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Afterglow
At what point in time does a memory exist?
Set in the coastal Pacific Northwest in 1994, Afterglow is a mind-bending psychological journey that follows Edyn, a troubled 32-year-old man who remembers nothing before three years ago except for a haunting vision atop a grassy hill, where a mysterious woman speaks her last words.
As the fragments of Edyn's hidden memories are unlocked, disturbing new flashbacks break through; glimpses of a ruined world that feels like it shouldn't exist. Meanwhile, a powerful entity from beyond reality invades his fractured mind, whispering secrets and pulling him toward an unfathomable truth that could shatter everything.
What Edyn discovers will push him to the edge of memory, the limits of time, and the furthest stretches of imagination.
Set in the coastal Pacific Northwest in 1994, Afterglow is a mind-bending psychological journey that follows Edyn, a troubled 32-year-old man who remembers nothing before three years ago except for a haunting vision atop a grassy hill, where a mysterious woman speaks her last words.
As the fragments of Edyn's hidden memories are unlocked, disturbing new flashbacks break through; glimpses of a ruined world that feels like it shouldn't exist. Meanwhile, a powerful entity from beyond reality invades his fractured mind, whispering secrets and pulling him toward an unfathomable truth that could shatter everything.
What Edyn discovers will push him to the edge of memory, the limits of time, and the furthest stretches of imagination.
205 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 10, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
March 11, 2026
At what point in time does a memory exist? That’s the question posed by the psychologist Dr. Gordon Raine to his patient Edyn in
Afterglow
. This new novella is the first book from indie author Troy Kotanides, who calls it a “psychological fiction novel”.
Edyn finds himself in the Pacific Northwest in the 1990s, suffering from a form of amnesia. He can’t remember anything that happened to him before the past year. The farthest back he can recall, his first memory, is seeking refuge in a warehouse near the docks in a sleepy coastal town. Taken in by the dock manager, who accepts Edyn’s story of lost memory, he establishes a life for himself while being haunted by visions.
So, he turns to Dr. Raine for help in recapturing his past, while not completely trusting him with every detail of his visions. His primary vision is of a woman speaking to him high on a hilltop. Who she is and what she is saying is very hazy at first.
We follow along as Edyn, with some nudging from Raine, begins to unpeel the layers of memory to take himself back to his past. But not everything is at it seems.
As the book unfolds events in Edyn’s daily life are interspersed with visions and aural experiences. He remembers more and more about the hilltop scene, and the author interjects with snippets of what the woman said to Edyn. The snippets start with only the final part of what she said, and as they repeat they expand further back until the whole of what she said is revealed.
The expanding snippets were the cleverest bit of plotting from this first-time author. It clearly showed the progress Edyn was making peeling back the layers of his memory. The doctor felt like the weakest plot device. Every suggestion the doctor made was followed by Edyn’s visions revealing what the doctor felt Edyn needed to experience next.
Edyn’s visions begin to grow larger and longer. He goes through many experiences in what seems to be an alternate reality. He follows paths surrounded by darkness with only a pulsating swirl of light to guide him. He enters dark rooms where bright screens display haunting images. He sees visions of vine-covered structures transforming into decaying cities.
Finally, as we near the end, a whole new understanding of what Edyn is experiencing comes into view. With that the book takes an unexpected turn toward a cautionary conclusion.
The author stresses the psychological nature of the book, but a “psychedelic fiction novel” may be a more apt description. The book reads like I would expect an acid trip might feel, especially the visions Edyn experiences. Though having no experience with acid I cannot say for certain.
There is a certain 1960s experimental writing feel to the events unfolding in the book. Yet the style of writing reminded me more of late-1950’s pulp science fiction, having the kind of old-fashioned formal wording you might find in an old short short story, perhaps one called “Mission to the Inner Realm”. I have a feeling there are hidden meanings to the names in the story, and references in Edyn’s visions that I did not get. Suffice it to say parts of this book didn’t “click with me”.
It’s a short book. Read it for the psychedelic vibe, and for the cautionary ending.
Edyn finds himself in the Pacific Northwest in the 1990s, suffering from a form of amnesia. He can’t remember anything that happened to him before the past year. The farthest back he can recall, his first memory, is seeking refuge in a warehouse near the docks in a sleepy coastal town. Taken in by the dock manager, who accepts Edyn’s story of lost memory, he establishes a life for himself while being haunted by visions.
So, he turns to Dr. Raine for help in recapturing his past, while not completely trusting him with every detail of his visions. His primary vision is of a woman speaking to him high on a hilltop. Who she is and what she is saying is very hazy at first.
We follow along as Edyn, with some nudging from Raine, begins to unpeel the layers of memory to take himself back to his past. But not everything is at it seems.
