The Knight and the Butcherbird

I received this book for free from the publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

The Knight and the Butcherbird by Alix E. Harrow
Published by Amazon Original Stories on March 11, 2025
Genres: Fiction / Science Fiction / Apocalyptic & Post-Apocalyptic
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
Goodreads
Amazon | Audible

New York Times bestselling author Alix E. Harrow weaves a dystopian fairy tale that follows the town storyteller as she struggles to protect a local demon from the knight hired to kill it.

In this gritty, haunting tale about doing whatever it takes for love, a small-town storyteller resolves to keep the local monster—and her own secrets—safe from a legendary knight.

Nestled deep in the steep hills, valleys, and surrounding woodlands lies Iron Hollow, a rural community beset by demons. Such horrors are common in the outlands, where most folks die young, if they don’t turn into monsters first. But what’s causing these transformations?

No one has the answer, not even the town’s oral historian, seventeen-year-old Shrike. And when a legendary knight is summoned to hunt down the latest beast to haunt their woods, Shrike has more reason than most to be concerned. Because that demon was her wife. And while Shrike is certain that May still recognizes her—that May is still human, somewhere beneath it all—she can’t prove it.

Determined to keep May safe, Shrike stalks the knight and his demon-hunting hawk through the recesses of the forest. But as they creep through toxic creeks and overgrown kudzu, Shrike realizes the knight has a secret of his own. And he’ll do anything to protect it.

What a wonderful short story! I picked this up during my lunch break the other day and was able to read the entire story before I had to go back to face the realities of my real-life. Even though the story was short, it didn’t feel that way. I was swept away by this interesting world that the author was able to create in these few pages. I found this to be an incredibly entertaining and thoughtful story.

Set in a dystopian future world, this story takes place in a small town where conditions are harsh and friends may turn into animals when touched by the demons of the land. Shrike’s wife lives in the woods as one such beast. She refuses to give up on her wife, May, and is not thrilled when the knight known to hunt these creatures arrives in town. She decides to follow the knight and learns that not everything is as it seems.

I would highly recommend this story to others. The writing is phenomenal and I was amazed that the author was able to create such a fleshed out world in such a short tale. I was invested in Shrike’s story and wanted to see things work out for her. I think that I will need to check out more of this author’s short stories very soon.

I received a review copy of this book from Amazon Original Stories.

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