Ants Waking

by R.J. Huneke

As an autistic college freshman-turned Story Warrior, Erica trudges the magical city's snowy, cobblestoned labyrinth full of streetlamp faeries and meddling gods in the hopes of finding the Legioness at the city's heart, before the onset of the Dark conquers the day and, with it, the only chance of redeeming tragedy.

ANTS WAKING is a thrilling, visceral magical realism tale. The title novella is accompanied by R.J. Huneke's illustrations plus bonus material: previously published and unpublished short stories and select poetry. For every book sold, the author is donating $1 to the Global Action for Trans Equality [GATE] and $1 to the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, to benefit the trans and neurodivergent communities.

For readers of fantasy literature, ANTS WAKING is a fairy tale noir akin to Alix E. Harrow's The Ten Thousand Doors of January crossed with Edgar Allan Poe's "The Tell-Tale Heart" with a touch of Mickey Spillane's >I, the Jury.

Genres: Fantasy

256 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 28, 2025

About the author

R.J. Huneke began his writing career as a journalist at Newsday, Gadizmo, and The Examiner. His newest book ANTS WAKING is fantasy and out October 2025. He recently wrote a piece for the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association titled, “Writing SFF With Paper & Pen Spurs Memory & Creativity”. His thriller-cyberpunk novel Cyberwar was published worldwide in 2015. R.J.’s SFF short story “The Ink From Mars” was featured in EM Magazine.

He currently has a bevy of creative projects on the horizon, including a new fantasy novel, and he lives with his wife, their daughter, a spotted dog, and an unspotted cat, New York-ers in Portugal.

You can see more of his works on RJHuneke.com.

Reviews

[Blair Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ants Waking is the title novella, along with an assortment of short stories and poems, from my good friend R.J.

“The imagination is a powerful tool, but it is double-edged.”

“Hope or die.”
-R.J. Huneke

[Books By Your Bedside · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Thanks to R.J Huneke for the advanced copy of this title in return for an honest review.

It's a thriller, fantasy, alternate history - it's a lot for such a short book. It's about the power of storytelling and fairy tales.

It's an intense look at identity, the sense of self, sense of belonging and discovery, about finding acceptance where there may be none, wrapped up in a magical world. It packs a punch. It's like an inner monologue, but I admit I wasn't sure who they were at first and how it linked, but I got there.

I read a review that says Charles Dickens would "feel right at home walking these streets", and at first I was a bit dubious. I am a Dickens fanatic and I worry when something is compared to him, but I have to agree. The streets, the environment Huneke has described definitely gives off a flavour o a dark, miserable Dickens tale.

Erica is a very strong protagonist. She's flawed, yes, but passionate and powerful and ambitious.

It's short and fast paced which helps add to this stressed, anxious bubble that seems to encase everything.

My one negative is some of the language. It's not a deal breaker and I still enjoyed it, but it is heavy on the poetical, it's very metaphor rich. That's not a big problem because I know that's how Huneke has written it and it does work with the whole magical elements of the story. But I did find at times that I was focussing more on the language used than what was actually happening in the story. But that is definitely a personal opinion as I know for some readers this poetical language would be a highlight.

Yes it's a fantasy world where the dark aims to claim everything around it, but at its heart is a very human story. It has elements that any reader can identify with.

[Richard Quist · Rating 5 out of 5]

ANTS WAKING by R.J. Huneke is a unique, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ dark fantasy tale of identity, loss and discovery. The Massachusetts setting may be familiar to many but Huneke has imbued it with an almost Victorian feel. I think Dickens would have felt right at home walking these streets along with Erica, the main character, as they seek to undo the mistake that caused the death of their best friend before midnight while fighting the Dark and a vengeful god.

While it features a trans character It is not, to my mind, a "trans" story. Rather it is the story of anyone who's had to find their identity, deal with not being accepted for who they are, wrestle with their past, overcome both internal and external obstacles, and find the strength to move forward.

Erica is fascinating - a protagonist with challenges and a surprising strength of character. Someone who is able to do what's needed while recognizing and owning the cost.

The story presents an interesting mythology in the appearance of Lobodomar Devorador, recounted against the backdrop of a city unknowingly falling to the coming of the Dark, with seemingly few beings aware of and able to defend against it. I hope that there will be more stories set in this world and that we learn more about the evil of the old gods that Erica battles.

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Thanks to author R.J. Huneke for providing me with an ARC of ANTS WAKING to review.

[David Swisher · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short atmospheric story that blends urban fantasy with a quiet sense of personal struggle.

On a snowy night in Cambridge, Erica sets out on an urgent quest, saving her dog, that pulls her into a world of shadowy gods, glowing faeries, and a darkness that continues to chase her.

Huneke writes with a clear, almost musical style that makes the city feel both real and dreamlike. The pacing is tight, and Erica’s honest, anxious, and determined prospective grounds the story even as the magical elements unfold around her.

A thoughtful, gently haunting read that will reward anyone looking for a short, modern fairy tale with a touch of quiet wonder.

[James McCrone · Rating 5 out of 5]

A surprising story about the power of myth and identity. Recommended.

I mostly read crime fiction and thrillers, so this was a delightful surprise for me. Ants Waking by RJ Huneke is a novella-length "fairy tale noir," an exploration of story and identity, using myth and the power of stories to guide readers through an immersive world that is unsettling and allegorical.

Stories and myth are the currency in this world, as Erica journeys to find the Legioness, the power of the city. But it may already be too late, and it is too late for some...

To say much more would spoil the discovery!

I received an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.