As the book unfolds events in Edyn’s daily life are interspersed with visions and aural experiences. He remembers more and more about the hilltop scene, and the author interjects with snippets of what the woman said to Edyn. The snippets start with only the final part of what she said, and as they repeat they expand further back until the whole of what she said is revealed.
The expanding snippets were the cleverest bit of plotting from this first-time author. It clearly showed the progress Edyn was making peeling back the layers of his memory. The doctor felt like the weakest plot device. Every suggestion the doctor made was followed by Edyn’s visions revealing what the doctor felt Edyn needed to experience next.
Edyn’s visions begin to grow larger and longer. He goes through many experiences in what seems to be an alternate reality. He follows paths surrounded by darkness with only a pulsating swirl of light to guide him. He enters dark rooms where bright screens display haunting images. He sees visions of vine-covered structures transforming into decaying cities.
Finally, as we near the end, a whole new understanding of what Edyn is experiencing comes into view. With that the book takes an unexpected turn toward a cautionary conclusion.
The author stresses the psychological nature of the book, but a “psychedelic fiction novel” may be a more apt description. The book reads like I would expect an acid trip might feel, especially the visions Edyn experiences. Though having no experience with acid I cannot say for certain.
There is a certain 1960s experimental writing feel to the events unfolding in the book. Yet the style of writing reminded me more of late-1950’s pulp science fiction, having the kind of old-fashioned formal wording you might find in an old short short story, perhaps one called “Mission to the Inner Realm”. I have a feeling there are hidden meanings to the names in the story, and references in Edyn’s visions that I did not get. Suffice it to say parts of this book didn’t “click with me”.
It’s a short book. Read it for the psychedelic vibe, and for the cautionary ending.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
What a debut!!!! I could not put this book down. It was quite short (wish it were longer), but it was so mesmerizing. Afterglow starts off with Eydn, our MMC, who's lost his memory up until three years ago when he was found by workers near a dock.
His psychiatrist visits aim to help him unveil those memories that his Dr. believes were suppressed due to a traumatic event. He very vaguely starts remembering a specific memory, including a woman and a hill near an ocean. I don't even want to go into that because at the end of the FIRST chapter I was like ooooooooo. In the same chapter, the author also has you getting the sense that something is not fully right with the Dr.'s intentions with Eydn and that just makes it even more puzzling and addictive. The ending was so honestly overwhelming and definitely not the direction I thought the book was going. It was very Truman Show x The eternal sunshine of the spotless mind, a combination of 2 of my favorite movies.
The entire book felt so eerie to me. The dialogue felt a little bit unnatural, not sure if it was meant to be like that or not, but regardless, it added to the atmosphere well.
I really enjoyed this! I loved the way it was written, simple but cohesive. I seriously could not look away after starting it.
His psychiatrist visits aim to help him unveil those memories that his Dr. believes were suppressed due to a traumatic event. He very vaguely starts remembering a specific memory, including a woman and a hill near an ocean. I don't even want to go into that because at the end of the FIRST chapter I was like ooooooooo. In the same chapter, the author also has you getting the sense that something is not fully right with the Dr.'s intentions with Eydn and that just makes it even more puzzling and addictive. The ending was so honestly overwhelming and definitely not the direction I thought the book was going. It was very Truman Show x The eternal sunshine of the spotless mind, a combination of 2 of my favorite movies.
The entire book felt so eerie to me. The dialogue felt a little bit unnatural, not sure if it was meant to be like that or not, but regardless, it added to the atmosphere well.
I really enjoyed this! I loved the way it was written, simple but cohesive. I seriously could not look away after starting it.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!
Afterglow is a novel that has a bit of a stilted, slow start (to the point that I was wondering if the 90's era Pacific Northwest scene was actually a simulation or not), but when it hits its stride, it's a real page-turner. What I can say without any spoilers is that this is a novel that will really make you consider the nature of memory and time. Where do memories exist? In the past? In the present that you are experiencing them? Are they real? What is time really? We humans experience time only in one direction, but obviously time is way more complicated than that.
The ending was somewhat confusing, but I think that might have been the point? It's definitely a novel that will linger in your mind and have you turning it around and around in your thoughts long after you finish it.
Afterglow is a novel that has a bit of a stilted, slow start (to the point that I was wondering if the 90's era Pacific Northwest scene was actually a simulation or not), but when it hits its stride, it's a real page-turner. What I can say without any spoilers is that this is a novel that will really make you consider the nature of memory and time. Where do memories exist? In the past? In the present that you are experiencing them? Are they real? What is time really? We humans experience time only in one direction, but obviously time is way more complicated than that.
The ending was somewhat confusing, but I think that might have been the point? It's definitely a novel that will linger in your mind and have you turning it around and around in your thoughts long after you finish it.
