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A Song for the Void
A Mind Imprisoned Is The Greatest Of Hells. 1853. South China Sea. While on patrol between the Opium Wars, the crew of the steam frigate HMS Charger pursues a fleet of pirates that have been terrorizing the waters surrounding Hong Kong. But now the hunters have become the hunted. Something else has come to the South China Sea, something ancient and powerful and malevolent. Now, the crew of the Charger must face their worst nightmares in order to survive the terrible creature they come to know as the Darkstar. A Song For The Void is a haunting, terrifying historical horror novel that will keep you turning the pages and jumping at the shadows. Readers looking for a historical adventure mixed with slow burn cosmic horror will enjoy A Song For The Void.
339 pages, Paperback
Published July 16, 2020
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April 19, 2022
It's 1853. South China Sea, the steam frigate HMS Charger pursues a fleet of pirates that have been terrorizing the waters surrounding Hong Kong. In their hull are crates of opium, which are transferred as spoils of war. Suddenly a dark mass appears way above the stars. It looks like a comet, but maybe a dark star. Days later, the crew are experiencing hallucinations and calling them to come to an island for all their dreams to come true. Murders and mutiny on the high sea, with a boatload of horror to keep the pages turning. This was one hell of a good book. Recommend!
July 18, 2024
My complete review of A Song for the Void is published at Grimdark Magazine.
A Song for the Void is Andrew C. Piazza’s masterful cosmic horror set in the South China Sea during the Opium Wars between Great Britain and China in the mid-nineteenth century. This historical setting is the perfect backdrop for Piazza’s exploration of nihilistic philosophies and psychological manipulation.
A Song for the Void is told from the first-person perspective of Dr. Edward Pearce, a surgeon on a British naval ship, whose backstory is full of personal tragedy, including the death of his wife and son during childbirth and the subsequent murder of his adopted daughter in Hong Kong. Against his own better judgment, Pearce finds solace in the opium pipe, which numbs his pain and replaces his grim reality with a sense of euphoria. Piazza poignantly conveys Pearce’s struggles with opium addiction throughout A Song for the Void, including detailed descriptions of the physical and psychological effects of withdrawal. I was especially touched by the portrayal of Pearce’s sense of shame about his addiction.
Horror comes in the form of an evil-looking eye in the sky, which the sailors view as a strange stationary comet. The eye is known as the Darkstar and is the physical manifestation of nihilism, manipulating the minds of the crew members to convince them that their lives are meaningless. The power of the Darkstar is especially potent when its victims are high on opium, causing them to question the purpose of life and even the existence of reality itself.
The novel is a page-turner, full of action and deception. The philosophical discussions are perfectly balanced by the novel’s heart-pounding action. Grimdark readers will especially enjoy the gruesome scenes in the latter part of the novel.
Beyond Dr. Pearce, there is also a great cast of supporting characters, whose loyalties are not at all clear. My favorite supporting character is the Chinese woman Jiaying, who is underestimated by most of the Western crew members.
From the historical setting to the detailed descriptions of opium abuse, Andrew C. Piazza has put a great deal of careful research into this novel. Altogether, A Song for the Void feels like a marriage between R.F. Kuang’s The Poppy War and the classic seafaring novels of Herman Melville. Both Piazza and Kuang explore the potential metaphysical implications of opium use and portray heartbreakingly honest accounts of addiction. Like Melville, Piazza treats an isolated ship as a microcosm for humanity’s place in the universe and explores the consequences of madness at sea. Despite these similarities, Piazza demonstrates tighter storytelling than either Kuang or Melville.
A Song for the Void is cosmic horror at its finest, dripping with existential dread but ultimately leaving the reader with a sense of hope. Piazza’s novel is a finalist in Mark Lawrence’s 8th Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off (SPFBO8).
A Song for the Void is Andrew C. Piazza’s masterful cosmic horror set in the South China Sea during the Opium Wars between Great Britain and China in the mid-nineteenth century. This historical setting is the perfect backdrop for Piazza’s exploration of nihilistic philosophies and psychological manipulation.
A Song for the Void is told from the first-person perspective of Dr. Edward Pearce, a surgeon on a British naval ship, whose backstory is full of personal tragedy, including the death of his wife and son during childbirth and the subsequent murder of his adopted daughter in Hong Kong. Against his own better judgment, Pearce finds solace in the opium pipe, which numbs his pain and replaces his grim reality with a sense of euphoria. Piazza poignantly conveys Pearce’s struggles with opium addiction throughout A Song for the Void, including detailed descriptions of the physical and psychological effects of withdrawal. I was especially touched by the portrayal of Pearce’s sense of shame about his addiction.
Horror comes in the form of an evil-looking eye in the sky, which the sailors view as a strange stationary comet. The eye is known as the Darkstar and is the physical manifestation of nihilism, manipulating the minds of the crew members to convince them that their lives are meaningless. The power of the Darkstar is especially potent when its victims are high on opium, causing them to question the purpose of life and even the existence of reality itself.
The novel is a page-turner, full of action and deception. The philosophical discussions are perfectly balanced by the novel’s heart-pounding action. Grimdark readers will especially enjoy the gruesome scenes in the latter part of the novel.
Beyond Dr. Pearce, there is also a great cast of supporting characters, whose loyalties are not at all clear. My favorite supporting character is the Chinese woman Jiaying, who is underestimated by most of the Western crew members.
From the historical setting to the detailed descriptions of opium abuse, Andrew C. Piazza has put a great deal of careful research into this novel. Altogether, A Song for the Void feels like a marriage between R.F. Kuang’s The Poppy War and the classic seafaring novels of Herman Melville. Both Piazza and Kuang explore the potential metaphysical implications of opium use and portray heartbreakingly honest accounts of addiction. Like Melville, Piazza treats an isolated ship as a microcosm for humanity’s place in the universe and explores the consequences of madness at sea. Despite these similarities, Piazza demonstrates tighter storytelling than either Kuang or Melville.
A Song for the Void is cosmic horror at its finest, dripping with existential dread but ultimately leaving the reader with a sense of hope. Piazza’s novel is a finalist in Mark Lawrence’s 8th Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off (SPFBO8).
August 31, 2021
A Song For The Void is an excellent example of cosmic horror. Filled with powerful, unsettling imagery, it depicts the horrors that come both from within the mind and from beyond the stars. What can I say? I enjoy being dragged into the dark corners of the world and the human soul, and this book has it all. The sense of dread, philosophical depth, and engaging plot.
The story takes place on the high seas during the Opium Wars in 1853. The crew of the HMS Charger, a British warship pursuing pirates, encounters a creature from beyond the stars (known as Darkstar) that drives them mad (I oversimplify things). Doctor Edward Pearce struggles with an addiction to opioids and with his past. When most of the crew members experience hallucinations, he must face personal and cosmic horrors to discover the truth and do something about it. Forced to stare into the nothing, he'll have to come up with a reason to live or die.
We have all seen monsters rip people to shreds, but the truly horrifying thing is that we do not understand the very nature of the reality we live in. Andrew Piazza skillfully creates an atmosphere of terror and uneasiness. He pays attention to small details, but never forgets that the story must remain engaging and entertaining to hold the attention of the readers. He balances slower moments with exciting, energetic action, all leading to dark revelations. No scene is wasted here.
Darkstar is a creature of lies and illusion. It loves to play with people and their limited perception of reality. It alters their minds and senses, making them see things that are not there or changing the appearance of objects. Darkstar perceives people as pathetic apes, deluding themselves with the illusion of transcendence, while they are nothing more than meat and bones driven by flawed senses.
These plotlines allow Piazza to question the nature of consciousness and identity. What are we, really, when injury or mind-altering substances can transform our behavior and perception of reality? Why would anyone believe in a transcendent, permanent soul that lives within us when a stroke or brain injury is enough to dramatically (and permanently) change us? In other words:
The book doesn't offer cheap consolations; It acknowledges that, ultimately, we mean nothing and there may be no intrinsic meaning to our lives. Each of us, can, however, find meaning for ourselves and make the life worth living.
I loved this book; it kept me glued to the pages, genuinely crept me out, and, above all, made me obsessively think about it and its themes. With its excellent and psychologically sound characterization and fascinating plot, it's a true indie horror gem.
A Song for The Void is one of the best horror novels I have ever read. The engaging narrative, suggestive descriptions, and disturbing atmosphere make reading it a pure pleasure. It’s intelligent (and hopeful!) take on nihilistic philosophy underpinning the cosmic horror genre.
The story takes place on the high seas during the Opium Wars in 1853. The crew of the HMS Charger, a British warship pursuing pirates, encounters a creature from beyond the stars (known as Darkstar) that drives them mad (I oversimplify things). Doctor Edward Pearce struggles with an addiction to opioids and with his past. When most of the crew members experience hallucinations, he must face personal and cosmic horrors to discover the truth and do something about it. Forced to stare into the nothing, he'll have to come up with a reason to live or die.
We have all seen monsters rip people to shreds, but the truly horrifying thing is that we do not understand the very nature of the reality we live in. Andrew Piazza skillfully creates an atmosphere of terror and uneasiness. He pays attention to small details, but never forgets that the story must remain engaging and entertaining to hold the attention of the readers. He balances slower moments with exciting, energetic action, all leading to dark revelations. No scene is wasted here.
Darkstar is a creature of lies and illusion. It loves to play with people and their limited perception of reality. It alters their minds and senses, making them see things that are not there or changing the appearance of objects. Darkstar perceives people as pathetic apes, deluding themselves with the illusion of transcendence, while they are nothing more than meat and bones driven by flawed senses.
These plotlines allow Piazza to question the nature of consciousness and identity. What are we, really, when injury or mind-altering substances can transform our behavior and perception of reality? Why would anyone believe in a transcendent, permanent soul that lives within us when a stroke or brain injury is enough to dramatically (and permanently) change us? In other words:
“There is no you, and there is no me. We’re all just clockwork marionettes made of meat, with gears inside that we don’t understand. We simply dance to whatever tune those gears tell us to, and make up a story afterwards to tell ourselves why."
The book doesn't offer cheap consolations; It acknowledges that, ultimately, we mean nothing and there may be no intrinsic meaning to our lives. Each of us, can, however, find meaning for ourselves and make the life worth living.
I loved this book; it kept me glued to the pages, genuinely crept me out, and, above all, made me obsessively think about it and its themes. With its excellent and psychologically sound characterization and fascinating plot, it's a true indie horror gem.
A Song for The Void is one of the best horror novels I have ever read. The engaging narrative, suggestive descriptions, and disturbing atmosphere make reading it a pure pleasure. It’s intelligent (and hopeful!) take on nihilistic philosophy underpinning the cosmic horror genre.
March 2, 2023
I read this for SPFBO. To find out more about the SPFBO contest and to see the participating bloggers/authors and reviews follow the links below
A Song for the Void had several things going for it right off, in terms of things I enjoy in a horror story. Not that I read a ton of them these days, but when I do, I like these smaller-focused settings. They feel more personal or relatable.
I really liked that the story unfolded at sea. First, I just happen to love naval settings (don’t know why I don’t read more of them) and second Andrew Piazza used the ship’s atmosphere (creakiness and small spaces with no place, to hide or run), the timeframe (middle of a war with no one to trust all sides) and the isolation of being in the middle of an ocean, to all of their creepy advantages. It put this right up there with The Thing, for having all the ingredients to make the perfect horror setting.
I also prefer horror that keeps the reader questioning the main character’s (Dr Edward Pearce in this case) perception. The opium use added an element that had me second-guessing constantly whether Pearce, was on a bad trip, or if it was something meta-physical going on (Kind of like Trembley’s Head Full of Ghosts did).
I liked too, that the writing style had a nice, easy flow, and felt suitable to the timeframe. And that there was some growth for Pearce, and opportunities to work through his own past demons, while giving us resolution and answers to a few of the questions that popped-up along the way.
A couple of stumbling blocks for me:
Occasionally it became a little repetitive in themes or thoughts, especially when Pearce was working-out the details of what was going on. One of the fallbacks of a single pov and trying to make it not seem too easy, for him or us. But I do love books that let me go wild with theories, and that aspect of the story kept me turning pages quickly. (My personal favourite thought had to do with wartime experimentation.)
And I can’t say I was a fan of the choice of Big Bad- it took away a little of that personal feel, the smaller setting and spov gave us that I liked so much at the beginning.
Though, I did like West. He was a good love to hate him kind of guy, and I would have been ok with having him be the sole villain of the piece (I think I am safe enough saying that about him without a spoiler warning since he is a dirtbag from first meet).
Other thoughts-
Some scenes were kind of gross and enough to turn my stomach- there is something about flaying’s that tend to do that to me, more so than other horror-type scenes would. On the whole though, I didn’t find it to be too much grossness at anytime. I just learned to not read while eating my lunch.
Overall, a great little horror story, that keeps you speculating about everyone and everything.
spfbo score 8 or 4 stars
Learn more about the contest here-
https://mark---lawrence.blogspot.com/...
Phase one is here-
https://mark---lawrence.blogspot.com/...
Finalist board is here
https://mark---lawrence.blogspot.com/...
A Song for the Void had several things going for it right off, in terms of things I enjoy in a horror story. Not that I read a ton of them these days, but when I do, I like these smaller-focused settings. They feel more personal or relatable.
I really liked that the story unfolded at sea. First, I just happen to love naval settings (don’t know why I don’t read more of them) and second Andrew Piazza used the ship’s atmosphere (creakiness and small spaces with no place, to hide or run), the timeframe (middle of a war with no one to trust all sides) and the isolation of being in the middle of an ocean, to all of their creepy advantages. It put this right up there with The Thing, for having all the ingredients to make the perfect horror setting.
I also prefer horror that keeps the reader questioning the main character’s (Dr Edward Pearce in this case) perception. The opium use added an element that had me second-guessing constantly whether Pearce, was on a bad trip, or if it was something meta-physical going on (Kind of like Trembley’s Head Full of Ghosts did).
I liked too, that the writing style had a nice, easy flow, and felt suitable to the timeframe. And that there was some growth for Pearce, and opportunities to work through his own past demons, while giving us resolution and answers to a few of the questions that popped-up along the way.
A couple of stumbling blocks for me:
Occasionally it became a little repetitive in themes or thoughts, especially when Pearce was working-out the details of what was going on. One of the fallbacks of a single pov and trying to make it not seem too easy, for him or us. But I do love books that let me go wild with theories, and that aspect of the story kept me turning pages quickly. (My personal favourite thought had to do with wartime experimentation.)
And I can’t say I was a fan of the choice of Big Bad- it took away a little of that personal feel, the smaller setting and spov gave us that I liked so much at the beginning.
Though, I did like West. He was a good love to hate him kind of guy, and I would have been ok with having him be the sole villain of the piece (I think I am safe enough saying that about him without a spoiler warning since he is a dirtbag from first meet).
Other thoughts-
Some scenes were kind of gross and enough to turn my stomach- there is something about flaying’s that tend to do that to me, more so than other horror-type scenes would. On the whole though, I didn’t find it to be too much grossness at anytime. I just learned to not read while eating my lunch.
Overall, a great little horror story, that keeps you speculating about everyone and everything.
spfbo score 8 or 4 stars
Learn more about the contest here-
https://mark---lawrence.blogspot.com/...
Phase one is here-
https://mark---lawrence.blogspot.com/...
Finalist board is here
https://mark---lawrence.blogspot.com/...
Read
March 31, 2023I read this book as part of a commitment to read all the finalists of SPFBO8, however it is not one that I would normally pick up off my own back, and so, out of fairness, I am not going to give it a star rating.
First of all, I went into this book wondering why it was in a fantasy competition, let alone being one of the finalists – effectively saying that this non-fantasy book is a better fantasy book than the 29 other titles read by its particular judging team. Having now read it, I am still wondering that. There are no fantasy elements in this book, or at least, if we call it fantasy for the horror elements contained within, then by extension we must label a huge portion of the horror genre as fantasy instead.
That aside, I didn't enjoy the book as much as I would if it belonged to a genre that I usually read — I don't read horror, or historical fiction, or historical horror, as this one is labelled. Despite that, it was at least a pain-free reading experience, for the most part. There were a couple of areas where the writing felt a bit clunky ("I stood outside my cabin and stood guard while she bathed", and "For every sailor who had dedicated his life to the sea with dedication and conviction") but otherwise it was quite easy reading.
The characters were okay, although only a couple of them had any real depth, and I felt it was a bit odd that everyone had a name except the loblolly boy, who was just referred to as "the loblolly boy" every time he featured, which became a bit of a mouthful. The story was fine, although not really for me. I didn't have a problem with any of the events, including the body horror that featured a lot more towards the end of the book. I felt that it all fit the story and none of it felt gratuitous.
Overall, this wasn't one for me because of the genre it sits in. If you like horror, then I suggest this might be a good book for you to go for. For me, I found I got on okay with it, and I enjoyed it more than a few of the other SPFBO8 finalists, but the bottom line is it's not a fantasy novel.
First of all, I went into this book wondering why it was in a fantasy competition, let alone being one of the finalists – effectively saying that this non-fantasy book is a better fantasy book than the 29 other titles read by its particular judging team. Having now read it, I am still wondering that. There are no fantasy elements in this book, or at least, if we call it fantasy for the horror elements contained within, then by extension we must label a huge portion of the horror genre as fantasy instead.
That aside, I didn't enjoy the book as much as I would if it belonged to a genre that I usually read — I don't read horror, or historical fiction, or historical horror, as this one is labelled. Despite that, it was at least a pain-free reading experience, for the most part. There were a couple of areas where the writing felt a bit clunky ("I stood outside my cabin and stood guard while she bathed", and "For every sailor who had dedicated his life to the sea with dedication and conviction") but otherwise it was quite easy reading.
The characters were okay, although only a couple of them had any real depth, and I felt it was a bit odd that everyone had a name except the loblolly boy, who was just referred to as "the loblolly boy" every time he featured, which became a bit of a mouthful. The story was fine, although not really for me. I didn't have a problem with any of the events, including the body horror that featured a lot more towards the end of the book. I felt that it all fit the story and none of it felt gratuitous.
Overall, this wasn't one for me because of the genre it sits in. If you like horror, then I suggest this might be a good book for you to go for. For me, I found I got on okay with it, and I enjoyed it more than a few of the other SPFBO8 finalists, but the bottom line is it's not a fantasy novel.
March 28, 2023
The Opium Wars in 1853, beneath an ominous sky. The HMS Charger continues its mission in the South China Sea. In this vastness of sea, a danger far worse than pirates they pursue lies waiting.
Historical horror fiction at its finest! Terrifying. SPFBO Finalist.
This one is really good. Scary and disturbing!
Historical horror fiction at its finest! Terrifying. SPFBO Finalist.
This one is really good. Scary and disturbing!
April 16, 2023
I am not going to lie, I was very apprehensive about A Song for the Void before starting it. If it wasn’t an SPFBO8 Finalist, I doubt I would have picked it up (though I have to admit I did almost buy it just for the cover alone, it’s so alluring!!). In any case, as soon as I started reading all my initial concerns flew out the window and I found out that I should never have worried at all. This haunting and genre-bending story hooked me from the very first page and ended up being an incredibly pleasant surprise!
A Song for the Void transports the reader back to 1853 on the South China Sea, a time when the Opium Wars were in full swing.
Dr. Andrew Pearce, the first-person narrator of this story, shares the dreadful events that took place while he served as a surgeon on a British naval warship. Their mission started out as a simple journey to hunt down Chinese pirates, but everything quickly derailed after a mysterious and malevolent entity appeared in the sky. What follows is an unsettling tale full of chaos, hallucinations, addiction and complete madness.
To my complete surprise, there were a lot of things that just worked extremely well for me here. I loved the close first-person narration and the claustrophobic/isolated boat setting, because those both really heightened the sense of dread and unease. Piazza really did a great job setting the scene and I was completely absorbed into this story from page one. Right from the get-go, you can just sense that something is off and I loved that feeling of anticipatory dread.
I also really appreciated that this book struck such a nice balance between the introspective character moments and the pulse-pounding action scenes. There was just always something compelling going on and that kept me glued to the page.
I especially liked exploring the deeper themes of nihilism, addiction, racism, grief, and the consequences of war, which were all seamlessly woven into the story. And combined with the lyrical and poignant writing, this book ended up being way more emotionally impactful than I was anticipating.
Now, I do wish that the side characters would have gotten some more development. Dr. Pearce is the only one who has a compelling backstory and who seems to have real emotional depth, so that somewhat hindered my investment in the lives of the rest of the crew.
And I am still a bit unsure of how I feel about the ending. The final 20% were such a weird and wild ride and I think I may have enjoyed the suspense and mystery more before we got the answers…
Also, I am honestly still a bit baffled that this historical/psychological horror novel ended up as a finalist in a fantasy competition, because the fantasy elements were almost non-existent in my opinion. I mean, some of the horror elements could be interpreted as fantasy, but it's a stretch.
All that said, the fact that I was so sucked into this story and absolutely couldn’t stop reading it makes me forgive a lot of the minor quibbles I had. Piazza absolutely knows how to tell a compelling story, so I am very glad I gave this book a shot!
If you like the sound of a captivating and haunting historical horror story that has action, suspense and philosophical musing in spades, then you are in the right place here. Reading A Song for the Void felt like experiencing a weird fever dream, and I loved it.
A Song for the Void transports the reader back to 1853 on the South China Sea, a time when the Opium Wars were in full swing.
Dr. Andrew Pearce, the first-person narrator of this story, shares the dreadful events that took place while he served as a surgeon on a British naval warship. Their mission started out as a simple journey to hunt down Chinese pirates, but everything quickly derailed after a mysterious and malevolent entity appeared in the sky. What follows is an unsettling tale full of chaos, hallucinations, addiction and complete madness.
To my complete surprise, there were a lot of things that just worked extremely well for me here. I loved the close first-person narration and the claustrophobic/isolated boat setting, because those both really heightened the sense of dread and unease. Piazza really did a great job setting the scene and I was completely absorbed into this story from page one. Right from the get-go, you can just sense that something is off and I loved that feeling of anticipatory dread.
I also really appreciated that this book struck such a nice balance between the introspective character moments and the pulse-pounding action scenes. There was just always something compelling going on and that kept me glued to the page.
I especially liked exploring the deeper themes of nihilism, addiction, racism, grief, and the consequences of war, which were all seamlessly woven into the story. And combined with the lyrical and poignant writing, this book ended up being way more emotionally impactful than I was anticipating.
Now, I do wish that the side characters would have gotten some more development. Dr. Pearce is the only one who has a compelling backstory and who seems to have real emotional depth, so that somewhat hindered my investment in the lives of the rest of the crew.
And I am still a bit unsure of how I feel about the ending. The final 20% were such a weird and wild ride and I think I may have enjoyed the suspense and mystery more before we got the answers…
Also, I am honestly still a bit baffled that this historical/psychological horror novel ended up as a finalist in a fantasy competition, because the fantasy elements were almost non-existent in my opinion. I mean, some of the horror elements could be interpreted as fantasy, but it's a stretch.
All that said, the fact that I was so sucked into this story and absolutely couldn’t stop reading it makes me forgive a lot of the minor quibbles I had. Piazza absolutely knows how to tell a compelling story, so I am very glad I gave this book a shot!
If you like the sound of a captivating and haunting historical horror story that has action, suspense and philosophical musing in spades, then you are in the right place here. Reading A Song for the Void felt like experiencing a weird fever dream, and I loved it.
April 29, 2023
Read for SPFBO8 as 1 member of the FF team
This is my own personal rating and view other team members will have their own rating.
This book was my favourite of our batch, one of hardest to read and one of the hardest to write a review for, but I will do my best. Let's start with the prose - I am not a visual reader, I rarely see pictures when I read but from the beginning there were a couple of sentences that had me exactly where the author wanted me to be and straight away I was hooked.
🖊️There is a quiet on the sea that speaks to the hole which rests in the centre of our souls🖊️
and 🖊️To express one’s being, to shout to the heavens that something lives and breathes, to sing to the universe the song of what it means to be alive and aware of one’s own existence.🖊️.
This story is set around the Opium wars between Britain and China, it is a story of identity, consciousness and what it means to be human. Our narrator is flawed, and this is where reading this book became painful and filled me with empathy for him. Like Pearce I have lost children and been an addict of opiates and alcohol - did I lose my identity or what it means to be human? I would say no as I still was a functioning member of society but I certainly became unreliable and I would say the same as our narrator - even he admits he is not reliable
🖊️I'm not sure it's even me who sits and tells this tale🖊️
The hallucinations on board the ship begin when a strange light - the "Darkstar" appears in the sky. It feeds off the crew's hallucinations (helped by the opium and grog held on board), it lures the crew by encouraging their fantasies, be they happy or sadistic and this is where the mysteries start with Pearce and a small number trying to fight off the Darkstar dark influence. It is a dark and chilling read but one that can offer hope.
I would have given this a 9.5-10 but the ending wasn't as strong as the majority of the book (the antagonist's monologue may work very well at the end for a Hercule Poirot or Sherlock Holmes novel but not here unfortunately) therefore I had to score it a bit less.
I want to give Andrew Piazza huge kudos who got everything right about drug/alcohol addiction - the initial joy and fun, the mindless control and then the pain of stopping. Thank you, it is not an easy subject to write about and very few authors get it right.
This is my own personal rating and view other team members will have their own rating.
This book was my favourite of our batch, one of hardest to read and one of the hardest to write a review for, but I will do my best. Let's start with the prose - I am not a visual reader, I rarely see pictures when I read but from the beginning there were a couple of sentences that had me exactly where the author wanted me to be and straight away I was hooked.
🖊️There is a quiet on the sea that speaks to the hole which rests in the centre of our souls🖊️
and 🖊️To express one’s being, to shout to the heavens that something lives and breathes, to sing to the universe the song of what it means to be alive and aware of one’s own existence.🖊️.
This story is set around the Opium wars between Britain and China, it is a story of identity, consciousness and what it means to be human. Our narrator is flawed, and this is where reading this book became painful and filled me with empathy for him. Like Pearce I have lost children and been an addict of opiates and alcohol - did I lose my identity or what it means to be human? I would say no as I still was a functioning member of society but I certainly became unreliable and I would say the same as our narrator - even he admits he is not reliable
🖊️I'm not sure it's even me who sits and tells this tale🖊️
The hallucinations on board the ship begin when a strange light - the "Darkstar" appears in the sky. It feeds off the crew's hallucinations (helped by the opium and grog held on board), it lures the crew by encouraging their fantasies, be they happy or sadistic and this is where the mysteries start with Pearce and a small number trying to fight off the Darkstar dark influence. It is a dark and chilling read but one that can offer hope.
I would have given this a 9.5-10 but the ending wasn't as strong as the majority of the book (the antagonist's monologue may work very well at the end for a Hercule Poirot or Sherlock Holmes novel but not here unfortunately) therefore I had to score it a bit less.
I want to give Andrew Piazza huge kudos who got everything right about drug/alcohol addiction - the initial joy and fun, the mindless control and then the pain of stopping. Thank you, it is not an easy subject to write about and very few authors get it right.
September 2, 2023
Despite my mixed experience with One Last Gasp I bought this book right afterwards, but saved it until my annual vacation to Pacific Northwest. I did not expect to like this one as much as I did. Piazza's writing has vastly improved compared to the previous book. The plotting is tight, the characters are multidimensional, and they come across as realistic, speaking in natural sounding ways and acting the same. It seems like Piazza did extensive research into the history of the Opium Wars, and at least from my reading he did a great job depicting the life of being on the sea in that time frame. I was thouroughly hooked from the beginning despite the lack of weird elements for roughly the first 3rd of the book, and better yet, those elements were introduced in subtle ways, building up in intensity, making them potent. The gradual unveiling of the cosmic horror of the Darkstar was handled masterfully, retaining enough mystery to keep me asking questions, but not playing it too coy. All the while Piazza used the story as a backdrop for exploring philosophical ideas without being didactic.
Indeed.
One minor quibble. Piazza used the phrase "drips and drabs", which I've always heard as "dribs and drabs" and after some quick checking, yeah that should have been caught in editing.
how exhausting it is to struggle with unrelenting pain. It is an insidious drain on the mind and spirit.
Indeed.
One minor quibble. Piazza used the phrase "drips and drabs", which I've always heard as "dribs and drabs" and after some quick checking, yeah that should have been caught in editing.
July 28, 2020
One Last Gasp was one of my favorite surprise novels from last year so I was super excited to hear that Andrew C. Piazza was writing another historical horror novel.
And it does not disappoint in any way. Piazza clearly did a lot of research to capture the feel of being on a 19th century naval vessel during the Opium Wars, even down to specifics of firearms and terminology relevant to the time.
The horror part unfolds slowly as the crew and the unreliable narrator start to piece together weird happenings that eventually come together far too much to be coincidences. I dont want to give away any spoilers so if you enjoy historical fiction or horror, and especially if you like both, you should definitely give this book a try.
The appendix on how the book came to be was also a very interesting glimpse into how the sausage was made or as Piazza puts it "seeing the gears of how something works can lead us to lose some respect for it." Personally I gained more respect for both the process and the author. Its fascinating to hear the specific details of how the ideas and creative process came together to make the book a reality.
And it does not disappoint in any way. Piazza clearly did a lot of research to capture the feel of being on a 19th century naval vessel during the Opium Wars, even down to specifics of firearms and terminology relevant to the time.
The horror part unfolds slowly as the crew and the unreliable narrator start to piece together weird happenings that eventually come together far too much to be coincidences. I dont want to give away any spoilers so if you enjoy historical fiction or horror, and especially if you like both, you should definitely give this book a try.
The appendix on how the book came to be was also a very interesting glimpse into how the sausage was made or as Piazza puts it "seeing the gears of how something works can lead us to lose some respect for it." Personally I gained more respect for both the process and the author. Its fascinating to hear the specific details of how the ideas and creative process came together to make the book a reality.
November 19, 2022
4.5 rounded up
SPFBO8 finalist
This book took me by surprise. The writing was brilliant, the historical setting was impeccably done in my opinion. The horror aspects did not scare me but made me incredibly uncomfortable which I believe was the author's intent.
The characters ranged from likeable to despicable- I loved how the characters could elicit emotions by simply interacting with each other.
The discourse on addiction and human consciousness was deftly done. Even during the bleakest of times, the characters clung on to their humanity and that helped them come out of the situation comparatively unscathed. The themes of finding hope in the direst of times really resonated with me.
An absolutely addictive read (excuse the pun)!
SPFBO8 finalist
This book took me by surprise. The writing was brilliant, the historical setting was impeccably done in my opinion. The horror aspects did not scare me but made me incredibly uncomfortable which I believe was the author's intent.
The characters ranged from likeable to despicable- I loved how the characters could elicit emotions by simply interacting with each other.
The discourse on addiction and human consciousness was deftly done. Even during the bleakest of times, the characters clung on to their humanity and that helped them come out of the situation comparatively unscathed. The themes of finding hope in the direst of times really resonated with me.
An absolutely addictive read (excuse the pun)!
Read
April 2, 2023Steeped in an intriguing blend of history and the supernatural, A Song for the Void is ultimately a tale of hope despite being seemingly told through a lense of horror and despair. The themes explored here were perfectly woven together, and the eerie atmosphere builds and builds with the suspense of the plot to great effect. I really appreciated the final reveal at the end.
August 24, 2025
Read for SPFBO, this is only my personal opinion, the group verdict might differ wildly 🔥 4,5*
I was quickly sucked into this story by it's tone and voice, and was hooked till the very end. This is even Mitch higher a compliment than it might seem, as A Song For The Void has a good deal of horror mixed in with its fantastic and historical aspects. I usually don't gel with horror, so it's managing to keep me glued to the pages is quite a feat!
I loved the time period, and how well researched the whole song felt. I don't really know much about this part of history, so I don't know how accurate it was, but it felt very solid and made it easy for me to settle in.
The topic of drug abuse and naval warfare were blended very well, and both aspects felt like a natural part of the story and characters. Often these things stand out, or feel like their am add on, but Piazza managed to really blend it all together in a really great way.
There's visions, hallucinations, fighting, action and done mysteries in the past we only very slowly unravel. And of course there's the big mystery hanging up there in the sky!
The half star missing is for the big showdown at the end, that just felt a bit flat for me, compared with the rest of the story. This might be due to me not liking horror, or it might actually be a bit anticlimactic. I did really enjoy this anyway though, so I shall round it up.
I was quickly sucked into this story by it's tone and voice, and was hooked till the very end. This is even Mitch higher a compliment than it might seem, as A Song For The Void has a good deal of horror mixed in with its fantastic and historical aspects. I usually don't gel with horror, so it's managing to keep me glued to the pages is quite a feat!
I loved the time period, and how well researched the whole song felt. I don't really know much about this part of history, so I don't know how accurate it was, but it felt very solid and made it easy for me to settle in.
The topic of drug abuse and naval warfare were blended very well, and both aspects felt like a natural part of the story and characters. Often these things stand out, or feel like their am add on, but Piazza managed to really blend it all together in a really great way.
There's visions, hallucinations, fighting, action and done mysteries in the past we only very slowly unravel. And of course there's the big mystery hanging up there in the sky!
The half star missing is for the big showdown at the end, that just felt a bit flat for me, compared with the rest of the story. This might be due to me not liking horror, or it might actually be a bit anticlimactic. I did really enjoy this anyway though, so I shall round it up.
March 28, 2023
Just too much body horror for my taste. DNF at 46%
April 19, 2023
A Song for the Void (Andrew C Piazza) is a historical horror novel. Set in the same time period as Babel by RJ Kuang, the China of the Opium Wars, Mr Piazza chooses to take a philosophical approach and his horror is a metaphor for addiction that stressed a little too obviously. To my amateur historian eyes, his research on the period is impeccable, when he has to stretch a point for story purposes, he's careful to justify it. The action is certainly horrific enough, and fans of Master and Commander will appreciate the period battles.
I would say this is a 3.5 star book - I doubt that anyone will be perplexed by the mystery - the villain is exposed from the first. The fine prose, excellent historical research, and unique plot would be better served if there were some red herrings, some deviations from the very straightforward path of the story.
I would say this is a 3.5 star book - I doubt that anyone will be perplexed by the mystery - the villain is exposed from the first. The fine prose, excellent historical research, and unique plot would be better served if there were some red herrings, some deviations from the very straightforward path of the story.
December 16, 2023
Historical fiction and cosmic horror are two genres I quite enjoy so I had to look at this novel. That it is centered on the sea and ships is even better. Nautical stories have always been a favorite of mine and usually a staple in the cosmic horror theme.
The narrative sets up the situation quickly and only ramps up from there while providing detailed descriptions of life on a ship during the mid-1800s. Though the pacing is rhythmic, the descriptions of many parts of the ship do slow it down a bit. The period the story is set in is an interesting backdrop. The characters are unique with the story being told in first person. The audience gets a clear view of the protagonist’s point of view and his mindset as well as his flaws.
As with the nature of cosmic horror, the human condition, more so, the human mind and existence is addressed and is called into question as the story unfolds. The nature of the existential crisis is presented in a myriad of ways and showcases the themes of addiction, loss, grief, and greed. This is delivered in earnest during the climax. The ending tied up the various loose ends and I found it satisfying.
Overall, I enjoyed the story and how the author tackled the cosmic horror set within a period piece.
The narrative sets up the situation quickly and only ramps up from there while providing detailed descriptions of life on a ship during the mid-1800s. Though the pacing is rhythmic, the descriptions of many parts of the ship do slow it down a bit. The period the story is set in is an interesting backdrop. The characters are unique with the story being told in first person. The audience gets a clear view of the protagonist’s point of view and his mindset as well as his flaws.
As with the nature of cosmic horror, the human condition, more so, the human mind and existence is addressed and is called into question as the story unfolds. The nature of the existential crisis is presented in a myriad of ways and showcases the themes of addiction, loss, grief, and greed. This is delivered in earnest during the climax. The ending tied up the various loose ends and I found it satisfying.
Overall, I enjoyed the story and how the author tackled the cosmic horror set within a period piece.
December 22, 2022
What a great book this is..
First off I have to say that if you've seen the tv series The Terror and liked it you're definetely going to enjoy this.
Everything in "A song for the Void" worked for me. The setting is perfect for this kind of story. Although I'm not a fan of stories on a ship, this was full of atmosphere and the prose, though simple, fully engaged me and immersed me. The claustrophobic space of the decks was evident throughout the story and truly chilling. There are quite a bit of philosophical bits going on that resonated with me and felt like a genuine part of the adventures of our protagonists.
The characters were richly developed and interesting.
More positives were, the nice pace throughout the book and the historical events that the author inserted in the story.
Finally the last part had a nice chunk of action and a few humorous bits that hit the spot for me.
I have to note that this was very gory and that some people may find the ending too explanatory, but for me it was an ok way to wrap things up..
This is a SPFBO 8 finalist and IMO a very well deserved one..
8,1/10
First off I have to say that if you've seen the tv series The Terror and liked it you're definetely going to enjoy this.
Everything in "A song for the Void" worked for me. The setting is perfect for this kind of story. Although I'm not a fan of stories on a ship, this was full of atmosphere and the prose, though simple, fully engaged me and immersed me. The claustrophobic space of the decks was evident throughout the story and truly chilling. There are quite a bit of philosophical bits going on that resonated with me and felt like a genuine part of the adventures of our protagonists.
The characters were richly developed and interesting.
More positives were, the nice pace throughout the book and the historical events that the author inserted in the story.
Finally the last part had a nice chunk of action and a few humorous bits that hit the spot for me.
I have to note that this was very gory and that some people may find the ending too explanatory, but for me it was an ok way to wrap things up..
This is a SPFBO 8 finalist and IMO a very well deserved one..
8,1/10
April 28, 2023
Dr. Edward Pearce is the lead surgeon on HMS Charger, a new steam frigate serving Britain during the Opium War with China. After an encounter with a cluster of pirates, the Charger gives chase. Pearce notices a strange comet hanging in the sky … and everything gets weird.
Song is heavily steeped in cosmic horror. The opening of the story—naval battles and the reality of life aboard a nineteenth-century warship—are laden with some great action scenes and explores Pearce’s history. Told in first person, the reader really comes to know the man and his tragedies and how those plays into the story. He’s a multi-dimensional, damaged man, running from his problems. I’m sure I’ve said before, but I like damaged protagonists so for me, he was easy to get on with. Supporting characters range are generally layered and complex, with some of the stodgiest developing in surprising ways late in the story. The primary protagonist is too greasy and smug to be a mustache-twirling supervillain but was about the only one of the primary actors without much depth.
I have to say, I found the pace pretty decent as the tension and unease of Pearce and the crew mounted. I was reminded of this phrase from a Hemingway novel when a character was asked how they went bankrupt and responded, “Gradually, then suddenly.” The signs in Song that something is wrong and amiss are very innocuous and subtle at first … and when things go wrong, they go wrong in a hurry, massively changing the course of the story in a matter of pages. The pace of the second half accelerates and it’s all very compelling, heart-pounding reading.
The idea of addiction is a big factor in this story and many of the characters, including the narrator, grapple with various forms, and for various reasons. I enjoyed seeing that being handled in an even-handed manner; not totally sympathetic or condemning.
On the downside, there were a handful of scenes laden existential postmodern philosophizing that felt a little off. While the ideas fit in with the tone of the story, the exploration of such concepts felt dull and almost professorial. I ended up skimming some of those discussions. Also, the story’s climax, while consistent, was predictable and too laden with exposition to maintain the excellent level of tension that had built up, which was a little bit of a let down.
Those criticisms aside, Song was a very enjoyable, intense read, with well-written characters. Would recommend for readers of horror, naval action, and first-person POV.
Song is heavily steeped in cosmic horror. The opening of the story—naval battles and the reality of life aboard a nineteenth-century warship—are laden with some great action scenes and explores Pearce’s history. Told in first person, the reader really comes to know the man and his tragedies and how those plays into the story. He’s a multi-dimensional, damaged man, running from his problems. I’m sure I’ve said before, but I like damaged protagonists so for me, he was easy to get on with. Supporting characters range are generally layered and complex, with some of the stodgiest developing in surprising ways late in the story. The primary protagonist is too greasy and smug to be a mustache-twirling supervillain but was about the only one of the primary actors without much depth.
I have to say, I found the pace pretty decent as the tension and unease of Pearce and the crew mounted. I was reminded of this phrase from a Hemingway novel when a character was asked how they went bankrupt and responded, “Gradually, then suddenly.” The signs in Song that something is wrong and amiss are very innocuous and subtle at first … and when things go wrong, they go wrong in a hurry, massively changing the course of the story in a matter of pages. The pace of the second half accelerates and it’s all very compelling, heart-pounding reading.
The idea of addiction is a big factor in this story and many of the characters, including the narrator, grapple with various forms, and for various reasons. I enjoyed seeing that being handled in an even-handed manner; not totally sympathetic or condemning.
On the downside, there were a handful of scenes laden existential postmodern philosophizing that felt a little off. While the ideas fit in with the tone of the story, the exploration of such concepts felt dull and almost professorial. I ended up skimming some of those discussions. Also, the story’s climax, while consistent, was predictable and too laden with exposition to maintain the excellent level of tension that had built up, which was a little bit of a let down.
Those criticisms aside, Song was a very enjoyable, intense read, with well-written characters. Would recommend for readers of horror, naval action, and first-person POV.
August 1, 2020
An exploration of lovecraftian nihilism, that mixes elements of "The Fisherman" by John Langan and "The Terror" by Dan Simmons together in an enthralling tale.
I highly recommend. Piazza is one of the premier neo-lovecraftian authors to date . I first discovered his talents with "One Last Gasp" and picked this up the day it released. There is no disappointment to be had here. There is not much I can say without giving away the book, but if you are a fan of historical horror, lovecraftian themes, and nautical overtones, look no further. Job well done , 5\5 stars.
I highly recommend. Piazza is one of the premier neo-lovecraftian authors to date . I first discovered his talents with "One Last Gasp" and picked this up the day it released. There is no disappointment to be had here. There is not much I can say without giving away the book, but if you are a fan of historical horror, lovecraftian themes, and nautical overtones, look no further. Job well done , 5\5 stars.
December 18, 2022
I think I first heard about this SPFBO finalist via the Grimdark Readers and Writers Facebook page, the premise catching my eye. A cosmic horror story set in the midst of the Opium Wars. Yes, please, don’t mind if I do.
Not only did Piazza manage to pen a gripping detail rich with historical detail and atmospheric horror, but he also infused it with some Descartian philosophical musings that perfectly highlighted extensional dread.
This one earned a place among my favorite books of the year, and I’ll be looking forward to snagging more of Piazza’s work in the future.
Not only did Piazza manage to pen a gripping detail rich with historical detail and atmospheric horror, but he also infused it with some Descartian philosophical musings that perfectly highlighted extensional dread.
This one earned a place among my favorite books of the year, and I’ll be looking forward to snagging more of Piazza’s work in the future.
January 22, 2023
Δυνατό βιβλίο που μου θύμισε έντονα τη παιχνιδάρα Dead Space αλλά στη θάλασσα.
September 8, 2020
"A Song for the Void" is a 2020 historical horror novel by Andrew C Piazza. Whether you've read Piazza's other fiction (some of which is in the same genre) or not, "A Song for the Void" is a truly outstanding work that is well worth your time.
I was so delighted to see Mr. Piazza return to the unique (and under-served) genre of historical horror. His 2012 novel "One Last Gasp" is a masterpiece of the genre, a real groundbreaking effort that is equal parts historical fiction, action thriller, and horror novel. Now, with "A Song for the Void," Piazza gives a similar fictional treatment to a different time and place in history--the rather obscure conflict known as the Opium Wars. Set during the second of the two Opium Wars (somewhere between 1856-1860), "A Song for the Void" is told from the perspective of a British doctor who serves as an officer on a British naval ship tasked with hunting down Chinese pirates. After an intense battle with a sizable Chinese fleet, main character Doctor Pearce and the men aboard the HMS Charger notice a strange phenomenon in the sky. When hallucinations and other bizarre events begin to occur amongst the crew on the Charger, Doctor Pearce begins to suspect that the strange object in the sky may be connected. As events devolve more and more into the chaotic, Doctor Pearce and the crew must overcome a most powerful cosmic force and their own personal demons in order to survive a harrowing ordeal.
After opening with a bang, " A Song for the Void" slows down to a more deliberate pace, and becomes an oh-so-satisfying creepy slow burn. This slower pace gives us time to get to know the crew aboard the Charger and gives us a taste of life aboard a British warship in the 19th century. Author Piazza quickly proves his masterful grasp of the setting and writes with a real sense of authority. The backdrop is a totally believable one, and you'll find you love spending time there. Quality of research is impeccable. Fortunately, though, it doesn't get in the way of the great storytelling, which "Void" brings in spades. When the book does pick up, however, you won't be able to pry your eyes from the page and will want to bask in every exciting, sordid, gory, frightening detail.
Quality of writing in "Void" is very high, and helps the book stand out from the competition. In the modern world e-publishing there is some lackluster prose on the market, but Piazza proves once again to be one the best in the biz. Every description, every detail, every discussion is right on the money and puts you right in the thick of things. The combination of history, action, horror, and philosophy that permeate the pages of the novel is quite simply the best mashup of genres I've ever seen. I would caution the reader that there are some disturbing scenes of violence and gore in the story, so if that bothers you, take note. The more intense material is spread out enough that it doesn't lose it shock value, so each and every instance of violence is startlingly effective. There is also some incredibly compelling discussion in the story about life, death, loss, and transcendence. While it does slow down the story, the discussions are so elegantly written that I couldn't help but enjoy them and consider their implications in my own life. Said discussions also come to play an important role in the story.
It's difficult to steal a show when the entire show is incredible, but Piazza manages to do it with characterization. Doctor Pearce is nothing short of phenomenally conceived. His past, personality, struggles, and everything else about the character are so well done. The author delves into the psyche of Pearce like a virtuoso psychologist, and turns over every stone in the protagonist's life in a manner believable and compelling. The struggle of addiction also plays an important role in the story; the protagonist is plagued by an addiction that turns out to be pivotal in the development of the plot. I always admire when authors use main characters with baggage. There is much believability to those types of characters and so much room development--as is the case in "A Song for the Void." Supporting players are also well-developed and there is not a two-dimensional character in the bunch.
All this to say: heck yeah, read the book! Congratulations to Andrew Piazza for adding yet another winner to his stable of winners. "A Song for the Void" is the beau ideal of historical horror, the standard against which all others are measured. If you're looking for a master class on how to do something perfectly, you've found it. Please keep 'em coming, Mr. Piazza!
I was so delighted to see Mr. Piazza return to the unique (and under-served) genre of historical horror. His 2012 novel "One Last Gasp" is a masterpiece of the genre, a real groundbreaking effort that is equal parts historical fiction, action thriller, and horror novel. Now, with "A Song for the Void," Piazza gives a similar fictional treatment to a different time and place in history--the rather obscure conflict known as the Opium Wars. Set during the second of the two Opium Wars (somewhere between 1856-1860), "A Song for the Void" is told from the perspective of a British doctor who serves as an officer on a British naval ship tasked with hunting down Chinese pirates. After an intense battle with a sizable Chinese fleet, main character Doctor Pearce and the men aboard the HMS Charger notice a strange phenomenon in the sky. When hallucinations and other bizarre events begin to occur amongst the crew on the Charger, Doctor Pearce begins to suspect that the strange object in the sky may be connected. As events devolve more and more into the chaotic, Doctor Pearce and the crew must overcome a most powerful cosmic force and their own personal demons in order to survive a harrowing ordeal.
After opening with a bang, " A Song for the Void" slows down to a more deliberate pace, and becomes an oh-so-satisfying creepy slow burn. This slower pace gives us time to get to know the crew aboard the Charger and gives us a taste of life aboard a British warship in the 19th century. Author Piazza quickly proves his masterful grasp of the setting and writes with a real sense of authority. The backdrop is a totally believable one, and you'll find you love spending time there. Quality of research is impeccable. Fortunately, though, it doesn't get in the way of the great storytelling, which "Void" brings in spades. When the book does pick up, however, you won't be able to pry your eyes from the page and will want to bask in every exciting, sordid, gory, frightening detail.
Quality of writing in "Void" is very high, and helps the book stand out from the competition. In the modern world e-publishing there is some lackluster prose on the market, but Piazza proves once again to be one the best in the biz. Every description, every detail, every discussion is right on the money and puts you right in the thick of things. The combination of history, action, horror, and philosophy that permeate the pages of the novel is quite simply the best mashup of genres I've ever seen. I would caution the reader that there are some disturbing scenes of violence and gore in the story, so if that bothers you, take note. The more intense material is spread out enough that it doesn't lose it shock value, so each and every instance of violence is startlingly effective. There is also some incredibly compelling discussion in the story about life, death, loss, and transcendence. While it does slow down the story, the discussions are so elegantly written that I couldn't help but enjoy them and consider their implications in my own life. Said discussions also come to play an important role in the story.
It's difficult to steal a show when the entire show is incredible, but Piazza manages to do it with characterization. Doctor Pearce is nothing short of phenomenally conceived. His past, personality, struggles, and everything else about the character are so well done. The author delves into the psyche of Pearce like a virtuoso psychologist, and turns over every stone in the protagonist's life in a manner believable and compelling. The struggle of addiction also plays an important role in the story; the protagonist is plagued by an addiction that turns out to be pivotal in the development of the plot. I always admire when authors use main characters with baggage. There is much believability to those types of characters and so much room development--as is the case in "A Song for the Void." Supporting players are also well-developed and there is not a two-dimensional character in the bunch.
All this to say: heck yeah, read the book! Congratulations to Andrew Piazza for adding yet another winner to his stable of winners. "A Song for the Void" is the beau ideal of historical horror, the standard against which all others are measured. If you're looking for a master class on how to do something perfectly, you've found it. Please keep 'em coming, Mr. Piazza!
December 26, 2024
4 stars, bumped up to 5 by my special interest in cosmic horror. This is my jam.
A Song for the Void is great. The best possible version of a b-movie in book form, with literary flourishes and some deep questions on the nature of consciousness and reality. Add a good setting, that i am particularly a sucker for (age of sail, but late age of sail so revolvers factor in) and my longstanding obsession, cosmic horror and this seems to be a book specifically designed for me.
It’s not perfect, of course. The prose veers into purplish hued at times but that is something acceptable, maybe even desirable in a lovecraft-by-any-other-name narrative. The characters are a bit too reasonable at times, a bit too thin at others. The big bad is a bit of a pantomime villain near the end, something that fits the story well but perhaps not the unspeakable-horror genre. The story wraps up perhaps a bit too well. Too Hollywood, too little Lovecraft.
But that doesn’t mean this isn’t a true page turner in the purest sense and a good one at that, one that makes you think. I’ll definitely be following up with more Piazza, he seems an author after my own heart.
A Song for the Void is great. The best possible version of a b-movie in book form, with literary flourishes and some deep questions on the nature of consciousness and reality. Add a good setting, that i am particularly a sucker for (age of sail, but late age of sail so revolvers factor in) and my longstanding obsession, cosmic horror and this seems to be a book specifically designed for me.
It’s not perfect, of course. The prose veers into purplish hued at times but that is something acceptable, maybe even desirable in a lovecraft-by-any-other-name narrative. The characters are a bit too reasonable at times, a bit too thin at others. The big bad is a bit of a pantomime villain near the end, something that fits the story well but perhaps not the unspeakable-horror genre. The story wraps up perhaps a bit too well. Too Hollywood, too little Lovecraft.
But that doesn’t mean this isn’t a true page turner in the purest sense and a good one at that, one that makes you think. I’ll definitely be following up with more Piazza, he seems an author after my own heart.
September 12, 2024
"The mind is like the narrator of our existence" - Dr Edward Pearce.
This book is why I read horror literature. As at the time of this review, I have two 5/5 books: 'Salem's Lot by Stephen King, and The Fisherman by John Langan. We now have a third!
A British crew aboard the 'Charger' is hunting pirates smuggling opium. The event unfold from the first person perspective of our relatable MC, Dr Edward Pearce. During their pursuit, the crew discover a strange 'comet' in the sky which appears to exude malevolence. Dr Pearce and the Charger's crew experience and witness inexplainable horrors as they inexplainably journey towards a horrific doom.
There is so much about this book that I love. 1) The setting, being a steam frigate in the middle of the the South China Sea, during the Opium Wars. 2) The characters and how each is fleshed out - in particularly, Dr Pearce's past trauma, devastation and addiction truly shine through. 3) The 'villain' (and I will expand further to prevent spoilers). 4) What we came for - the (cosmic) horror, is very effectively and leaves a lasting impact long after the final page is turned. 5) The greater themes and ideologies the book grapples with and confronts: addiction, humanity, friendship, grief, and trauma.
There are, of course, a few gripes. Our MC is probably a bit too contemporary and modern for 1850s Opium Wars. This, of course, is a very minor aspect given he is a trained and travelled doctor (at least compared to those around him). Second, while the 'unknowlable' and 'incomprehensible' are front and centre to all cosmic horror works (and this is no different, with the antagonist claiming over a dozen times that the knowledge which it knows is "beyond the comprehension of pathetic meat bags"), this knowledge is then deduced quite simply and succintly by or Dr MC. And finally (SPOILER HERE), the all-powerful and malevolent antagonist's achilles hell also being addiction did feel a bit cheap.
(SPOILER END)
But these are minor imperfections of otherwise excellent work.
The novel really made me think about what is real and what is not, what it means to be human, and the futility of our lives (or rather, lackthereof). I am truly annoyed that I will not get to experience this again for the first time.
A gem of literature, and not just horror literature. 5 stars out of 5.
This book is why I read horror literature. As at the time of this review, I have two 5/5 books: 'Salem's Lot by Stephen King, and The Fisherman by John Langan. We now have a third!
A British crew aboard the 'Charger' is hunting pirates smuggling opium. The event unfold from the first person perspective of our relatable MC, Dr Edward Pearce. During their pursuit, the crew discover a strange 'comet' in the sky which appears to exude malevolence. Dr Pearce and the Charger's crew experience and witness inexplainable horrors as they inexplainably journey towards a horrific doom.
There is so much about this book that I love. 1) The setting, being a steam frigate in the middle of the the South China Sea, during the Opium Wars. 2) The characters and how each is fleshed out - in particularly, Dr Pearce's past trauma, devastation and addiction truly shine through. 3) The 'villain' (and I will expand further to prevent spoilers). 4) What we came for - the (cosmic) horror, is very effectively and leaves a lasting impact long after the final page is turned. 5) The greater themes and ideologies the book grapples with and confronts: addiction, humanity, friendship, grief, and trauma.
There are, of course, a few gripes. Our MC is probably a bit too contemporary and modern for 1850s Opium Wars. This, of course, is a very minor aspect given he is a trained and travelled doctor (at least compared to those around him). Second, while the 'unknowlable' and 'incomprehensible' are front and centre to all cosmic horror works (and this is no different, with the antagonist claiming over a dozen times that the knowledge which it knows is "beyond the comprehension of pathetic meat bags"), this knowledge is then deduced quite simply and succintly by or Dr MC. And finally (SPOILER HERE), the all-powerful and malevolent antagonist's achilles hell also being addiction did feel a bit cheap.
(SPOILER END)
But these are minor imperfections of otherwise excellent work.
The novel really made me think about what is real and what is not, what it means to be human, and the futility of our lives (or rather, lackthereof). I am truly annoyed that I will not get to experience this again for the first time.
A gem of literature, and not just horror literature. 5 stars out of 5.
April 10, 2022
A compelling story
I wasn’t quite sure where this story was going to go, but it turned into a gripping and engaging Lovecraftian horror story. For a short story, the characters were nicely developed and the story moved along at a good pace to an unexpected island confrontation with a chaotic cosmic entity.
I wasn’t quite sure where this story was going to go, but it turned into a gripping and engaging Lovecraftian horror story. For a short story, the characters were nicely developed and the story moved along at a good pace to an unexpected island confrontation with a chaotic cosmic entity.
January 1, 2023
5 stars.
A Song for the Void is an SPFBO8 finalist therefore, full review to come on Before We Go Blog.
A Song for the Void is an SPFBO8 finalist therefore, full review to come on Before We Go Blog.
March 14, 2023
A Song for the Void is an excellent historical fiction novel brimming with cosmic horror ambience. It is extremely well constructed, full of foreboding atmosphere and memorable characters. There are a few imperfections, but what novel can say otherwise? Despite the relatively slow burn of the ‘descent into madness’ trope, the author manages to craft a narrative that is engaging from the outset and continues to impress as the pages drift by.
The essential premise is that of a British naval ship, in pursuit of pirates in the South China Sea, which stumbles upon the trail of a dark entity. As their quarry sets sail for a mysterious island, the crew begins to unravel, and madness and mutiny soon overtake the doomed vessel.
Every story ultimately lives or dies based on the characters that live in its pages, and A Song for the Void has great characters. Using a first-person POV, we are intimately familiar with the hopes and dreads of the novel’s narrator, Dr. Edward Pearce. Told with a cleverly escalated revelation of backstory, we delve deeper and deeper into Pearce’s haunted psyche, his history of trauma and addiction, all of the elements that shape a man into the unlikely person who might stand against a disturbing and otherworldly entity. Several other interesting characters populate Andrew C. Piazza’s novel, including a delightfully execrable villain in the form of an “Eddie Haskell from hell” scoundrel named West. He’s the type of antagonist you love to hate, honestly just a piece of $#!T that you want to punch in the face and it’s just a cherry on top for the story.
There was a time or two when the pacing slowed a bit for my tastes, in particular one scene where climbing up to the crow’s nest takes (I think it was 8 pages) too long. But in a novel with so much introspection and philosophizing, I think that Piazza actually did quite a good job of keeping things on track despite a character that was grappling with his tragic past and the terrifying confusion of a world gone mad. On a related note, some of the “horror” revolved around a concept that felt more intellectual than visceral, and that didn’t really work for me. It didn’t feel scary, it was just sort of an idea. If it had really hit home, the idea was certainly disturbing, but I didn’t “experience” it through character, it was just talked about a lot.
A Song for the Void was unique, in my reading experience. I’ve read some Lovecraft but not much else in the way of cosmic horror, so I can’t speak to how this fits into the genre other than to say it was well-written and engaging and it felt to me like a really strong example of the style. The prose was mostly straight forward, nothing fancy, but never clumsy, and always painting a concrete image of the scene, while capturing the personalities at play.
The ending I felt was solid, but not really surprising. It was well executed but lacked anything I couldn’t have seen coming well before that, which is not always a bad thing, but it did leave me feeling a little underwhelmed. The rest of the story was so well done that by comparison it had just the tiniest whiff of disappointment. But still, when I set the book down, I thought to myself, “that was pretty good.”
My overall opinion is that this was a really enjoyable novel. When I went to bed at night I was looking forward to a chance to read it. Piazza did some really interesting worldbuilding along the way, especially with the illusions the story’s madness brought on. The mysteries surrounding the ship’s destination, and the protagonist’s backstory kept me turning pages. And it’s worth another mention that this book had a great villain. Go read this. It’s not perfect, but there is a lot to love here. An ill-fated voyage, an opium addled narrator struggling to discern the horrible truth from his fevered delusions, and island at the end of it all… where waits the Darkstar.
The essential premise is that of a British naval ship, in pursuit of pirates in the South China Sea, which stumbles upon the trail of a dark entity. As their quarry sets sail for a mysterious island, the crew begins to unravel, and madness and mutiny soon overtake the doomed vessel.
Every story ultimately lives or dies based on the characters that live in its pages, and A Song for the Void has great characters. Using a first-person POV, we are intimately familiar with the hopes and dreads of the novel’s narrator, Dr. Edward Pearce. Told with a cleverly escalated revelation of backstory, we delve deeper and deeper into Pearce’s haunted psyche, his history of trauma and addiction, all of the elements that shape a man into the unlikely person who might stand against a disturbing and otherworldly entity. Several other interesting characters populate Andrew C. Piazza’s novel, including a delightfully execrable villain in the form of an “Eddie Haskell from hell” scoundrel named West. He’s the type of antagonist you love to hate, honestly just a piece of $#!T that you want to punch in the face and it’s just a cherry on top for the story.
There was a time or two when the pacing slowed a bit for my tastes, in particular one scene where climbing up to the crow’s nest takes (I think it was 8 pages) too long. But in a novel with so much introspection and philosophizing, I think that Piazza actually did quite a good job of keeping things on track despite a character that was grappling with his tragic past and the terrifying confusion of a world gone mad. On a related note, some of the “horror” revolved around a concept that felt more intellectual than visceral, and that didn’t really work for me. It didn’t feel scary, it was just sort of an idea. If it had really hit home, the idea was certainly disturbing, but I didn’t “experience” it through character, it was just talked about a lot.
A Song for the Void was unique, in my reading experience. I’ve read some Lovecraft but not much else in the way of cosmic horror, so I can’t speak to how this fits into the genre other than to say it was well-written and engaging and it felt to me like a really strong example of the style. The prose was mostly straight forward, nothing fancy, but never clumsy, and always painting a concrete image of the scene, while capturing the personalities at play.
The ending I felt was solid, but not really surprising. It was well executed but lacked anything I couldn’t have seen coming well before that, which is not always a bad thing, but it did leave me feeling a little underwhelmed. The rest of the story was so well done that by comparison it had just the tiniest whiff of disappointment. But still, when I set the book down, I thought to myself, “that was pretty good.”
My overall opinion is that this was a really enjoyable novel. When I went to bed at night I was looking forward to a chance to read it. Piazza did some really interesting worldbuilding along the way, especially with the illusions the story’s madness brought on. The mysteries surrounding the ship’s destination, and the protagonist’s backstory kept me turning pages. And it’s worth another mention that this book had a great villain. Go read this. It’s not perfect, but there is a lot to love here. An ill-fated voyage, an opium addled narrator struggling to discern the horrible truth from his fevered delusions, and island at the end of it all… where waits the Darkstar.
dnf
April 13, 2023A Song for the Void is one of the SPFBO 8 Finalists, which I'm a judge of. For the team review, please visit Queen's Book Asylum. Our combined score is 7/10, my personal is 6/10. Below are my own thoughts only.
A Song for the Void made me curious from the moment it got picked up as a finalist. The historical fiction lover side of me reared her head, while the horror fan in me… oh, wait, I don’t have one. Funny thing is, while I used to enjoy grimdark fiction, I never was into horror. Or maybe I didn’t pick the right books. Anyway. Did I say I’m not really into nautical fantasy either? Of course, there are exceptions, but I bounced off of more than not. Either way, I went into this one with an open mind.
The first chapter/prologue hooked me and the next one lost me and I got scared because there came a sea battle and I hoped to all hells that A Song for the Void won’t be all about sea battles. Thankfully, it wasn’t and once the story settled down and we got to the mystery bits, I got hooked again, for the last 25% to lose me again. So much so, that I put the book down around the 76% mark thinking I might finish it later, but then I never did. This book, for me, was all about ups and downs, and I wish I loved it, but I didn’t. I have a healthy appreciation for it, though. And I can see why others sing its praises.
Since A Song for the Void is mostly set on a ship, it gives you this claustrophobic feeling, and I think that’s something Piazza definitely did well – the atmosphere. And descriptions. Piazza painted a vivid image that helps immerse the reader. Another thing done well was the characterization. Which is ironic, as I don’t think I actually liked any of them. Maybe the kid and the captain. But then, I don’t think I was supposed to like any of them, really. But then I wasn’t supposed to hate them either. Well, the American is an exception, he definitely was meant to be hated. As for the MC, Dr. Pearce, he sure was an interesting figure with his background and flaws.
There is a lot packed into A Song for the Void – it deals with themes like racism, addiction, grief, war, and its consequences mainly on the Chinese people, among other things. It’s also a mash-up of genres such as murder mystery, psychological thriller, and eldritch horror with a splash of Fantasy. I probably would have enjoyed this book more without the horror elements as I have no taste for that. There weren’t many, but they weren’t for the fainthearted. It was probably most prominent in the last 25% or so, though.
A Song for the Void and I had some ups and downs, which mainly came down to personal preferences and, to my opinion, an uneven pace, so I’m inclined to give a try to something else from Piazza in the future.
A Song for the Void made me curious from the moment it got picked up as a finalist. The historical fiction lover side of me reared her head, while the horror fan in me… oh, wait, I don’t have one. Funny thing is, while I used to enjoy grimdark fiction, I never was into horror. Or maybe I didn’t pick the right books. Anyway. Did I say I’m not really into nautical fantasy either? Of course, there are exceptions, but I bounced off of more than not. Either way, I went into this one with an open mind.
The first chapter/prologue hooked me and the next one lost me and I got scared because there came a sea battle and I hoped to all hells that A Song for the Void won’t be all about sea battles. Thankfully, it wasn’t and once the story settled down and we got to the mystery bits, I got hooked again, for the last 25% to lose me again. So much so, that I put the book down around the 76% mark thinking I might finish it later, but then I never did. This book, for me, was all about ups and downs, and I wish I loved it, but I didn’t. I have a healthy appreciation for it, though. And I can see why others sing its praises.
Since A Song for the Void is mostly set on a ship, it gives you this claustrophobic feeling, and I think that’s something Piazza definitely did well – the atmosphere. And descriptions. Piazza painted a vivid image that helps immerse the reader. Another thing done well was the characterization. Which is ironic, as I don’t think I actually liked any of them. Maybe the kid and the captain. But then, I don’t think I was supposed to like any of them, really. But then I wasn’t supposed to hate them either. Well, the American is an exception, he definitely was meant to be hated. As for the MC, Dr. Pearce, he sure was an interesting figure with his background and flaws.
There is a lot packed into A Song for the Void – it deals with themes like racism, addiction, grief, war, and its consequences mainly on the Chinese people, among other things. It’s also a mash-up of genres such as murder mystery, psychological thriller, and eldritch horror with a splash of Fantasy. I probably would have enjoyed this book more without the horror elements as I have no taste for that. There weren’t many, but they weren’t for the fainthearted. It was probably most prominent in the last 25% or so, though.
A Song for the Void and I had some ups and downs, which mainly came down to personal preferences and, to my opinion, an uneven pace, so I’m inclined to give a try to something else from Piazza in the future.
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