Parts of the world were corrupted beyond repair, and the occasional deformed creature still appears from time to time. A magical disaster akin to a nuclear Armageddon took place hundreds of years ago, and the city of Elendhaven is built in one of the craters that were left behind. The broader world in which this story takes place is fascinating, even if mostly confined to the background. While this novella is a brilliant and gripping horror, it would make for an absolutely horrendous love story.ĭeath is kind. Johann and Florian are nearly as terrible to each other as they are to Elendhaven, and despite the sexual tension between them do not expect this story to be a romance. It’s a bit like a gay Frankenstein meets a post-apocalyptic Count of Monte Cristo… only darker. The Monster of Elendhaven is not an easy story to describe. Both are unrepentantly despicable and equally deserving of the title Monster of Elendhaven. Even though I found myself rooting for them to triumph over the innocent town of Elendhaven, I was never truly invested in their fate. Together, Johann and Florian make for a dark and twisted pair. He’s a frail magician with a passion for revenge and a talent for twisting the minds of others. The first syllable formed a kiss, the second was a hiss.įlorian Leickenbloom is the last surviving member of the family that built Elendhaven from the ground up. Monster was the best, his favourite word. After a drunken sailor named Johann in a fit of violence, Johann’s dark and twisted nature took root as he learned survival on the streets. For a long time, Johann of Elendhaven was a thing without a name.

The monster of elendhaven