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Audition for the Fox
In this stellar debut fantasy, a trickster Fox god challenges an underachieving acolyte to save herself by saving her own ancestors. But are Nesi and her new friends from the past prepared to defeat the ferocious Wolfhounds of Zemin?
“If you love my worlds, you’re going to love Cahill’s: stunning imagination, daring premises, and deep character dives. A new author to watch.”
—N. K. Jemisin, author of the Broken Earth series
[STARRED REVIEW] “A marvelous and heartbreaking tale.”
—Library Journal
Nesi is desperate to earn the patronage of one of the Ninety-Nine Pillars of Heaven. As a child with godly blood in her, if she cannot earn a divine chaperone, she will never be allowed to leave her temple home. But with ninety-six failed auditions and few options left, Nesi makes a risky prayer to T’sidaan, the Fox of Tricks.
In folk tales, the Fox is a lovable prankster. But despite their humor and charm, T’sidaan, and their audition, is no joke. They throw Nesi back in time three hundred years, when her homeland is occupied by the brutal Wolfhounds of Zemin.
Now, Nesi must learn a trickster’s guile to snatch a fortress from the disgraced and exiled 100th Pillar: The Wolf of the Hunt.
“If you love my worlds, you’re going to love Cahill’s: stunning imagination, daring premises, and deep character dives. A new author to watch.”
—N. K. Jemisin, author of the Broken Earth series
[STARRED REVIEW] “A marvelous and heartbreaking tale.”
—Library Journal
Nesi is desperate to earn the patronage of one of the Ninety-Nine Pillars of Heaven. As a child with godly blood in her, if she cannot earn a divine chaperone, she will never be allowed to leave her temple home. But with ninety-six failed auditions and few options left, Nesi makes a risky prayer to T’sidaan, the Fox of Tricks.
In folk tales, the Fox is a lovable prankster. But despite their humor and charm, T’sidaan, and their audition, is no joke. They throw Nesi back in time three hundred years, when her homeland is occupied by the brutal Wolfhounds of Zemin.
Now, Nesi must learn a trickster’s guile to snatch a fortress from the disgraced and exiled 100th Pillar: The Wolf of the Hunt.
5 pages, Audiobook
First published September 16, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 536 reviews
October 2, 2025
I was drawn in by the cool cover, but I stayed for the original and lovely story. We follow the temple-worker Nesi who is supposed to find a patron among the Ninety-Nine Pillars of Heaven but was already rejected by Ninety-Six of them. Her options are down to the Pillars of War, Assassination, and Tricks, so she enters the audition for T’sidaan, Fox of Tricks. The Fox promptly sends her back in time and gives her the task of securing the course of history, and so Nesi finds herself 300 years away from her own time in a labor camp during an occupation of her lands. I really got the feeling that this little novella took place in a vast world with rich history, to the point where I was a little lost between all the names of countries and regions. But I do appreciate the effort, and it just shows how much the author created for this story. My favorite part was the mythology itself, and I loved to learn about the different Pillars (they're basically gods) and especially about the Fox, of course. They were such a great character, being a trickster, mischief-maker and shapeshifter with a silly side, but they're also patient and kind, and ready to teach a lesson when necessary. Nesi was a good main character too. I really felt for her with all the rejections she had to endure, having the feeling that she's not enough although she is actually very passionate. It's a story about finding one's place in the world and about how a little trickery can stand against tyranny and violence. It's very original and hard to compare to other things, but parts were almost fable-like and the focus on storytelling reminded me a little of the Singing Hills Cycle by Nghi Vo. A lovely novella that's pretty on the outside and on the inside. There's also pretty art between the chapters, so I'm sure the finished version will be stunning. Highly recommend!
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Tachyon Publications for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Tachyon Publications for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.
July 9, 2025
When I read a novella, I want it to hit me hard with a particular flavor or feeling. A mood, as they say. This novella absolutely does that and the feeling is Delightful.
That isn't to say that bad things don't happen, that there isn't a big plot with big stakes, but that there is always something jaunty, something hopeful, the idea that you are never too far from a potential appearance from the perfectly depicted fox of the cover.
I do not read a lot of Fantasy, it can feel like work to me to have to learn an entire world from the ground up. Cahill makes a world that is both simple and elaborate, where necessary explanations are given but much of it just exists in the background. All you really need to get is the basic gist of how gods function in this world, and you effectively get that in just the first few pages. We don't need Nesi's entire backstory, we just need enough to throw us headfirst into the fray and that is what we get.
I have a couple minor notes. I wanted to have a bit of a better idea of who Nesi was, I could never quite get a feel for her beyond Protagonist. And I could have used like more Fox in the very early parts of the book, before we have to go without them for a while. The book is best when I'm anticipating them, wondering what they will do. Once we have the fully formed Fox, we always want more and happily we get plenty.
One of my friends wrote this book. And I fully admit that that is why I read it. But I also would like to note for the record that it is TERRIBLE when one of your friends writes a book because then what if you do not like it??? You can give your friend a vague positive reaction, but you cannot then come to your book reviewing site and lie. It is a huge risk, and happily this time it was a huge relief that I had such a nice time with it.
That isn't to say that bad things don't happen, that there isn't a big plot with big stakes, but that there is always something jaunty, something hopeful, the idea that you are never too far from a potential appearance from the perfectly depicted fox of the cover.
I do not read a lot of Fantasy, it can feel like work to me to have to learn an entire world from the ground up. Cahill makes a world that is both simple and elaborate, where necessary explanations are given but much of it just exists in the background. All you really need to get is the basic gist of how gods function in this world, and you effectively get that in just the first few pages. We don't need Nesi's entire backstory, we just need enough to throw us headfirst into the fray and that is what we get.
I have a couple minor notes. I wanted to have a bit of a better idea of who Nesi was, I could never quite get a feel for her beyond Protagonist. And I could have used like more Fox in the very early parts of the book, before we have to go without them for a while. The book is best when I'm anticipating them, wondering what they will do. Once we have the fully formed Fox, we always want more and happily we get plenty.
One of my friends wrote this book. And I fully admit that that is why I read it. But I also would like to note for the record that it is TERRIBLE when one of your friends writes a book because then what if you do not like it??? You can give your friend a vague positive reaction, but you cannot then come to your book reviewing site and lie. It is a huge risk, and happily this time it was a huge relief that I had such a nice time with it.