February 21, 2026
Review of advanced copy received from NetGalley
I went into Afterglow not really knowing what to expect & it was full of surprises! This is more of a psychological sci-fi which makes you think & doesn’t hand the answer to all your questions on a plate.
The concept is very intriguing. Memory, identity, the truth that isnt quite there. I felt it definitely built on the who we are is shaped by what we remember and what we don’t. The story is not overly fast paced & makes you really think as the story unfolds. Sometimes i did just want a clear answer to what was happening but i didnt get it.
This book will not be for everyone. The shifts between memory and reality can be confusing which pulled me out of the story at times. You will be left with some questions but I think this is intended. You are meant to think after reading this.
Overall, a very enjoyable read I would indeed recommend!
I went into Afterglow not really knowing what to expect & it was full of surprises! This is more of a psychological sci-fi which makes you think & doesn’t hand the answer to all your questions on a plate.
The concept is very intriguing. Memory, identity, the truth that isnt quite there. I felt it definitely built on the who we are is shaped by what we remember and what we don’t. The story is not overly fast paced & makes you really think as the story unfolds. Sometimes i did just want a clear answer to what was happening but i didnt get it.
This book will not be for everyone. The shifts between memory and reality can be confusing which pulled me out of the story at times. You will be left with some questions but I think this is intended. You are meant to think after reading this.
Overall, a very enjoyable read I would indeed recommend!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Review of advanced copy recieved from Netgalley
When i started this book i had no idea what to expect, but i was pleasantly surprised.
This is a relatively short sci-fi book that follows edyn, a man struggling to recall his past beyond a certain point, specifically, the last three years. He keeps having visions of a mysterious woman saying goodbye to him on a hilltop. His psychiatrist believes his memory loss is due to a traumatic event that may be connected to that vision. We follow edyn as he's trying to make sense of it all and uncover the identity of that mysterious woman.
I couldn't have guessed where the story was going and how it would end tbh, every chapter, especially towards the second half, brought something unexpected. The atmosphere of the book was eery and dreamlike to me and i loved that. That said, it felt a bit repetitive at times but i still enjoyed it nontheless.
When i started this book i had no idea what to expect, but i was pleasantly surprised.
This is a relatively short sci-fi book that follows edyn, a man struggling to recall his past beyond a certain point, specifically, the last three years. He keeps having visions of a mysterious woman saying goodbye to him on a hilltop. His psychiatrist believes his memory loss is due to a traumatic event that may be connected to that vision. We follow edyn as he's trying to make sense of it all and uncover the identity of that mysterious woman.
I couldn't have guessed where the story was going and how it would end tbh, every chapter, especially towards the second half, brought something unexpected. The atmosphere of the book was eery and dreamlike to me and i loved that. That said, it felt a bit repetitive at times but i still enjoyed it nontheless.
March 12, 2026
This is a hard one to review. The plot was great. Five stars for the plot and the themes were strong. Everything else just fell kind of flat. I’m not even sure I can fully explain my lack of attachment to the characters. It may just be because this is a short story where it is hard to really develop them. It sort of feels like a first draft of what could have been an epic sci fi story.
It was not bad by any means, and I would still recommend it. Just maybe go in with lower expectations. Again, the premise is what makes Afterglow worth the read. Big thanks to NetGalley and Glass Spider Publishing for an eARC of Afterglow.
It was not bad by any means, and I would still recommend it. Just maybe go in with lower expectations. Again, the premise is what makes Afterglow worth the read. Big thanks to NetGalley and Glass Spider Publishing for an eARC of Afterglow.
March 12, 2026
2.5/5 stars - This was a decent sci-fi read about time and perception of time and also, unexpectedly, about the end of human civilization. I initially picked it as an in-flight read thinking it would be a quick novella, but the first half was slow with enough unnecessary repetition to make me think it was a clunky translation or a YA novel. However, after persevering, it did pick up and become significantly more interesting with the addition of sci-fi elements and less of the relationship/therapy/redundancy of the first half. Some cool concepts, and I'll be interested to see what's next for this author.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Afterglow is one of the books, that I wish I had someone that I knew that read it so that I can talk about what I read.
The main male character is found 3 years ago and he has amnesia and it talks about his life for those three years - mainly like short scenes.
He suddenly starts to have dreams and is on leave going to his psychiatrist to figure out what he is dreaming about.
I can't give to much away but this book makes you think about what you read - even weeks later I don't know what happened. I am hoping someone else will read it so we can talk about it!
The main male character is found 3 years ago and he has amnesia and it talks about his life for those three years - mainly like short scenes.
He suddenly starts to have dreams and is on leave going to his psychiatrist to figure out what he is dreaming about.
I can't give to much away but this book makes you think about what you read - even weeks later I don't know what happened. I am hoping someone else will read it so we can talk about it!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews