Title: VVLNA

Author: William Pauley III and Joseph Bouthiette Jr.

Audiobook Length: 1 hour

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Genre: Fiction, Science Fiction

Read Start Date: June 6, 2023

Read Finish Date: June 6, 2023

Brief Summary of the Plot from Goodreads: Brushing away dust and dirt and sand and grit, the towering penumbra men stagger, drift, and wonder of the dark earth that surrounds them. These gods of an ancient world are simple men staring at a nothing moon struggling to invent a word to describe such darkness. The penumbra once had a word for the sun, VVLNA, but in this strange world, this black earth, there seems no use for it. And Father Jackal… every trace has vanished. The penumbra wonder if indeed they are alone here. In the distance stands The House of Wolves. There they will find answers. Some wish for food. Some wish for God. Only one will see the light.

My Review: I received this audiobook from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. The penumbra are a race of cyclopes who awake to a strange world after an indeterminate amount of time sleeping in the ground. Everything is new, their Gods have seemingly forsaken them, and they are no longer immortal. Danger awaits them around every corner, and I as a reader sat on the proverbial edge of my seat wanting to know what happened next. Will they make it to the House of Wolves? Who will perish along the way? Will their Gods of the old world save them?

The writing is beautiful and descriptive and sucks you in with every sentence. The melodic timbre of the narrator’s voice is perfect for this story.

Definitely worth a read!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.