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The Inescapable March
Arran, a widely feared warrior-mage who can manipulate time and space, and his best friend, Hyacinth, an almost-famous actor and talented singer adored by (too) many, find themselves trapped in a recurring nightmare ending with their deaths.
Separated amid a blood-soaked war, they keep meeting again, lost in a hazy space between winter and spring, dream and reality, friendship and love.
Praise for The Inescapable March:
“Hana Carolina’s The Inescapable March is a breathtaking tour-de-force that will sweep fans of dark queer fantasy romance off their feet.”
— Seb Doubinsky, author of The City-States Cycle
“Featuring a heart-wrenching love story between two compelling characters whose yearning for one another will keep you turning the pages, The Inescapable March asks those who’ve loved and lost a simple, terrifying How many times would you rewind the clock if it meant saving someone you love from certain death?”
— S. M. Hallow, author of How to Survive This Fairytale
“The Inescapable March left me breathless—a masterfully executed, immersive time loop that blends the horrors of war with the exquisite tension of unresolved romantic longing. Carolina does all this so easily and so joyfully that one cannot help but pause and marvel at what she has crafted. The Inescapable March is an inescapable delight.”
— Jennifer Moffatt, author of Flirty Dancing
“Hana Carolina’s evocative writing style is rich with world-building detail and intense emotion as she guides her readers through her characters’ depths of desire. You are sure to enjoy this dark fantasy horror romance.”
— Linda Gould, host of the Kaidankai Podcast of Ghost & Supernatural Stories
“Hana Carolina cements that love is a constant choice to continue moving forward, and through her gorgeous prose and time-warped events, has crafted a stellar debut”
— Lor Gislason, author of The Flesh Of The Sea
“Hana Carolina’s debut The Inescapable March is a glass tesseract of a novella, overlapping and dizzying, shot through with desperation and claustrophobia. It’s a lush, intricate story about love and its sharp edges. A story layered like the spell at its heart, where time and space are warped by the magic of a man who has finally realised he’s lost what he never had the strength to accept. A must for fans of gorgeous prose and queer mythic narratives.”
— CL Hellisen, author of Cast Long Shadows
“The Inescapable March is a dizzy troop through time. Lyrical and bittersweet, tragic and romantic in equal measure—it lingers long after you finish reading”
— Elou Carroll, author of countless short stories and EIC of Crow & Cross Keys
Separated amid a blood-soaked war, they keep meeting again, lost in a hazy space between winter and spring, dream and reality, friendship and love.
Praise for The Inescapable March:
“Hana Carolina’s The Inescapable March is a breathtaking tour-de-force that will sweep fans of dark queer fantasy romance off their feet.”
— Seb Doubinsky, author of The City-States Cycle
“Featuring a heart-wrenching love story between two compelling characters whose yearning for one another will keep you turning the pages, The Inescapable March asks those who’ve loved and lost a simple, terrifying How many times would you rewind the clock if it meant saving someone you love from certain death?”
— S. M. Hallow, author of How to Survive This Fairytale
“The Inescapable March left me breathless—a masterfully executed, immersive time loop that blends the horrors of war with the exquisite tension of unresolved romantic longing. Carolina does all this so easily and so joyfully that one cannot help but pause and marvel at what she has crafted. The Inescapable March is an inescapable delight.”
— Jennifer Moffatt, author of Flirty Dancing
“Hana Carolina’s evocative writing style is rich with world-building detail and intense emotion as she guides her readers through her characters’ depths of desire. You are sure to enjoy this dark fantasy horror romance.”
— Linda Gould, host of the Kaidankai Podcast of Ghost & Supernatural Stories
“Hana Carolina cements that love is a constant choice to continue moving forward, and through her gorgeous prose and time-warped events, has crafted a stellar debut”
— Lor Gislason, author of The Flesh Of The Sea
“Hana Carolina’s debut The Inescapable March is a glass tesseract of a novella, overlapping and dizzying, shot through with desperation and claustrophobia. It’s a lush, intricate story about love and its sharp edges. A story layered like the spell at its heart, where time and space are warped by the magic of a man who has finally realised he’s lost what he never had the strength to accept. A must for fans of gorgeous prose and queer mythic narratives.”
— CL Hellisen, author of Cast Long Shadows
“The Inescapable March is a dizzy troop through time. Lyrical and bittersweet, tragic and romantic in equal measure—it lingers long after you finish reading”
— Elou Carroll, author of countless short stories and EIC of Crow & Cross Keys
- GenresFantasy
116 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 29, 2025
11 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
February 21, 2026
"And you're scared." She raised her brows at Arran. "Scared both of death and of life, scared of admitting both can be one. Perhaps there is no fight. Perhaps this trap is your home. It's almost spring now and, whether you want it or not, the flowers will bloom, the air will warm."
★★½
April 5, 2026
If given the chance to redo an event in your life, most people would take the opportunity. Maybe we want to redo meeting our spouse for the first time and be more suave, not walking into a rack of postcards. Perhaps we’d check our tempers before losing our best friend forever. What if, no matter how hard we tried, we just ended up reliving the event exactly as before? How many times would we endure the loss of a loved one trying to change the outcome? You might find that never taking that chance was the least painful option you had.
From Hana Carolina comes the tale of two lovers fighting to be with each other. In The Inescapable March, Arran and Hyacinth are two drastically different people. Hyacinth is a traveling performer who’s light, fun, and outgoing nature is infectious to those around him. Arran, however, couldn’t be more opposite. Quiet, reserved, and quick tempered, he prefers to keep to himself. When the two are together, sparks fly for both good and bad reasons.
The reader hits the ground running with this novella. Snippets of the characters backgrounds are offered only when necessary. A brief story about Arran’s magical abilities helps to explain the extent of his powers. It is alluded to that Arran, through an abuse of magic spells, causes his abilities to manifest. Referring to Arran as a necromancer, magical warrior, powerful mage, and cursed knight, the townspeople’s ignorance of his abilities causes them to be fearful of him. Arran uses his powers for profit, helping others to see loved ones who’ve passed on.
The true focus is on the relationship with all the ups and downs these lovers face. While Arran and Hyacinth want to be in each other’s company, it seems like Hyacinth is doing more than his fair share to keep the relationship together. Standoffishness and annoyance are simply masks Arran uses to keep Hyacinth safe. Arran knows that a war is coming and chastises Hyacinth for not taking the threat seriously.
When it is revealed that Arran has been keeping both himself and Hyacinth alive through his magic, the character development takes off. Hyacinth shows a range of emotions from anger to indifference to love, a much different side from the normally bubbly and apologetic thespian. Arran, on the other hand, begins to break down his walls and finally accepts what he’s failed to up to this point in the book. Carolina’s writing during this portion of the story is some of the best dialog I’ve read. The two lovers talk earnestly about their failings in the relationship and their desire to make things work.
The Inescapable March by Hana Carolina is a heart aching tale of love, loss, and letting go. This is a love story that teaches us to appreciate every moment and stop fighting to change what can’t be changed. A short but sharp tale, this novella is worth a first read for the dynamic and powerful story and a second to find all the clues missed the first time.
From Hana Carolina comes the tale of two lovers fighting to be with each other. In The Inescapable March, Arran and Hyacinth are two drastically different people. Hyacinth is a traveling performer who’s light, fun, and outgoing nature is infectious to those around him. Arran, however, couldn’t be more opposite. Quiet, reserved, and quick tempered, he prefers to keep to himself. When the two are together, sparks fly for both good and bad reasons.
The reader hits the ground running with this novella. Snippets of the characters backgrounds are offered only when necessary. A brief story about Arran’s magical abilities helps to explain the extent of his powers. It is alluded to that Arran, through an abuse of magic spells, causes his abilities to manifest. Referring to Arran as a necromancer, magical warrior, powerful mage, and cursed knight, the townspeople’s ignorance of his abilities causes them to be fearful of him. Arran uses his powers for profit, helping others to see loved ones who’ve passed on.
The true focus is on the relationship with all the ups and downs these lovers face. While Arran and Hyacinth want to be in each other’s company, it seems like Hyacinth is doing more than his fair share to keep the relationship together. Standoffishness and annoyance are simply masks Arran uses to keep Hyacinth safe. Arran knows that a war is coming and chastises Hyacinth for not taking the threat seriously.
When it is revealed that Arran has been keeping both himself and Hyacinth alive through his magic, the character development takes off. Hyacinth shows a range of emotions from anger to indifference to love, a much different side from the normally bubbly and apologetic thespian. Arran, on the other hand, begins to break down his walls and finally accepts what he’s failed to up to this point in the book. Carolina’s writing during this portion of the story is some of the best dialog I’ve read. The two lovers talk earnestly about their failings in the relationship and their desire to make things work.
The Inescapable March by Hana Carolina is a heart aching tale of love, loss, and letting go. This is a love story that teaches us to appreciate every moment and stop fighting to change what can’t be changed. A short but sharp tale, this novella is worth a first read for the dynamic and powerful story and a second to find all the clues missed the first time.
April 3, 2025
Imagine yourself in an art museum, completely transfixed by a singularly incredible painting...
Myriad details of color and texture fully capture your attention, the skills of the artist on full display. Curiosity and wonder drive you to admire the brush strokes, the blending and application of hues to create dramatic light and shadow. Your eyes notice tiny vignettes appearing throughout the tableau, miniature stories unfolding as you examine the work even closer. The canvas weaves a spell, drawing your gaze deeper and deeper, until at last, at the limit of close examination, you must step back from the edge to consider the work as a whole.
The Inescapable March is a mesmerizing tale of fantasy and romance, illuminated throughout with gorgeously vivid language and fantastical dreamscapes, all in service to a seemingly hopeless quest of two lovers seeking escape from an endless, recurring doom.
Hana Carolina's first novella drew me in immediately with its intriguing premise of Arran, a magic wielding warrior, desperately pursuing his beloved Hyacinth, a famous actor, through dreamy interludes and horrific chaos. Carolina's talents are on full display through her rich wordplay, her luscious descriptions of a looping, labyrinthine time-scape, and her skillful weaving of the feeling of futility felt by the lovers. The salvation they seek seems impossible, the sudden interludes of serenity within an inescapable field of warfare a fleeting tease for two souls longing to somehow find freedom together.
At 140 pages, The Inescapable March might seem a potentially quick read to some, but this is a tale that demands a slow savoring. This is a book that will grab your attention, drawing you in, deeper and deeper. I highly recommend that you take the time to closely examine this work of art, allowing your gaze to wander the details, and for the author to show you strokes of color you have never seen before.
Myriad details of color and texture fully capture your attention, the skills of the artist on full display. Curiosity and wonder drive you to admire the brush strokes, the blending and application of hues to create dramatic light and shadow. Your eyes notice tiny vignettes appearing throughout the tableau, miniature stories unfolding as you examine the work even closer. The canvas weaves a spell, drawing your gaze deeper and deeper, until at last, at the limit of close examination, you must step back from the edge to consider the work as a whole.
The Inescapable March is a mesmerizing tale of fantasy and romance, illuminated throughout with gorgeously vivid language and fantastical dreamscapes, all in service to a seemingly hopeless quest of two lovers seeking escape from an endless, recurring doom.
Hana Carolina's first novella drew me in immediately with its intriguing premise of Arran, a magic wielding warrior, desperately pursuing his beloved Hyacinth, a famous actor, through dreamy interludes and horrific chaos. Carolina's talents are on full display through her rich wordplay, her luscious descriptions of a looping, labyrinthine time-scape, and her skillful weaving of the feeling of futility felt by the lovers. The salvation they seek seems impossible, the sudden interludes of serenity within an inescapable field of warfare a fleeting tease for two souls longing to somehow find freedom together.
At 140 pages, The Inescapable March might seem a potentially quick read to some, but this is a tale that demands a slow savoring. This is a book that will grab your attention, drawing you in, deeper and deeper. I highly recommend that you take the time to closely examine this work of art, allowing your gaze to wander the details, and for the author to show you strokes of color you have never seen before.
June 14, 2025
Hana has a fantastic grasp of the written word. Her prose is both poetic and accessible. The storytelling and exposition are very unique in their delivery. It is very gratifying to see everything click into place at the end. I am so grateful to have been part of the process for developing this story 🙏 If you are a fan of: fantasy settings, queer love and yearning, you will love this book ❤️🥺
January 29, 2026
i don't know how to feel about this. my enjoyment of the plot started at page 60-ish, and at that point the book is half over. i did really enjoy the ending, i thought that was a cute way to the beginning was incredibly confusing, which i appreciated as i started understanding the world more.
that said, the grammar in this was atrocious; repeated sentence structure, run-on sentences gallore were rampant throughout this novella. it was so distracting that it took me two to three days to get through the first 40 pages. this needed maybe another two rounds of copy edits before it was published. some of the metaphors didn't make much sense and just seemed to be there for "poetic, flowery prose" points.
not much to say otherwise. it's a short, heartwrenching little fantasy novella.
that said, the grammar in this was atrocious; repeated sentence structure, run-on sentences gallore were rampant throughout this novella. it was so distracting that it took me two to three days to get through the first 40 pages. this needed maybe another two rounds of copy edits before it was published. some of the metaphors didn't make much sense and just seemed to be there for "poetic, flowery prose" points.
not much to say otherwise. it's a short, heartwrenching little fantasy novella.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews