Tenebrous: The Rising Star of Liz Johnson

Upon first hearing about Liz Johnson’s Tenebrous, my default reaction was skepticism of significant girth.

I mean, what do you expect when you put ninjas, pirates, vampires, and genies in the same story?

How many people in this world could pull that off without it being a sloppy, derivative circle jerk of gimmicky concepts and an unsanitary all-you-can-eat buffet of desperate cliches?

Idk how many writers could pull it off. But Liz Johnson nailed it.

She nailed it so hard that I’m nearly trembling with excitement as I write these words.

There is nothing conventional about Tenebrous, and its unconventionality is authentic, piercing, and spellbinding in execution. This is a story that plays with fire constantly, but instead of getting burned, Johnson burns the fire.

What do I mean by Tenebrous playing with fire? What I mean is, there are a million ways this could all go heinously wrong. Inked by a lesser pen it certainly would have.

It takes an intense degree of intuition and skill to craft a narrative so dreamlike but cohesive, that weaves in and out of reality with such expert precision, leaving the reader to question everything (including their own sanity).

To build characters, relationships, and dramas so grounded and compelling, and then to merge it all with abstract symbolism and macabre madness, is a delicious feat on its own.

Then to continually discombobulate the reader like it’s a sport, without losing their interest and dedication, amplifies that feat beyond measure.

Then add in, yeah, those ninjas, pirates, vampires, genies, and so on, while keeping it all coherent, pure, and inspired?

Yeah. Liz Johnson is a phenomenon. She clearly pulls her waters from a deep well of intricacy and beauty.

I’ll probably read Tenebrous a hundred times before I’m dead. At least ninety-three or so times. It’s absolute sustenance for my creative soul in all the best ways.

Read it if ya know what’s good for ya. Telanthria awaits:

Tenebrous by Liz Johnson

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And when you just can’t get enough, check out her second Vella: Malevolence