The Black Palace

by Josh Woods

A GOTHIC HORROR ACTION-ADVENTURE"This utterly original novel expertly blends profound supernatural terror, swashbuckling action, honest human emotion, brutal violence, and blunt good humor. The smartest, scariest, and most surprising book I've read in ages."—Pinckney BenedictThe Black Palace—some have called it a hidden fortress, others a labyrinth of myth, a trackless mystery. And even the witches, who built it and keep it shut, fear that through the ages it has come alive. But tonight, a field agent in the Witchfinders Union leads her supernatural SWAT team on a raid inside to find one of their own. Yet once across that uncanny threshold, they must confront another world of grand secrets, where strange destinies are woven with theirs, where other desires are at work. They soon learn that you don’t get into the Black Palace unless it wants you in, and the same goes for getting out.

323 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 28, 2018

About the author

Josh Woods is an author, editor, professor, and podcaster. He loves monsters, myth, storytelling, comedy, combat, and crafts. His book of stories, O Monstrous World! (Press 53, 2019), won the International Book Awards for Fiction: Short Story. His novel The Black Palace (Amazon KDP, 2018), a gothic horror action-adventure, was awarded grant support by the Illinois Arts Council Agency. He has edited three anthologies of fiction, and he has published genre and literary short stories in numerous journals, magazines, and collections, in addition to having published essays of creative non-fiction, writing craft, and peer-reviewed scholarship. His podcast, The Monster Professor, explores the role of monsters in literature, myth, film, folklore, and pop-culture. His other awards include Outstanding Full-Time Faculty Member of the Year and the Press 53 Open Awards for Genre Fiction. He has received multiple Pushcart Prize nominations as well as nominations for The Best of the Net and the PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize for Debut Short Story Collection, among others. He is a Full Professor of English in Illinois and originally hails from Kentucky.

https://joshwoodsauthor.com/

Reviews

[Mclintoc · Rating 5 out of 5]

My test for a good book: does the writer believe what he or she is writing? If the writer believes it, I believe it too. When I entered the Black Palace, I didn’t feel like I was entering a fantasy world. It was real. It was magic. In some ways, I’m still in there. The book haunts me. I think I know what a witch is now. I see ancient dark things all around me.

[Scott Pinkowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Josh Woods masterfully crafts a world where modern-day witchfinders (think paranormal SWAT teams) are in constant conflict with the hidden world of witches. You follow a group of these armed-to-the-teeth combatants as they delve deeper and deeper into a dark and magical world where danger and death lurk around every corner. A witch's maidservant barley escapes their onslaught and mourns the murder of her lifelong master at the hands of the witchfinders only to find herself alone, desperate and bent on revenge.

From this point on, the narrative switches back and forth between DiFranco of the Witchfinders Union with her team as she drives deeper into the Black Palace in search of piece of her past and Hava the maidservant who grows in power as she collects a band of supernatural allies in her quest for revenge. Inevitably, the two factions will collide in a finale that will leave the reader hungry for more.

The characters (and monsters!) are memorable and the world Woods created is steeped in history, ancient culture, and mythology.

[Alix Nestel · Rating 2 out of 5]

There were moments of promise throughout the book, specifically in the first few chapters. However, I could not in any way understand the actions of the protagonist and felt there were unnecessary details that pulled focus from the overall story. Incredibly disappointing read in the end.

[Gregory Kassen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I came to know the writing of Josh Woods through the author's short stories. He is one of my favorite contemporary writers and I was excited to see the release of his debut novel. It does not disappoint. It's just as great as his short fiction is (or possibly better since there is more to enjoy)!

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good! Spooky with some funny moments.

[Luna · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a unique book- I could barely put it down. I was completely absorbed in the world of witches and Witchfinders. Bravo!