex relationship, especially as June is in training to become a nun in the service of the Auld Church. Alongside the murder mystery elements, the question of whether or not Cam and June have a future as anything more than friends is a key part of this novel.

Fusing all these different and distinctive elements together would be a challenge for most writers, but Tinsley has pulled this off brilliantly. The Hallows is a compelling story, well-paced and full of twists and turns, leading to an exciting and unexpected conclusion which I never saw coming. With its unusual and unique use of magic, strong sense of place, intelligently explored themes and varied and memorable cast of characters, The Hallows is a fantastic story. Tinsley is a gifted writer and I think this is her best novel to date, which is high praise as I thought The Vanguard Chronicles were outstanding. The Hallows marks an evolution in her writing journey and I think readers who enjoy intelligent fantasy fiction will absolutely love this.

I received a free ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Jamedi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review originally on JamReads

The Hallows is a grim fantasy standalone novel, written by H.L. Tinsley, also known as the author of We Men of Ash and Shadow, SPFBO7 finalist. I was absolutely captivated by the taglines in the cover, and I can tell you, it totally fulfills its promise, throwing an incredible story where the 1920s inspired setting is part of what makes it absolutely incredible to read, with characters that you won't forget easily.

Camellia is a low-ranking employee for the Providence Company, the powerful company which controls the production and distribution of The Hallow, a serum which after being taken grants magical abilities to the Auld Ones; the distribution of this serum is not only controlled as a business, but also because it is deadly for humans. But the Providence Company is not only a business, but a religion, with the highest ranking among them combining the functions of nuns and businessmen; the low-ranking employees are assigned to small teams, taking their name from the theme of the team (Camellia belong to the Garden).
At the start of our story, Camellia is tasked with the investigation of a series of deaths that might be related with the serum consumption, coinciding with the election of an Auld One for the first time for the office; a story with this premise goes from the low strata of the society to the more powerful ones, while weaving a complex plot that trusts on the reader to reconstruct the full image.

Trust me, this is a really dark story, specially when we are diving deep into the complicated world that exists as a result of the use of The Hallow: power comes with a cost, meaning that after years using it, it's inevitable to get affected and "be retired" from the company; the low-ranking Auld are basically expendable people that use their condition as a way to keep a salary, even if that means the risk of using The Hallow. Companies that employ them are driven by greed, forcing them to overdose in order to fulfill the quotas; and Auld Ones are in a lower social class in terms of rights.
However, there's also space for camaraderie and found family among all the darkness, as Tinsley has an ability to paint exceptionally human characters, like Camellia, who appreciates and try to help all those that are under his guide; some fun is hidden among the darkness.

Worldbuilding is an integral part of The Hallows, the underneath layer that keeps all working and that at the same time, makes this book a special one, which is not afraid of touching themes such as identity (lack of real names in the organization, names that are reused) and the dangers of extremism. You can feel an alive city where the characters and the story is just a drop of water in the ocean.

The Hallows is an excellent grimdark story set in an unique backdrop; but even if you are not fan of the genre, you should give a try to this book, as it touches really deep themes. Tinsley is a master at writing grim fantasy, and hopefully, this is not the only entry on this world.

[Charles Cavendish · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had a blast reading The Hallows

It’s a dark and engaging urban fantasy with a noir 1920s setting that had me hooked from start to finish.

The combination of a dark mystery and fantasy elements works really well and the reader is treated to a story full of atmosphere and menace. The story is set in a city gripped between a shift in power between the ascendent human population and ancient Auld Bloods.

Militant Nuns enforce both religion and run the all powerful Providence company. Whilst cells of Auld Bloods with differing abilities and only know by their codenames enforce order. Oh and let’s not forget the floating Nuns.

I’ll post a more detailed review soon but in the meantime I can definitely say that The Hallows will be among my most enjoyable books of 2024.

I received a free ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Terry Rudge · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this story is ambitious in scope and absolutely wild 😜

Holly is such an amazing author that she fully delivers. She punches you in the face with everything you want in a story.
Action
Characters
Drama
Comedy
World building

I confess the first half was a little tough for me to get into. This kind of story is a little outside my normal preferences, but the second half was a hoot and just brilliant

Great story

[Ed Crocker · Rating 5 out of 5]

With her grimdark, noirish gaslamp fantasy series The Vanguard Chronicles, author H. L. Tinsley, in just two books, established herself for me as one of the premier fantasy writers of the dark and the sordid and the beautiful writing today. With the kind of prose you want to interrupt a wedding to crow about (“Are there are any reasons these two should not be married?” “I don’t know, have they read Tinsley yet”?)—equal parts brilliantly witty and movingly poetic – and characters you come to deeply care for in a grim world you become obsessed by, these novels were real statements of intent and I loved them dearly.

So when I heard she was staying in her grim urban fantasy niche with her newest novel but adding a golden age, 1920s style flair to the noir and throwing in “illicit substances and floating nuns”, I was more excited than a shark at a pool party.

Reader, she has delivered. The Hallows is a remarkably, ingeniously creative take on a terrifying magic drug and the trauma it causes and the moving (and often, frankly, hilarious) ways that a city’s inhabitants must build their lives around it.

The drug in question is Hallow (you didn’t see that one coming) and it’s a magical serum used by a race of human-like people called the Auld Bloods to amp up their natural powers to useful and occasionally awe-inspiring levels. The Auld Bloods, who pretty much look like us, live in more or less harmony with humans – with a sinisterly named corporate entity called the Providence Company controlling the administering of the drug and its symbiotic partner The Auld Church acting as the religious front. Teams made up of people called assessors act as roving agents of the Company, making sure that illegal uses of the drug don’t cause havoc in the city.

Once such assessor, our protagonist Camellia – despite the name a man, as all members of his team are named after flowers (daffodil, forget-me-not etc, a nice touch that gives it that 20s feel) – stumbles across a series of Hallow-related deaths that don’t make any sense and, against the dangerous background of the first Auld Blood being elected to a position of power in the city, must investigate what is really going on.

The first thing to highlight is what a fantastic concept Tinsley has alighted on with her magical, addictive drug. Essentially, the drug amplifies the existing powers of Auld Bloods, which are split across numerous types. Half the fun of this book is discovering what all the intriguing names mean. Some, like Feathers, or Stouts or Sirens, you can probably guess. Others are a little more mysterious until they are revealed (I definitely didn’t correctly guess what flickers were, and I won’t be telling you what my first guess was). The catch, though is that eventually, after years of using the drug, their bodies undergo irreversible changes – horns might sprout, or worse limbs might disappear and reappear in very unhelpful parts of the body. For assessors like Camellia, this means forced retirement. But you never know when this life-changing event is going to happen.

This idea of a drug as the key to godlike powers while also being a life-ruining curse is one that pervades the novel with a sense of poignant tragedy at some times and utter terror at others, and Tinsley wrings all the creativity and emotion out of it that you would hope for. It also results in some enjoyably barmy moments. A classic car ride with a floating nun tied down with weights? Tick. A drug addict floating to the top of ceiling where he can’t be caught? Tick. Tinsley wrings the hilarious and the tragic out of this idea to the extent you’d expect for an author for whom wit and woe are one and the same.

Tinsley is also interested in other themes in this book, too. There’s tension between the humans and the Auld Bloods in the city – funding for the worst effects of the drug are being threatened. There’s very much a fear of the “other” on display here. There’s also an intriguing thread of the harms and benefits of science, as our main man Camellia was once a researcher in the uses of the drug, something which comes back to bite him in a big way.

But it’s in the character development that Tinsley, as usual, finds some of her greatest triumphs. Camellia has a will-they-won’t-they relationship with June, one of the nuns who are about to commit themselves for a lifetime to the Auld Church despite Cam’s feelings for her. The scenes of them taking a picnic, enjoying a moment of peace while knowing they have no future – poignant, moving, brutal but hopeful – are some of the best character scenes you will read all year. Then there’s the spirited nun Sister Ramona – she who was driving the car with the floating nun I referenced earlier – who in the brief scenes she’s in will quickly steal your heart. And for all the tragedy in this chaotic world, at its heart is a message of hope, and unexpected redemption where you’ll least expect it.

Few authors can capture the holy trinity of prose, character and worldbuilding like Tinsley. The Hallows is a magnificent, witty, bizarre and heart-breaking read in a world you won’t want to leave. Just like the drug-addicted denizens of this remarkable story, I never wanted to comedown.

[Bjørn]

Disclaimer: HL Tinsley is a friend of mine and I have read the beta version of this book. I will not be scoring the book and the below are my thoughts rather than a review (i.e. I took the gushing out.)

I have read the first version of The Hallows in April 2023 (10 months ago!) and immediately wanted nothing more than to see it conquer the world. Then life happened. The Hallows gracing the world proves that miracles happen. It’s not a joyful one, though.

For a book that features floating nuns, Daff and Forget-Me-Not, Sister Ramona’s driving skills, and a character named the Lord of Spiders – imagine the worst thing that can be called ‘Lord of Spiders’ and you’ll get halfway there – The Hallows is a painfully realistic book. Tinsley’s British humour is a bit less prominent here than in The Vanguard Chronicles, which aren’t quite romcoms. It’s necessary and welcome, and it shows at the most inappropriate moments (this is a compliment). Hallow is a substance that gives the race of Aulds an equivalent of superpowers and kills humans who crave it. And, somehow, always manage to get it (or something home-cooked that will kill them too, just in a different way). Aulds are not exactly welcome by the human society, which tolerates them, because they’re useful. Sounds familiar? *gestures at world*

There is a difference between faith and religion. Not so much between religion and politics, and business. The Auld Church had to reposition itself from “the business of faith […] to the business of, well, business,” to survive. Fanatics don’t care about religion, politics, or business, and what they have is not faith, but certainty. And nobody but the nuns, The Providence Company, and a genuine good cop, to stop them. Sounds familiar? *gestures at world*

Somehow, The Hallows manages to be both plot-driven AND character-driven. Tinsley’s ability to create believable, deep characters already made me love The Hand That Casts the Bone . It’s (oh, I said no gushing) here as well. The book is also refreshingly short at 282 pages (according to my iPad) – I’ve been struggling with very long reads recently. Don’t think of it as a light beach read, though. It’s not that Tinsley asks difficult questions. She shows us the true answers. Tone-wise, it falls somewhere between of Clayton Snyder’s excellent Demons, Ink and Tinsley’s own The Hand That Casts the Bone. Neither of which features floating nuns, though, or Sister Ramona.

And the ending made me cry. In a good way. It’s unexpectedly sweet. I can’t imagine it leading to a sequel, but Tussie definitely hasn’t said her last word yet.

[A.J. Rettger · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book from the author for an honest review.

Well, I'll be bloody damned, Tinsley has done it again! For those who haven't been following along, H.L. Tinsley has been making a name in the Grimdark Fantasy community and their latest book "The Hallows" does nothing but help their case as one of the genre's most exceptional authors.

"The Hallows" takes place in a bleak world that gives off very post-industrial revolution vibes (not unlike Tinsley's other works in "The Vanguard Chronicles"). In this world, there is an all-powerful corporation/church (think if Apple joined forces with the Catholic church), that controls the supply of drugs that give certain people, called Aulds, superpowers. However, this drug comes with some serious side effects. The immediate effects are unpleasant, usually taking the form of the user violently cleansing their body of waste. The long-term effects are just as nasty as it results in physical mutations, everything from horns and wings, to extra appendages and organs.

The story follows Camellia, an assessor for The Providence Company who has a complicated history with the company, as he investigates a string of deaths of people who have overused, however, the evidence suggests otherwise. Meanwhile, in the background, a political tension is at an all-time high. Calvin Jasper, an Auld Blood politician, is poised to be the first ever Auld to hold political office. Tinsley weaves a thrilling tale of betrayal, mystery, and conspiracy in her latest novel.

My thoughts:
There are a few reasons I loved this book so much and I'll list them here as succinctly as I can. First, is Tinsley's wit. In a book where the setting and world are so bleak, it is important to weave a bit of levity to keep it from being a depressing read. Tinsley is an expert at incorporating her dry, "British" humour that never failed to make me laugh out loud while I was reading. An example: "Lavender was the boss. A dewlapped bulldog of a man, five foot six on stacked shoes. The sort of man that could piss vinegar without wincing..." An absolutely classic line that made me jealous that I didn’t use it in one of my books first.

Another reason this book is five stars is because of its uniqueness. So often books get pigeonholed into a certain genre or subgenre and often, the authors steer into the cliches of that genre to play to their demographic. The Hallows fails to do this and is not afraid to be its own kind of beast. It is a mix of the film Project Power and the hit show Peaky Blinders. However, other elements from various other inspirations are prevalent as well. The side effects of The Hallows are reminiscent of cyber-psychosis from the classic TTRPG Cyberpunk and the video game that followed.

The last thing I'll touch on before I wrap up my thoughts (or ramblings as they have turned into) is that Tinsley has crafted absolutely SMASHING characters. fully fledged individuals that jump off the page and capture your heart. I'm a strong activist that you cannot have a good book with shitty characters even if the plot is good, but you can have a good book with a poor plot and good characters. Thankfully, The Hallows has both. It is an absolute page turner, and I don't think I've ever devoured a book this fast since I read all seven books of The Witcher series in two weeks.

To conclude, The Hallows is yet another amazing novel by the talented H.L. Tinsley that is a must read in 2024 for Grimdark lovers. The author’s humour, unique world-building, and character development make it an instant classic. I know there is a bit of a consensus in the community that Anna Smith Spark is the Queen of Grimdark, but with her latest book, I dare say H.L. Tinsley has seized that crown for herself.

LONG LIVE THE QUEEN! LONG MAY SHE REIGN!

[FantasyBookNerd · Rating 5 out of 5]

At it’s heart, this gaslamp fantasy set in a backdrop of a 1920’s style world has all the trappings of a noirish thriller, but with the added ingredients of floating nuns, backstreet bootleggers and a dystopian company that employs gangs to police its segregated population of Auld Bloods.

Holly Tinsley loves her grimy backdrops. Her previous books, the Vangaurd Chronicles expertly captured the underbelly of the victorianesque world that the books were set in. Similarly , in The Hallows, the reader is plunged into the murky, grime encrusted underbelly of her new world.

Camellia, assessor of the garden district (hence all the members of the group are named after flowers, such as the burly Daffodil, or the aptly named empathic Forget – me – Not) , along with his crew are called in to investigate a suspicious death of an unknown female. This leads Amelia to discover that there is something fishy going on. The death doesn’t seem to add up as the woman stopped taking the state franchised drug Hallow (an organic compound that heightens the powers of the Auld bloods).

As usual, Tinsley deftly manages to weave plot and character together to create a fantastic arc for the characters to a conclusion that will definitely surprise the reader. The book meanders from its initial noirish backdrop to epic fantasy scales as Camellia's past comes back to haunt him.

Fans of books like Krystle Matar will definitely feel at home with this book, as The Hallows has that gripping mix of modern and old.

The Hallows is a short book so that the means that the prose is clipped and to the point. Tinsley doesn’t waste time on complex world building, weaving the different backdrops through the story rather than giving time to large amounts of exposition. The plot initially starts at a languid pace as the mystery of the poisoned Auld bloods is developed, but by the third act, gears are shifted and the accelerator is definitely pushed to the floor as the crescendo builds.

The Hallows is a fantastic mix of plot and character dynamics and anyone who likes a good noirish thriller set in a fantasy environment will definitely find something to love in this book.

[Alex (Spells & Spaceships) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delayed review as I had to come back to this book! Initially being a mood reader, I'd drifted away (it isn't my usual setting or sub-genre - modernish/gaslamp urban fantasy) but I gratefully accepted the offer of an eARC at the time given how much I'd enjoyed H. L. Tinsley's story in the Advent of Winter anthology and I'm glad I came back to it.

This is a really inventive book set in a 1920s flavour with a really cool magic system in which humans live alongside another race - The Auld Blood - who are able to consume a substance called Hallow (which is fatal to humans)

Hallow gives them incredible magical powers but its use can also transform them beyond recognition into fantastical beings. Without Hallow, humans and the Auld Blood don't have any noticeable physical differences and the use of Halloween is monitored by teams of assessors. Their code names are the names of flowers, which can be a little hard to get used to given our main male characters therefore have traditionally feminine names but it's only a very minor thing to adapt to.

Given the setting and themes aren't my usual thing, the writing and ideas had to be tight to keep me on board and Tinsley's prose is especially polished. I love her writing style and use of language!

In the hands of many other writers, my rating may well have been lower because as mentioned I wasn't in my usual comfort zone, but the strength of the writing and some really cool ideas kept me engaged when I came back.

I'll definitely be back to read more of H. L. Tinsley's work in future!

[Isabelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I waited way too long to read this book, but what a fun way to start the spooky month off. I really enjoyed myself despite some criticism that usually makes me rate books 3 stars at the most. But I enjoyed its strengths so much that I had to give it a higher rating.

Where it lacked for me a bit was the emotional department. If you’ve followed my reviews for a while, you know that I’m all about the emotions. I want to feel something while I’m reading, whether that’s happiness, love, sadness, or fear. I need it to have that depth to really connect with the book usually. While this book had the outlines of the kinds of emotions I like for this type of story and character, it didn’t have quite the depth I am looking for. We found out interesting things about the MC to keep me hooked throughout, but that did make me less attached to him and the supporting characters than I’d like.

Thankfully though, I really enjoyed the plot and setting enough to make me excited about the book anyways. It was so easy for me to picture where this took part or what the characters looked like. I also found the politics and plot really interesting. While some of it was a little predictable (not in a bad way though; I do like some things to play out a certain way that makes sense for the story), other things were really fun reveals. There was a fun variety of characters too and I enjoyed their roles throughout the story.

I struggle to find standalones I really like and while this wasn’t the perfect fit for me either, it still is one of my favorite fantasy standalones so far. I love the author’s other series and will always pick up the next book to see what she’ll surprise me with next.

[Craig Bookwyrm · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up

[P.L. Stuart · Rating 5 out of 5]

**I received an ARC of "The Hallows" from the author, in exchange for an honest review, which has in no way influenced that review, provided below.**

“’Don’t try singing that song. You know damned well that one follows the other. Sometimes difficult decisions must be made. We can’t help the dead. We can keep order for those left behind. The company is order.’”

Floating nuns, humans who as they transform into monsters have anatomical parts shifted all over their bodies, the Lord of Spiders (insert shiver here), and so many more weird, macabre, and fascinating elements compose the new dark, gritty, brilliant urban fantasy by the Princess of Grimdark, H.L. Tinsley, entitled “The Hallows”.

Be amazed once more by Tinsley (best known for her fantastic “Vanguard Chronicles”) as she takes you, in her novel, to a tense, complex, and utterly engaging fictional world, where the Providence Company is the dominant institution.

The company is something akin to both a huge corporate monopoly AND a religious organization.

“The Providence Company headquarters had many functions. It served as offices, laboratories, infirmary and hub of operations. If it were not for the fact they still held masses there from time to time, a person could easily forget it also operated as a house of worship as well. The room Cam entered was one of the smaller chapels. Not big enough to house an entire congregation, but somewhere people could go to speak to the Auld God between meetings.”

Apple meets the Roman Catholic Church? Not quite. We’re not talking I-phones and rosaries here. We’re talking hallow, (a magical serum than imbues the user with incredible powers) and…well, monsters. Or at least what humans would classify as monsters – known as the Auld Bloods.

“The Auld Bloods had been connected to their God since time immemorial and they had come a long way from wooden shack temples and stone circles in the mud. Yet, there was still a sense of something ancient and natural about it. The great stone Aulden tree that stood before the glass windows rose out of the floor, branches twisting into the aches and covering the ceiling. The altar of the Auld God stood before it, dwarfed by the tree, yet commanding the presence of all who sat in the pews, drawing their gaze by the manner of its holy countenance. The featureless face, many outstretched arms with wings outspread at its back. It was neither human nor monster nor anything in between.”

Humans and Auld Bloods mingle and co-exist in a fragilely balanced society. Each have their roles and place in society. There is local human government, including law enforcement, but the Providence Company maintains the most important hegemony in the land, both traditionally, and in terms of present-day influence. Why? Most of all, because it controls the use of hallow.

“Chemicals derived from the Hallow flower used to create an organic catalyst when consumed, began a chain reaction in the body..”

Auld Bloods appear as humans nominally, but when they take hallow, their natural genetic abilities are greatly enhanced. And because of hallow, their roles in society are typically defined / pre-destined.

“There were limits imposed on what you could and couldn’t do as a registered user of Hallow. Still, you could take certain jobs, claim certain benefits, and live your life relatively comfortably. But that only lasted as long as your tolerance to Hallow did. For those who didn’t work for the Providence Company, life after Hallow was different. People like Dancing Jane, no longer able to take Hallow but not entitled to the benefits provided to former assessors, were offered two weeks of supported withdrawal therapy from one of the rehabilitation centres around the city. After that, you got to collect a small income from the city administration every two weeks. It wasn’t enough to survive on. So people ended up in the Red Market. Of course, the city argued that there was no law against any Auld Blood getting any job they wanted, after they had fulfilled their purpose as a Dasher, or Stout, or whatever they were. But try telling that on an employer. Mother Ashya and the sisters would provide alms and aid in the form of food packages and some medical supplies, but otherwise these were the forgotten faces of the city.”

As this quote implies, there is also illicit use of hallow. Most people crave it, it is addictive - which leads of course to addicts. There is an underground market for illegal sale, and all sorts of societal issues are brought on by the wonder elixir, both boon and bane in the story.

As such, hallow is a “…closely monitored product, solely produced and overseen by the Providence Company...”

One of the biggest challenges is that humans cannot tolerate hallow.

“Humans died when they took Hallow, yet many convinced themselves that they would be the exception to the rule.”

And while those of the Auld Blood do not die from taking Hallow, continual use eventually morphs them into something other than what they are.

“Human blood is incompatible with the mixture….Their biology is different to ours. Evolution happens fast for us. What might take humans a thousand years might take us a hundred. And some people do stop. Some people can’t.”

When the story begins, we see that the world Tinsley has fashioned is on the brink of monumental change. For the first time, an Auld Blood is about to become part of the local government.

“It had taken fifty years to get one Auld Blood close enough to the government to achieve any lasting impact. It would take another fifty before they allowed them to take those positions in greater numbers - if it happened at all. More likely, Jasper would end up a figurehead, little more than a face to the public image of the Auld Church and the Providence Company.”

But having an Auld as part of the human-led government signals even more homogenization of human and Auld than is palatable for some. An ancient, zealous order does not want integration between humans and Auld at all, and may go to great an horrible lengths to stop it from progressing further. This radical and deadly group see any steps towards Aulds becoming closer to humanity, and forsaking their Auld monster roots as sacrilege, defying the Auld God’s plan.

While others believe, “But humanity is all that separated the Auld from becoming tarrying beasts that would destroy…”

There is a lot riding on the Auld political candidate’s (Calvin Jasper) ascension. If he comes into politics, the Auld will have more access to power, money, clout.

If he doesn’t, the Auld Church (and the Providence Company), secretly in grave financial woes, will cease to exist, and the zealots will triumph and work to destroy humankind, in a new day of “Holy Reckoning”.

The main character in “The Hallows” is Camellia. His job is being an assessor for the Providence Company.

“As an assessor, you made enemies, got under people’s skin. For every person who celebrated their work, there was another who saw them as something dangerous, working both inside and outside the law. It was better people didn’t know too much about you or the place you came from. Particularly the people you cared about.”

Assessors are divided into teams which have responsibility for different sections of the city. They provide a variety of functions. At their core, in essence, assessors the chief enforcement arm for the Providence Company, ensuring hallow is properly regulated.

While there is no legal requirement to register for hallow, and some Auld Bloods fear to use it, once you start using it, you are essentially under company control. Once a registered user of hallow, if you want to stop using it, you have to de-register, so the Providence Company can monitor you.

Some of this done for more altruistic reasons, such as addiction support for former users, tracking withdrawal symptoms, assisting with weaning off hallow, etc. Some of this is done for more controversial and questionable reasons.

Camellia is a troubled soul, coping with his inner turmoil. He’s also not considered a model company employee, because of past actions.

“Once, Camellia had been convinced that Hallow could save the world – or at least their world…But the Providence Company did not want to make Hallow safe for humans. That was his heresy. That was his crime.”

Now Camellia has even bigger problems. He has feelings for a woman he probably shouldn’t because of the nature of their relationship and where her future is taking her. Now, he’s drawn into the investigation, working conjointly with human police, of two deaths, and two people vanishing. All that, coinciding with Auld Bloods about to enter government, attacks on the Auld Church / Providence Company, and violent protests, the world around Camellia is about to explode.

Humans killing humans? That’s strictly a human police matter.

Aulds killing Aulds, or a homicide with either an Auld or human killing the other? That’s COMPANY business.

“When you were an Auld Blood, you were what you were. You worked for the company, you used Hallo to benefit others, or you were forgotten, floating away from society like turds down a drain.”

How Tinsley crafts her characters continues to be one of her many fabulous attributes as an author. Unlike her “Vanguard Chronicles” books, in this shorter novel, the reader stays with the third person perspective of the gruff, tortured, sometimes insensitive and obtuse, yet stalwart, determined and good-hearted Camellia, in “The Hallows.” He’s an enthralling lead, and the writer’s terse, edgy, but eloquent characterization only enhances how well-fleshed out he is.

“Camellia, on the other hand, was far more furtive with his guilt. He kept his leashed like a dog, yanking the chain whenever it barked.”

Tinsley excels at writing morally ambiguous or flawed characters, and in Camellia she provides another wonderful protagonist who is often insensitive, and obtuse, but also extremely dedicated to his colleagues and his work, determined, and courageous.

The surrounding cast is absolutely stellar, with most of the auxiliary players also being assessors who all go by nicknames, their real names irrelevant, even sometimes forgotten. When they retire or die in the line of duty, a new i.e. Camellia, takes their place.

“The job remained the same. The names remained the same. The mission remained the same. Only the people changed.”

Forget-Me-Not, Sunday, Daffodil, June, and Tussie were great additions to the story, each felt distinct and very intriguing. These are the sort of colorful and dazzling characters who could have books of their own written about them.

(Personally I’m petitioning Tinsley, if we can’t get at least a whole book about the Lord of Spiders, we DEFINITELY NEED a Mother Superior Ashya prequel).

“Mother Ashya came next, dressed in her full robes and with a black lace veil covering her horns. Not that you could really cover them. It did soften the image though. Made her seem more approachable. Like putting a ribbon around a tiger’s neck.”

The worldbuilding is woven organically throughout the novel. Tinsley crafts a highly authentic world, that feels tangible, with its own lore and mythos. The Auld religion / corporation was my favourite aspect of the world building. Protected by a benevolent, eclectic, but fierce and powerful group of nuns, you can’t look away from these sisters, whenever they appear on the page. Even if they try to float away from you. The clever weaving of the Providence Company into both religious and business entity felt unique and captivating.

I adored how, in terms of her magic system, Tinsley outlined the various skills and abilities of the Aulds in her world, and how common or rare they were: Dashers, Stouts, Shiners, Wisps, Sixers, Feathers, Flickers, etc.

As is my wont, I would have liked to know more about the world, but of course I am a fan of copious, highly immersive worldbuilding based on density (i.e. Malazan, LOTR, WOLAS). Still, this is not a criticism of the writing. Tinsley’s subtle worldbuilding touch certainly conveys well the setting, tone, and feelings of what it is like to exist in her world, and she thrives painting brooding urban environments, filled with melancholy, and eerie vibes. The technological level is analogous to 20th century-ish, with motor cars, etc., and feels period crime noir.

Quick note again: The Lord of Spiders! Watch for him! Delightfully creepy and unforgettable imagery here!

The pace is smooth, quick, and the action scenes, especially the climatic battle, is filled with thrilling, visceral action.

Tinsley always does great thematic work, and this book maintains those high standards. Two things stood out for me.

1)Esprit de corps among the assessor colleagues, in the face of conflicting priorities, life and death challenges, and potential despair due to their difficult roles, and the fate that awaited them at the end of their usefulness.

2) The feelings of being part of a longstanding organization, and what it’s like to perhaps wonder if your contribution matters, if you’re just a number, to be quickly replaced and forgotten about after you leave.

Re: 1) The camaraderie among the assessor teams was heart-warming, realistic, and filled with great dark humour, ribbing each other, and ultimately admiration, love, self-sacrifice, and honour.

Re: 2) I loved this quote, that reflects the theme:

“Should they fall in the service of the Auld Church and Providence Company, the could expect to be celebrated with warm beer, questionable sandwiches, and a little light jazz.”

This is a poignant story, filled with lots of moral ambiguities, contradictory goals, hidden agendas, anxiety, angst, people torn between what’s right and wrong, and that’s the sort of story that Tinsley spins with aplomb, and makes it look easy.

Tinsley’s prose continues to be taunt, polished, accessible, witty, and flows effortlessly. I’ve inserted so many quotes from the book in this review, to display her writing style. It’s not as flowery as is my normal preference, but it’s undeniably excellent.

“’…when the enemy is pointing a gun at you, it’s hard to trust the man who made the bullet.”

H.L. Tinsley absolutely retains the title of HRH, Princess of Grimdark, with “The Hallows, an exciting, stellar new book that fans of fast-paced, mature and nuanced dark urban fantasy will gobble up.

Five stars!

[Nathan Fantasy Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magical drugs? Flying nuns? Possibly evil religious organizations that operate as corporations? Check, check, and check.

HL Tinsley takes a brief break from her mangificent in-progress Vanguard Chronicles to introduce readers to a new world that is as gritty and sometimes icky as her other novels, but this time with just a bit more of a tinge of whimsy that breaks through some of the darkness. The Hallows is gripping and exciting, poetic and thought-provoking, and it definitely belongs at the top of your TBR.

The Hallows is centered around Camellia, a low ranking employee of the Providence Company, which specializes in the production and control of the dangerous and magical subsance called The Hallow. The Hallow grants partiular abilities to members of the Auld Ones, an ancient and powerful group of beings who only get more powerful when they imbibe on Hallow. The Auld Ones are also the controllers of the predominant religious authority, and the highest ranking members of the Providence Company are both nuns and shrewd businesswomen. The Providence Company carefully controls the movement and use of Hallow because not only do they want to profit off the drug by creating an artificial scarcity, but also because Hallow is deadly to humans who try and use it. As The Hallows begins, Camellia is tasked with investigating a series of Hallows-related deaths, deaths that may or may not be related to the first Auld One to ever be elected to office. From there, Tinsley thrusts readers into a story that goes from the lowest, most underground parts of society to those who are the most visible and the most powerful.

The Hallows is a fun story that is simultaenously both the very definition of grimdark (I’ll return to this in just a minute) and also a whole heck of a lot of fun. The book is set in a 1920s style world, giving it a unique sense of flair that distinguishes it from other fantasy works (that tend to choose either faux-medieval, flintlock, or gaslamp for their European based settings), while also getting to play around with analogues with American Prohibition and the entire “speakeasy” pheneomenon (Tinsley is British and I’m not sure if they have the same 1920s aesthetic, and so I don’t know if this parallel was intentional or not). The 1920s urban reality of The Hallows is as fun to explore as it is efficiently constructed, which is a real strenght of the book.

Tinsley belongs on the panetheon of grimdark authors, and her particular special superpower is her ability to evoke a strong sense of place with sparse prose and short, subtle descriptions. “Worldbuilding” is always a buzzword in fantasy reading circles, and with it often comes an expectation that authors will produce quite chonky tomes that detail a world’s ecology, religion, economics, and every other element of its history, culture, and society. You won’t find much of that in Tinsley’s works. Like with her Vanguard Chronicles, Tinsley is more interested in the people of the story, their experiences, and how the world ultimately impacts them. Tinsley’s books are short (I think all of them clock in around or under 300 pages) and as the reader you won’t know everything about the worlds that Tinsley’s stories occupy. Heck, if you would have told me this book happened in an AU historial version of London I would believe you, and I would equally believe you if you told me it happened in a more modern period in Westeros. When you read a Tinsley book like The Hallows, you aren’t picking it up for the epic scale. You are picking it up because there are few writers at Tinsley’s level who can make smaller, more nuanced conflicts shine through. Tinsley doesn’t write about kings and queens, war generals or high mages. Her stories are more “street level”, with people swept up in more plots that they have no idea the origins of. As readers, we are at their level – we see the world through their eyes, particularly in The Hallows where we get a single POV. The narration of the book is concerned with what Camellia cares about – and that sure isn’t international politics.

And yet, through the sparser descriptions, the world around Camellia comes fully alive. The Hallows is not quite at the grimdark-levels of the Vanguard Chronicles, but all of the places Camellia visits (whether it is drug dens, brothels, or nunnery headquarters) all have a distinct feeling from them that leap off of the page. I’ve seen writers spend pages describing a landscape that still feels distant and underdeveloped, while Tinsley can come through with just a quick phrase and instantly transport you. It’s a magnificent skill on full display here, and readers who appreciate shorter books will definitely want to check this one out.

In addition to her worldbuilding, Tinsley also nails it with the themes she seeks to explore. All of her themes revolve around whether society can really change, and the ways in which power can manifest in diverse ways. I think this is what makes The Hallows a wonderful addition to the grimdark library. Some terrifying stuff happens in this book – when humans use Hallow there is some real messed up suff – but Tinsley doesn’t dwell on those descriptions; she lets the readers fill in the details with their own imaginations. Instead, what Tinsley does so well is induce a sense of dread of whether things can actually change. The real-world 1920s was a time of change and optimism; the Great War (the one that was suppossed to be the final one) was over and a new era was suppossed to be ushered in – but as we have seen the changes were more superficial than anything. Camellia goes through so much in the book, but the biggest question is whether all of this effort really matters. Yes, maybe he will (or will not) succeed in solving the immediate crisis, but does this have any further enduring impact? The deeper Camellia goes, the more that question getse more difficult to answer.

Within this discussion, Tinsley is also very much interested in questions of identity. “Camellia” is not the main character’s birth name, but rather a name given to him by the Providence Company. This is the case for all of the employees, who belong to different teams with different naming “themes” (Camellia’s team is all named after flowers, another team is named after days of the week, etc.). This is a dehumanizing practice, especially as names are recycled whenever a current employee leaves (and by “leaves”, I mostly mean dies). There was a Camellia before our Camellia, and there will be another Camellia down the line. Employees of the Providence Company don’t inhabit these roles as individuals with unique individuals, but as cogs in a machine with limited differences between them outside of their unique magical abilities. Tinsley is so nuanced and yet clear about her thoughts on the roles that capitalism and corporatization play in our lives. The Providence Corporation only exists as it does because the role of religion has diminished over time, and the Auld Ones need to replace their religious authority with economic authority – and even more legitimate forms of political authority.

Thus, grimdark fans will be happy with Tinsley’s of-bleak outlook on the world and the gritty and grimy nature of her world. However, if you don’t really jive with grimdark (but also aren’t explicitly looking for something cozy), you may also find a lot to love in The Hallows. It is fast-paced, witty, and is often a hoot among all of the “society is bad and everything is bad” ethos of the work as a whole. That’s probably contradictory, but it is a very delicate balance that Tinsley is able to maintain.

Whether you are a longtime fan of the Vanguard Chronicles or brand new to Tinsley’s works, The Hallows is a clever grimdark historical fantasy that send you on a dark adventure and whet your appetite for more Tinsley content. Highly recommended!

Concluding Thoughts: The Hallows is a grimdark fantasy that remembers to not always take itself too seriously while peeling back discussions of identity, individuality, and faith in the time of capitalism and corportization. Tinsley’s book has everything grimdark fans would want – illicit and dangerous drugs, some body horror, and a gritty underground world – while also not reveling in the darkness too much to scare off other readers. Instead, we see an unjust world through a witty POV character who is trying to do his best in a world of moral contradictions. The books move fast and never misses a bit. Check this one out whether you are new to Tinsley or a longtime fan!

[Jacob Sannox · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC of HL Tinsley’s new offering, The Hallows, in exchange for an honest review. I’m not going to break down the plot, as I prefer to convey how the book made me feel and give an overview of the type of story.
The author has blended 1920s detective fiction with urban fantasy. The Hallows is like Carnival Row meets The Godfather, if the Mafia was run by nuns.
How did the book make me feel? Well, like I was watching a black & white film in which a private detective steps out of a dark doorway into a lamp-lit street. The setting, reminiscent of 1920s Chicago or London, is tense, and it feels as though a riot could happen at any time due to political tensions.
The city is populated by humans and Auld Bloods, people who look like humans, but who are descended from ancient creatures. They each have specific latent abilities, which can only be brought out by imbibing the heavy regulated Hallows - a sort of mix between heroin and Holy Water. Are the users exploited addicts, whose abilities are useful for industry, or are they religious folk with superhero abilities that come with a cost? It’s a fine line.
The Providence Company is the newest incarnation of the Auld Church, a gradually failing religion, which has transformed into a business with paramilitary, religious and scientific leanings, in order to survive. The Company/Auld Church keeps a tight control of the supply of Hallows, but also offers rehabilitation to those who are having to come off it.
This scene never happens, but I imagine nuns with tommy guns stepping out of a Rolls Royce Silver Ghost, protecting the Mother Superior, Yasha, a monstrous creature who supplies her congregation with a licensed drug that brings about old abilities, but inevitably leads to deformities and sometimes death. The nuns of the Auld Church are probably the most creative aspect of this novel, simultaneously ominous and absurdly humourous.
‘No weapons were allowed inside, unless you were wearing a wimple.’
Fantastic.
The story follows Cam, an assessor for The Providence Company, who, on the eve of the first Auld Blood entering government, begins investigating some Hallows deaths that appear to be strange in nature.
What follows is part murder mystery, part political thriller, part religious conspiracy and part dark comedy. I was drawn in by Tinsley’s fabulous characterisation, beautiful prose and her wit. The setting felt real, and I enjoyed the multiple interpretations for the key substance in the book.
I recently read somewhere that when it comes to addicts, they are compelled to make their outer life match the inside, and I kept thinking of this when reading The Hallows for the second time. In this case, what’s inside is both abilities born of the drug-user’s heritage, which is nothing to be ashamed of, but also a monstrous past, long left behind, that can reach into the present and throttle you.
Plenty of food for thought, plenty of mysteries to solve and plenty of adrenaline in this story.
I’m a big fan.

[Andy Peloquin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I went into The Hallows by HL Tinsley blind, with no real idea of what to expect. All I knew was that when I read the first page—beginning with the line, “The Auld Gods love a trier”—I was in for a wild and unpredictable ride.
That proved true in every way conceivable, and I WAS THERE FOR IT!
The Hallows follow Camellia, a member of a crew of magic-users who work for and are controlled by the Church of the Auld God (religious order turned corporate entity, governed by a demon-looking Mother Superior. WTF?!). Camellia and his fellows are dosed with what is essentially a drug that gives them (and all those who possess the “Auld Blood”) access to their magical abilities.
The abilities vary: Camellia has heightened senses and instincts, Daffodil the bruiser grows exponentially stronger, Forget-Me-Not the dandy can sense and control the emotions of people around him, and the list goes on.
These abilities are only tapped into once dosed up, and the drugs are tightly controlled by his superior, Lavender, who also answers directly to the Church.
And this is where the story starts, with Camellia and co. investigating a magic-user who got his hands on the drug outside the Church’s control. Slowly, as the investigation continues, we’re drawn into an increasingly complex web of lies, half-truths, deceits, cover-ups, and conspiracies. Deeper and darker with every chapter until…well, let’s just say things get GRIMDARK in all my favorite ways.
Camellia was a cleverly-written character, one who was easy to immediately sink my teeth into. He’s a man running away from the expectedly dark past (a past that is tantalizingly unfolded before us one chapter at a time) and burdened by a great degree of guilt over his past actions. He is seeking redemption through his service and doing a poor job of finding it. He is complex, engaging, and utterly human from the beginning, and colorful enough to want to follow from start to finish.
This book immediately put me in mind of Priest of Bones by Peter McLean; it’s the same street-level POV, the same ugly side of humanity, the same scheming and manipulation. But where Priest of Bones expands outward and develops the world around the character more, this stays tightly focused on the one city and all that directly affects Camellia—from the mystery he’s solving to the burden of his past to the people in his immediate circle.
And the world…oh, there was so much to love about this world! From nuns with machine guns to Jekyll and Hyde-like transformations to the curious people in the Red Market to the eerie Lord of Spiders to the small, quiet places where people can just be themselves, it’s a beautifully rendered backdrop that keeps you spellbound on your journey along with Camellia and co.
This is my first HL Tinsley book, but it will certainly not be my last. One of the most unique and fascinating stories I’ve read in a long time.

[Alan Behan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Stonker Of A Read By Tinsley

Wow, another grimalicious tale by the one and only H.L Tinsley. And damn the Auld God's has she delivered with this wonderful dark urban fantasy story will have you on tender hooks from the very first page.

The Hallows is a standalone novel that is fast-paced, action-packed, dark humoured riddled with morally grey characters and let me just tell you they are bloody absolutely fantastic. What I loved is the characters names, here is just an example to let you know what I mean.

Here we have the likes of Forget-Me-Not, Lavender, Friday, Wednesday, Sunday, Daffodil, June, and Tussie and that is just a few that are excellent additions to this amazing story, each felt unique and very intriguing in their own way. I think H.L Tinsley could have written a novel about each character their that good.

If you've read H.L Tinsley The Vanguard Chronicles then you will absolutely love this world she has created for us where an ancient race called the Auld Bloods, a religious order who look human who take a drug called the Hallows to enhance their senses and powers and its just bloody awesome.

H.L Tinsley continues to mesmerise with her beautiful writing and exquisite woven prose, the worldbuilding and 1920's noir fantasy setting is frigging brilliant. If drug-fuelled monsters, floating nuns with guns is for you, or just a story that will captivate your mind, then you need to read this dark delicious tale and add it to your tbr pile straight away, you won't regret it.

In this tale our main protagonist Camillia works for the Company, in a city run by superpowered nuns. There is a bad batch of the Hallows drug running rampant on the streets causing freak mutations, friends disappearing and being murdered. Camellia and his companions must find and discover who is behind it all.

But there is something sinister happening, secrets being kept and an ancient order trying to cause friction and bring war between the Auld bloods and humans, just as one of their own is about to be inaugurated into government that will change everything for the better. Who ever is behind it all, will do everything to stop them bringing death and destruction to all, Auld bloods and humans alike.

A grim noir fantasy with elements of horror with lots of dark humour. The Hallows is an adult fantasy novel, which contains adult themes, violence and some unsavoury language and I loved every moment of it. I very highly recommend....😁🔥

[Thomas Devens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well hot damn! I don’t even know where to start. The Hallows isn’t the first book from H.L. Tinsley I've read (and it most certainly won’t be the last), and still, I don’t know where to begin.

“Ancient Bloodlines. Illicit Substances. Floating Nuns.”

Let’s start there. Those words on the cover. That’s just the thing, everything I’ve read of Tinsley’s has this interesting spin like no others. She runs with these unique ideas that inevitably result in amazing stories. Something about it that just sets it aside from the rest. The world established in The Hallows is the result of a collision of old gangster films and gritty, dark fantasy. And the wreckage that results is just top fucking notch.

The magic and the lore mix into this superb cocktail of that tagline. “Ancient Bloodlines. Illicit Substances. Floating Nuns.” I mean seriously?! That’s gotta draw ya in. But then the execution... I love the lore behind the Auld Bloods, and the Hallows, and the way they interact. And all the groups in the city...

That’s why I didn’t know where to start this review. There’s so much about this book that makes it such a gem, but there’s one part that just keeps screaming in my ear for attention. One thing that demands to be spoken of.

H.L. Tinsley’s character work.

It’s unmatched.

The characters she creates just pull you in, and you get attached to them. Sometimes it’s so subtle too, you don’t even fully realize until it’s too late. These characters come along and just burrow into your mind. From the Assessors of the Providence Company to the Sweet Sisters to a handful I don’t want to mention... you’ll know when you meet them. Tinsley writes some of the best characters.
You end up getting attached to these characters, and next thing you know, you don’t want the book to end. But, alas, end it must. And holy shit! I couldn’t put this book down.

