Books to Sip Bourbon By: Appalachian Fantasy, Gothic, Horror, and even Science Fiction
Cassie E. Brown • August 19, 2025
Although I was born and raised in Missouri—with Ozarkers on both sides of my family—I had the distinct pleasure of living for eleven years in east-central Kentucky. I lived in the heart of the bluegrass, surrounded by rolling hills, white rail fences, and horse farms (yes, they call them “horse farms” and not ranches, and it baffled me). I came to develop a palate for bourbon, mint juleps and old fashioneds, and I even went to the Kentucky Derby, bedecked in a big damn hat with a cluster of pink velvet roses.
But I meant plenty of Appalachian folks and traveled into the rural Appalachian foothills. I learned, during my time in Kentucky, to think of Appalachians as Ozarkers’ older, more serious cousins. I fell in love with Kentucky/Appalachian writing—fantasy, gothic, horror, and even science fiction! I enjoyed time with Kentucky’s literary folks, meeting and spending time with some extremely fine authors. Reading plenty of others. Kentucky can boast of incredible working authors, essayists, and poets, such as Silas House, Carter Sickels, Frank X. Walker, Crystal Wilkinson, Barbara Kingsolver, Ada Limón, and others...
But right now, I am delighted to introduce you to some fine Appalachian speculative fiction!
Christopher Rowe.
I have to start with my friend and mentor, Christopher Rowe (https://www.christopherrowe.net/). His work is weird, deep, and smart as hell. Probably his most approachable work is the novella, THE NAVIGATING FOX. This novella brings you into a world of talking animals, trickery, and possibly the end of the world. It’s, by turns, wise and weird, with you turning pages for the thing that’s just beyond the edge of your awareness. You can also read the short story “Knowledgeable Creatures” related to THE NAVIGATING FOX, here: https://reactormag.com/knowledgeable-creatures-christopher-rowe//.
But please, don’t stop there. Get THESE PRISONING HILLS into your life for the weirdest science fiction ride through the future you’ve never imagined!
For Rowe’s weird Appalachian science fiction (his rural fabulism), jump straight into THESE PRISONING HILLS. If you want to know where each comes from, you can read the highly lauded novelette “The Voluntary State” related to THESE PRISONING HILLS here: https://www.lexal.net/scifi/scifiction/originals/originals_archive/rowe/rowe1.html.
Alix E. Harrow.
Alix E. Harrow (https://alixeharrow.wixsite.com/author/short-fiction) writes fantasy and southern gothic novels that are breathtaking in the power of their prose. The complexity of the plotting of the far-reaching THE ONCE AND FUTURE WITCHES takes folk magic and fairy tales and sisterhood, and weaves them together impossibly beautifully against a backdrop a world where men fear women’s power. It is chillingly recognizable, and yet magically distant. THE ONCE AND FUTURE WITCHES was on my “must-read” or “best of” lists for easily two years after I read it.
And when I say that Alix E. Harrow’s prose is breathtaking, it is also powerfully well-observed. In STARLING HOUSE, she writes a gothic “haunted house” (or is it?) tale set in modern Kentucky. Her details are so sharp, you’ll gasp at how recognizable the small-town characters are. (And the places… there may be mention of a Mexican restaurant that used to be a Hardee’s.)
And, of course, THE TEN-THOUSAND DOORS OF JANUARY is a fabulous fantasy novel that rushes along through worlds real and imagined with equal beauty and ferocity. Harrow is a delight! (And if you want to read some of her darker, short fiction, I recommend starting with “Mr. Death”: https://www.apexbookcompany.com/a/blog/apex-magazine/post/mr-death
and “The Long Way Up”: https://psychopomp.com/deadlands/issue-09/the-long-way-up
My suggestion? Have tissues at the ready!)
Lee Mandelo.
Lee Mandelo (https://leemandelo.com/) is brilliant, queer, and his books are a combination of scary and weirdly sexy that makes you feel some kind of way. If gay ghosts, comeuppance historical feminism, or mean protagonists make you uncomfortable, well, give Lee a miss. But if you’re looking for writing that alternates between hot and chilling, with superlative prose and a sense of place that draws you in, don’t sleep on him.
Lee’s works include the incredible gothic, SUMMER SONS, as well as FEED THEM SILENCE and the chilling novella, THE WOODS ALL BLACK. I just finished THE WOODS ALL BLACK and I’m still recovering, thank you very much! Part of me is still in far eastern Appalachia in the early twentieth century, with a shell shocked World War I veteran and a town seething with so much hatred, you can practically taste it in the water like coal slag…
If these sound interesting, grab them at Bazoo Books or order them on Bazoo’s corner of Bookshop. https://bookshop.org/shop/bazoobooks. Don’t forget to support your local, independent bookseller!
Bonus Material!
If you’re looking to lean into the Appalachian vibe, and horror is your thing, I cannot recommend highly enough the podcast “Old Gods of Appalachia” (https://www.oldgodsofappalachia.com/) It is lovely, lush, intricate, beautiful, and disturbing. It is written by actual Appalachian folks, and when you hear it—the rich sound palate, the history, the superstitions, the people—you will understand why I call Appalachians cousins. (And my final, final tip: if you fall in love with the world of the Old Gods of Appalachia podcast, they also made a tabletop role-playing game system for the world they create.)
interview by Cassie E. Brown
Lev Grossman shows that everyone’s story matters no matter how small the part. When we (at the store) talk about the exercise in empathy that reading can provide, this book is an easy one to point to. Each character is given a deep history and complex internal struggle with each and every one asking the same question, who am I? Can’t we all relate to that? From what I know of writing (not much), that is an achievement. This book deserves awards (in my opinion). The way Grossman turns such rich, legendary history into forward momentum for this story is just so satisfying. Also Impressive is the way he ties in flashbacks of Arthurian legends and dream sequences to build the larger narrative. Arthur being a conduit between Britain's native pagan population and the roman colonization, and the collapse of the roman empire and what that ultimately meant for the people of Britain are such rich ideas that are just set dressing to the greater story. There is so much meat to chew on! From fairy magic to brute, blunt force this book was so fun to read. The moment the Green Knight shows up I could not put the book down. This scene was a punch to the gut and the realization there are real stakes. The Sword fights felt real in that they were sweaty and bloody and hard on the characters. I could feel the weight of every blow. There are gods and giants and did I mention fairies? Merlin is in this book and is terrifying! These characters are given such life. There were moments I stood up out of my chair and whooped. My belly would turn with the suspense or my heart would ache when their hearts ached. Sitting on the edge of my seat turning page after page. This book is an incredible, affecting piece of art. The way I want to be a knight and to fight and ride with Palomides or be tricked by the fae and cured by Nimue. It’s been a long time since a book has captured me this way and all I want to do is share it. The final line is also one of the best and most poignant lines to end a story that I think I have ever read. I continue to think about this work often and I can’t wait to reread it over and over. ← That sentence is a direct quote from my reading journal where I gave it a 5 out of 5. I don’t know my unit of measure but, whatever it is, this book is all of them. Do not pass this book up.
My new recent favorite is STARTER VILLAIN by John Scalzi. I recently discovered Scalzi, and what a treasure! And when I say “I recently discovered John Scalzi” I mean “like a European explorer discovered terra incognito.” Which is to say, he was there the entire time, other people knew about him en masse, and yet I felt like I really accomplished something when I did it. I positively devoured Scalzi’s books, REDSHIRTS, STARTER VILLAIN, and KAIJU PRESERVATION SOCIETY, ate them so fast, dear reader, I should have gotten an ice cream headache. They were the absolute delight I needed to move me out of a reading funk. Scalzi’s prose is fast, witty, and smart. It manages to be genuinely funny without being smarmy or aiming to hurt the wrong people. But STARTER VILLAIN is a cat book. Such a cat book. Hera is a great cat. Saying more would ruin your journey. But please, get you some STARTER VILLAIN in your life. (And Scalzi generally!) The next cat book I recommend is THE AERONAUT’S WINDLASS by Jim Butcher. Yes, I know Butcher is better known for The Dresden Files. And I love Harry as much as the next person. But this one-off adventure of steampower and airships is a delight. It’s wild and grand! It’s far less smartassed than the Dresden files, but still not sedate or self-serious. It feels like a steampunk high-adventure. And yes, cats. A whole positively fascinating society of cats. If you’re looking for something that’s hefty (it’s a thick book), but which is clever and fast-paced enough to draw you through, grab your goggles and jump in. And lastly, I have to admit, I am not a romance reader. And cozies aren’t really my thing. But I guess a cozy, sapphic, high-fantasy romance that features a sword-slinging orc who really just wants to settle down and open up a coffee shop is simply too awesome for genre. So LEGENDS & LATTES (yes, a title reference to Dungeons & Dragons, certainly), by Travis Baldree is a sheer delight. It features Amity the dire-cat as a shop mascot and plot point. The story follows an orc who has tasted the miracle that is coffee whilst adventuring over the years, and now wants more than anything to (literally) hang up her sword and open a coffee shop… in a land that has no idea what coffee is. It’s charming. It hits every Dungeons & Dragons and high-fantasy game note pitch perfectly, while also turning it on its head. The characters are lovely. The prose is quick. The read is, by turns, warm, brisk, and deeply satisfying. Just like a perfect cup of coffee. Maybe I love it so much because, in the end, the story tells a story of friendship and comradery, rather than just a straight up romance. Plus, giant cat. Did I mention there’s a huge cat? If you have a favorite cat-adjacent genre book, send it my way! If these sound interesting, grab them at Bazoo Books or order them on Bazoo’s corner of Bookshop. https://bookshop.org/shop/bazoobooks . Don’t forget to support your local, independent bookseller!
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