gothically intense book with some absolutely intense vibes throughout. would definitely recommend this one 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

Incredibly fresh take on fantasy and sci-fi. The world-building in this was unique. The author does not hold your hand through it, but you get enough information to put the pieces together.

The main characters are interesting and compelling, with unique twists and secrets that drive their actions. Even when I didn’t like them, I was incredibly engaged to see how their stories would turn out.

I do have a small gripe with the pacing of the novel - the front and back halves of the book felt like separate stories, and I enjoyed the first half much more. The first half felt much more like a quest, and the back half very political/relationship drama. It wasn’t poorly done, but lost a lot of the interesting elements of world-building that the first half brought.

Thank you to Sheri Singerling, HypIn Publishing, and NetGalley for the ARC!

A mouldering and death-defying romp through a strange future and a signal-scrambled past, and an intriguing new addition to an expanding shared universe of cyberpunk-meets-science-fiction tales by Sheri Singerling. BTW, have you checked out previous Alfom installments Nytho and Neuen yet?

I mean this in the best and most intriguing way possible: this book, which weaves a fascinating futuristic dark age with themes of decay and disillusionment on the back of technology’s downfall and the rise of a new and blessed Church, had me questioning if I had any idea of what was actually going on for a solid chunk of pages. I loved it.

Themes of social class and (im)mobility, political and religious corruption, deification, double-crossing, punitive justice and the guilt of closely-guarded secrets leave none of our main cast untouched, and make no mistake: the city of Simetria is, herself, one such member of this main cast.

My challenge: for me, the greatest interest and intrigue lie in the fictive science of its worldbuilding and the mystery of its retro-futuristic (or neo-Luddite?) system of religion, but the story itself extends beyond the thick of the action with regard to distortions and relics and journeys into the cavernous world before and into the personal lives of several of our main characters in a way that may require more social finesse than I possess to fully appreciate. I’m mostly here for the cosmic sci-fi/antasy and the mushrooms (our most holy messengers of the intangible concept of universal entropy, of course), and Singerling delivered.

“There, there, nothing to be glum about,” he said. “It was a joy while it lasted, but everything, by its nature, is ephemeral. That’s what makes life so interesting.”

Many thanks to NetGalley and HypIn Publishing for the chance to share my thoughts on this ARC!

Holy cow, this is the best sci fi I have read in a good while! When I read the blurb, it struck me as very Warhammer 40k-esque (complimentary), and I have a fondness for that kind of lore so I decided to give this a try and I'm so glad I did!

This darker sci fi world is truly interesting, and the world building is a good pace, not frontloaded or slow a dull, just right. I will say, my Warhammer vibe suspicions were confirmed and I can't really extrapolate on that without spoiling stuff but if you like that vibe, you will like this book.

The characters were all excellently described and relatable, even the villain. There is a good little hit of spice relatively early in the book but it wasn't too much, just the perfect amount.

I haven't read any other of the standalone books in the shared universe of Alfom so I don't know if this is the best place to start from a knowledge standpoint but I can say I didn't need to read them to understand an enjoy this book, and I definitely want to read the rest of them now while I wait for the rest of this trilogy.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for facilitating me with a review copy of this book at no cost and with no obligation. I reviewed this book voluntarily, and all opinions are my own.

Blessed is the Rot is an extremely unique story in that it seamlessly blends Fantasy, Science Fiction, and Gothic Horror all into one. The story follows Fenrir, a toller with a murky past. Sophie, a surveyor begins working with him on a project. They are then tasked by Sophie’s betrothed to take on a greater mission than they could’ve imagined, one that will put all of their lives at stake.

This book has many moments where the reader must use context and previously revealed information to make sense of the story. The author does a fantastic job of building a distinctive world of darkness, intrigue, and betrayal. Readers who enjoy an immersive world and prefer not to have their hand held while being told a story will devour this book.

My thanks to the publisher for sending me an Advance Reader Copy of this book. It was provided to me through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Everything stated in my review is my own opinion written in my own words.

The setting and atmosphere were absolutely phenomenal! I love medieval style religions and societies and I think this story really nailed that. I also think the way math and science were used was unique and creative. Unfortunately while I found the characters compelling and interesting, I struggled to separate their character voices from each other. The pacing was strong up until the last 20% or so where I felt like the story lost a bit of steam. Overall I enjoyed the eldritch themes and unique world building and I'm quite interested to read more from this author.

It genuinely surprised me how quickly I fell in love with Blessed Is the Rot. Blending horror sci-fi with theology, morally grey characters, and paladins of mathematics battling literal tears in reality, what’s there not to love? This book is unapologetically strange in the best possible way. From the outset, it commits fully to its premise, delivering a story that feels both ambitious and carefully constructed.

The world building is one of the book’s greatest strengths. The concept of mathematical paladins alone is wonderfully unique, grounding the more abstract horror elements in something familiar but compelling. The theology woven throughout is beautifully handled. There is a real weight to the story’s exploration of faith, belief, and doubt. Despite being part of a wider series, this can easily be read as a standalone, which makes it accessible as the first in a new trilogy in the Alfom world.

The cast is compellingly unhinged. Fenrir has firmly secured his place as a new favourite book boyfriend as he is morally grey, intense, and undeniably magnetic. His chemistry with Sophie is a highlight, delivering angsty joy, and some toe-curling lines. Sophie herself is a strong heroine who makes difficult choices and brings the reader along for the ride, never losing her agency in the process.

Vergil is another standout, a bishop in a church he doesn’t believe in, whose evolution over the course of the novel is fascinating to watch. The villainous characters all have an odd charm, quirks and all, adding texture rather than detracting from the tension.

The pacing strikes an excellent balance. It’s fast enough to keep the pages turning, but slow enough to allow readers to savour the depth of the world and its characters. Ultimately, Blessed Is the Rot is a bold, inventive, and emotionally charged read. I would happily recommend it to anyone who enjoys unique worlds, morally complex characters, and stories that aren’t afraid to take risks.

Sometimes I read a high-concept fantasy and just don't get the concept. This is usually on me, maybe I was speed reading early sections of a book, or not quite noticing the key exposition. This happened to me with Blessed Is The Rot, and yet whilst I never quite understood aspects of the Rot that was being blessed, I still followed the human drama. This is a post-apocalyptic novel where something in modern society caused an eruption in what is known as distortions, which appear to be areas where the rules of geometry no longer apply, I thought of them as distorted portals in space-time, the book certainly contrasts Euclidean and non-Euclidean space as the centre of the religion. The religion is bedded in a very class-ridden society; it feels a bit Regency in both levels of caste, and that of romance. Our heroine, high-born Survyor Sophie, was born with a distortion in her, something her family's money was able to hide. And while it allows her to find and solve distortions before they grow, it complicates her betrothal to a local bishop. He comes up with a solution, sending her on a trip back to the old world underground to try to find the source of the distortion, and he sends along with her an ex-criminal with who she has started having an affair. It's rather a torrid gothic romance if you take all the science-fantasy stuff off of the top.

Because this is basically a tragic gothic romance, the story works. So while I never understood the difference between the Rot that caused distortions, and the Rot that underpins the very church her nasty lover worked for, I did understand the power-plays at work. There are some lovely touches, for example, the bishop hires a prostitute who looks like Sophie, which Sophie later uses as a decoy to allow her to have her affair. This is part of a larger universe, and it feels like the leftover hints about computers and "the others" feel like some form of AI warning. So I struggled a bit with the setting, but I still enjoyed the story and the turns it took.

Blessed Is the Rot is a dark, visceral, and emotionally charged novel that delivers creeping horror alongside a surprisingly tender core.

The atmosphere is thick with decay, grief, and unease, and the body horror elements are unsettling without feeling gratuitous. Singerling does an excellent job using rot—both literal and metaphorical—to explore themes of identity, faith, belonging, and self-destruction. The writing is sharp and evocative, often lingering in ways that make the discomfort feel intentional and meaningful.

The relationship at the heart of the story is compelling, messy, and intense, grounding the horror in raw emotion. While the pacing occasionally slows in the middle, the overall tension never fully dissipates, and the ending lands with impact.

Blessed Is the Rot won’t be for everyone, but for readers who enjoy introspective horror with queer themes and a strong sense of mood, it’s a powerful and memorable read. A deeply unsettling story that still manages to feel intimate and human.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.