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Clem & Wist #5
A Chalice for a Kraken
She loved me too much for anyone's good.
On an artificial island deep in enemy territory, machinists develop unprecedented new magical weapons. Then the research base goes rogue, cutting off contact with the outside world. Every elite squad sent to reclaim it stops responding, too.
Wist, the most powerful mage in generations, gets called in as emergency backup. But the whole scenario stinks of a trap. Clematis won't let her go alone—and so they embark on a covert mission to a hostile state where even one-time allies are hard to trust.
Clematis and Wist are completely on their own except for their guide and interpreter: Lear, a foreign agent who previously masqueraded as an innocent artist. Lear is great at putting on a friendly face, but not so great at revealing her own dark motivations.
As they explore the base, they encounter vulnerable civilian workers, and locals who stare into space like lost ghosts… and giant carnivorous birds, and parasitic magic, and competing layers of twisted reality.
In this horror-influenced continuation of the Clem & Wist series, Clematis grapples with a growing hunger that she can't afford to feed. Wist glimpses indescribable cosmic terror. And they're all running out of time to leave the island without giving anyone an excuse to start a war.
The Clem & Wist Series
No One Else Could Heal Her
Book 1: The Lowest Healer and the Highest Mage
Book 2: The Reverse Healer Case Files
Book 3: Clematis and the Queen of the Void
Book 4: Three Murdered Mages, Two Broken Bonds
Book 5: A Chalice for a Kraken
Each novel revolves around the same couple. The prequel can be read at any point prior to Book 4. (The prequel and Book 1 also work as satisfying standalone stories.)
On an artificial island deep in enemy territory, machinists develop unprecedented new magical weapons. Then the research base goes rogue, cutting off contact with the outside world. Every elite squad sent to reclaim it stops responding, too.
Wist, the most powerful mage in generations, gets called in as emergency backup. But the whole scenario stinks of a trap. Clematis won't let her go alone—and so they embark on a covert mission to a hostile state where even one-time allies are hard to trust.
Clematis and Wist are completely on their own except for their guide and interpreter: Lear, a foreign agent who previously masqueraded as an innocent artist. Lear is great at putting on a friendly face, but not so great at revealing her own dark motivations.
As they explore the base, they encounter vulnerable civilian workers, and locals who stare into space like lost ghosts… and giant carnivorous birds, and parasitic magic, and competing layers of twisted reality.
In this horror-influenced continuation of the Clem & Wist series, Clematis grapples with a growing hunger that she can't afford to feed. Wist glimpses indescribable cosmic terror. And they're all running out of time to leave the island without giving anyone an excuse to start a war.
The Clem & Wist Series
No One Else Could Heal Her
Book 1: The Lowest Healer and the Highest Mage
Book 2: The Reverse Healer Case Files
Book 3: Clematis and the Queen of the Void
Book 4: Three Murdered Mages, Two Broken Bonds
Book 5: A Chalice for a Kraken
Each novel revolves around the same couple. The prequel can be read at any point prior to Book 4. (The prequel and Book 1 also work as satisfying standalone stories.)
346 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 20, 2025
15 people are currently reading
57 people want to read
About the author
Hiyodori
10 books281 followersHiyodori is not a bird. But she is dearly fond of her namesake, a plain-looking brown-gray bird that likes to perch near her Tokyo apartment and unleash the most incredible primal screams. Hiyodori (the human author) loves stories with fantastical settings and complicated, difficult-to-define relationships. All of her books take place in the same shared fantasy universe. Her latest novel is A Chalice for a Kraken, a new entry in the Clem & Wist series.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
November 12, 2025
I feel like that meme with Charlie Day with all the red strings connecting papers on a board with all the ways that Hiyodori has connected things throughout her books into this story! It’s masterful and as a reader of all her books so fun and rewarding!
We get blessed with returning characters. Ones I’ve missed and of course Clem and Wist. I really appreciate that we got to go into Clems darker thoughts and tendencies in such an intimate way. That plus the way the at Wist accepts her as her. Always.
The adventure itself was fascinating and I found myself bundling up for warmth while our characters wadded through water. I also often put the book down against my chest to just sit with the imagery.
Thank you Hiyodori for another book. For sharing your characters and worlds with us. Every page is another page I’m basked in comfort and every novel feels like home. You are truly my favorite author and I wish all the worlds and cosmic continents for you.
