Feeding The Wheel
Michael Boulerice

Creepy, kooky cosmic horror with hints of Ligotti and Matthew Barlett's weird and wonderful collection'Creeping Waves'; yet this story has a flavor and style all it's own.

4 / 5

Proudly wearing its inspiration from the legendary H.P. Lovecraft, Wheel very much reads like if 'The Shadow over Innsmouth' was written by one of the Innsmouth fish folk tempted by the blessings of a higher power; Caleb's position as both favoured and victim of an eldritch god makes him the best narrator for this kind of story, which, at its best, is creepy, weird, and the best kind of unsettling. (I also cannot overstate how much I love the unnatural floating disk with a hole in the centre being our Great Old One for the tale.)

However, this appealing and eerie premise is really held back by its writing. The evocative imagery really starts and ends with the Wheel itself; meanwhile, the prose describing Caleb and Marley's 'normal' lives pales heavily in comparison to the cosmic horror underside of the narrative. The scenes of the boys at school or at work are written with a strangely reticent style where it seems that the author was clearly trying to only write them out as a bridge or explanatory setup to get to the Good Stuff. Paragraphs of the typical 'telling and not showing' writing pitfall show up frequently, and I believe that is very much a disadvantage in a genre that requires a healthy amount of mystery suspension of disbelief. There are also small typographical errors within some dialogue that tended to disrupt my focus. (There's one instance in particular that I found pretty conspicuous, where the narration refers to Caleb in the first person and then reverts back to the first person narration of the rest of the book.)

But despite all these things, Wheel is a true love letter to the cosmic horror genre, and has everything about it that I want: weird creatures, sinister happenings, unexplained phenomenon, the horrifying infinity of space, both the insignificance of humanity in the face of unfathomable knowledge and humanity's penchant for greed and abusing that knowledge. I always needed to know what happened next, and that kept me reading until the end.

I also truly hope that they keep the illustrations I had in my edition in the published one, because they add a delightfully nostalgic sense of creep factor to the whole thing. And they are also charming as hell!

Thank you to Death's Head Press for the ARC through NetGalley.

*Feeding the Wheel* by Michael Boulerice is a strange, sharp, and darkly funny ride that caught me completely off guard. It’s one of those books where you think you’ve figured out the tone—maybe it’s satire, maybe it’s existential dread—until it shifts again and drags you somewhere deeper and weirder than you expected.

The voice is what pulled me in first: biting, self-aware, and laced with just enough vulnerability to keep you hooked. Boulerice writes with a kind of controlled chaos—like everything is teetering on the edge of absurdity but still feels grounded in something painfully real. It’s unnerving, yes, but also hilarious in a way that made me feel guilty for laughing.

There’s this sense of inevitability running through the narrative, a tension that builds even when nothing overtly terrifying is happening. It plays with themes of routine, purpose, and the invisible grind of everyday survival—but does it with such unique style that it never feels heavy-handed.

*Feeding the Wheel* is smart, unsettling, and strangely cathartic. It got under my skin in that rare way where I wasn’t just thinking about the plot—I was thinking about myself. Definitely one I’ll be recommending to anyone who likes their fiction bold, bleak, and a little unhinged.

Feeding The Wheel surprised me with how much it packed into such a short space. The story’s mix of cosmic horror and the complexities of friendship and addiction really worked for me. Caleb and Marley’s journey felt authentic—there’s a rawness in how their relationship frays alongside the supernatural elements that kept me hooked.

Boulerice’s writing is evocative and measured, creating an atmosphere that’s both eerie and emotionally grounded. I appreciated that the horror wasn’t just surface-level but tied into deeper themes of desire and power, which gave the story a lasting impact.

That said, there were moments where I wanted the story to slow down and explore certain emotions or conflicts more fully. But overall, the tight narrative and the emotional depth more than made up for that. It’s the kind of novella that sticks with you after you’ve finished, and I’d recommend it to anyone looking for horror with real heart behind the scares.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC!

This is an absolute nightmare of a cosmic horror novella. The situation just goes from bad to worse…and worse… and worse. The idea of having to sacrifice others for your own gain is used to really great effect and there are so many insane descriptions of creatures that are now etched in my brain. Marley is a real son of a b and it all leads to a huge, tragic, brilliant ending.

Thanks again go to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for providing me this eARC in exchange for an honest review. What an original novella that was also a pleasure to read. Cosmic horror has become a new favorite subgenre of mine. To say anything more about the plot wouldvruin the reveal for the next reader, but it was a bittersweet ending. As a bonus, there is a short story unrelated to the novella included in this publication. It was very reminiscent of a certain Night Gallery TV movie that I remember watching as a kid. Both are highly recommended.

