For Heather Morell, nightmares and hallucinations lurk around every corner, relics of schizophrenia and childhood bereavement.
Until she meets Raine and Evelyn, that is — self-proclaimed bodyguard and bad-tempered magician — and learns she’s not insane at all. The spirits and monsters she sees are all too real, the god-thing in her nightmares is teaching her how to surpass human limits, and her twin sister who supposedly never existed could still be alive, somewhere Outside, beyond the walls of reality.
Heather plunges into a world of eldritch magic and fanatic cultists, trying to stay alive, stay sane, and deal with her own blossoming attraction to dangerous women. But being ‘In The Know’ isn’t all terror and danger. Sometimes the monsters wear nice dresses and stick around for afternoon tea. Sometimes you find you have more in common with them than you think. Perhaps this is Heather’s chance to be something more than the defeated husk she’d grown up as, to find real friendship and meaning among things like herself - and perhaps, out there on the rim of the possible, to bring her twin sister back from the dead.
Katalepsis is an Ancient Greek word which means ‘comprehension’, or perhaps more accurately, ‘insight’.
Katalepsis is a serial web novel about cosmic horror and human fragility, urban fantasy and lesbian romance, set in a sleepy English university town.
New chapters are currently posted once a week, on Saturdays.
The first four arcs (Volume I) are also now available as an ebook and audiobook. If you've just finished one of those and you're here to pick up where the story left off, you'll want the start of arc 5: https://www.scribblehub.com/read/74472-katalepsis/chapter/80127/
Cover art by Noctilia: https://noctilia.artstation.com/
This is a Scribblehub mirror of Katalepsis' own website, located here: https://katalepsis.net/ Chapters will be posted at the same time here as on the main site, every week.
- bedlam boundary – 24.9Apr 13, 2024
- bedlam boundary – 24.8Apr 6, 2024
- bedlam boundary – 24.7Mar 30, 2024
- bedlam boundary – 24.6Mar 23, 2024
- bedlam boundary – 24.5Mar 16, 2024
- bedlam boundary – 24.4Mar 9, 2024
- bedlam boundary – 24.3Mar 2, 2024
- bedlam boundary – 24.2Feb 24, 2024
- bedlam boundary – 24.1Feb 17, 2024
- [23.8] nothing and nowhere and nowhenFeb 17, 2024
- slanting surfaces; unplumbed voids – 23.7Feb 10, 2024
- slanting surfaces; unplumbed voids – 23.6Feb 3, 2024
- slanting surfaces; unplumbed voids – 23.5Jan 27, 2024
- slanting surfaces; unplumbed voids – 23.4Jan 20, 2024
- slanting surfaces; unplumbed voids – 23.3Jan 13, 2024
- Content Warning
All Rights Reserved- Ongoing - Updated Apr 13, 2024
- 1313 reading
- 416 plan to read
- 39 completed
- 59 paused
- 59 dropped
I can't believe I have found such an amazing story available online. The vocabulary, writing style, character interactions, and plot are incredible. I have read some "best sellers" that were not even close to as interesting as this story. The characters don't fit specific "roles" all the time like many stories do. You can clearly feel the characters changing as the story moves on, and not always just improving like many other stories. They sometimes contradict themselves while still trying to maintain the "self" that they believe they are. It makes everyone feel so real, as humans rarely stick to their convictions and are often hypocrites to their own ideals. The story also builds a great "horror" without the constant death of characters. It is just like many of my favorite Lovecraft shorts; horror though atmosphere rather than gore. I feel like I could right a small essay on this work but that would just bore everyone so I will end it here with a "This Story is a 5 Star Story" that I would recommend to any of my horror/dark inclined friends. Thank You soooo much to the Author for sticking with this story!
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This story is fantastic! The relationships between the MC, Heather, and her friends, Raine and Evelyn, is so well developed. I want more! I highly recommend reading this book. Don't skip out on it.
The first meetings that the MC, Heather, has with her new girlfriend, Raine, and new best friend, Evelyn, are pretty awkward. For example, Heather and Raine meet when Heather is bent over a toilet emptying her stomach from Cthulu sickness, and her meeting with Evelyn has Eve being very rude to Heather. However, starting from Heather's second meeting with Evelyn where Heather saves her life, Heather's relationship with Raine and Evelyn improve tremendously. Evelyn sincerely apologizes for her rude behavior, and Raine eventually makes it clear that she wants a relationship with Heather. I absolutely adore their interactions together.
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Simply a 5 stars. Can't say anything more.
Plot, story, characterd, world building, drama, investigation, mind hack, and of cour yuri. Just read it.
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This story can be described only as the work of art. Deep world building, deep characters, story flow not letting you go from reading every sentence and not skip smallest details. Definitely great story. ?
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What if the Cthulhu mythos was not used as a reference in the middle of other fantasy systems and power ladders?
The author of this magnificent, disturbing, brilliant and offputting story could easily write a segment in the Necronomicon and I would believe that it should be there.
To the uninitiated; be prepared for a psychological mind trip the likes you most probably have never read before and only very few people can ultimate draw out.
This is an existential horror story about a young girl and her coping against the unknown Outside.
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It was very difficult to read because of the constant self-pity from the protagonist. A helpless victim, unable to do anything and waiting for people to impose their kindness. And too much drama.
But!
The approach to magic was very interesting to me, and atmospheric urban fantasy is nicely done. Perhaps I will come back later when I find enough mental fortitude to endure the excess drama and MC personality.
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Unique, engaging, and thrilling. One of the absolute best reads around.
Katalepsis is the pinnacle of both mind bending eldritch horror and sapphic urban fantasy.
No comments or criticisms of composition, grammar, or pacing are even worth a mention, it is that good.
If you have have any interest at all in this work's genres then Katalepsis is a must read.
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This reviewer is highly invested in the story by now – but only because it is so good, and that’s fair. I was attracted by the tags and stayed for the story. The story stays true to its Supernatural, Monster Girl, Love Triangle, Girls Love and other tags. Of course, one may expect the Horror tag to slowly be subverted as the Weak to Strong tag comes into play. That’s only fair.
5/5 for writing: the author’s educated vocabulary and grammar support evocative writing with a poetic turn of phrase, but characteristically idiomatic speech in the mouths of characters. Top class words, all.
4/5 for characterization: Unique character who act according to their individual natures. Some characters seem more real than others, and some may have a poor start. They may grow over time
(Badger)
(Zheng)
5/5 for storyline: crafted well enough to support almost two million words at time of writing. The story builds up and crests over numerous arcs, while maintaining a weighty momentum.
4.5/5 for depth: there are moral lessons
(neurodivergent and LGBT rights)
(Lozzie’s unobtrusive trans-flag poncho)
(trans-human changes are personal growth?)
23.5/25 overall: highly recommended.
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