Hoda

by Brian Moyer

One morning, the world simply let him go. Hoda was a man built for lecture halls—measured, careful, better with ideas than with people. Then between one breath and the next, the classroom was gone, and he was standing in a Wyoming that never built its no roads, no lights, no one coming. Just wind over red sandstone, a winter already sharpening its teeth, and an invisible leash that would not let him walk away.

He should have died that first year. Instead, he learned—fire coaxed from a cave wall, water from stone, patience from failure after failure. And when the next terrified stranger stumbled through onto the rim with nothing but the clothes they crossed in, Hoda made the choice that would shape everything that came He stayed. He taught. He kept the fire lit.

Hoda is the story of how the Splintered World's most quietly essential man became the keeper of the crossing place—the teacher whose banked fire would one day pay for a revolution. It's a story about starting over with nothing, about the strangers who become family, and about what one patient man can build at the edge of an empty world.

Where the Splintered World begins. Listen it as your first step into the series, or return to it after Splinter and discover how much was waiting on that rim all along.

A Splintered World prequel. The series continues in Splinter.

Genres: Science Fiction

156 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 11, 2026

Reviews

[RaChelle Holmberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Received as a gift from the author via BookFunnel, this was a great read, with great characters, great premise, and a great start to a series. Thats a lot of greats!

[Sara Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes the algorithm wheels skip around in just the perfect random alignment and drop a little gift. After commenting on a liminal space photo of Wyoming (where I was born and live), a ad for this book came up. At 99 cents, I figured I couldn't go wrong. Went ahead and grabbed the first two books as well, because Wyoming set stories don't come along that often.

The writing is solid-- nothing exquisite, but didn't make me want to pull out the red pen. Interesting concepts, good use of the landscape, making Wyoming a central character.

I'm glad I started with the prequel as I think I connected more with Hoda than Esah.

As one of the few people who actually lived in Table Rock Village, had family in Farson, and who loved Muddy Gap enough to write a whole book set there herself (not to mention having a degree in English Lit), I'm a tough critic. This prequel enticed me to keep reading, and I finished the first book quickly and will continue to read the series.

Would recommend for those who enjoy alternate reality stories and stories where the geography becomes a character vital to the story.

My main complaint is Piapi's name...I can't wrap my head around it, it doesn't jive, and it annoys me. So in my head, she's Pippa, because that name doesn't make me stubble every time it comes up. All the rest of the names I'm good with... that one, just ugg!

[Susan Gromis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a prequel to the book Splintered. Hoda provides the background to the science fiction story where people have gone to sleep in Wyoming and awaken to…nothing: everything familiar and routine is gone, including any modern conveniences. As people slowly are drawn together, they have distant memories or dreams of memories to navigate this new existence. I don’t read much science fiction, but this was interesting and engaging enough to consider the future series. I recommend it!

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't get this book at all. Characters wake up in the same landscape but with all technology and infrastructure gone- distant past, perhaps?
Why do they have only tiny pieces of memory of who they were, but know their new names and roles right away? Why do they suddenly have superhuman abilities?
I am not continuing this series.
Recommended for readers who eat a lot of jerky, and don't mind huge plotholes.

[Benjamin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A science-fantasy novella. An anthropology professor and an artist in iron fall asleep in modern Wyoming. They wake up in a different Wyoming. But they have brief glimpses of life before they splintered (the book's language). Really well written. Recommended.

[EmJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book does an excellent job of not only giving us Hoda's backstory but a little of Piapi's at well. It also introduces several other characters and provides some more groundwork of how the society works in the Splintered World. It was a short easy read that definitely adds to the story.

[Rachel Waters · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sounds a lot like camping, but when thought about is actually a story about loss, grief, and acceptance

[Laurel Heebsh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super interesting concept!

[Sandy Winget · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not finished with this book but can tell I'm going to want to read the next one!

[Jonathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.03 audiobook. Looking forward to reading the series. Unique premise.

[Victoria Owens · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very unusual

But a good read. Hard to figure out at first, but then you learn like Hoda.
Four more words required.