Stone Martyrs by Erik Hofstatter

I would like to thank the author for an advance copy of this novella in exchange for a fair and honest review

Published - Aqueduct Press

Published - February 2025

Price - TBC

Humans love to explain things. It is the nature that leads us to science but it’s also an important part of storytelling. We have spent thousands of years across the world telling stories as to why the sun shines, who made us and what life above the earth could look like. We also have a habit of ascribing stories to places that capture our attention. This forest has Robin Hood, that castle was King Arthur’s and many more legends and variations you can hear even today if you visit a place. In Oxfordshire you can visit the mysterious Rollright Stones which some believe are down to an ancient witch and prophetess named Mother Shipton taking care of an unworthy king. Not that true but an interesting story and Erik Hofstater in their bewitching novella Stone Martyrs plays with the myth and history to deliver something quite unusual what happened prior and afterwards.

This novella is crafted of a short series of letters from the cast of characters to each other. Effectively who the stones represent plus a tree that is the witch that cast the spell and a woman who outlasted them all. A would be King named Burne and two of his knights Siddel and Tyne want more power and also the latter are in a relationship with Morven a Chambermaid. We also have Ulla and Eva - mother and daughter and both have magical powers. Hofstatter created mini poems and stories in these very short linked letters that explain the cast’s relationships and where this is all heading towards. It is a reimagining of the tale throwing in dark imagery, backstories and a touch of strange and powerful magic. All the characters are heading into being cast in stone and legend and Hofstatter even gives us their feelings after the event too.

It’s a very short novella but for me very entertaining and you get to savour Hofstatter use of magic and imagery to give this a feel of a much older tale finally being rediscovered. If you enjoy poetry and dark folklore I think you’ll enjoy this on a crisp and cold winter night as the fire burns.