Song of the Tyrant Worm

The Worm and His Kings #3

by Hailey Piper, Allyson Voller (reader)

New York City, 1990: The Gray Maiden has served the almighty Worm and his faithful for her entire life. Recently that has meant abducting women off the street to find the Worm’s destined Bride, but any brutality is worth his promise of a better world to come.

Until two strangers reveal a horrifying truth—there is no future anymore. No past. Unfathomable forces have broken all sense of the world, stranding Gray in a repeating nightmare, cut off from godly promises. Her only hope is to follow these strangers out of the catastrophe, first to safety, and then to answers.

But a sinister presence lurks beyond the universe’s skin, a cosmic hunger that has haunted Gray since before she knew its name.

Time breaks and starlight dies beneath uncompromising gods in the reality-shattering conclusion to The Worm and His Kings saga.

6 hrs. 52 min.

Genres: Horror, Queer, Fiction, Fantasy, Lovecraftian, Audiobook, LGBT

Audio CD

First published June 8, 2024

About the author

Hailey Piper is the Bram Stoker Award-winning author of Queen of Teeth, A Game in Yellow, A Light Most Hateful, The Worm and His Kings, No Gods for Drowning, Cranberry Cove, and other books of dark fiction.
She is also the author of over 100 short stories appearing in Weird Tales, Pseudopod, Cosmic Horror Monthly, and various other publications, and of articles appearing in Writer's Digest, Tor Nightfire, CrimeReads, and Library Journal. Find her at www.haileypiper.com.

Reviews

[Jeff Wait · Rating 4 out of 5]

There’s some real trippy and neat stuff in this one. I loved how Hailey wrapped up this trilogy. My only regret is not re-reading the first two because I felt like I missed some stuff. Regardless, great dimension-bending horror that I highly recommend checking out (shortly after you read the first two).

[Drew Huff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing ending to the Worm and his Kings trilogy. Loved the returning characters/subplots, the POV of Grey Lady, and the cosmic lore of the Worm. Hailey Piper is fantastic at making you care for characters--a rarity in the cosmic horror genre. Monique and Donna's ultimate fates are revealed, with bittersweet finality. This finale is just as good, if not better, than the first entry in the Worm series.

[Josh Buyarski · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel packs a punch. We get to see the continuing story of the Worm through the Gray Maiden’s point of view. While we see most things through Gray’s eyes we also find some familiar faces from this trilogy.

Hailey Piper is just amazing, the horror, loneliness, and awe that is ingrained into the cosmic horror story is equal to the understanding and hope that lingers as well.

[Alana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Did I understand any of it? No. Did I still get wildly invested in the characters and teary at the end? Yes.

[Damien · Rating 3 out of 5]

Swell redemption arc with honestly the most compelling character in this universe, and a decent extension to the Worm’s lore, but too much melodrama, redundant song and dragged out moments to offer any bite. Abandoning the dingy creepy confines of the Lightless Palace to bring this trilogy into a greater vastness ended up being its downfall. Love Piper’s writing, and appreciate past sci-fi works (which is where I’d nestle this series as a whole); however, the Worm didn’t Turn me on much past the first book.

[Dane Pope · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hands down favorite Cosmic Horror series I've read so far. What a way to wrap up the trilogy.

[Chris · Rating 2 out of 5]

I gave this book a shot despite not enjoying the second volume simply because I REALLY loved the first one in the series. The problem I have with this story is the same as I had with the 2nd book, albeit magnified tenfold: the way the plot is presented is just incomprehensible gibberish. The author surely had a very clear sense of how it all works out in THEIR mind but when it comes to translating that to the reader it was totally lacking. The only reason I give this two stars and not one or none is that the characterization of the Gray Lady was EXCELLENT. It’s just a shame the plot surrounding that character growth was so inaccessible and murky.

[Laurel · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely gorgeous conclusion to a trilogy I've loved more with every entry. Lot to digest here, but just letting myself feel it for now.

[Ben Amos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Song of the Tyrant Worm is the grand conclusion to the "Worm" Cosmic Horror trilogy and, though its been a while since I read the first one, I think this was my favorite of the bunch. It explores an interesting character as our POV, the grey maiden, a bird-like being from an "alternate" earth (without getting into spoilers) that has become a refugee amongst time and space (a pretty cool concept in of itself), following her as she and a new companion navigate and solve the twin crises and their fallout from the first two books with multiple worms now on the loose. Seeing all the breadcrumbs that had been laid out all coming together (like the original 1920s cult of the worm) was quite satisfying and thought the story wrapped up well thematically, with a fitting cosmic horror ending (at least what's implied for humanity and its fate that is).

Overall, Song of the Tyrant Worm is an enjoyable read, and well worth checking out if you've liked the rest of the series so far.

4/5, its a good time.

[Adam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! What a satisfying end to a great trilogy.

Each book in the series gave an interesting perspective on similar but not identical aspects of the same core story, a bit like how scales overlap on a serpent to provide continuous coverage. Skillfully done and each chunk was a great read.

In this final book, I loved the visuals and the unceasing provocations to my imagination. At the end I feel like I got to smell a master chef make dinner, and got to lick the spoon for the sauce, but maddeningly don’t get to eat the meal (but in a good way).

Well done, Piper. Keep writing and keep taking my money.

(Highly recommend NO GODS FOR DROWNING, another recent book of hers; I haven’t read the rest of her catalog yet)

[Alexis Morrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always knew the Gray Maiden would be my favorite, so it was wonderful to get a story from her point of view.

I’m marking this as spoilers just in case.

First of all; fucked that she saved Monique just for her to die again. That was SO RUDE

But overall, I found this a very nice ending to the story that had built over the past few books. A bit of a fix of mistakes (even ones we hadn’t considered) maybe a bit of an explanation.

And of course, we leave our main characters absolutely bruised and battered at the end because we love to torture them

Also so glad there are finally some happy lesbians that get to LIVE

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

An amazing ending to the trilogy.

The lore/history of the worm was beautifully terrifying.

Loved reading this book from Gray's POV. It added depth and humanity to the story that was lacking with most of the "humans" in this trilogy. Gray provided that sliver of hope that perhaps the world won't end in utter destruction.

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like cosmic horror but sometimes things get too dream-logic for me to follow and unfortunately that was my experience with several chunks of this book. Also I hate time loops, which didn't help. The parts I did understand I really enjoyed, and it was nice to follow along from the Gray Maiden's point of view. This just isn't my favorite release from this author.

[J.A.W. McCarthy · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Song of the Tyrant Worm, time and place are stretched by Piper’s limitless imagination. The hopelessness and terror of the universe of The Worm are only matched by her keen understanding of humanity and our need for connection. A conclusion to the trilogy as satisfying as it is surprising.

[iam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Still a very confusing story, though it adds to the world of the previous two books. I enjoyed Gray as a main character, and the ending was quite heartwarming. I also liked how it tied in with the previous books, and brought Monique back, if only briefly.

[Varadia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really love this series, and the deepening of the mystery and identity of the worm, and the kings, and the timelines they inhabit (or don't). Also getting Gray's POV was awesome!!

[Joe Crow · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did not know how much I needed this

All three of these books have been brilliant and mad and beautiful, but Song of the Tyrant Worm is all of these and kind as well.

[John Opalenik · Rating 4 out of 5]

A satisfying conclusion to the Worm and His Kings trilogy. I especially like how the changes in focus and perspective keep the story feeling personal while also building it out to a cosmic level.

[Gabie Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me: the big bird lady deserved better.
Hailey Piper: agreed

[Norman Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's very rare for a trilogy to get better with every book, but the "worm" trilogy does that. This is was an absolute perfect finish. I wish it wasn't over, but it ended perfectly.

[Carina Stopenski · Rating 5 out of 5]

an excellent conclusion to piper's cosmic trilogy, rife with gorgeous and gruesome imagery. gray is an especially focal character and watching her arc was tremendous.

[Hope · Rating 4 out of 5]

I <3 Grey

[Lynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25/5

[Julian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really love how each book in this series stars a different character, but it’s easy to understand them and feel for them from the start. Everything I enjoyed about the previous titles remains here, and while it takes slightly longer to finalize everything, I am glad that it was given the care it deserves.

[Brennan LaFaro · Rating 5 out of 5]

With a masterful balance of bleakness and hope, Hailey Piper's stunning conclusion to her Worm trilogy makes you feel like the most insignificant speck in an endless string of worlds, and yet you matter. Song of the Tyrant Worm brims with imagination and god-sized ideas from one of the best voices currently writing horror and fantasy. An unforgettable story of friendship, sacrifice, love, and understanding that truly burns bright against the darkness.