March 5, 2026
First thing - this is a young adult fantasy novella. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that, I read YA fantasy, and I count some authors of YA instabuy everything ( and pre order as soon as possible). I likely would have picked this book knowing it was YA - but it was not clear to me when I picked it up,and this is just to make it clear to other readers. It's Young Adult (or even younger) fantasy - a coming of age, personal growth fantasy story. It's also that not-very-common thing, which is recently published fantasy with almost no hints of sex or romance involving the main characters (in a way reminiscent of Frances Hardinge). That feels almost refreshing in fantasy noawadays - just the plot please!
So, this is being marked as "adult" on tags and others, and I just wanted to make it clear, it is not, not in focus and not in sexual content. It's simple, simply written and earnestly didactic - charmingly so, and that is a right for YA fiction at any era, but my problemis really how basic everything here is, not many layers, not much depth, no real twists or surprises even when you have trickster gods in the mix.
In fact the whole theology is simplistic. I was actually objecting to a few things we are told like peaches being spring fruit (oh come on, peach trees blossom in spring, and they blossom relatively late at that. This is just a tiny detail but ...) or the whole zoology bits about wolves being the bad guys because ruthless brutal killers, and at the same time foxes are ethical creatures who only tease equally and have a deep concern for kindness and justice (no polls were conducted on chickens, I guess, about it..). Oh, come on. The whole book is basic, unchallenging.
A remark, the most interesting bit of the book was IMO one of the speeches of the fox god
“Because middling art is the most inspiring kind of art! When something is awful, it’s a joke; a bad piece of art makes people talk, sure, but it’s always in scorn or derision. No one experiences truly ghastly art and wants to improve it. And the same with truly beautiful work. Those heights of achievement are exquisite and capture something ecstatic in the universe, yes. But if one measures themselves against greatness, they’ll always be upset at themselves for not matching it, because few do.
This is great art teacher (or creative writing teacher or whatever) motivational speech. (I wonder what other previous jobs the author has had). But thinking about it, as a reader, no, middling books are not the best books for a reader. Creation for the sake of creation is good for the artist and for those who teach artists and for artists to improve. But for those who spend time and money in books, the best books are the best books. I only have time to read a few, too few for my wishes, books a year, or in my lifetime, so the time I spend reading a middling book I could have spent it reading something better. The interests of creators and consumers of what is created are different in that, I guess. But this book made me think of it, so here goes the remark.
In all, middling YA fantasy. Not bad at all, but does not reach for greatness...
So, this is being marked as "adult" on tags and others, and I just wanted to make it clear, it is not, not in focus and not in sexual content. It's simple, simply written and earnestly didactic - charmingly so, and that is a right for YA fiction at any era, but my problemis really how basic everything here is, not many layers, not much depth, no real twists or surprises even when you have trickster gods in the mix.
In fact the whole theology is simplistic. I was actually objecting to a few things we are told like peaches being spring fruit (oh come on, peach trees blossom in spring, and they blossom relatively late at that. This is just a tiny detail but ...) or the whole zoology bits about wolves being the bad guys because ruthless brutal killers, and at the same time foxes are ethical creatures who only tease equally and have a deep concern for kindness and justice (no polls were conducted on chickens, I guess, about it..). Oh, come on. The whole book is basic, unchallenging.
A remark, the most interesting bit of the book was IMO one of the speeches of the fox god
“Because middling art is the most inspiring kind of art! When something is awful, it’s a joke; a bad piece of art makes people talk, sure, but it’s always in scorn or derision. No one experiences truly ghastly art and wants to improve it. And the same with truly beautiful work. Those heights of achievement are exquisite and capture something ecstatic in the universe, yes. But if one measures themselves against greatness, they’ll always be upset at themselves for not matching it, because few do.
This is great art teacher (or creative writing teacher or whatever) motivational speech. (I wonder what other previous jobs the author has had). But thinking about it, as a reader, no, middling books are not the best books for a reader. Creation for the sake of creation is good for the artist and for those who teach artists and for artists to improve. But for those who spend time and money in books, the best books are the best books. I only have time to read a few, too few for my wishes, books a year, or in my lifetime, so the time I spend reading a middling book I could have spent it reading something better. The interests of creators and consumers of what is created are different in that, I guess. But this book made me think of it, so here goes the remark.
In all, middling YA fantasy. Not bad at all, but does not reach for greatness...
March 2, 2026
An entertaining enough but unremarkable fantasy novella. It’s a bit juvenile, a bit didactic, but it’s also a trickster god story and I’m told trickster god stories generally are didactic tales for children, so I suppose that’s on brand. The story focuses on a new acolyte of the god proving herself by traveling into the past to oppose a tyrannical invader, and is basically what you’d expect from that premise. It tends toward neat, clear-cut good-and-evil; see for example this description of the enemy forces while the protagonist is imprisoned in a labor camp:
From what Nesi could see, the Wolfhounds were the cruel force arrayed against them. Not a one displayed the supposed kindness they were there to enact, and as one, it seemed they took pleasure in their cruelty toward their captives. Regardless of rank, every Wolfhound shared the same dour expression, the same curt mannerisms; emotion was hard to read on them, armor or no. But beneath the stoic countenance of many, Nesi saw what gave it away: eyes bright with malicious joy as they indulged in meaningless violence.
Which rang immediately false to me; even Holocaust survivors’ accounts of Nazi guards don’t sound like that. While the story does present one exception, that character has been forced into the ranks through such extreme magical coercion that he’s just the exception that proves the rule.
At the same time, the story engages in such valorization of a character who chose not to kill the Hitler-like villainous god (because “if you kill him you’d be just like him” which, no, you would not) that it left kind of a bad taste in my mouth. I’m just not a fan of Neville Chamberlain, you know? And I don’t believe people in occupied France would have the overwhelmingly positive response that the other characters do, either. That messaging about peaceable forgiveness doesn’t work in a setting with clearly defined pure evil that will only hurt more people if let free, and no method of containment.
Rounding my rating down because it seems I have more criticism than praise, but ultimately, this is okay. There’s just so many better books out there, who has time for okay?
From what Nesi could see, the Wolfhounds were the cruel force arrayed against them. Not a one displayed the supposed kindness they were there to enact, and as one, it seemed they took pleasure in their cruelty toward their captives. Regardless of rank, every Wolfhound shared the same dour expression, the same curt mannerisms; emotion was hard to read on them, armor or no. But beneath the stoic countenance of many, Nesi saw what gave it away: eyes bright with malicious joy as they indulged in meaningless violence.
Which rang immediately false to me; even Holocaust survivors’ accounts of Nazi guards don’t sound like that. While the story does present one exception, that character has been forced into the ranks through such extreme magical coercion that he’s just the exception that proves the rule.
At the same time, the story engages in such valorization of a character who chose not to kill the Hitler-like villainous god (because “if you kill him you’d be just like him” which, no, you would not) that it left kind of a bad taste in my mouth. I’m just not a fan of Neville Chamberlain, you know? And I don’t believe people in occupied France would have the overwhelmingly positive response that the other characters do, either. That messaging about peaceable forgiveness doesn’t work in a setting with clearly defined pure evil that will only hurt more people if let free, and no method of containment.
Rounding my rating down because it seems I have more criticism than praise, but ultimately, this is okay. There’s just so many better books out there, who has time for okay?
January 7, 2026
به نظرم باید این کتاب را با دو ستاره کنار بگذارم. اما نه به این دلیل که کتاب بدی است، بلکه چون اساساً با برچسبهایی که به آن خورده همخوانی ندارد. روایت، زبان و منطق داستان بیش از آنکه به داستان بزرگسال یا حتی یانگادالت نزدیک باشد، حالوهوای یک فابل فانتزیِ قابلفهم و سرراست دارد؛ قصهای ماجرایی با اسطوره، آزمون، خیر و شر روشن و قهرمانی که مسیرش بیشتر آموزشی است تا پیچیده یا چندلایه. این ویژگیها ذاتاً ضعف نیستند، اما انتظاری که برچسب بزرگسال میسازد، با آنچه کتاب ارائه میدهد، همراستا نیست.
بهنظرم این کتاب اگر برای مخاطب زیر سن بلوغ معرفی شود، میتواند بسیار جذاب و حتی تأثیرگذار باشد؛ هم از نظر تخیل، هم پیامهای اخلاقی و هم ریتم روایت. مشکل اصلی اینجاست که وقتی مخاطب بزرگسال با انتظار متنی عمیقتر، تیرهتر یا چندمعناییتر وارد داستان میشود، نتیجه ناگزیر حسِ کمعمقبودن است، نه بهخاطر ضعف متن، بلکه بهخاطر جایگذاری نادرست آن. اگر تگها درست بودند، احتمالاً این کتاب را عادلانهتر و مهربانتر قضاوت میکردم.
با این حال، خودِ انتخاب مخاطب کمسن میتواند به یک نقطهضعف جدی تبدیل شود؛ چون کتاب از همان ابتدا کودک یا نوجوان را به جهانی پرتاب میکند که مملو از اسمهای ناآشنا، خدایان متعدد، جغرافیای خیالی پیچیده و اصطلاحات خاص است، بدون آنکه فرصت کافی برای هضم تدریجی آنها بدهد. برای خواننده بزرگسال این حجم از نامها معمولاً آزاردهنده اما قابلتحمل است، اما برای مخاطب کمسن میتواند سردرگمی، خستگی و گسست از روایت ایجاد کند. بهجای آنکه تخیل مخاطب بهآرامی در جهان داستان ریشه بدواند، ناگهان زیر بار اطلاعات فشرده قرار میگیرد. همین عدم تعادل میان سادگی مسیر داستان و پیچیدگی بیش از حد دنیاسازی، یکی از تناقضهای اصلی کتاب است که میتواند بخشی از جذابیت بالقوهاش را خنثی کند.
در این کتاب با دنیایی روبهرو هستیم که خدایان حیوانمانند (نود و نه ستون بهشت) در آن نقش فعالی در سرنوشت انسانها دارند. نِسی، دختری جوان که بارها (96 بار دقیقاً) در آزمون وردستی خدایان شکست خورده، اینبار به سراغ روباهِ نیرنگ میرود؛ خدایی که بهجای آزمونی ساده، او را به گذشتهای تاریک و سرکوبشده پرتاب میکند. نسی ناگهان خود را در دل دورهای از اشغال، خشونت و بردگی مییابد؛ جایی که باید نقشی کلیدی در شکلگیری یک شورش تاریخی ایفا کند. داستان، ترکیبی است از سفر در زمان، اسطوره و روایت قهرمانی که باید شجاعت، رفاقت و مسئولیتپذیری را بهتدریج یاد بگیرد. مسیر رشد شخصیت خطی و روشن است و بیشتر بر عمل و تجربه تکیه دارد تا پیچیدگیهای روانشناختی.
بهنظرم این کتاب اگر برای مخاطب زیر سن بلوغ معرفی شود، میتواند بسیار جذاب و حتی تأثیرگذار باشد؛ هم از نظر تخیل، هم پیامهای اخلاقی و هم ریتم روایت. مشکل اصلی اینجاست که وقتی مخاطب بزرگسال با انتظار متنی عمیقتر، تیرهتر یا چندمعناییتر وارد داستان میشود، نتیجه ناگزیر حسِ کمعمقبودن است، نه بهخاطر ضعف متن، بلکه بهخاطر جایگذاری نادرست آن. اگر تگها درست بودند، احتمالاً این کتاب را عادلانهتر و مهربانتر قضاوت میکردم.
با این حال، خودِ انتخاب مخاطب کمسن میتواند به یک نقطهضعف جدی تبدیل شود؛ چون کتاب از همان ابتدا کودک یا نوجوان را به جهانی پرتاب میکند که مملو از اسمهای ناآشنا، خدایان متعدد، جغرافیای خیالی پیچیده و اصطلاحات خاص است، بدون آنکه فرصت کافی برای هضم تدریجی آنها بدهد. برای خواننده بزرگسال این حجم از نامها معمولاً آزاردهنده اما قابلتحمل است، اما برای مخاطب کمسن میتواند سردرگمی، خستگی و گسست از روایت ایجاد کند. بهجای آنکه تخیل مخاطب بهآرامی در جهان داستان ریشه بدواند، ناگهان زیر بار اطلاعات فشرده قرار میگیرد. همین عدم تعادل میان سادگی مسیر داستان و پیچیدگی بیش از حد دنیاسازی، یکی از تناقضهای اصلی کتاب است که میتواند بخشی از جذابیت بالقوهاش را خنثی کند.
در این کتاب با دنیایی روبهرو هستیم که خدایان حیوانمانند (نود و نه ستون بهشت) در آن نقش فعالی در سرنوشت انسانها دارند. نِسی، دختری جوان که بارها (96 بار دقیقاً) در آزمون وردستی خدایان شکست خورده، اینبار به سراغ روباهِ نیرنگ میرود؛ خدایی که بهجای آزمونی ساده، او را به گذشتهای تاریک و سرکوبشده پرتاب میکند. نسی ناگهان خود را در دل دورهای از اشغال، خشونت و بردگی مییابد؛ جایی که باید نقشی کلیدی در شکلگیری یک شورش تاریخی ایفا کند. داستان، ترکیبی است از سفر در زمان، اسطوره و روایت قهرمانی که باید شجاعت، رفاقت و مسئولیتپذیری را بهتدریج یاد بگیرد. مسیر رشد شخصیت خطی و روشن است و بیشتر بر عمل و تجربه تکیه دارد تا پیچیدگیهای روانشناختی.
October 27, 2025
*Thank you to Tachyon Publications for a complimentary arc of Audition for the Fox. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.*
I was drawn in by the synopsis pretty quick - a trickster god, a child with godly blood and an occupation? Sounded like something I could’ve breezed through. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get into this story no matter how much I tried.
The premise had a lot of potential, however it felt like the story was trying to world build too much for what the story length allowed for. While the folk tales and mythology aspect intrigued me, it didn’t do enough to pick up my interest.
When you think ‘trickster god’, I think most would expect some witty banter or monologue, or even just a sneaky personality, but I didn’t feel like I got that either.
I also found it hard to accept that the main character had failed 96 challenges, including reading a book for a rhino and eating a dozen fish for a whale, yet we’re supposed to believe she would succeed fairly easily in leading a revolution to end an occupation?
I didn’t feel like the story held any real tension or stakes, so I really struggled to get invested or interested in the plot, and getting to the end of this was a challenge I fear could rival most of the challenges the main character had been through before the one focused on in this book.
I was drawn in by the synopsis pretty quick - a trickster god, a child with godly blood and an occupation? Sounded like something I could’ve breezed through. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get into this story no matter how much I tried.
The premise had a lot of potential, however it felt like the story was trying to world build too much for what the story length allowed for. While the folk tales and mythology aspect intrigued me, it didn’t do enough to pick up my interest.
When you think ‘trickster god’, I think most would expect some witty banter or monologue, or even just a sneaky personality, but I didn’t feel like I got that either.
I also found it hard to accept that the main character had failed 96 challenges, including reading a book for a rhino and eating a dozen fish for a whale, yet we’re supposed to believe she would succeed fairly easily in leading a revolution to end an occupation?
I didn’t feel like the story held any real tension or stakes, so I really struggled to get invested or interested in the plot, and getting to the end of this was a challenge I fear could rival most of the challenges the main character had been through before the one focused on in this book.
January 26, 2026
I usually find stories about trickster gods really entertaining, and while this one is no exception it also proves to be deeper and darker than I expected, and is the more richer for it.
In this short novel, our main character Nesi auditions to be an acolyte for the Fox, but of course a trickster god's tests will prove to be nothing like what Nesi expected.
The worldbuilding is shaped slowly but expertly, giving us enough information to immerse ourselves in the story but also letting us know there is more to this world than what we’ve discovered. The fables between chapters are a great addition for us to learn more about the Fox and the rest of the gods.
An enjoyable read with great pacing. I hope to read other full length novels from this author in the future.
Thanks to Tachyon Publications via NetGalley for providing an eARC
In this short novel, our main character Nesi auditions to be an acolyte for the Fox, but of course a trickster god's tests will prove to be nothing like what Nesi expected.
The worldbuilding is shaped slowly but expertly, giving us enough information to immerse ourselves in the story but also letting us know there is more to this world than what we’ve discovered. The fables between chapters are a great addition for us to learn more about the Fox and the rest of the gods.
An enjoyable read with great pacing. I hope to read other full length novels from this author in the future.
Thanks to Tachyon Publications via NetGalley for providing an eARC
January 16, 2026
What does the fox say?
In this fantasy novella that recounts a mythical tale centered on striving for freedom in the midst of oppression, it would seem that the fox might say things like: "there are subtle ways to wield power", "it is important to remember one's own story", and perhaps most important of all, "It is possible to fight against evil without becoming evil oneself."
Audition for the Fox tells the story of Nesi. Nesi wants to serve as an acolyte to one of the 99 Pillars, but so far she has failed 96 times to successfully complete an audition. With only three chances remaining, she chooses to audition for the Fox, who proceeds to send her back 300 years in time where his only request is that she help start a revolution against the Wolf and his army.
This was an enjoyable book with a message fitting for our current times. Highly recommended.
In this fantasy novella that recounts a mythical tale centered on striving for freedom in the midst of oppression, it would seem that the fox might say things like: "there are subtle ways to wield power", "it is important to remember one's own story", and perhaps most important of all, "It is possible to fight against evil without becoming evil oneself."
Audition for the Fox tells the story of Nesi. Nesi wants to serve as an acolyte to one of the 99 Pillars, but so far she has failed 96 times to successfully complete an audition. With only three chances remaining, she chooses to audition for the Fox, who proceeds to send her back 300 years in time where his only request is that she help start a revolution against the Wolf and his army.
This was an enjoyable book with a message fitting for our current times. Highly recommended.
March 14, 2026
if there is any story worth reading out there, it is undoubtedly this one
Reviewed on 10th March, 2026
DISCLAIMER- All opinions on books I’ve read and reviewed are my own, and are with no intention to offend anyone. If you feel offended by my reviews, let me know how I can fix it.
How I Rate-
1 star- Hardly liked anything/ was disappointed
2 star- Had potential but did not deliver/ was disappointed
3 stars- Was ok but could have been better/ was average / Enjoyed a lot but something was missing
4 stars- Loved a lot but something was missing
5 stars- Loved it/ new favourite
Reviewed on 10th March, 2026
DISCLAIMER- All opinions on books I’ve read and reviewed are my own, and are with no intention to offend anyone. If you feel offended by my reviews, let me know how I can fix it.
How I Rate-
1 star- Hardly liked anything/ was disappointed
2 star- Had potential but did not deliver/ was disappointed
3 stars- Was ok but could have been better/ was average / Enjoyed a lot but something was missing
4 stars- Loved a lot but something was missing
5 stars- Loved it/ new favourite
April 2, 2025
The premise was what originally drew me in (I find that trickster anything is always a hit), and this novella did not disappoint! The world was so rich and full of life, particularly the pantheon and its workings. I adore the idea of there being 99 gods (well, technically 100), all animals with different domains, that young demi-gods can audition to—especially as a university student on the trying search for internships who has experienced more than one disappointment (I feel you Nesi!) My favourite parts were probably the interlude chapters that explored short stories of the gods. It immediately made me think of Jean de La Fontaine’s fables and as such had such a nostalgic feel for me (being French). Apart from the worldbuilding, I found the story in itself to be something close to a warm hug, especially in our, to put it lightly, trying times. Resistance can be found everywhere, in the smallest of acts and stories. There were moments during the novella when the plot lost me a little and I wished we could have dove deeper into certain elements, however the charming characters, beautiful world, and inherent fairy-tale-like whimsy of the book made this such an enjoyable read. Thank you Martin Cahill, Tachyon Publications, and Netgalley for trusting me with an advanced reader copy of the book!
November 28, 2025
I DNF’d about 60 pages in. I really wasn’t enjoying this despite wanting to. I didn’t like the writing style and found the world building wasn’t doing enough to make the story flow and many of the characters didn’t stand out to me. I did like the illustrations though they were very nice and I think there is a lot of potential for T’sidaan being I really like fox spirits and tricksters in books but from what I read before stopping I don’t think he was able to carry the book enough for me with the way he was written so far and because he was not the main character we were spending time with.
September 29, 2025
I don’t know how this story found me, but I am overwhelmed with gratitude that it did.
This is the story of Nesi, an anxious descendant of a god who must find a god to be her patron(aka-chaperone) if she ever wants to see the world outside her temple (aka kinda prison, kinda a school)
When she has totally failed 96 times of the 99 chances she has to impress a god she pulls a leap of faith (aka desperation) and puts her lot in with the fox god.
Time travel and rebellion ensues.
This story was so well crafted. It felt like a folkloric fantasy in a world that is so fleshed out even though we see only slices of its vastness. Our trickster fox had my whole heart. I want to give him a big hug, even if it would embarrass him a little.
I can’t wait to see if this author writes more for these characters and this world.
This is the story of Nesi, an anxious descendant of a god who must find a god to be her patron(aka-chaperone) if she ever wants to see the world outside her temple (aka kinda prison, kinda a school)
When she has totally failed 96 times of the 99 chances she has to impress a god she pulls a leap of faith (aka desperation) and puts her lot in with the fox god.
Time travel and rebellion ensues.
This story was so well crafted. It felt like a folkloric fantasy in a world that is so fleshed out even though we see only slices of its vastness. Our trickster fox had my whole heart. I want to give him a big hug, even if it would embarrass him a little.
I can’t wait to see if this author writes more for these characters and this world.
July 30, 2025
Got an arc from ALA, 4.5/5
This was a fun, funky little story that manages to pack one hell of a punch in such a short page count. Snarky, heartfelt, and timely in a way I wasn’t expecting, but overall a lot of fun. Would love to see these characters again!
This was a fun, funky little story that manages to pack one hell of a punch in such a short page count. Snarky, heartfelt, and timely in a way I wasn’t expecting, but overall a lot of fun. Would love to see these characters again!
August 29, 2025
A trickster fox god? Yes please!!!!
March 8, 2025
I am always up for tales of trickster gods, so I had to request Audition for the Fox when I saw it on Edelweiss. The story idea was fun but also had hidden depths and deeper messages. Nesi was a character I was willing to get behind from the start, and the Fox stole the scene every time they showed up. The narrative was fast paced and witty, and a lot was packed into the 190 pages. While the main storyline was interesting, I particularly enjoyed the other tales of the Fox interacting with the other Pillars, which were interspersed throughout the book, as these added to the mythology of the setting and each gave a new perspective on the Fox. The ending was satisfying but also left me wondering if we would get more adventures with Nesi and the Fox in the future. I am giving this book 4 stars. Recommended for fans of quirky, short fantasy tales and trickster gods.
I received this book as a free eBook ARC via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
I received this book as a free eBook ARC via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
January 15, 2026
The premise was interesting and I was really looking forward to a good trickster tale, but this one didn't do it for me. The "trickster" bit wasn't really there--most of the described "tricks" were just immature and boring, which really killed the vibe I was hoping for. If anything, T’sidaan is more a god of social justice, always trying to right the wrongs of the world through inane trickery, which is an interesting perspective but didn't quite come together.
I didn't find Nesi very compelling as a main character, and most of the narrative is very "tell not show" in a laundry list of who did what when. To be fair, it's hard to develop a full-fledged revolution and character dynamics spanning months in so short a story, but there just wasn't enough detail to flesh out the bones. It felt very dry, and I did not enjoy the prose or narrative voice. The plot was slow or happened off-screen, the characters were under-developed, and most of the tricks and schemes that were supposed to be clever fell flat and seemed childish.
There are a few interesting pieces of commentary and I was interested in seeing where T’sidaan was going with this whole thing, but I had a hard time engaging with the story.
I didn't find Nesi very compelling as a main character, and most of the narrative is very "tell not show" in a laundry list of who did what when. To be fair, it's hard to develop a full-fledged revolution and character dynamics spanning months in so short a story, but there just wasn't enough detail to flesh out the bones. It felt very dry, and I did not enjoy the prose or narrative voice. The plot was slow or happened off-screen, the characters were under-developed, and most of the tricks and schemes that were supposed to be clever fell flat and seemed childish.
There are a few interesting pieces of commentary and I was interested in seeing where T’sidaan was going with this whole thing, but I had a hard time engaging with the story.
September 25, 2025
The story had potential, but it felt rushed and could benefit from being fleshed out to a full length novel. It offers plenty of prose without much actual information. Readers are dropped into the story without any real setup, and I understand that is purposeful so you're disoriented along with Nesi, but it came off as frustrating rather than endearing me to her.
I'm not a fan of time-travel elements to start with, but the internal logic of the world didn't always hold up. There were moments that completely killed the immersion for me: a fantasy language sprinkled with modern-day curse words that was amateurish at best and culturally appropriative at worst; basic factual errors (starfish don’t swim in the sense implied, ants can't sit on their thorax); the Horse literally shitting itself to failure…
The book also tried very hard to highlight diversity in a way that felt performative and disingenuous. At the end of the day, I enjoyed it for the moment, but it was a frustrating read that never quite lived up to its promise and didn't leave me with any lasting memories aside from the disgusting Horse parable.
I'm not a fan of time-travel elements to start with, but the internal logic of the world didn't always hold up. There were moments that completely killed the immersion for me: a fantasy language sprinkled with modern-day curse words that was amateurish at best and culturally appropriative at worst; basic factual errors (starfish don’t swim in the sense implied, ants can't sit on their thorax); the Horse literally shitting itself to failure…
The book also tried very hard to highlight diversity in a way that felt performative and disingenuous. At the end of the day, I enjoyed it for the moment, but it was a frustrating read that never quite lived up to its promise and didn't leave me with any lasting memories aside from the disgusting Horse parable.
December 10, 2025
Hated it all the way through. Wanted to DNF but it’s so short I pushed through. This was to check off a box for my GR challenge “bite sized books”…so I felt I had to see it through. That’s all I can say.
Read
September 22, 2025I liked the art more than the story. This felt like a story I was reading to a child. For all the talk of conquest and suffering, it was bloodless and lowkey.
February 26, 2026
I give this two stars with a lot of love in my heart. I like the premise; an acolyte who keeps failing tests of the divine pillars and who in a last-ditch effort auditions with the Fox to become an acolyte. Her audition is being sent back in time to incite a small rebellion and prove her worth, no big deal.
The seeds of the story that Cahill wants to tell are certainly there, but it simply never manages to bloom into anything that's really good. There are moments where it shines, I liked the tales from the mythology of the 99 Pillars of Heaven that are interspersed between chapters, stories of the pillars and their exploits, but they also, unfortunately, took up way too much space in a book that's already short, and it comes at the expense of the main story that never really has the room to be the story it wants to be.
Mainly it's too rushed, too heavy-handed, and it's not really well-written. There's too much telling and not enough showing, which is such a trite complaint, but it feels true here. Too many things are spelled out too early or over-explained instead of shown. And there's also a kind of weird discrepancy between the tone of the story and the context that surrounds it. At the end of the day it's a feel-good story, except it doesn't really work to place your feel-good story with a happy ending for all (), inside a fortress where people are subjugated and abused and during a decades long war that will kill thousands.
If you want to show the brutality of war, of imprisonment, of forced labor, of, well, the machinations of a bloodthirsty and cruel god, then you need to go the distance. And this book brings these things up a lot, but does not want to dwell on them, so you get a story where you're supposed to understand that all these people are suffering terribly, but you're never really shown their suffering. "You just gotta trust me on this one," says the author. But you cannot simply say a character was traumatized, you have to show us how, you have to get the reader to feel or at least understand the pain and horror that the characters feel, you can't just say that the pain and horror is there and hope that's enough.
But most of all it pained me how often points were driven across by speaking them aloud. None of what Nesi learns, none of the plans she lays, not even the trajectory of her story, feels earned. It's always given to her by the narrative when convenient and always explained in too great detail. It also gives the story a very weird flow, where there's hardly any significant build up to the big rebellion that Nesi is supposed to incite. The whole of it falls flat. I can't describe it any better than Cahill had an idea of the story in his head and only wrote about half of it down. It feels half-baked, unfinished.
What he certainly does have is a message he wants to pass on. I don't mind stories that have some specific meaning they want to convey, often I very much enjoy it, even if it isn't subtle. But there is a big difference between conveying an idea and constantly, loudly pointing to it. The theme of "be kind and do what is right" would have worked a lot better if it had been more implicit in the main story, and if there wasn't as big a tonal dissonance between when and where the story takes place and what actually happens in it.
And yet, it's two stars with a lot of love. Because I like the bones of it, I like the general ideas, and I think Cahill can manage to cook up something rather good given time. Like the Fox I like middling stories. They leave plenty of room for everyone involved to grow and be inspired.
The seeds of the story that Cahill wants to tell are certainly there, but it simply never manages to bloom into anything that's really good. There are moments where it shines, I liked the tales from the mythology of the 99 Pillars of Heaven that are interspersed between chapters, stories of the pillars and their exploits, but they also, unfortunately, took up way too much space in a book that's already short, and it comes at the expense of the main story that never really has the room to be the story it wants to be.
Mainly it's too rushed, too heavy-handed, and it's not really well-written. There's too much telling and not enough showing, which is such a trite complaint, but it feels true here. Too many things are spelled out too early or over-explained instead of shown. And there's also a kind of weird discrepancy between the tone of the story and the context that surrounds it. At the end of the day it's a feel-good story, except it doesn't really work to place your feel-good story with a happy ending for all (), inside a fortress where people are subjugated and abused and during a decades long war that will kill thousands.
If you want to show the brutality of war, of imprisonment, of forced labor, of, well, the machinations of a bloodthirsty and cruel god, then you need to go the distance. And this book brings these things up a lot, but does not want to dwell on them, so you get a story where you're supposed to understand that all these people are suffering terribly, but you're never really shown their suffering. "You just gotta trust me on this one," says the author. But you cannot simply say a character was traumatized, you have to show us how, you have to get the reader to feel or at least understand the pain and horror that the characters feel, you can't just say that the pain and horror is there and hope that's enough.
But most of all it pained me how often points were driven across by speaking them aloud. None of what Nesi learns, none of the plans she lays, not even the trajectory of her story, feels earned. It's always given to her by the narrative when convenient and always explained in too great detail. It also gives the story a very weird flow, where there's hardly any significant build up to the big rebellion that Nesi is supposed to incite. The whole of it falls flat. I can't describe it any better than Cahill had an idea of the story in his head and only wrote about half of it down. It feels half-baked, unfinished.
What he certainly does have is a message he wants to pass on. I don't mind stories that have some specific meaning they want to convey, often I very much enjoy it, even if it isn't subtle. But there is a big difference between conveying an idea and constantly, loudly pointing to it. The theme of "be kind and do what is right" would have worked a lot better if it had been more implicit in the main story, and if there wasn't as big a tonal dissonance between when and where the story takes place and what actually happens in it.
And yet, it's two stars with a lot of love. Because I like the bones of it, I like the general ideas, and I think Cahill can manage to cook up something rather good given time. Like the Fox I like middling stories. They leave plenty of room for everyone involved to grow and be inspired.
March 6, 2026
Once again, a novella with a fantasy setting that's trying to do too much and in doing so does very little. As with any fantasy setting, there is lore you've got to learn. The majority of the lore is this pantheon of 100 gods, but, less well fleshed out, there are also the geopolitics of this world and the geopolitics of this world centuries ago? The politics part comes off very weak compared to the religion, and yet the plot in large part centers around an uprising against a foreign, occupying force. So, very political, you might say. The very thing dictating the development of the plot and its characters is also the most hand-waved and poorly considered.
There is also nearly no time spent on Nesi being firmly rooted in the present day, which makes the stakes about losing the current world as she knows it feel unimportant because we, the readers, have don't know the world. It might have been interesting to explore the conflict of Nesi trying to decide to remain in the past versus return to her own time, but nope, also poorly considered. In general, nothing felt like it had any stakes. The threat of violence is never taken seriously although the characters speak about taking it seriously. Nesi supposedly might die at the hand of her captors, and yet her being beaten or having her leg broken within a five-month period is only mentioned in retrospect, and very blithely at that. No one in the work camp is named or even described more than once besides Teor and Una, so why would we care deeply about how they feel. Similarly, no one is named in the present besides Ren, so why would we care about Nesi leaving them all behind.
Also, the "sage advice" and "deep" ruminations upon morality were so trite or awkwardly stated. Truly, I was getting so annoyed at bad or highly conditional advice being dispensed with a shoddy veneer of folkish wisdom about the nature of the universe and humanity that I reached a point that I was like, am I getting mad at a children's book? Is this for literal children? But no, I think this is actually not supposed to be for eight-year-olds, somehow.
I also disliked how the domain of the fox is trickery, but really the domain of the fox is being the coolest, most just, most misunderstood, most underappreciated guy in the whole wide world who somehow takes charge of righting every injustice across all of time (?) even though there is a literal god of justice (?) who we actually meet because she comes in personally to this site of great injustice (?) and then just hands a dude a knife and leaves (?) because again, the coolest guy and the only guy who actually does anything is the fox. AND they have a tragic backstory (that I also was not moved to care about).
At this point I cannot even claim to be disappointed when it turns out that yet another modern fantasy novella is mediocre. I hope these authors are getting in good practice and becoming better writers for their full-length novels. Honestly, I feel kin of bad because the author narrates the audiobook, and clearly he really relishes telling this story. Sadly, for me, it's just really not it...
There is also nearly no time spent on Nesi being firmly rooted in the present day, which makes the stakes about losing the current world as she knows it feel unimportant because we, the readers, have don't know the world. It might have been interesting to explore the conflict of Nesi trying to decide to remain in the past versus return to her own time, but nope, also poorly considered. In general, nothing felt like it had any stakes. The threat of violence is never taken seriously although the characters speak about taking it seriously. Nesi supposedly might die at the hand of her captors, and yet her being beaten or having her leg broken within a five-month period is only mentioned in retrospect, and very blithely at that. No one in the work camp is named or even described more than once besides Teor and Una, so why would we care deeply about how they feel. Similarly, no one is named in the present besides Ren, so why would we care about Nesi leaving them all behind.
Also, the "sage advice" and "deep" ruminations upon morality were so trite or awkwardly stated. Truly, I was getting so annoyed at bad or highly conditional advice being dispensed with a shoddy veneer of folkish wisdom about the nature of the universe and humanity that I reached a point that I was like, am I getting mad at a children's book? Is this for literal children? But no, I think this is actually not supposed to be for eight-year-olds, somehow.
I also disliked how the domain of the fox is trickery, but really the domain of the fox is being the coolest, most just, most misunderstood, most underappreciated guy in the whole wide world who somehow takes charge of righting every injustice across all of time (?) even though there is a literal god of justice (?) who we actually meet because she comes in personally to this site of great injustice (?) and then just hands a dude a knife and leaves (?) because again, the coolest guy and the only guy who actually does anything is the fox. AND they have a tragic backstory (that I also was not moved to care about).
At this point I cannot even claim to be disappointed when it turns out that yet another modern fantasy novella is mediocre. I hope these authors are getting in good practice and becoming better writers for their full-length novels. Honestly, I feel kin of bad because the author narrates the audiobook, and clearly he really relishes telling this story. Sadly, for me, it's just really not it...
February 12, 2026
tl;dr — you want to read about a trickster god and a trickster acolyte/devotee, read The Thief: someone who was in it for the long haul and pulled off the heist of a century. You want to be drawn in by a nice cover only to be sucker-punched by a poorly executed story? Take this one, but honestly you have your pick.
▬
I think a lot of people like trickster gods. There’s a lot of affection for the underdog who gets one up over a powerful foe. Juan Tamad in Tagalog folklore (and maybe generally Philippine folklore) is one such character, which is why he has a load of stories. So it’s really surprising that the trickster god and their hopeful acolyte very much underdeliver on the tricks front, when this whole book is premised on that.
✦ The pace feels much too slow. I don’t think there’s much substance to this story, which is why Cahill tries to draw things out. But by the time things finally ramped up I was like, “Finally. What the hell have we been waiting for?” But the grand tricky conclusion is such a letdown! My efforts were not rewarded, my desires remained unsatisfied.
✦ Cahill loves telling a bitch that Nesi is tricksy, but he doesn’t actually show it. If the blather leading up to the grand revolución had been scenes showing Nesi exercising and flexing her tricksiness — which didn’t always feel that way — it would’ve maybe excused the long-ass interludes where Nesi does a grand total of nothing. Cahill’s preference is to tell the reader about how he sees Nesi, how he’s imagined this stubborn, big-hearted fool, but he was unable to argue the case. He wants me to believe, but is unable to write to get me there.
✦ Maybe Cahill wanted this to be heartwarming — “look at all these people, downtrodden but still fighting for each other!” — but it felt so flat and emotionless. Why is it that the revolution is coming but Nesi is the only one moving? You’re telling me none of these other people had a revolutionary thought in their heads or thought to act until some dumbshit who gets herself beaten up on a regular basis plants that in their heads? Who is she, some wannabe Kendrick Lamar?
✦ Just like the failed attempt at an emotional connection, the worldbuilding was there but … doesn’t make enough sense. Who are the Oranoyans? Who are the Zemini? Also I despise the term “global power” — what does that mean in this context? Is it like America’s global power, enforced through military and commercial might and the concentration of wealth?? Oh but at the same time Oranoyans are good guys. They will stand up to tyranny! Just like how America gave the world liberty when they went after those bad, bad weapons of mass destruction. Also when they went after every country leader who even had a whiff of communism. That kind of global power? Bro you better fucking be clear.
✦ I hated those in-between folktales and the honestly off-putting tone Cahill adopted for some of them. In one story the grandmother kept saying “la” — are we cosplaying Malaysians? It sure is nice to be able to put on a skin and take it off, isn’t it. Don’t read this white man’s pale imitation if you want modern Malaysian fantasy: instead, go for Zen Cho’s Spirits Abroad. Zen Cho’s take on the Most Handsomest Monkey is way more tricksy than the Fox God here.
✦ Wait, what, wait. Nesi is twenty-one? I only found out from this review. I genuinely thought she was fourteen, thereabouts. What? How can she be … ? But she’s so DUMB though. Granted not like 21-year-olds are like approaching the peak of their mental prowess but holy shit she … talked and acted like an adolescent. Whut. Even her final trick, her grand act, was exactly in line with a teenager’s “ta-da!” moment. That’s it?
▬
I think a lot of people like trickster gods. There’s a lot of affection for the underdog who gets one up over a powerful foe. Juan Tamad in Tagalog folklore (and maybe generally Philippine folklore) is one such character, which is why he has a load of stories. So it’s really surprising that the trickster god and their hopeful acolyte very much underdeliver on the tricks front, when this whole book is premised on that.
✦ The pace feels much too slow. I don’t think there’s much substance to this story, which is why Cahill tries to draw things out. But by the time things finally ramped up I was like, “Finally. What the hell have we been waiting for?” But the grand tricky conclusion is such a letdown! My efforts were not rewarded, my desires remained unsatisfied.
✦ Cahill loves telling a bitch that Nesi is tricksy, but he doesn’t actually show it. If the blather leading up to the grand revolución had been scenes showing Nesi exercising and flexing her tricksiness — which didn’t always feel that way — it would’ve maybe excused the long-ass interludes where Nesi does a grand total of nothing. Cahill’s preference is to tell the reader about how he sees Nesi, how he’s imagined this stubborn, big-hearted fool, but he was unable to argue the case. He wants me to believe, but is unable to write to get me there.
✦ Maybe Cahill wanted this to be heartwarming — “look at all these people, downtrodden but still fighting for each other!” — but it felt so flat and emotionless. Why is it that the revolution is coming but Nesi is the only one moving? You’re telling me none of these other people had a revolutionary thought in their heads or thought to act until some dumbshit who gets herself beaten up on a regular basis plants that in their heads? Who is she, some wannabe Kendrick Lamar?
✦ Just like the failed attempt at an emotional connection, the worldbuilding was there but … doesn’t make enough sense. Who are the Oranoyans? Who are the Zemini? Also I despise the term “global power” — what does that mean in this context? Is it like America’s global power, enforced through military and commercial might and the concentration of wealth?? Oh but at the same time Oranoyans are good guys. They will stand up to tyranny! Just like how America gave the world liberty when they went after those bad, bad weapons of mass destruction. Also when they went after every country leader who even had a whiff of communism. That kind of global power? Bro you better fucking be clear.
✦ I hated those in-between folktales and the honestly off-putting tone Cahill adopted for some of them. In one story the grandmother kept saying “la” — are we cosplaying Malaysians? It sure is nice to be able to put on a skin and take it off, isn’t it. Don’t read this white man’s pale imitation if you want modern Malaysian fantasy: instead, go for Zen Cho’s Spirits Abroad. Zen Cho’s take on the Most Handsomest Monkey is way more tricksy than the Fox God here.
✦ Wait, what, wait. Nesi is twenty-one? I only found out from this review. I genuinely thought she was fourteen, thereabouts. What? How can she be … ? But she’s so DUMB though. Granted not like 21-year-olds are like approaching the peak of their mental prowess but holy shit she … talked and acted like an adolescent. Whut. Even her final trick, her grand act, was exactly in line with a teenager’s “ta-da!” moment. That’s it?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 12, 2026
“There’s a fine line between stubborn and stupid.”
Audition for the Fox by Martin Cahill is pure joy in book form. It’s been a long time since I’ve had this much fun while reading. The world Cahill builds bursts with imagination and energy, it’s vivid, strange, and alive in the best possible way. Every page feels like an invitation to step deeper into a place you don’t want to leave.
The characters jump off the page with personality and heart. They’re clever and full of surprises, each bringing their own spark to this unforgettable story. And beneath all the fun and wit are meaningful lessons, about ambition, identity, and what it means to truly perform in the grand stage of life.
An absolute delight from start to finish. I can only hope this world is expanded in the future!
Audition for the Fox by Martin Cahill is pure joy in book form. It’s been a long time since I’ve had this much fun while reading. The world Cahill builds bursts with imagination and energy, it’s vivid, strange, and alive in the best possible way. Every page feels like an invitation to step deeper into a place you don’t want to leave.
The characters jump off the page with personality and heart. They’re clever and full of surprises, each bringing their own spark to this unforgettable story. And beneath all the fun and wit are meaningful lessons, about ambition, identity, and what it means to truly perform in the grand stage of life.
An absolute delight from start to finish. I can only hope this world is expanded in the future!
January 18, 2026
3.75⭐️ “I still think we need tricksters to tweak the nose of tyrants. I still think we need loving, inclusive, intersectional communities that can hold space for all those who lack such a thing, and embrace them in that held space and into community. I still think there will always be a part of me that feels like Nesi: too young, too inexperienced, too anxious while also wildly passionate, eager to help, and desperate to fulfill a purpose. And I still think stories are some of the best tools we have in the world to save each other, through joy, shared experience, human connection, and the healing power of art.” 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻
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September 24, 2025This was a really fun novella. The message, that someone has to stand up to evil to inspire others to do the same so it might as well be you, is unfortunately timely. I'm a little sick of "Trickster god therefore free spirit therefore spirit that values freedom, therefore the tip of the spear against any and all oppression" and kind of think that take of the archetype is played out. But the worldbuilding is 95% superb and makes me want to know more. (The other 5% is a little detail dropped near the end of the book that had me going "Wait, that makes no sense with everything else you've told me, come back here and explain that" and left me baffled and asking the wrong kind of questions) Absolutely something you can devour in one sitting and enjoy.
February 18, 2026
el mundo en el que se desarrolla pffff increíble
los personajes chulos tek señor zorro
quiero mas
los personajes chulos tek señor zorro
quiero mas
November 16, 2025
2,75⭐ ich kam leider nicht so gut in die Geschichte rein und hab mir einfach mehr erwartet
December 1, 2025
I adore this. Fox, the trickster god, is so endearing and wonderful. Nesi is relatable and inspiring. It's a tale of hope ....that grand belief.
January 31, 2026
3.5!!!
February 1, 2026
By the Pillars! - This book ticked all the boxes for me. There’s magic and mystery, there’s struggle and growth, it has a variety of writing styles depending on the perspective, there’s animals in a cool setting! A lot of the stories are reminiscent of stories you know, but not quite the same, so they feel fitting for this book. I’ll never look at a lot of animals the same again, ESPECIALLY foxes. The Loki of all animals. Misunderstood and mistreated. It’s a pretty fast paced story too. So bundle up in a comfy chair on a lazy Sunday and enjoy the ride.
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