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That Which Follows You Home: A Dark Epic Fantasy Adventure
The Nine Hells have opened.
For centuries, Dún Lorne was a beacon of peace between realms, a place of academic achievement where weavers studied the art of manipulating the threads binding the world together. The mighty citadel sits upon a wellspring of great power. But power corrupts, and the traitorous King Casius has seized control of the citadel, opening a doorway between worlds, starting a war that changes the landscape of Verdalis for centuries. This became known as The Convergence.
If you want terrible monsters, blood-soaked battlefields, vivid thread magic, gut-wrenching loss, and moments of fierce tenderness, grab your copy now. Fans of high-stakes fantasy, portal fiction, and character-driven war stories will be hooked.
The citadel is crumbling.
Kings cross blades.
Monsters flood the earth.
And sometimes what follows you home is the monster within.
For fans of Ryan Cahill’s The Bound And The Broken, Andrzej Sapkowski’s The Witcher, and authors like John Gwynne and Joe Abercrombie.
For centuries, Dún Lorne was a beacon of peace between realms, a place of academic achievement where weavers studied the art of manipulating the threads binding the world together. The mighty citadel sits upon a wellspring of great power. But power corrupts, and the traitorous King Casius has seized control of the citadel, opening a doorway between worlds, starting a war that changes the landscape of Verdalis for centuries. This became known as The Convergence.
If you want terrible monsters, blood-soaked battlefields, vivid thread magic, gut-wrenching loss, and moments of fierce tenderness, grab your copy now. Fans of high-stakes fantasy, portal fiction, and character-driven war stories will be hooked.
The citadel is crumbling.
Kings cross blades.
Monsters flood the earth.
And sometimes what follows you home is the monster within.
For fans of Ryan Cahill’s The Bound And The Broken, Andrzej Sapkowski’s The Witcher, and authors like John Gwynne and Joe Abercrombie.
- GenresFantasy
206 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
March 28, 2026
Are you kidding?! A prequel novella debut written in a few months, with SO MUCH packed into it. I was not expecting this and I am now so invested in all of the plot lines. I feel like I just read three books in 200 pages. What an awesome collision of times, places, and creatures leading up to a story that I definitely need.
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May 7, 2026Best novella I ever read? Yep, best novella I ever read! What an insanely wild ride. Full Review to come but this felt so well planned out. Perfect pacing, multiple POV & timelines. Action-packed & full of characters I am super invested in. Elves, Vampires & a variety of beasts!
May 13, 2026
What a fun ride. Blizzard has crafted something truly unique and special here. For a 200 page novella, this book will take you across a huge span of time, and every emotion possible.
Do yourself a favor and read this, so you’re ready when his full-length novel drops soon.
Do yourself a favor and read this, so you’re ready when his full-length novel drops soon.
April 17, 2026
This book has so much goodness in it. I’ll try to narrow down some of my favorite things but there were ton which is genuinely impressive for a 200 page novella. Josiah was able to fit so much into one book but at no point was I overwhelmed or confused. This was just straight action and the perfect amount of heartbreak. A perfect setup to his upcoming series.
Pros:
- the magic systems are really well done. In this book we see 3 different ones. Portal, runes and elemental(?). Elemental is the best way I describe the weaver system here.
- characters. We follow three different POVs and storylines and they were all fantastic. Each one has a different purpose and carries different weight. Blythe and Hjalmar were my favorite and the fight scenes with them were incredible. Ophyr is solider that has had a massive fall from grace and give us insight into what happened after the convergence. Renyart’s storyline gives us a great love story despite having the smallest amount of page time.
- prose. Josiah’s writing is great. He shows so moments where he can really set a scene beautifully but can also dive into the dark side of his style and both are gripping and makes you not want to put the book down. He writes fighting scenes like a pro and is able to capture the “vibe” of each character while they are fighting.
Cons:
- I’m not big on spice and there’s a bit of it here. It’s done really well and it does add to the story but like I said, in general spice is not my favorite
- we do a few pretty significant time jumps towards the end of the book and there’s one where we jump to a new “age.” I wish we got to see a bit more background on that and I think if we got to explore Ophyr’s story a little more we could see how that came about. I’m sure this will be explored more in his book but it felt like a big jump that was only partly explored.
Pros:
- the magic systems are really well done. In this book we see 3 different ones. Portal, runes and elemental(?). Elemental is the best way I describe the weaver system here.
- characters. We follow three different POVs and storylines and they were all fantastic. Each one has a different purpose and carries different weight. Blythe and Hjalmar were my favorite and the fight scenes with them were incredible. Ophyr is solider that has had a massive fall from grace and give us insight into what happened after the convergence. Renyart’s storyline gives us a great love story despite having the smallest amount of page time.
- prose. Josiah’s writing is great. He shows so moments where he can really set a scene beautifully but can also dive into the dark side of his style and both are gripping and makes you not want to put the book down. He writes fighting scenes like a pro and is able to capture the “vibe” of each character while they are fighting.
Cons:
- I’m not big on spice and there’s a bit of it here. It’s done really well and it does add to the story but like I said, in general spice is not my favorite
- we do a few pretty significant time jumps towards the end of the book and there’s one where we jump to a new “age.” I wish we got to see a bit more background on that and I think if we got to explore Ophyr’s story a little more we could see how that came about. I’m sure this will be explored more in his book but it felt like a big jump that was only partly explored.
April 24, 2026
This epic fantasy prequel is a hard one for me to rate. The majority of the first half is very action-heavy, and while it's not by any means badly written, that sort of constant smiting and gore just isn't the thing that hooks me. It's the aftermath of this great battle where the characters and the lore really get to shine.
We open with a great battle where allied kingdoms of elves and men must come together to stop the traitor King Casius from taking over Dún Lorne, the grand academy that houses the source of all magic. Orphyr, brother to the elven king, leads his troops bravely into the fray. Hjalmar, a magic wielding warrior, stands ready beside his band of brothers. Neither of them are prepared for the portals that open, spewing out creatures of nightmares never seen before. They were prepared to fight men, not monsters, and now they must battle both for the safety of all lands. But not all who arrive through the portals are enemies.
The action is very cinematic, choreographed like a big budget action sequence you'd expect in video games or movies. It's brutal, at times slightly visceral. Our two warrior POVs give us different angles on events that explain the reasons why the battle goes the way it does. There is a third POV every so often, and this one confused me for a while as it wasn't part of the melee. He makes sense later on, but isn't so much my thing.
The writing seems pretty accessible, sometimes terse in that boy-book way earlier on before developing a stronger voice. I'm not a fan of modern slang in high fantasy, so some of the dialogue (e.g something "sucks") was a little tricky for me, but it's not too common an occurrence.
Hjalmar's story interested me the most, delving into both lore and companionships. The others varied, but not all characters are supposed to be likeable and it's understandable how they've changed over time. There was a rather graphic sex scene that surprised me as I wasn't expecting that level of... that, in this kind of book.
I found myself enjoying the quieter moments where we got to pick up lore and hints about the characters themselves. This was more prevalent after the battle, and there are several mini chapters covering the months and years that follow and how events have changed them. My only gripe is that there's a big historical event alluded to that gets skipped over, presumably because it's covered in the main series, but I still felt like I was missing something that'd help me make sense of events.
The twist at the end certainly makes for an intriguing hook into that series though. It's enough to make me want to know more.
We open with a great battle where allied kingdoms of elves and men must come together to stop the traitor King Casius from taking over Dún Lorne, the grand academy that houses the source of all magic. Orphyr, brother to the elven king, leads his troops bravely into the fray. Hjalmar, a magic wielding warrior, stands ready beside his band of brothers. Neither of them are prepared for the portals that open, spewing out creatures of nightmares never seen before. They were prepared to fight men, not monsters, and now they must battle both for the safety of all lands. But not all who arrive through the portals are enemies.
The action is very cinematic, choreographed like a big budget action sequence you'd expect in video games or movies. It's brutal, at times slightly visceral. Our two warrior POVs give us different angles on events that explain the reasons why the battle goes the way it does. There is a third POV every so often, and this one confused me for a while as it wasn't part of the melee. He makes sense later on, but isn't so much my thing.
The writing seems pretty accessible, sometimes terse in that boy-book way earlier on before developing a stronger voice. I'm not a fan of modern slang in high fantasy, so some of the dialogue (e.g something "sucks") was a little tricky for me, but it's not too common an occurrence.
Hjalmar's story interested me the most, delving into both lore and companionships. The others varied, but not all characters are supposed to be likeable and it's understandable how they've changed over time. There was a rather graphic sex scene that surprised me as I wasn't expecting that level of... that, in this kind of book.
I found myself enjoying the quieter moments where we got to pick up lore and hints about the characters themselves. This was more prevalent after the battle, and there are several mini chapters covering the months and years that follow and how events have changed them. My only gripe is that there's a big historical event alluded to that gets skipped over, presumably because it's covered in the main series, but I still felt like I was missing something that'd help me make sense of events.
The twist at the end certainly makes for an intriguing hook into that series though. It's enough to make me want to know more.
May 6, 2026
This has the potential of a sleeper hit. Novella's have a hard time winning in such a big way, but this joins An Inkling of Flame (ZB Steele) , The Dreamer (Jean Swan) and The Exile (Ryan Cahill) in the ranks of great novellas.
Going in, I knew nothing really about it or the story. It was on my TBR and thats about it.
After the first few pages I have to admit, I felt a little skeptical. Why? Immediately you get dropped into a massive scale conflict, the type of battle you expect to see after you have learned about the players, the sides, the politics and have bonded with the characters. Don't get me wrong, it was cool but I had my doubts.
But then it turned out to be one of the best novellas I have encountered to date.
The book follows three POV's during and through the battle the rips open the portal between worlds allowing an apocalyptic amount of monsters to cross over. Each POV proves to be more compelling than the last. First you have Ophyr, the brother of the King of Silverglade. Next, you have Renyart, a Vampyr sucked into this world through the portal- perhaps getting the fresh start he always dreamt of. Finally you have Hjalmar, a magic weaver of the Valkari.
This story is gripping, action packed, emotional and equally plot and character focused. Reading it the world was established, the characters were on full display and I am attached to each of them, we learn of the magic and we see the underpinnings where this story might start to go.
You know you have a hit on your hands when as I was reading I decided, first, that I needed a special edition bestiary of the aforementioned creatures from the portal, and second, that I need a whole separate series covering the adventures of Hjalmar. You will know why when you read this.
This novella was spectacular. Do not expect me to shut up about this.
Going in, I knew nothing really about it or the story. It was on my TBR and thats about it.
After the first few pages I have to admit, I felt a little skeptical. Why? Immediately you get dropped into a massive scale conflict, the type of battle you expect to see after you have learned about the players, the sides, the politics and have bonded with the characters. Don't get me wrong, it was cool but I had my doubts.
But then it turned out to be one of the best novellas I have encountered to date.
The book follows three POV's during and through the battle the rips open the portal between worlds allowing an apocalyptic amount of monsters to cross over. Each POV proves to be more compelling than the last. First you have Ophyr, the brother of the King of Silverglade. Next, you have Renyart, a Vampyr sucked into this world through the portal- perhaps getting the fresh start he always dreamt of. Finally you have Hjalmar, a magic weaver of the Valkari.
This story is gripping, action packed, emotional and equally plot and character focused. Reading it the world was established, the characters were on full display and I am attached to each of them, we learn of the magic and we see the underpinnings where this story might start to go.
You know you have a hit on your hands when as I was reading I decided, first, that I needed a special edition bestiary of the aforementioned creatures from the portal, and second, that I need a whole separate series covering the adventures of Hjalmar. You will know why when you read this.
This novella was spectacular. Do not expect me to shut up about this.
May 11, 2026
I just finished That Which Follows You Home by Josiah D. Blizzard, and honestly, I came away from it really surprised. It’s a prequel novella to something bigger, and it’s not something I’d usually pick up on my own. But I’m part of the Hive Tribe Book Club, and this month, it was one of two novellas they picked... so I went in completely blind.
The start was a bit disorienting; Blizzard drops you right into the middle of this massive, epic battle, like you’ve just opened the book at the end of a 700-page fantasy saga. At first, I wasn’t sure what was going on or how the pieces fit in, but once I settled in, it became this intense, emotional ride.
What really stood out to me was Blizzard’s storytelling. At first, Ophyr and Hjalmar are these two characters I barely knew, and I found myself wondering how I was supposed to care about them. But the way Blizzard writes, he reveals who they are slowly, as the battle unfolds... through their conversations, who they look for, and how they react to the chaos. And then, in the midst of the battle, suddenly, new mythical creatures join the fray, drawn from all kinds of different myths and lore. The stakes of the battle suddenly rise, and I found myself caring more and more about these characters as the story went on.
Another thing I loved was this deep desire I had for more, even after a big time jump. There’s a 2 to 300 year gap, and instead of feeling lost, I found myself desperate to know what happened in between. And I think that says so much about Blizzard’s writing; the way he sparks this excitement, not just for the characters we meet, but for everything in between.
If you’re looking for a high-fantasy, grimdark story, this novella is exactly what you need. It’s short, so you can finish it in a day or two; and yet it leaves you so satisfied, but still craving more.
I happily and without hesitation give this a 5/5
The start was a bit disorienting; Blizzard drops you right into the middle of this massive, epic battle, like you’ve just opened the book at the end of a 700-page fantasy saga. At first, I wasn’t sure what was going on or how the pieces fit in, but once I settled in, it became this intense, emotional ride.
What really stood out to me was Blizzard’s storytelling. At first, Ophyr and Hjalmar are these two characters I barely knew, and I found myself wondering how I was supposed to care about them. But the way Blizzard writes, he reveals who they are slowly, as the battle unfolds... through their conversations, who they look for, and how they react to the chaos. And then, in the midst of the battle, suddenly, new mythical creatures join the fray, drawn from all kinds of different myths and lore. The stakes of the battle suddenly rise, and I found myself caring more and more about these characters as the story went on.
Another thing I loved was this deep desire I had for more, even after a big time jump. There’s a 2 to 300 year gap, and instead of feeling lost, I found myself desperate to know what happened in between. And I think that says so much about Blizzard’s writing; the way he sparks this excitement, not just for the characters we meet, but for everything in between.
If you’re looking for a high-fantasy, grimdark story, this novella is exactly what you need. It’s short, so you can finish it in a day or two; and yet it leaves you so satisfied, but still craving more.
I happily and without hesitation give this a 5/5
April 15, 2026
That Which Follows You Home is a pull-no-punches prequel novella detailing the collapse of an alliance between three powerful kingdoms while the three POV characters unravel in the aftermath. You are thrown right into the conflict and left to find your bearings amongst the carnage, which is actually quite easy to do thanks to Blizzard's clear writing.
The characters evolve more significantly in the second half of the story, which I found to be the stronger portion, since there's only so much you can do amongst an extended action sequence without time to set up the world, stakes, and characters. Still, Blizzard accomplishes a lot here, particular with his magic and worldbuilding. I don't want to say too much, but suffice it to say that the magic system is extremely intriguing, and there are some incredible possibilities for the Threadbound series in that regard.
Overall, That Which Follows You Home is a dark, violent, and intense introduction to the world of Josiah Blizzard's Threadbound series- and a very promising one. With robust magic, tragic characters, and plenty of conflict to go around, this could be a series to keep an eye on.
The characters evolve more significantly in the second half of the story, which I found to be the stronger portion, since there's only so much you can do amongst an extended action sequence without time to set up the world, stakes, and characters. Still, Blizzard accomplishes a lot here, particular with his magic and worldbuilding. I don't want to say too much, but suffice it to say that the magic system is extremely intriguing, and there are some incredible possibilities for the Threadbound series in that regard.
Overall, That Which Follows You Home is a dark, violent, and intense introduction to the world of Josiah Blizzard's Threadbound series- and a very promising one. With robust magic, tragic characters, and plenty of conflict to go around, this could be a series to keep an eye on.
March 31, 2026
🌟4.75
Excuse me, Josiah? Where is the next book? I understand this was a novella, but I require more immediately.
For an 180 novella, this thing packs a wallop. You get three POVs from vastly different characters. There is hundreds of years worth of the lore upon which this series is going to be built, I assume anyways. The POV characters along with many side characters are developed well enough to understand them, whether you like how they are acting or not is another story. (I will say, even with Ophyr acting the fool, I’m still a fan at the moment. I get the trauma.) There is a delightful Legolas/Gimli-esque bromance.
The only thing I could have done without are the explicit sexual scenes. I did not realize this novella had them and it may have deterred me from purchasing had I known. I will say, I would have missed out and will just have to skip over said scenes if present in future installments.
So, Josiah, where can I pre-order?
Excuse me, Josiah? Where is the next book? I understand this was a novella, but I require more immediately.
For an 180 novella, this thing packs a wallop. You get three POVs from vastly different characters. There is hundreds of years worth of the lore upon which this series is going to be built, I assume anyways. The POV characters along with many side characters are developed well enough to understand them, whether you like how they are acting or not is another story. (I will say, even with Ophyr acting the fool, I’m still a fan at the moment. I get the trauma.) There is a delightful Legolas/Gimli-esque bromance.
The only thing I could have done without are the explicit sexual scenes. I did not realize this novella had them and it may have deterred me from purchasing had I known. I will say, I would have missed out and will just have to skip over said scenes if present in future installments.
So, Josiah, where can I pre-order?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 13, 2026
This Novella is PACKED. Have you read a book and thought “this author tried putting way too much into it”? Because this is a masterclass in adding everything but the kitchen sink and making it WORK.
First of all, we get introduced to quite a few characters right off the bat. And it’s a testament to Blizzard’s writing and character work that he doesn’t need to resort to cheap emotional manipulation in order to invest the reader in the characters. We simply come alongside them during some intense moments and get to see their characters shine through.
This novella spans quite a bit of time using vignettes of each of the main characters and it really is a great teaser and history lesson of the world Blizzard has created.
I especially would love a book dedicated to the monster hunters! But I guess I’ll settle for The Heart of Hornwood next 😋
First of all, we get introduced to quite a few characters right off the bat. And it’s a testament to Blizzard’s writing and character work that he doesn’t need to resort to cheap emotional manipulation in order to invest the reader in the characters. We simply come alongside them during some intense moments and get to see their characters shine through.
This novella spans quite a bit of time using vignettes of each of the main characters and it really is a great teaser and history lesson of the world Blizzard has created.
I especially would love a book dedicated to the monster hunters! But I guess I’ll settle for The Heart of Hornwood next 😋
May 8, 2026
That Which Follows You Home is a haunting descent into a world where evil does not remain buried. Josiah D. Blizzard crafts a dark epic fantasy filled with dread, mystery, and relentless tension as ancient horrors stalk the living long after the battle ends. Rich with atmospheric worldbuilding, brutal choices, and a lingering sense of doom, this adventure grips readers from the first page and refuses to let go. Fans of grimdark fantasy and supernatural horror will find themselves immersed in a chilling journey where survival comes at a terrible cost—and some things, once awakened, will follow you all the way home.
May 6, 2026
A fun, quick-paced read. The novella as a whole is good, but might feel a bit too familiar. Veteran fantasy readers won't be all too surprised, however, there are a few scenes of genuine brilliance that got me curious about future installments. I do acknowledge that I'm the outlier here, but I do read indie to seek novelty and fresh takes. Either way, I sense that there is something intriguing brewing under the surface, so I'd keep an eye out.
March 30, 2026
I’m not really sure I can say what I had expected when given the opportunity to read this new novella. Whatever thy were, I can say I was not let down! I enjoyed the balance between enough character development to find investment in their lives and action to keep the momentum of the story moving. I am definitely looking forward to the first book in the series!
Happy reading.
Happy reading.
May 13, 2026
This book was so much fun to read. It was faced paced, interesting, and built a world in a way that was engaging. The character arcs are so well fleshed out for a short novella and you instantly fall in love with them. The action scenes are well done and draw you into the commotion. As a new author, Josiah knows what he is doing and I cannot wait to read more from this series!
April 27, 2026
Absolute page turner from the start. I loved the characters. Heartbreaking and uplifting and i cannot wait for the first book and where this world is going. The way he writes scenes is incredible!
May 16, 2026
This novella is packed with action from cover to cover. The writing is excellent and the character work is top notch. I'm looking forward to reading more!
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews