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Quill Holland has previously published two short stories, The Last of Her Kind and What Mattered Most, and a novella, Forgotten Evil. He has now published Awakened Horror, his first novel and the sequel to Forgotten Evil!
Growing up, Quill could always be found with his nose in a book, or watching the latest science-fiction movie. As a result, he’s developed an imagination that never stops, and naturally, sci-fi and fantasy is largely the domain that Quill’s own work inhabits.
Whether it was typing code or writing fiction, Quill has been creating content for years; now as a recent creative writing graduate from the New Zealand Institute of Business Studies and a member of the New Zealand Society of Authors, Quill has taken the plunge by self-publishing his first works.
When he’s not debugging code or creating worlds, Quill likes to dabble in illustration and photography, as well as exploring the natural beauty of New Zealand with his partner.
Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite
Awakened Horror is a work of fiction in the science fiction, horror, and adventure subgenres, and forms the second novel of The Forgotten Saga book series. The work is intended for mature reading audiences owing to scenes of violence, sex, and the use of explicit language throughout. Penned by author Quill Holland, the story continues to follow Raith, who is grappling with the aftermath of his choices that led to the downfall of the Empire. Despite the Republic's efforts to rebuild, Raith is haunted by doubt about whether the Empire is truly vanquished. When an ancient and terrifying evil reemerges, Raith is once again thrust into a battle for not only his life but the fate of humanity.
Author Quill Holland's storytelling is intense and immersive, and the character development is exceptional in a tale that balances the impending doom of the big picture with a deeper, more emotive character story at its core. Raith's inner conflict and the moral dilemmas he faces are very much the impetus of the tale, achieved with fine attention to psychological and emotional detail for a journey of the soul. The world-building is also impressively vivid and immersive, painting a bleak and treacherous landscape filled with both human and supernatural threats that perfectly complements the emotion of the narrative. The pacing is relentless, keeping readers on the edge of their seats with some unexpected yet deeply satisfying twists. The themes of sacrifice, unity, and the consequences of one's choices are explored in a thought-provoking way, so much so that it really leaves you thinking about your own deepest fears long after you’ve put the novel down. Overall, Awakened Horror is a must-read for fans of post-apocalyptic and dark sci-fi and fantasy genres. I found it to be a compelling and suspenseful tale that will leave readers eagerly anticipating the next installment in The Forgotten Saga.