We get blessed with returning characters. Ones I’ve missed and of course Clem and Wist. I really appreciate that we got to go into Clems darker thoughts and tendencies in such an intimate way. That plus the way the at Wist accepts her as her. Always.
The adventure itself was fascinating and I found myself bundling up for warmth while our characters wadded through water. I also often put the book down against my chest to just sit with the imagery.
Thank you Hiyodori for another book. For sharing your characters and worlds with us. Every page is another page I’m basked in comfort and every novel feels like home. You are truly my favorite author and I wish all the worlds and cosmic continents for you.
February 12, 2026
Less banter, more funky road-trip and a pinch spooky. Nice addition to the series!
December 24, 2025
Reading this book right after Clem & Wist 4, I started off a bit apprehensive since I was less of a fan of the location and murder mystery concept (probably since I read too many as a kid lol), but all those worries were unfounded. I will keep this short, since I am not feeling the best at the moment (DAMN YOU FLU VACCINE xDD), this book is reminiscent of 3 where our Protagonists end up in an unfamiliar place hiding secrets and stuff (xD very simplistic I know), and bizarre things keep happening which our MCs have to deal with while working towards a greater goal (which just might be associated with a hidden danger to the world). One difference between the two stories is that in this book, Clem and Wist go to *beep* with a predefined purpose instead of vacationing.
Generalities aside, I really loved how Jace made a comeback, and how we got to experience all the environment and unique aspects that made The First and Last Demon one of my all time books! Be that primarily the Chalices, but also the references to the post offices (which are important and VERY memorable from the first and last demon lol). I also loved the description and world building of the islands pre-revalation, during the trip, and in the fourth layer. Similarly the events in the fourth layer are a pleasure to read and give a real feel of the confusion and dementia-like (?) symptoms Clem must have been experiencing. The tone of events post Reverence are also beautiful and strike the perfect tone as always, and I should not forget to praise Lear as a character who you cant help but feel fondness towards (as is the intended effect in-story too).
Overall an excellent showing, and while not my fave hiyodori book, This and Book 3 are my faves from the Clem and Wist series so far! Thanks for the story ;)
Generalities aside, I really loved how Jace made a comeback, and how we got to experience all the environment and unique aspects that made The First and Last Demon one of my all time books! Be that primarily the Chalices, but also the references to the post offices (which are important and VERY memorable from the first and last demon lol). I also loved the description and world building of the islands pre-revalation, during the trip, and in the fourth layer. Similarly the events in the fourth layer are a pleasure to read and give a real feel of the confusion and dementia-like (?) symptoms Clem must have been experiencing. The tone of events post Reverence are also beautiful and strike the perfect tone as always, and I should not forget to praise Lear as a character who you cant help but feel fondness towards (as is the intended effect in-story too).
Overall an excellent showing, and while not my fave hiyodori book, This and Book 3 are my faves from the Clem and Wist series so far! Thanks for the story ;)
November 24, 2025
I love this series and was so excited to see a new one. It did not disappoint. Great new addition to Clem and Wist’s story and hope to see them again soon.
January 3, 2026
4/5
If you haven’t read Hiyodori and you’re a fan of sci-fi and fantasy that takes risks, this is your bi-yearly reminder to put her at the top of your TBR. Hiyodori’s works scratch an itch I didn’t even know I had for existential world-building with cosmic horror influences, and her (always sapphic) romantic pairings have some of the most unique and compelling dynamics you’ll find in the indie scene today. Refreshingly, her main characters also tend to be on the older side—in their thirties, to be exact—which is surprisingly rare in the market. She herself describes the type of romance she likes to write as “complex, indelible, ambiguous—and perhaps a little tortured.” If anything I mentioned caught your attention, then I highly encourage you to try her out.
Following two standalone novels set in the same universe, Hiyodori’s newest release, A Chalice for a Kraken, is the fifth novel in her long-running Clem & Wist series. In this installment, Clematis and Wist embark on a covert mission to a hostile state where even one-time allies are hard to trust. On an artificial island deep in the enemy territory of Jace, machinists have developed an unprecedented new magical weapon. When the research base goes rogue, Wist, the most powerful mage in generations, gets called in as emergency backup. As they explore the base, they encounter vulnerable workers, locals who stare into space, and competing layers of twisted reality. And they’re all running out of time.
In her author’s note, Hiyodori mentions that her inspiration for A Chalice for a Kraken stemmed from her interest in writing a more horror-influenced novel. Yet halfway through her initial draft, she came to realize that a few of her previous books are “arguably a lot more horrific.” After reading A Chalice for a Kraken, I’m inclined to agree. I can see the horror—and especially horror game—influences in the scenic descriptions and locales, especially in the latter half of the book, but I found very little of the narrative itself to be inherently horrifying or grotesque. In comparison, A Chalice for a Kraken felt far more cosmic horror or existential horror-oriented, as in what is out there perceiving us? Yet, at the same time, we only get hints and speculations of what this existential threat could be.
While Hiyodori’s writing strengths are still perceivable in A Chalice for a Kraken, I am nevertheless surprised to find myself thinking about the novel as a prequel that suffers from continuity restraints. A Chalice for a Kraken is set directly after the latest Clem & Wist novel and directly before Hiyodori’s first two standalone novels, The Forest at the Heart of Her Mage and The First and Last Demon. As a result, the novel has less space to play around with far-reaching consequences or character development. Surprisingly few events in A Chalice for a Kraken matter to Clem and Wist, and the one revelation that feels like a revelation is set up for the future. I am very excited to see where the overarching narrative of the world goes from here (I have my theories—many of them), but I was also left somewhat unsatisfied by the conclusion as a result.
Here’s a personal gripe: I really wish we saw more of Lear and Danver in A Chalice for a Kraken. Danver’s is exactly the type of miserable yearning that I absolutely fall head over heels for in sapphic romances, and when I saw that Lear was going to play a prominent role in A Chalice for a Kraken, I held out hope that we would get more scenes of her and Danver together. Instead, I felt—much like Danver—relentlessly teased.
How does one rate a novel like this? A novel that won’t be most people’s entry point into a series or an author? Unlike Hiyodori’s other works, A Chalice for a Kraken feels incomplete as a standalone novel. To put it simply: If you like Hiyodori, you’ll probably like this (even if you won’t be blown away like in Carrion Saints or Masks Worn by Magical Wives). If you haven’t read Hiyodori, choose one of her other works as a starting point. Even for long-time fans, A Chalice for a Kraken reads like an intermediary release for bigger and better things in the future. While I have a feeling it won’t be many people’s favorite, it’s a perfectly enjoyable novel that adds to the lore and world-building of a setting we already love.
If you haven’t read Hiyodori and you’re a fan of sci-fi and fantasy that takes risks, this is your bi-yearly reminder to put her at the top of your TBR. Hiyodori’s works scratch an itch I didn’t even know I had for existential world-building with cosmic horror influences, and her (always sapphic) romantic pairings have some of the most unique and compelling dynamics you’ll find in the indie scene today. Refreshingly, her main characters also tend to be on the older side—in their thirties, to be exact—which is surprisingly rare in the market. She herself describes the type of romance she likes to write as “complex, indelible, ambiguous—and perhaps a little tortured.” If anything I mentioned caught your attention, then I highly encourage you to try her out.
Following two standalone novels set in the same universe, Hiyodori’s newest release, A Chalice for a Kraken, is the fifth novel in her long-running Clem & Wist series. In this installment, Clematis and Wist embark on a covert mission to a hostile state where even one-time allies are hard to trust. On an artificial island deep in the enemy territory of Jace, machinists have developed an unprecedented new magical weapon. When the research base goes rogue, Wist, the most powerful mage in generations, gets called in as emergency backup. As they explore the base, they encounter vulnerable workers, locals who stare into space, and competing layers of twisted reality. And they’re all running out of time.
In her author’s note, Hiyodori mentions that her inspiration for A Chalice for a Kraken stemmed from her interest in writing a more horror-influenced novel. Yet halfway through her initial draft, she came to realize that a few of her previous books are “arguably a lot more horrific.” After reading A Chalice for a Kraken, I’m inclined to agree. I can see the horror—and especially horror game—influences in the scenic descriptions and locales, especially in the latter half of the book, but I found very little of the narrative itself to be inherently horrifying or grotesque. In comparison, A Chalice for a Kraken felt far more cosmic horror or existential horror-oriented, as in what is out there perceiving us? Yet, at the same time, we only get hints and speculations of what this existential threat could be.
