The Works of Vermin

By: Hiron Ennes

Narrated by: Max Meyers

He was sent to kill a pest. Instead, he found a monster.

One of BookPage's Most Anticipated SFF & Horror of Fall 2025

Enter the decadent, deadly city of Tiliard, a metropolis carved into the stump of an ancient tree. In its canopy, the pampered elite warp minds with toxic perfume; in its roots, gangs of exterminators hunt a colossal worm with an appetite for beauty.

In this complex, chaotic city, Guy Moulène has a simple goal: keep his sister out of debt. For her sake, he'll take on any job, no matter how vile.

As an exterminator, Guy hunts the uncanny creatures that crawl up from the river. These vermin are all strange, and often dangerous. His latest quarry is different: a centipede the size of a dragon with a deadly venom and a ravenous taste for artwork. As it digests Tiliard from the sewers to the opera houses, its toxin reshapes the future of the city. No sane person would hunt it, if they had the choice.

Guy doesn't have a choice.

“I will follow this writer anywhere.” —Gillian Flynn, New York Times bestselling author of Gone Girl

A Macmillan Audio production from Tor Books

Couldn’t put it down.

Reminds me instantly of “Angel with the Sword” by C.J Cherryh and “The Orphan Tales: In the Night Garden” and “The Orphan Tales; In the City of Coin and Spice” by Cathrynn M. Valente, with an even more sinister and op luxurious style. I’ve listened once and almost want to listen again immediately. I’m very much looking forward to reading more of Hiron Ennes’ works, particularly “Leach”.

Writing is poetic.

Enjoyed entomology references. The narrator takes too long pauses between sentences. Had to crank up speed, because the length was annoying.

Not what I expected

The writing is overly ornate, flowery, and filled with excessive melodramatic language that draws too much attention to itself. I feel like I didnt get any of the promised action or horror.

The narration was excruciatingly slow and way too dramatic; probably the worst attempt at a female voice I've ever heard.