The Works of Vermin

Name: The Works of Vermin
Price: 28.99 USD
Availability: InStock
ISBN: 9781250811219

✍️ Hiron Ennes

Reader Score

4.5

(1 review)

$28.99

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📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

A grim fantasy about hunting a dragon-worm in a tree-city.

Guy Moulaene hunts a colossal worm reshaping Tiliard to pay his sister's debts. The city’s elite warp minds above while exterminators fight below. The worm consumes art and venomizes the future. Ennes writes with precision about class struggle and decay. The narrative follows Guy’s forced confrontation with an unstoppable predator. This angle highlights the economic desperation driving the plot rather than just the monster.

Key Themes

class disparity toxic perfume colossal worm

Literary Context

The novel draws on gothic horror traditions and urban fantasy tropes. It imagines a vertical society within an ancient tree stump. The setting blends decadent high culture with gritty underworld survival. Ennes uses the tree structure to explore social stratification and environmental decay.

Difficulty

●●● Challenging

Recommended For Fans Of

China Miéville · John Crowley · Jeff VanderMeer

🗡️

Dark Fantasy

🏛 Tor Books 📅 2025 📖 432 pages 🌐 English 📔 Hardcover ISBN: 9781250811219

📝 Description: The Works of Vermin

Hiron Ennes delivers a dark fantasy novel set in Tiliard, a metropolis carved into an ancient tree stump. The city is divided between the pampered elite in the canopy who warp minds with toxic perfume and the exterminator gangs in the roots who hunt a colossal worm. Guy Moulaene works as an exterminator to keep his sister out of debt. He hunts uncanny pests from the river, but his latest quarry is a dragon-sized worm with a ravenous taste for artwork. The worm digests Tiliard from the sewers to the opera houses while its toxin reshapes the future of the city. Guy has no choice but to hunt this deadly creature despite the venom and danger. The narrative explores class disparity through the vertical stratification of the tree-city. It blends gothic horror with urban fantasy elements. Readers who enjoy grimdark settings and ecological dread will find this compelling. Those seeking lighthearted adventure may find the tone too oppressive. Ennes constructs a claustrophobic world where beauty is both currency and bait. The story focuses on survival against an overwhelming force. The prose emphasizes the visceral nature of the hunt and the decay of the urban environment. This book suits fans of complex world-building and morally gray protagonists. It does not suit readers who prefer clear moral binaries or fast-paced action without atmospheric weight.

💎 Our verdict on The Works of Vermin

“

🩸

Horror Reads editorial team

Horror desk

Hiron Ennes constructs a claustrophobic metropolis carved into an ancient tree stump, effectively blending gothic horror with urban fantasy. The narrative excels in depicting class disparity through vertical stratification, where the elite warp minds above while exterminators fight below. Ennes writes with precision about decay and economic desperation, making the prose feel heavy and oppressive. This work suits fans of complex world-building and morally gray characters who do not shy away from a grim tone. It is less suitable for those seeking lighthearted adventure or clear moral binaries, as the atmosphere remains consistently dark and intense throughout the relentless hunt.

✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Readers seeking immersive world-building and morally complex protagonists will find this compelling. It appeals to those who appreciate the visceral nature of a hunt against an overwhelming force, where survival is paramount. The book offers a unique perspective on economic desperation driving the plot, rather than focusing solely on monster mechanics. Fans of grimdark settings and ecological dread will enjoy the claustrophobic atmosphere where beauty serves as both currency and bait. It provides a deep dive into class struggle within a decaying urban environment, offering atmospheric weight over fast-paced action.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Horror Reads —

Reader rating

4.5

Based on 1 reviews

Horror Reads editorial team

Hiron Ennes constructs a claustrophobic metropolis carved into an ancient tree stump, effectively blending gothic horror with urban fantasy. The narrative excels in depicting class disparity through vertical stratification, where the elite warp minds above while exterminators fight below. Ennes writes with precision about decay and economic desperation, making the prose feel heavy and oppressive. This work suits fans of complex world-building and morally gray characters who do not shy away from a grim tone. It is less suitable for those seeking lighthearted adventure or clear moral binaries, as the atmosphere remains consistently dark and intense throughout the relentless hunt.