While Hiyodori’s writing strengths are still perceivable in A Chalice for a Kraken, I am nevertheless surprised to find myself thinking about the novel as a prequel that suffers from continuity restraints. A Chalice for a Kraken is set directly after the latest Clem & Wist novel and directly before Hiyodori’s first two standalone novels, The Forest at the Heart of Her Mage and The First and Last Demon. As a result, the novel has less space to play around with far-reaching consequences or character development. Surprisingly few events in A Chalice for a Kraken matter to Clem and Wist, and the one revelation that feels like a revelation is set up for the future. I am very excited to see where the overarching narrative of the world goes from here (I have my theories—many of them), but I was also left somewhat unsatisfied by the conclusion as a result.
Here’s a personal gripe: I really wish we saw more of Lear and Danver in A Chalice for a Kraken. Danver’s is exactly the type of miserable yearning that I absolutely fall head over heels for in sapphic romances, and when I saw that Lear was going to play a prominent role in A Chalice for a Kraken, I held out hope that we would get more scenes of her and Danver together. Instead, I felt—much like Danver—relentlessly teased.
How does one rate a novel like this? A novel that won’t be most people’s entry point into a series or an author? Unlike Hiyodori’s other works, A Chalice for a Kraken feels incomplete as a standalone novel. To put it simply: If you like Hiyodori, you’ll probably like this (even if you won’t be blown away like in Carrion Saints or Masks Worn by Magical Wives). If you haven’t read Hiyodori, choose one of her other works as a starting point. Even for long-time fans, A Chalice for a Kraken reads like an intermediary release for bigger and better things in the future. While I have a feeling it won’t be many people’s favorite, it’s a perfectly enjoyable novel that adds to the lore and world-building of a setting we already love.
January 14, 2026
Nadie me avisó que había salido este libro y aquí estoy meses después leyendolo en vez de leerlo apenas salió. Bueno. Siempre estoy hambrienta por más de Clem y Wist.
Debo decir que me costó seguir el hilo de la trama y entender que estaba pasando realmente. Entre todos los libros de la saga, este fue el más confuso para mi. Pero una vez que agarré la onda, obviamente no pude soltarlo. Amo a mis chicas y sus locas aventuras.
Como siempre, 100% estrés. Pero especialmente en el capitulo 40 y ya la parte final jajajaja Que se repita.
Debo decir que me costó seguir el hilo de la trama y entender que estaba pasando realmente. Entre todos los libros de la saga, este fue el más confuso para mi. Pero una vez que agarré la onda, obviamente no pude soltarlo. Amo a mis chicas y sus locas aventuras.
If we were together, we'd never get homesick.
Como siempre, 100% estrés. Pero especialmente en el capitulo 40 y ya la parte final jajajaja Que se repita.
"I think the Void made me a sadist," I announced to my audience of one.
"Clem," she said, without any change in expression, "you were always like this."
"Oh. Really?"
"More or less."
"But I was so sweet and innocent back in school. We both were."
She didn't quite laugh in my face.
November 6, 2025
so lovely to see these characters on the page again.
as always, great to see lear and danny once more >,< their dynamic is so great even if seen from an outside perspective
I quite enjoyed the 'horror-like' imagery, fun fun fun. more clem and wist is something i can't say no to. :D
PS: i quite liked the title on this one too !
as always, great to see lear and danny once more >,< their dynamic is so great even if seen from an outside perspective
I quite enjoyed the 'horror-like' imagery, fun fun fun. more clem and wist is something i can't say no to. :D
PS: i quite liked the title on this one too !
January 8, 2026
Another crazy adventure by Clem & Wist!
My first book of 2026! Clem & Wist go on another crazy adventure, this time in Jace. There’s always another demon or beast or mad scientist to battle.
I wonder if this takes place before or after they met Vesper and Char in the First and Last Demon book.
My first book of 2026! Clem & Wist go on another crazy adventure, this time in Jace. There’s always another demon or beast or mad scientist to battle.
I wonder if this takes place before or after they met Vesper and Char in the First and Last Demon book.
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February 12, 2026review text for 4800
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews