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When bombs were dropped across the globe as part of a world-wide agreement to cull the human population, the aftershocks triggered unbelievable horrors. Fallout from radiation and pressure waves caused disfigurements and mutations: inorganic matter melding with flesh, human and animal compressing into one, grotesqueries crawling across the blasted landscape, condemned as outcasts forever.
But there is hope. Rumours abound of the Surgeon, the one person who can cure the afflicted, cut out that which has invaded the body. Yet when Orla and her brother, Silas, succeed in tracking him down, they discover he is not exactly what they imagined …
But there is hope. Rumours abound of the Surgeon, the one person who can cure the afflicted, cut out that which has invaded the body. Yet when Orla and her brother, Silas, succeed in tracking him down, they discover he is not exactly what they imagined …
- GenresHorror
121 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 21, 2026
About the author
Stephanie Ellis
181 books121 followersStephanie Ellis writes dark speculative prose and poetry and has been published in a variety of magazines and anthologies. Her longer work includes the novels, The Five Turns of the Wheel, Reborn and The Woodcutter, and the novellas, Paused and Bottled. Her new post-apocalytpic/sci-fi/horror novel, The Barricade is due out this year!
She is a Rhysling and Elgin nominated poet, co-authoring the poetry collection, Foundlings, with Cindy O'Quinn, Lilith Rising with Shane Douglas Keene and solo work Metallurgy.
She can be found at https://stephanieellis.org
She is a Rhysling and Elgin nominated poet, co-authoring the poetry collection, Foundlings, with Cindy O'Quinn, Lilith Rising with Shane Douglas Keene and solo work Metallurgy.
She can be found at https://stephanieellis.org
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
May 20, 2026
This one got under my skin more than any other Ellis book. It's a disturbing vision of Earth turned hellscape, smartly written and vividly imagined. At times put me in mind of a nuclear Dr. Moreau done as a Hieronymus Bosch painting. One of those stories that you put down and stare off and think about. Excellent.
August 7, 2026
Spoiler-free review
Enter a dystopian, post-apocalyptic world of body horror and psychological terror! 😱🐀
I was so curious what was going to happen after the first few paragraphs. Ellis drops you into a dystopian world and does a fantastic job building a desolate wasteland stricken with oily, acidic rain, limited oxygen, and great expands of dirt and rock spreading as far as the eye can see. A worldwide agreement to cull Earth’s population by dropping bombs goes horribly wrong as the effects of radiation and intense pressure waves result in transformations no one could have predicted as inorganic matter melds with flesh.
We follow our main character Orla and her brother Silas who lost everyone they loved in the Great Migration and have banded together for safety in a herd of other hopeless and weary survivors in search of a deliverer: the Surgeon.
As a body horror fan, this was so much fun to read. I loved Metamorphosis and The Fly, so getting to experience Ellis’s version of mutated humans was a fresh and exciting experience. The desperation of the characters was palpable, especially when mothers and children were introduced. It was a weird dichotomy of caring and wanting people to be safe and also wanting to dive deeper into the mutations and see how dark it would go.
Though the story is not the same, there is a thin thread of the overarching feeling I get whenever I watch The Wizard of Oz. (Keep in mind, my favorite part of that movie is the flying monkeys!) The similarity merely lies in a group of lost, wandering individuals searching for help and hope, and an overpowering organization that is misleading them. This story does not mimic that one, it’s just the emotional feeling I had while reading and following Orla and Silas. It merely reminded me of the similar trials they encountered while seeking a glorified savior to redeem them.
One of the most intriguing parts of the hybrid individuals was watching how they reacted to situations as the mutations evolved. I made notes as I was reading about how humans who are considered specialists in the food chain can devolve into generalists if the environment dictates it.
A theme I enjoyed throughout the book was hive mentality. I loved how Ellis used vocabulary and actions to minimize the human aspects of the characters, building on the inevitable as the mutations they experienced progressed. Watching the slow changes connected me to the characters and stirred my emotions. Not only that, but the way some of the characters perceived themselves to be better than or more fortunate than Orla and Silas affected me. There were also harrowing scenes where mob mentality ruled, breeding opportunities to introduce one of my favorite moments in a story: a comeuppance. There’s a definite underlying tone of kill or be killed—but at what cost? Mixed in with the ravaged landscape, Ellis delivers a hellish world that will leave you shuddering.
This book also delves into psychological horror and the terrors humanity is capable of inflicting upon itself. There’s a great internal thread running throughout the book that touches on the strength of the mind and how it affects the outcomes of various situations. It’s a fascinating look at what humans are capable of when put in dire situations, and it might be the most frightening part of the book. There are definitely some dark scenes where I couldn’t believe such callous, easy cruelty. Add in tender moments of guilt and survivor regret, and Ellis allows you to experience the full gamut of emotions within the characters. She will tug at your heartstrings as well as kick up your anger!
Accepting change for survival, allowing others to help despite fear and the unknown, and giving in to inherent urges are all things I was left pondering after I finished the book. As a past student of biology and anthropology, the evolution of the characters mentally and physically thrilled me. I enjoyed the psychological and horrific path Ellis led me down, and the ending felt just right. I highly recommend grabbing a copy of this entertaining tale.
Enter a dystopian, post-apocalyptic world of body horror and psychological terror! 😱🐀
I was so curious what was going to happen after the first few paragraphs. Ellis drops you into a dystopian world and does a fantastic job building a desolate wasteland stricken with oily, acidic rain, limited oxygen, and great expands of dirt and rock spreading as far as the eye can see. A worldwide agreement to cull Earth’s population by dropping bombs goes horribly wrong as the effects of radiation and intense pressure waves result in transformations no one could have predicted as inorganic matter melds with flesh.
We follow our main character Orla and her brother Silas who lost everyone they loved in the Great Migration and have banded together for safety in a herd of other hopeless and weary survivors in search of a deliverer: the Surgeon.
As a body horror fan, this was so much fun to read. I loved Metamorphosis and The Fly, so getting to experience Ellis’s version of mutated humans was a fresh and exciting experience. The desperation of the characters was palpable, especially when mothers and children were introduced. It was a weird dichotomy of caring and wanting people to be safe and also wanting to dive deeper into the mutations and see how dark it would go.
Though the story is not the same, there is a thin thread of the overarching feeling I get whenever I watch The Wizard of Oz. (Keep in mind, my favorite part of that movie is the flying monkeys!) The similarity merely lies in a group of lost, wandering individuals searching for help and hope, and an overpowering organization that is misleading them. This story does not mimic that one, it’s just the emotional feeling I had while reading and following Orla and Silas. It merely reminded me of the similar trials they encountered while seeking a glorified savior to redeem them.
One of the most intriguing parts of the hybrid individuals was watching how they reacted to situations as the mutations evolved. I made notes as I was reading about how humans who are considered specialists in the food chain can devolve into generalists if the environment dictates it.
A theme I enjoyed throughout the book was hive mentality. I loved how Ellis used vocabulary and actions to minimize the human aspects of the characters, building on the inevitable as the mutations they experienced progressed. Watching the slow changes connected me to the characters and stirred my emotions. Not only that, but the way some of the characters perceived themselves to be better than or more fortunate than Orla and Silas affected me. There were also harrowing scenes where mob mentality ruled, breeding opportunities to introduce one of my favorite moments in a story: a comeuppance. There’s a definite underlying tone of kill or be killed—but at what cost? Mixed in with the ravaged landscape, Ellis delivers a hellish world that will leave you shuddering.
This book also delves into psychological horror and the terrors humanity is capable of inflicting upon itself. There’s a great internal thread running throughout the book that touches on the strength of the mind and how it affects the outcomes of various situations. It’s a fascinating look at what humans are capable of when put in dire situations, and it might be the most frightening part of the book. There are definitely some dark scenes where I couldn’t believe such callous, easy cruelty. Add in tender moments of guilt and survivor regret, and Ellis allows you to experience the full gamut of emotions within the characters. She will tug at your heartstrings as well as kick up your anger!
Accepting change for survival, allowing others to help despite fear and the unknown, and giving in to inherent urges are all things I was left pondering after I finished the book. As a past student of biology and anthropology, the evolution of the characters mentally and physically thrilled me. I enjoyed the psychological and horrific path Ellis led me down, and the ending felt just right. I highly recommend grabbing a copy of this entertaining tale.
March 25, 2026
Another book from Stephanie Ellis that somehow balances horrific body horror with massive amounts of empathy and layered characters. Bravo!
March 25, 2026
A wonderful work of post-apocalyptic body horror that encapsulates the abuse of power and fear of infection, subjugation, and being outcast. Also, fair amounts of medical horror here too!
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews