The Forgotten Web: A Novella

by Sara C. Snider

Novella Category Winner of the 2015 Lyra Contest

Robin's simple life is changed forever when a young Weaver named Fauwen accidentally unravels his existence and traps him in her own strange world. Refusing to accept his disastrous fate, Robin convinces Fauwen to use blood magic to weave his life anew.

But that which is unwoven can never be redone, and a life borne of blood carries a terrible price. Robin returns to a darkened world where shifting memories and tenuous realities threaten to tear apart the fabric of his sanity.

Genres: Fantasy

67 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 23, 2015

About the author

Sara C. Snider was born and raised in northern California, but now lives in Sweden with her partner and two beastly cats. She has a bachelor’s degree in Archives and Information Science that is currently sitting on a shelf, collecting dust, as she pursues her literary dreams.

When not reading or writing, Sara enjoys wandering in the woods, playing computer games, and eating dumplings as often as possible. She loves all things faerie, and has grown to accept she will always be covered in cat hair.

Reviews

[Erin Larson-Burnett · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually quite liked the story — certainly some unique stuff to be found — but I just feel like it would’ve been better as a more fleshed-out novel rather than an abruptly ended novella.

More than anything, I was immensely perturbed by the main character’s rash streak of violence that seemed to come out of nowhere?? Wasn’t a fan of that…

[paige sisserman · Rating 3 out of 5]

good story.

I enjoyed the concept of this novella. the descriptions of the characters was a lot of fun. but, as with many short books, the ending was very unsatisfying. just a few more paragraphs, to tie up loose ends, would have made the difference. just because it's a novella, doesn't mean it shouldn't end properly.

[Virginia Tican · Rating 4 out of 5]

I may like magic and fantasy but not this kind. I am going to rate this for how it has affected me. This was one of the random free ebooks I downloaded from Prolific Works (or BookFunnel? or BookSweeps?) and so I thought I will give it a try seeing that it is a novella and thus a short read. I cannot fault the writing and the concept for these are part of the author's creative license and her prerogative. All I can say is that ~ the world I had just crawled from will (I most fervently Hope) remain closed to me forever (most definitely even from my dreams and/or nightmares).

P. S. ~ So for pure Impact I would probably give it 5 stars and again I hope this does not resonate in my sleep. Recommended for those who appreciate a well~crafted horror story that makes sense in some dark way.

[Jinx:The:Poet {the LiteraryWanderer & WordRoamer} · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Forgotten Web was a very dark and super creative fantasy novella. First of all, I loved the story, its overall theme and especially its creepy undertones. I loved the character of Fauwen. I can’t really say the same for the other characters, namely the main character of Robin, although he is very pitiable. However, the story is so worth giving a try, given you have a strong stomach, as it becomes shockingly dark and graphic towards the end.

A young man named Robin, while running an errand for the local alchemist, stumbles into the woods, and out of his own reality, only to meet a mysterious young girl named Fauwen, a weaver that is the true cause of this mysterious phenomenon. She tries to help him return to his life but things go terribly wrong. The Forgotten Web was a novella that really makes you contemplate and examine the consequences of your life choices. It made for a great read, however the writing style could, occasionally, use a little polishing. I would definitely recommend this horror fantasy fans, but not for the faint of heart. I would love to read more by this author.

[CONTENT & TRIGGER WARNING BELOW...]

[OFFICIAL RATING: 4.3 STARS]



[CONTENT NOTE: Gory scenes and some very dark imagery. Not recommended for younger readers.]

[Anne Kinslow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anne Kinslow.
I enjoyed what I read of this book so far. It was only a sample of the full book. So, if this is anything to go by, I reckon the rest of the book is sure to be a great read. I have to read the rest as it is making me curious as to what happens to poor Robin.

I have now read the whole book and I can honestly tell you that my curiosity has been settled as I now know what happened to “poor Robin”.
I can also say that I was right, the rest of the book was a good read which I found to be a very interesting tale.
Do you want to know what happens to “Poor Robin”?
Do yourself a favour and read the book.

[Jill booksandescape · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Forgotten Web by Sara C. Snider is a novella that follows Robin, a man whose life is forever changed when a girl named Fauwen unravels his existence. Determined to get back to his world, Robin does many drastic things as he tries remake his life. This novella is very richly told and terrifying as we see a man desperately trying to make his life just as he'd like it.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, where do I start. There is a lot packed into this novella and I think I better read it again to get all the juice. Much darker than I was expecting, and carrying punch at the end that got me thinking about my actions, how I view my web and my life. Excellent!

[Tanya Miranda · Rating 4 out of 5]

What would you change in your life if you were given the chance? The Forgotten Web reads like a dark, mysterious dream, playing with the idea of interconnected past lives and memories. It keeps you guessing until the very end.

[OldBird · Rating 2 out of 5]

A tale about a man who has his life accidentally unraveled by a young Weaver of Fate, and their disastrous attempts at fixing what was broken. It's an interesting premise, but perhaps over-ambitious for a short story.

I found it confusing, descriptions often lacking enough to give me something to picture. I didn't always get what was going on and had to pause to rationalise it, which drew me out of the story. Concepts like "blood magic" aren't really explained. Later I found it even harder to follow. There's a point roughly at 50% where the tone goes from quirky weirdness to really quite disturbing and upsetting. I didn't much like how jarring it was, even if it is in relation to the growing madness of the characters locked in to their messed up lives. The ending did finish the story, but felt a bit rushed compared to how long was spent dwelling on the nastiness that unfolded.

-I received a free copy of this ebook via a giveaway-

[vivienne]

Interesting concept! There were times when I was reading it that I genuinely felt tense and crawling under my skin. As is the nature of short stories, it kept me guessing how it will turn out in the end and I liked the mystery of it. Solidly had a good time reading this!