Description

THE 2025 HUGO, NEBULA AND LOCUS AWARD NOMINEE FOR BEST NOVELLA

A woman must rescue two lost children from a malevolent magical wood in this eerie, twisted fable. A world of uncanny creatures, deadly beauty, and shattering violence beckons…

“A perfect mix of horror and fantasy.” The New York Times

At the northern edge of a valley ruled by a ruthless foreign tyrant lies a wild forest, home to otherworldly creatures and dangerous magic. The local people know never to enter-for no one who strays into the north woods is ever seen again. No one, that is, except Veris Thorn.

When the children of the Tyrant vanish into the wood, Veris is summoned to rescue them. She has only one day before the creatures of the forest claim the children for their own. If she fails, her punishment will be swift and merciless.

To stand a chance of surviving the wood, Veris must evade traps and trickery, ancient monsters and false friends, and the haunting memory of her last journey into the forest.

Time is running short. One misstep will cost everything.

Publisher Review

Praise for Premee Mohamed “A wonderful genre-defying adventure, rife with strange heart and weird horror. But most notable is its particular, careful attention to its characters. Premee Mohamed is a bold new voice.” Chuck Wendig on Beneath the Rising “A perfect balance of thriller, horror and humour; reminded me of The Gone-Away World.” Adrian Tchaikovsky on Beneath the Rising “One of the most exciting new voices in speculative fiction.” Silvia Moreno-Garcia on Beneath the Rising “Every reveal is gasp-out-loud astonishing.” Charlie Jane Anders on Beneath the Rising “The Great Gatsby, if Gatsby rose from her coffin in her most elegant gown and avenged herself. And What Can We Offer You Tonight questions the notion that we must be better victims than the villains who don’t care how they hurt us-and then shows us how it feels when justice rings true.” C.L. Polk “Exquisitely grotesque.” Caitlin Starling on And What Can We Offer You Tonight