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Guardian
It's 1992 in a rural Australian town. A deeply spiritual single mother, working two jobs to make ends meet, starts to believe her young son might be possessed by a demonic entity.
Guardian is a new novella from the author of Enormity and the short story collection Tomcat Feelings.
Guardian is a new novella from the author of Enormity and the short story collection Tomcat Feelings.
137 pages, Paperback
Published March 11, 2025
4 people want to read
About the author
Nick Milligan
9 books18 followersNick Milligan has been a force in the Australian music industry for over two decades, whether it be as an influential freelance music journalist or his recent years working in festival promotion.
Milligan's literary career officially began in 2014 with the release of his debut novel Enormity. The sprawling epic is a scathing and dark rumination on religion, the music industry and celebrity worship.
He then published the short story collection Tomcat Feelings in 2017.
In 2024 Milligan released the novella Guardian.
Since 2002 Milligan has profiled some of the world’s most influential artists. He has been published in Frankie, Rolling Stone, YEN, Smash Hits, Hotpress, Dazed and Confused, and Reverb Magazine. He was the editor-in-chief of Reverb Magazine, the music and film editor of YEN Magazine and has worked as a sub-editor at YEN, Dazed and Confused, Frankie and The Maitland Mercury.
Milligan has interviewed (amongst many others) Matt Damon, Bret Easton Ellis, Dylan Moran, Ice Cube, Slash, Rhys Darby, Bill Bailey, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Alice Cooper, Juliette Lewis, Frank Black (Pixies), Brandon Boyd (Incubus), Johnny Borrell (Razorlight), Glen Hansard, Gotye, GZA, Charles ‘Bud’ Tingwell, Dave Gahan (Depeche Mode), Daniel Johns (Silverchair), Dweezil Zappa, Ian Gillan (Deep Purple), Pete Townshend (The Who), Kimbra, Melissa Auf Der Maur, Huey Lewis, The Presets, Empire Of The Sun, Chan Marshall (Cat Power), Marilyn Manson, Courtney Taylor-Taylor (Dandy Warhols), Anton Newcombe (Brian Jonestown Massacre), Paul McDermott, Dave Hughes, John Mayall, Joe Perry (Aerosmith), James Mercer (The Shins), Tori Amos, Amanda Palmer, Robin Pecknold (Fleet Foxes), Brian ‘Danger Mouse’ Burton, Sarah Blasko and Kings Of Leon.
Milligan's literary career officially began in 2014 with the release of his debut novel Enormity. The sprawling epic is a scathing and dark rumination on religion, the music industry and celebrity worship.
He then published the short story collection Tomcat Feelings in 2017.
In 2024 Milligan released the novella Guardian.
Since 2002 Milligan has profiled some of the world’s most influential artists. He has been published in Frankie, Rolling Stone, YEN, Smash Hits, Hotpress, Dazed and Confused, and Reverb Magazine. He was the editor-in-chief of Reverb Magazine, the music and film editor of YEN Magazine and has worked as a sub-editor at YEN, Dazed and Confused, Frankie and The Maitland Mercury.
Milligan has interviewed (amongst many others) Matt Damon, Bret Easton Ellis, Dylan Moran, Ice Cube, Slash, Rhys Darby, Bill Bailey, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Alice Cooper, Juliette Lewis, Frank Black (Pixies), Brandon Boyd (Incubus), Johnny Borrell (Razorlight), Glen Hansard, Gotye, GZA, Charles ‘Bud’ Tingwell, Dave Gahan (Depeche Mode), Daniel Johns (Silverchair), Dweezil Zappa, Ian Gillan (Deep Purple), Pete Townshend (The Who), Kimbra, Melissa Auf Der Maur, Huey Lewis, The Presets, Empire Of The Sun, Chan Marshall (Cat Power), Marilyn Manson, Courtney Taylor-Taylor (Dandy Warhols), Anton Newcombe (Brian Jonestown Massacre), Paul McDermott, Dave Hughes, John Mayall, Joe Perry (Aerosmith), James Mercer (The Shins), Tori Amos, Amanda Palmer, Robin Pecknold (Fleet Foxes), Brian ‘Danger Mouse’ Burton, Sarah Blasko and Kings Of Leon.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
April 18, 2025
While I’m not usually a fan of ‘realistic’ horror – I’m more of a Clive Barker, ‘do weird magic with your afterbirth’ kinda guy – I really enjoyed this. There’s a restraint to Nick’s writing that makes his characters’ intentions difficult to read, so that even the most innocuous moments seem to have an edge to them, something sinister lurking beneath the surface.
Agnes, too, is a wonderfully flawed protagonist: through the lens of her religious devotion, even the smallest details (like an odd smell or a four-letter word) have the Devil in them. As the plot progresses, it becomes clear that the reader must trust their own interpretation of events, not hers. Even as the final pieces come together.
It’s difficult to say more without spoiling the ending, but there's a great twist that offers plenty of morbid satisfaction, and a commentary on what true Evil really looks like. While there is not a single reference to afterbirth throughout (which is immensely disappointing), I would highly recommend it.
Agnes, too, is a wonderfully flawed protagonist: through the lens of her religious devotion, even the smallest details (like an odd smell or a four-letter word) have the Devil in them. As the plot progresses, it becomes clear that the reader must trust their own interpretation of events, not hers. Even as the final pieces come together.
It’s difficult to say more without spoiling the ending, but there's a great twist that offers plenty of morbid satisfaction, and a commentary on what true Evil really looks like. While there is not a single reference to afterbirth throughout (which is immensely disappointing), I would highly recommend it.
November 15, 2024
A nostalgic and intriguing tale.
The author's authentic use of language allows you to visualise each and every scene, every interaction between the characters.
The pulsating ending definitely leaves you wanting more and the ambiguity makes it excellent subject matter for a book club.
Highly recommended.
The author's authentic use of language allows you to visualise each and every scene, every interaction between the characters.
The pulsating ending definitely leaves you wanting more and the ambiguity makes it excellent subject matter for a book club.
Highly recommended.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews