Whitta's debut novel is set in England circa the late 800's, with invading Norsemen threatening the English homeland. The expected stock fantasy elements are here - a brave knight, a rogue cleric, ancient scrolls, and as a slight twist the titular monsters that wreak bloody, body-dismembering havoc all across the English countryside.

After an interesting setup the book suddenly shifts gears, becoming an odd "buddy" tale between a pair of seemingly mismatched characters.

Whitta goes over the same narrative ground for awhile, leading to a conclusion that was not completely unexpected.