I almost never read horror, the world is it's own horror story and I usually read to escape. This book is a Novella and was a one day read, so I thought it would be fun to read a different genre which happens to take place in my own state, in a nearby town. I enjoy short stories/ novellas because they have to get to the point and there's not a ton of filler.

Caleb and Marley are two toxic childhood friends who stumble upon a weird sacrificial ritual and gain powers. The story takes place over their entire lives and while topically its a creepy story that feels extra creepy because knowing its in my own state, and reading at 3 am next to the woods just makes it a tiny bit weirder, but also it inspires some theological thought. While the story is creepy in general, the underlying message (which asks the reader to question indoctrination of children) leaves you thinking about the story long after you've finished.

This was so interesting -- I kept thinking, what could possibly happen next? How can this keep going on? Caleb and Marley depend on the wheel for their successes in life, and Marley doesn't mind the children who have to be sacrificed to make it work. I found this horrific and original and I hope to see more by this guy.

I found this deeply fine. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

My overarching sense of this work was undercooked. I caught a typo that was spelled correctly later on the same page. The dialogue was a little stilted at times, as was the prose. There's a lot of telling instead of showing. There are also a few things that didn't quite make sense to me, the most notable being when Claudia gets upset at Caleb for spending so much time with Marley, but they only seem to be meeting up twice a month. The implication is that Caleb is never present with his family, but the timelines don't seem to add up. However, the cosmic horror aspects were delightfully creepy, and while the epilogue didn't do much for me, I'd love a continuation of the last chapter.

I'm interested to see what else Boulerice writes going forward, because the combination of cosmic horror and a toxic friend is a good once, but this one did not hit nearly as hard as I would have liked.

I received this book from NetGalley for a review. The description made it sound super weird, and it delivered. I read it in one sitting, it had me so enamored. I couldn’t wait to find out what was going to happen.

Caleb and Marley are neighbors and best friends. When they began sneaking out of their houses at eleven years old, they simply explored their small neighborhood. But, as that became dull, the two began exploring the nearby national forest. One night, they go farther than ever before and come across a clearing surrounding a hill. At the top of the hill is a giant millstone surrounded by singing children in white dresses holding hands. The stars in the sky are different from what they know their stars to look like. One of the children comes down and welcomes to two to join them. Without much hesitation, they do. Soon after, a large monster made of vines comes out of the woods and grinds one of the children into the millstone. Horrified, Caleb and Marley and run all the way home.

Over the next few weeks, the boys notice they are suddenly smarter, more talented, and more likable. They wonder if these improvements are because of what they were a part of in the woods. Unfortunately, their new gifts wane over time. They wonder if their gifts will come back if they visit the wheel again. The boys’ next actions set off the events that will define their entire lives.

I loved this book! It is completely original and such a compelling story. It drew me in much like the quintessential cosmic horror novel, The Fisherman. Unlike The Fisherman, the first third isn’t boring and I never wondered where the story was going. The action starts almost immediately and keeps up for the entire book. If you’re a fan of cosmic horror this is a must read.

Get your own copy July 22,2025.

3.75/5

In Feeding The Wheel, we are presented a pretty bizarre premise which includes but is not limited to: human sacrifice, a tale of friendship (kind of....) and a giant terrifying wheel. Though it is short in length, it packs a punch, not only with the horror and descriptions included (check trigger warnings if needed) but also with an almost literary description of how a certain situation can change and affect people in such different way, digging through family and social dynamics. Can't finish the review without mentioning the heart-stopping artwork included throughout the book, helped with the atmosphere and immersion a lot.

Thanks to NetGalley and Death's Head Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Michael Boulerice's Feeding the Wheel is a terrifying and absorbing novella about the evolution of a narcissist and the woe that comes to his enablers. A perfect story for these troubling times. Fans of Ray Bradbury and Stephen King will love this!
-Ivy Grimes, author of The Ghosts of Blaubart Mansion

4.5/5 stars. I read this in an afternoon and enjoyed most of it. I'm not a huge fan of how the story was tied up in the end, but it was satisfying enough and the plot kept me intrigued the entire time. I recommend to anyone that wants an interesting, short cosmic horror. Check trigger warnings if needed.

I made it about 60% in and was bored ti be honest. I reslly enjoyed the ritual parts but I just couldn't get into any of the other parts of the book. I will read this author again in the future sometime.