Seriously, gun fights, floating, ass-kicking nuns, monsters, some nasty come downs, tight friendships, an awesome set of lore... just a straight up unique, interesting story. And again, THE CHARACTERS!

I cannot praise this book enough. I loved it!

[Julia Sarene · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Hallows by H.L. Tinsley is a 1920 urban fantasy, which was a very nice change in pace!

It's not as dark as her previous series, but it still is just as unique and wonderfully weird.

I mean, floating nuns who somehow turned into fighters as well? How could I not ask for an early copy to read??

What makes this book so much fun?

The characters. I loved how the camaraderie and banter made for a great contrast and counterbalance to a rather bleak at times world.
There is humour to be found between the grit, and it worked very well for me!

I mean, these teams who are used to gruesome scenes and fighting, are grouped into themes. Our main team - garden - has not just our male MC Camellia, but also others like Forget Me Not. It should be strange, but it just worked so well in this world for some reason.

I also really appreciated how Tinsley didn't just describe how these people look, but rather focused on how a scene is set, and feels. As someone with aphantasia, I was utterly engrossed in the world, while descriptions that are just on the surface level of how things look often leave me a bit cold.

The world building is slowly trickled in, but deepens out quite a bit. I love how corporate greed, religious themes and also some social responsibilities are all weaved throughout the story, so it feels rather realistic, instead of a very black and white world.

The friction and also a willingness to grow regular humans, and auld blood together, while other groups try to separate and spread hate felt is as relevant to today's society as it ever was.

But this book can't just make you think, it also has fast paced and addictive action scenes that had me glued to the pages! Be it monsters, previously mentioned floating nun, or just a race against time, I was hooked.

So a good deal of depth in the issues covered, balanced out by a good dose of humour, flavoured with a nice pinch of weirdness, all stirred with good action. What's not to love?

[Aiko · Rating 5 out of 5]

People like to say that indie books can be just as good as traditionally published books, and this is true -- but the trick is finding them. Well, look no further, because here's one. Expertly written and paced, wildly entertaining, and just a little bit weirder than you'll get from a traditional publisher, I had a great time reading this book and would highly recommend it if you're looking for a well-build fantasy world and a compelling mystery in under 300 pages.

Mystery is not my usual genre, but I really liked that this is not a straightforward murder mystery. In fact, the first mystery is, "Is this a mystery at all?"

The best part about this book, however, is the compelling and fully-fleshed out fantasy world the author built in such a short amount of space. A masterclass in only providing the details needed for your reader to orient to the world. No info-dumping. Details provided at the time and in the amount necessary. As someone who is sick and tired of bloated, rambling 500+ fantasy novels, this was a breath of fresh air.

Tinsley's prose is efficient and crisp, perfect for the noir tone of the books. Excellent writing, excellent world building, and intriguing ideas. Read the blurb, and if it sounds at all compelling to you, read the book.

[Phil Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky to get an ARC of this new departure from Tinsley, and with apologies I've wanted to expand on a mini-review I did, but haven't had a chance yet. Check out the other lengthier reviews already on here, they do a better job discussing it than I could anyway, so I'll just keep this to the point: in a city run by superpowered nuns, freak mutation/murder is afoot and it’s up to the dudes with flowers for names to stop it. That sounds too blithe, sorry, it’s actually a taut and tightly woven thriller.

Tinsley is efficient with language, which I always respect, and she’s pulled off a solidly original and engaging story. The powers work here in inventive ways and there’s some great imagery involved. I'm always keen to see fresh ideas in my fantasy books, particularly where they take familiar genres and merge them or provide a distinct feel and voice, and Tinsley does that very well, offering up something that's a little bit urban fantasy, a little bit noir and a touch horror, but without feeling locked into their respective styles.

[Siddharth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ran out of steam towards the end.

A good book marred by a rushed ending and loose threads.
It is similar to China Mieville's Perdido Street station but better written.
Still, a better, organized ending would have done wonders.

[Syd Hughes · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5 rounded to 4*

[Kenneth Feller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Transformation drugs, a corporate demon church, and a mystery in a 1920's setting? This is such a weird blend of ideas that forms a unique story, and I'm here for it.

4.5⭐ rounded up.

[Charoi · Rating 5 out of 5]

A unique blend of church/gangster/drug/murder mystery plot and world building which sounds strange but was handled perfectly and was a great amount of fun with a nice twist at the end. I’d love to read more in this world!

[Emma Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

After enjoying the first two in H L Tinsley’s Vanguard Chronicles, I was excited to dive into this dark fantasy standalone both for Tinsley’s writing and the phrase ‘floating nuns’, which it’s safe to say I’ve never encountered in a book’s tagline before.

The worldbuilding is vastly different but still has the same flair and darkness that is characteristic of Tinsley’s writing. While it’s still a dark gaslamp world with a noirish touch, there’s a 1920s vibe and magic plays a far larger role. The magic exists in the form of a serum called Hallow that bestows magical abilities upon those called Auld Bloods, who are possessed of powerful magic but are dependent upon the drug to use their powers. The long-term use of those powers eventually leads to warped transformations that result in some delightful body horror elements.

Cam, the protagonist, works for the Providence Company, which is kind of a cross between a church and a company that regulates and controls the distribution of Hallow and deals with any resulting problems. When he’s called on to investigate a suspicious death of someone using Hallow that swiftly turns into a pile of bodies, a mystery unfolds that concerns the Auld Bloods and the religions dominating the setting.

Unlike her previous books, the narrative is tightly focused on Cam’s POV, but we see a lot of his close-knit group of fellow enforcers including Daffodil, Forget-Me-Not, and others. They’re named after plants due to their group being named the Garden Crew, and there are other varied crews within the city depending on the theme of their team. The clever details like this are another worldbuilding element I enjoyed. All the characters are well-drawn and memorable and again, Tinsley uses some great turns of phrase to cement even each minor character in the mind without wasting words.

The Hallows was a compelling read that contained some of the great elements of Tinsley’s other books but with a unique setting all of its own. I’m always a fan of worlds where magical powers have consequences and this is one I haven’t read before. The religious elements add depth and dimension and play into the magic in interesting ways. The character work is well done, and as with her previous novels, the writing is compact but says so much with economic efficiency.

This is a standalone adventure, but there’s so much packed into this short novel that I didn’t feel that we were short-charged - but I wouldn’t say no to a return to this world in future stories!