3.75⭐
As much as I did enjoy the book, it was leaning towards "epic fantasy" (which isn't my preferred genre), but like I said, I did enjoy it.

This story takes place in a world where years ago, everyone was supposed to die in a disastrous event, but instead turned into murderous Fae before disappearing into the nearby Harbor. Now, Evangeline and Calidore protect the Midwest Harbour which separates the human world from the Fae, all the while being parents to the sassiest cutie patootie.

Thank you NetGalley and Brilliance Audio for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I requested this book on the strength of its comp titles (as a big Jeff VanderMeer fan), not entirely sure what to expect. As I was listening to the prologue, I thought that maybe it wasn't going to be for me: it felt too military adventure, too macho. How wrong I was! Once the prologue ended, and our real main characters took over, this turned out to be a story, at its core, about family, grief, and sacrifice, set against the background of an environmental disaster and featuring some truly terrifying fae. The story felt character-driven, and I loved the dynamic between the main characters: the bookish Cal, the incredibly competent Evangeline, their daughter Winnie, and their dog - we spend as much time infiltrating dodgy religious organisations and fighting fae, as we do watching Winnie draw and be silly. And then, we're hit by an ending that had me bawling my eyes out. Very, very well done. (NetGalley is going to ask me if I'd like to connect to the author on the next screen, and I'm going to say yes, because I'd love to ask them how could they do this to us?)

My brother asked me if I’m having a meltdown cause I was crying so much and low key… yeah I think I am.

So yeah, this was incredible. The pacing is somewhat off because a lot of the book is set-up but it’s absolutely worth it for the ending. I can’t remember the last time I was so emotionally affected by a book. This book ripped my heart out of my chest and stomped on it repeatedly and I‘m so thankful for that.

I loved the concept of this book. Everyone who died on the Autumnal equinox in 1987 turned into fae and started heading toward portals into the faerie realm, killing along the way. Forty years later, two magically-gifted "fencers" fight the fae yearly on behalf of a government agency that researches and trains them. A new religion worshiping the mysterious and unseen Bloodless Queen spreads through the populace and world governments. It's an incredible setup, and I was sold just on the worldbuilding throughout this book. Then it was layered with interesting characters and a sweet family relationship which was present throughout.

In some ways, the plot was the least interesting element. The main action comes late in the book with the autumnal equinox, so the prior days feel like waiting. I wish the main characters had been as curious as I was about where their powers came from, or the magical properties of primes. There were several moments of characters trying to convince us/themselves of ideas which were later undermined. This all added up to a pervading sense of conspiracy, but also made events feel small by comparison.

The ending had a satisfying emotional arc for the main characters, but left much of the worldbuilding revelations unexplored. I'm not sure if the author has plans for a sequel, but it certainly feels like there's more story to be told.

The audiobook narration was clear and did a great job conveying the emotion of the story, though I sometimes found it difficult to hear in quieter moments. The performance complemented the book well.

The Bloodless Queen by Joshua Phillip Johnson was a dark, atmospheric read that pulled me in right away, definitely a solid 4 stars. The worldbuilding was beautiful and eerie, and the queen? She was mysterious in the best way. Quiet, powerful, and honestly a little scary, but I couldn’t stop reading to figure her out. The court politics were juicy, though a few parts dragged a bit in the middle with all the back-and-forth scheming.

What really stood out to me was how emotionally layered the side characters were. You start rooting for them without even realizing it. I also loved how the story kept that slow burn tension going the whole way through. By the end, I was fully invested in what happens next. It’s not a quick read, but if you like rich fantasy with a dark edge and strong, silent women running things, this one’s worth it.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Brilliance Publishing for the ARC. Highly recommend the audiobook.

Magical prose, enchanting plot, endearing characters.
The audio of this book is beautifully performed.
While I'm not typically a lover of purple prose, objectively this book is incredibly well written. For my personal preference, it felt a little long-winded and drawn out. However, this does seem purposeful due to the nature of the book (the language of the fae/their history, etc).

I appreciate an original sci-fi/fantasy concept, and this one delivers on both sides of the slash. There are science-y elements of the powers in the book, as well as purely fantastical conceits driving portions of the action. Nearly everything about this text worked for me except for the pacing. While it's important to lay out the conceptual underpinnings of the world, the exposition to action ratio wasn't right in the last third of the book. Things that had been slowly knitting together thunderclapped stark relief and then a last minute exposition dump became necessary to move us toward an otherwise emotionally moving climax. I had been listening at a nearly frenetic pace up until that last minute dump blew the wind out of my sails and sent me on a mission to clean my house before I got back to the book, and there the 5th star was lost 🫠

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an audio ARC of this book.

4.5 / 5 stars

On the autumnal equinox of 1987, over 100,000 people died – but instead of staying dead, they came back as fae-like zombies, spreading chaos before disappearing into huge, fenced-off nature preserves called Harbors. Every year since, on that same day, the dead rise again, fueling whispers of a mysterious bloodless faerie queen who rules the wilds beyond the fences.

Fast forward to today: Calidore and Evangeline are “fencers,” government agents marked by magical prime number tattoos, tasked with keeping the fragile boundary between humans and faerie intact. When they’re not battling supernatural threats, they’re devoted parents trying to give their nearly seven-year-old daughter, Winnie, as normal a life as possible – filled with scavenger hunts, chess games, and good old-fashioned Pizza Nights.

But as the next equinox approaches, Cal and Evangeline stumble into a conspiracy that could unravel everything they’ve fought to protect. With the fate of the world hanging in the balance, they must face the dark secrets lurking at the heart of the Harbors – and make impossible choices about what it means to survive.

You know that feeling when you finish a book and it lingers in your mind for days, pulling you back into its strange, unsettling world? The Bloodless Queen is that kind of book.

Imagine Annihilation’s eerie, encroaching wilderness, the mutant hero energy of X-Men, and the mythic pulse of The Faerie Queen, all stitched together with meticulous world-building that rewards patient, curious readers. This book is dense with lore (and I say that as a compliment), offering a world I would happily return to in future books. I get the sense there’s still so much more to explore.

The story is anchored by the beautiful family at its core: Cal, Evangeline, and Winnie. I loved how they try to carve out a sense of normalcy in a world that’s anything but, holding tight to scavenger hunts and pizza nights even as they wield terrifying powers and stand between humanity and the faerie unknown. Their devotion made the book’s quieter moments shine, and when the stakes rose, it was their love for each other that gave the ending its emotional punch (yes, I cried).

If you’re looking for a gothic thriller, as the blurb suggests, you might find this leans more toward lush sci-fi/fantasy with occasional moments of creeping dread. And if you’re hoping for an Orpheus retelling, know that thread doesn’t truly surface until deep into the story – though when it does, it may not take the form you are expecting. But it lands with power.

I listened to this on audio, narrated by Eric Altheide, who offers a steady, clear performance that lets the story shine without distraction – solid, if not a standout for me.

In all, The Bloodless Queen is a rewarding, layered read for those who love patient world-building, unique magic systems, and sci-fi that bumps up against the supernatural.

The Bloodless Queen by Joshua Phillip Johnson
Narrated by Eric Altheide
⭐️⭐️.5/5

The concept of The Bloodless Queen really had me intrigued, but the execution just fell flat for me.

The idea of humans turning into fae was interesting but I felt like the story got bogged down with info-dumping, flowery language, and what I referred to as "side quests" when explaining to my friend.
Without giving any spoilers, I'll give an example of a "side quest": in the middle of an action scene, we are given some history and information on how scientists would love to be able to study one of the characters' powers. It really took me out of the excitement of the moment and dragged the vibe down.

I would have been more interested to learn more about the fencers and if there was any information on why prime numbers seemed to be so special against the fae. The overall plot wasn't very clear to me and things felt rather sporadic.

Overall I was left wanting, and a little disappointed. It wasn't a bad book, but I think perhaps I was a bad match.


Thank you NetGalley, Brilliance Audio, and Joshua Phillip Johnson for the ALC.
All opinions expressed in this review are mine and have not been influenced by anyone or anything.

I didn't finish this audiobook but not because I didn't enjoy the narration or that the story was bad, but that I think I would follow it better in a hard copy (therefore I immediately bought it to read soon!). I think it's an interesting story and the story jumped right into it all right away which made me excited for it. Therefore, I'm still giving it 4 stars as it was good enough, without yet finishing it, that I wanted a hard copy to take it in better. I think that proves itself.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ | The Bloodless Queen by Joshua Phillip Johnson

The Bloodless Queen opened strong and pulled me into a world that’s unlike anything I’ve read before. The setting and story felt incredibly unique and I was intrigued from the start.

However, the middle did lose a bit of momentum for me. The pacing slowed down, and I found myself less engaged as the plot meandered before picking up again. While the worldbuilding remained impressive throughout, I wish the narrative had held the same energy all the way through.

Overall, it’s a creative and original story, but it didn’t fully grip me the way I hoped. A solid read for fantasy fans looking for something a little different.

Damn, book. You really came for my feelings, didn't you? Thanks for that, I guess. I didn't cry, but it was close. Real close.

A surreal blend of science fiction, gothic fantasy, ecological horror, alternative history, and dystopian vibes. If that sounds like a lot, it is. But somehow, Joshua Phillip Johnson makes it work. Throughout the story, there's this almost claustrophobic sense of dread. You know something is coming. You just don’t know what or when. The world-building is dark and original. This has a complex, layered, tragic world and the premise is wild.

After a mass death event on the autumnal equinox of 1987, the dead start coming back as fae. Eerie and alien, mischievous and dangerous. They are so creepy and remind me a bit of zombies somehow? The fae/alien/zombie (???) blend is unlike anything I’ve read. There’s nothing romantic or whimsical about these creatures. They’re unknowable, terrifying, and deeply unsettling. You’re never quite sure what rules they play by, and that makes the horror even more effective. Newly risen fae go into the Harbors, areas fenced off from humanity. And the superpowered humans who make sure that happens (and deal with fae in general) are called fencers. Listen, I know that was a huge amount of time to explain the very basic background, but it's complex!

There is domesticity laced with dread and it is brilliantly done. There’s a stretch in the middle where the pacing slows down to really dig into their characters. A touch of that mid-book slog, BUT it is necessary. It will all make sense. It's to hurt you later. :) Once things click into place again, it sprints.

Unflinchingly original, atmospheric as hell, and emotionally brutal in all the right ways. Go in blind. Let it mess you up.

Thank you so much to Netgalley, DAW Books, and Brilliance Publishing for the complimentary copy. This review is voluntary and all opinions are my own. Highly recommend the audiobook.

The concept of The Bloodless Queen by Joshua Phillip Johnson is very intriguing and is what drew to requesting it from Netgalley. It is an alternative history contemporary fantasy in which Ronald Regan finds a book that sets off a chain reaction of events the world over, where each country creates safe harbors for the environment to protect these areas and the flora and fauna they contain. Unbeknownst to the world, there seems to be another entity at play, guiding these politicians and their decisions. What exactly this entity is has become speculation and draws on the mythology of Fae. These aren’t the Fae you’re used to; monstrous and unsettling, each equinox there is a supernatural phenomenon where the humans that die on this day are turned into Fae and they feel the call of harbors. There are other humans who have received their own superhuman powers and are known as Fencers who shepherd the Fae on their way.

I was drawn into the story quickly, and I am always a sucker for a book that mixes sci-fi and fantasy. Johnson weaves the history, science and magical elements along with his characters and setting into an impressive tapestry to really capture your attention. I really enjoyed the themes of faith, religion, environmentalism and corruption that gave the story so much depth. The main characters of Calidore and Evangeline, and their daughter Winnie are developed throughout the story, and even in the mundane you can feel how deep their relationships are. It’s almost impossible not to care about them, so the emotional beats are definitely present kicking you right in the feels. The audiobook narrator was great, helping to bring each character to life.

This is a compelling and unique story, but I think the pacing is a bit off. It starts out very strong with part one but by the middle of the book it starts to lose focus a bit, with the plot not progressing as quickly. The ending moves quickly and the in depth character relationships really hit home here, driving that emotional impact. I really enjoyed how brutal and terrifying the fae are, although I would have liked to know more about how the harbors came into being and why.

Note: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I really wanted to love this book, I did, but unfortunately it didn’t quite do it for me. Greek mythology is a personal interest of mine so hearing that this book was partly a Eurydice and Orpheus re-telling, I was immediately intrigued.

The story itself is interesting and has a good set-up. The book has good bones, so to speak. The execution, however, was one of the main things that stood out to me in a not-so-great way. I found this book to be somewhat random and sporadic at times with the writing, which left me feeling a little confused regarding the details of the plot at times. The pacing of the book was just a tad odd, and I wish there was more consistent world-building. It almost felt like certain things were slightly rushed.

Our main characters were a big redeeming quality for me though! Evangeline and Calidore were very interesting and well-rounded, especially when it came to the raising of their child. It was interesting to see this family dynamic play out in a rather unique world of horrors.

Let me be clear, this isn’t a bad book. Unfortunately, it just didn’t jump out at me, nor did I find myself falling into the story like I do with others.

4.5⭐️

I'm not normally a reader of the sci-fi genre, but I was thoroughly invested in this story. There was a lot of world-building that was done pretty well, but I feel like I still have some unanswered questions. Perhaps I'll get answers if the author writes a sequel. I loved that he included the corporatization of the Harbors, the Publix name drop made me giggle as a Floridian who loves her favorite grocery store. I'm sure there was plenty of deeper meaning in the book about humanity's thirst for power and control and the ways our government manipulated the population to do its bidding, but I don't feel knowledgeable enough on the topic to give real insight. I definitely picked up on it, though.

The narrator for the audiobook did a great performance that had me in tears. He really captured Cal and Evangeline's pain and turmoil when they found Winnie had turned fae. The pain and heartbreak of finding your own child is now something other... gut-wrenching. Truly.

I am also happy to note that the dog does not die.

I will ABSOLUTELY be recommending this book to my friends

The Bloodless Queen is an eerie and imaginative blend of ecological fantasy, science fiction, and gothic mystery. Joshua Phillip Johnson introduces a world changed by a terrifying phenomenon. Every year on the autumn equinox, those who die do not remain dead. Instead, they become fae, strange and dangerous beings who vanish into massive nature preserves known as Harbors while whispering about a mysterious queen.

The story centers on Evangeline and Calidore, two government-trained fencers who protect the boundaries between human civilization and the fae-infested Harbors. Their magical abilities come from tattoos of prime numbers, and they are not only defenders of the realm but also parents raising a curious young daughter named Winnie. Their roles as both fighters and family give the story a strong emotional core.

From the beginning, the book draws readers in with its unique world, lyrical writing, and haunting atmosphere. The setting feels vividly real, and the premise raises compelling questions about death, nature, and the boundaries between science and myth. Themes of environmental collapse, religious authority, and political secrecy are woven into the narrative with care.

The first section of the book is especially strong, with tight pacing and effective world building. However, the middle of the story shifts in tone and loses some momentum. The focus turns more heavily to personal character moments and slower scenes, which creates a lull where key questions about the fae, the Queen, and the origins of this magical world are left unanswered. While these quiet moments add depth, they sometimes come at the expense of clarity and forward motion.

The title may also mislead readers. The Queen, although central to the mythos, plays only a small role in the plot. Her presence is more symbolic than direct, and those expecting a major confrontation or detailed backstory may find the resolution unsatisfying. Some developments near the end of the book rely on exceptions or sudden shifts that are not fully supported by earlier world building.

Despite these issues, the characters remain a highlight. Evangeline and Calidore are both complex and likable, and their relationship adds authenticity to the story. Their daughter Winnie brings warmth and vulnerability, while secondary characters such as Sister Marla add depth and texture to the larger themes of belief and control.

4.5/5 stars, rounded up because I love Joshua Philip Johnsons creative approach to the fantasy genre and the unique worlds he crafts.

"The truth, made obvious every equinox, was that the fae were neither sages nor children, neither holy mother nor holy father. They were nothing human and every poetic metaphor and comparison that attempted to slot them into some stratum of human experience misunderstood the fae at grave risk."

What I loved:
In a landscape saturated with generic fantasy, I love how this author manages to take familiar concepts and turn them into the truly fantastical. His concepts and worlds are truly some of the coolest I’ve read recently: I still randomly think about his world where magical ships sail an ocean made of prairie grass (with an entirely different ecosystem on the ground level, completely hostile to the humans!), and it’s been 4 years since I’ve read that book!
The Bloodless Queen lives up to that same level of creativity. The world is vivid, the magic-system unique and the lore in-depth. It strikes the perfect balance between familiar and fantastical to transport you into its world, without overwhelming the reader.
I’ve seen people critique Johnson’s take on “fae”, saying these have nothing to do with the fae from our worlds folklore, and he should’ve picked a different name for his creatures. I highly disagree and actually think this take is more lore-accurate than your average romantasy… Fae have always been a representation of “the strange”. They’ve always been a mix of ethereal, uncanny and alien. Johnsons interpretation of them as humans morphed into almost Lovecraftian, incomprehensible creatures feels far more true to that spirit than your average handsomely brooding love interest…
This uncanny, ungraspable quality to the fae and their influence translates into some very effective horror elements that’s always particularly effective on me.
While in parts this is a high-fantasy story of fae, people with superhero-like abilities and wild and untamable landscapes, at its core is a very human base. Our protagonists Cal and Evangeline carry the story, and their devotion to their family adds a deeper layer of emotional weight to the events that follow.
I didn’t just enjoy this book whilst I was reading it, but I feel like I will be chewing on its world and concepts for a while to come.

What I didn’t love:
Having read all three of this author’s published works, I’ve noticed a consistent pattern of feeling like his pacing could do with a bit more tweaking. Specifically, I think Johnson struggles with the infamous “second-act-sag” in his three-act structure. There’s a very noticeable drop in pacing between the 30% and 70%-mark, where the novel spends a lot of time developing backstories and lore without actually progressing the main plot. On the one hand, I understand why this was necessary, as the emotional ramifications of the later events just wouldn’t have had the same impact without it. On the other hand, I think this part simply was too long, and could’ve achieved the same effect with less repetition.
To give a spoiler free concrete example: the equinox functions as the story’s midpoint break. It signals the end of the “fun and games” and turns the story in a direction that’s more personal to the characters. Yet it doesn't happen at the “midpoint”, but at the 70% mark… For all that time, we’re waiting and treading water, and I fear that some readers will DNF before this point, which is an absolute shame.

Many thanks to DAW Publishing for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

The narration for this book is lovely.

The setting is fascinating-- a world in which people who die on the autumn equinox turn into these violent fae creatures. It's a really interesting concept. The main characters are government agents who fight these fae, but they're tasked with infiltrating a cult that worships the monsters.
The writing is good and the characters were quite well rounded though I didn't relate to them - or the cultists - much at all.

In 1987 world leaders led by the US came together to fence off half the earth for environmental preservation, to be left alone and untouched. But the plan went so horribly wrong that ever since this day anyone who dies on the equinox is transformed into a feral fairy creature. Powerful, murderous and cruel- they go on a violent destructive spree then disappear across the border into the fae lands. Calidore and Evangaline are a married couple, both powerful agents working for the US government to keep the fae at bay. As the equinox comes closer again, the powers they have been imbued with to help fight the fae start to grow in anticipation of a chaotic violence that happens every year. But this year there is a conspiracy afoot: they must infiltrate the infamous sylvan cult- a group of humans who worship the fae. This religious group tells of a powerful fae queen beyond the borders who is coming to bring salvation. With a story that is densely layered with very creative ideas and thought-provoking worldbuilding, this intricately constructed fantasy world is punctuated in an intriguing way with government conspiracy, parallel world American politics and classical tales to create an eerie and tense story.

Set in the late 2020s, and based on a fictional event that happened in the 1980s, Cal and Evangeline are a married couple with a daughter, they're also humans with unusual powers known as fencers. Everyone who died on the autumnal equinox of 1987 became murderous fae, before disappearing into nature reserves (harbors), never to be seen again. This has repeated on the autumn equinox every year for the last 40 years. Eventually humans started finding themselves covered in odd tattoos denoting prime numbers, and those humans were both immune to the effects of the harbors and grated special powers unique to each person. Those people became known and employed as fencers, working the fences around the harbors and protecting the public on the equinox. As this year's equinox approaches, Cal and Evangeline notice things that are unusual, not only in the unexplained world of the fae and harbors, but within their own societies and government.
I really enjoyed this book, the reader was engaging and I kept putting the audiobook on instead of other options like music. Its a really unique concept and I'm hoping that the author publishes more books set in this world.