Slewfoot: A Tale of Bewitchery by Brom (Review)

Title: Slewfoot: A Tale of Bewitchery
Author: Brom
Type: Fiction
Genre: Adult, Horror, Fantasy, Paranormal
Publisher: Nightfire
Date published: September 21, 2021

A complimentary physical copy of this book was kindly provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

A spirited young Englishwoman, Abitha, arrives at a Puritan colony betrothed to a stranger – only to become quickly widowed when her husband dies under mysterious circumstances. All alone in this pious and patriarchal society, Abitha fights for what little freedom she can grasp onto, while trying to stay true to herself and her past.

Enter Slewfoot, a powerful spirit of antiquity newly woken… and trying to find his own role in the world. Healer or destroyer? Protector or predator? But as the shadows walk and villagers start dying, a new rumor is whispered: Witch.

Both Abitha and Slewfoot must swiftly decide who they are, and what they must do to survive in a world intent on hanging any who meddle in the dark arts.

⤖ My Review ⬻

Before launching into this review, I want to admit that I felt some trepidation over whether I maybe dove in too deep with Slewfoot—I like scary, but would it be too scary for me? What if I was too scared and/or didn’t like it and had to stop. How would I provide a proper review?

Now, I’m happy to announce that I didn’t have to worry one bit. I read Slewfoot all the way to the end…and I enjoyed every second of the experience! I absolutely loved this book and am still dealing with a book hangover from it, two weeks after having finished it! I still miss it and am looking for something to fill the void it left behind.

The plot of Slewfoot certainly had some of the elements I’d expected based on the synopsis as well as the cover and interior art. But there were also some elements that I was not expecting! The flow and development of the story and characters also kept me invested and guessing throughout.

When I finished, I felt as if I’d spent months with the characters rather than just a few days, and I found myself missing them quite a bit after turning the last page. I also really missed the vibe and atmosphere of the setting! All in all, I definitely recommend it to horror fans as well as those curious about venturing into the genre.

⤖ About the Author ⬻

Born in the deep dark south in the mid-sixties. Brom, an army brat, spent his entire youth on the move and unabashedly blames living in such places as Japan, Hawaii, Germany, and Alabama for all his afflictions. From his earliest memories Brom has been obsessed with the creation of the weird, the monstrous, and the beautiful. At age twenty, Brom began working full-time as a commercial illustrator in Atlanta, Georgia. Three years later he entered the field of fantastic art he’d loved his whole life, making his mark developing and illustrating for TSR’s best selling role-playing worlds. He has since gone on to lend his distinctive vision to all facets of the creative industries, from novels and games, to comics and film, receiving numerous awards such as the Spectrum Fantastic Art Grand Master award and the Chesley Lifetime Achievement award. He is also the author of a series of award-winning illustrated horror novels: Slewfoot, Lost Gods, Krampus the Yule Lord, The Child Thief, The Plucker, and The Devil’s Rose. Brom is currently kept in a dank cellar somewhere just outside of Seattle.