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The Salt King

An end of the world thriller, packed with dazzling wit and romance

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The Salt King

By: Natasha Pulley
Narrated by: Luke R Francis
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Avelyn Brocken is a Jesuit at the Vatican. Originally from the salt mining town of Hreodwater in East Anglia, his only ambition is never to go back. But when rumours of miracles being performed there are followed by a bizarre video showing that someone trying to leave then enclave has been turn to salt, the Vatican foreign ministry summons him.

The isolated Hreodwater salt mine has its own culture, its own language, and its own faith - the worship of the Salt King, the sleeping god of the mine. Any investigation into their miracles requires someone who understands all three. Avelyn must go.

Returning to Hreodwater, with its unique salt light, and ability to destroy anything electronic within minutes, is personally challenging for Avelyn, who escaped the cult - and the Salt King - as a child. But eruptions of salt are happening all over the world. People are being turned into salt statues without warning, and their frequency is increasing. If these are miracles, the church must do something. And it they are not - if the ancient, and frightening, Salt King is returning - then Avelyn may be the only one who has a chance of stopping it . . .

The Salt King is a gorgeous and creepy fusion of folk horror with biblical lore from the genre-disrupting author of The Watchmaker of Filigree Street and The Mars House.©2026 Natasha Pulley (P)2026 Orion Publishing Group Limited Horror Royalty Scary
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Critic reviews

Gripping and heartfelt, this prismatic novel is more than worth its salt
A compelling religious alternate-history mystery
The Salt King is a multi-genre marvel, a concoction that's equal parts adventure tale, tender-hearted romance, and apocalyptic vision
Like an apocalyptic X-Files episode, this complex, existential outing from Pulley relishes putting belief to the test and offers no easy answers to the age-old debate, even as she conjures a heart-binding romance
A rich and gripping tale
All stars
Most relevant
Had this on pre order and wasn’t disappointed. I love everything Natasha Pulley writes. I can read/ listen to her books multiple times and find new layers each time so already looking forward to the second time around. The repeated themes across her books just mean that they build on each other, even when they are not set in the same universe.

This one had an absorbing debate on the nature of faith woven through a layered story and rounded characters that you fall for quickly. I know it’s fantasy but it’s not fantastical, it’s so grounded.

Philosophical, moving and light too

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Normally I adore anything by Natasha Pulley, I’d listen to her shopping list even. But this… the premise was so interesting at the start and led me to expect the usually tight and measured denouement. Which came eventually, after I was too lost and confused to actually care. Several times I had to listen to previous chapters to work out if I’d missed anything, mostly I hadn’t. In all honesty I was bored by the end and rather grateful for the finish. Even the usual homoerotic frisson’s were lukewarm, as was the rest of the book, I’m sorry to say…

Interesting

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stick with it. I adore Natasha Pulley. I raced through the first third of the book, which has all of her trademark best bits only this time set in the present day. She has the ability to depict places and people in incredibly vivid ways but with a light touch so you don't get distracted by long descriptive chapters. The narrator did a great job of being out the humour and the emotion too. It does start to get a bit sprawling in the middle. The reach is maybe too big - existential theology, simultaneous global events, - and it loses some of the intensity and emotion that she can conjour so beautifully in scenes between just two people (or between one person and a intelligent octopus or a cheeky mammoth). I did wonder at one point if I could finish it as I'm really not a fan of apocalyptic stories (too close to reality in the 2020s) but I'm glad I stayed with it as there are some satisfying resolutions without beating overly sentimental, or dodging the consequences of the issues she raised through the book. Not my favourite Natasha Pulley novel, but always a pleasure to visit her world.

contemporary genre-bending fairy tale

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Finished abruptly. I enjoyed the overall story and the folklore and the various takes on religion and belief. Had to keep listening. Found Avelyn extremely irritating at times, almost like a teenager stuck in a man’s body. But you do come to realise why he is that way. Overall would totally recommend, like all the Natasha Pulley’s books I’ve read. She is brilliant at weaving story and dragging you into these characters lives.

An intriguing take on belief and religion

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Sorry. Not good at all. I have nothing more to say but fill out the 15 word limit

Did not understand the plot.

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