Villain

Natalie Zina Walschots is a freelance writer, community manager and bailed academic based in Toronto. She writes everything from reviews of science fiction novels and interviews with heavy metal musicians to to in-depth feminist games criticism and pieces of long-form journalism. She is the author of two books of poetry.

"Walschots’ plotting dazzles and devastates, with rollicking, high-stakes action punctuating scenes of unflinching introspection and fraught interpersonal drama. Via Auditor’s snarky yet vulnerable first-person narration and keenly rendered characters, Walschots sensitively explores issues of agency, self-identity, morality, and grief while entertaining readers from the jump." — Kirkus (starred review)"Fans of Hench who desperately wished for more will be thrilled by this long-awaited sequel. Recommend the series to readers who enjoyed Hannah Nicole Maehrer’s Assistant to the Villain or the TV series The Boys." — Library Journal (starred review)"Villain is a cynic's treat and a grim delight - packed with big drama, intricate plots, and the expected wild shenanigans from Anna, our favorite tortured anti-heroine." — Sunyi Dean, internationally bestselling author of The Book Eaters“Witty and inventive . . . the pleasure of the novel is the slow rollout of the rules. Creating a universe involves inventing lots of little problems, and the solutions here don’t disappoint.” — New York Times on Hench“Hench is an engrossing take on the superheroic. It’s smart and imaginative; an exemplary rise-of-darkness story, one I won’t soon forget...I honestly can’t wait to see what Natalie Zina Walschots does next with the genre.” — NPR Books“Walschots playfully pokes at both office politics and comic book absurdity while offering gripping action and gut-wrenching body horror. The inventive premise, accessible heroine, and biting wit will have readers eager for more from this talented author.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review) on Hench“A fiendishly clever novel that fizzes with moxie and malice.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review) on Hench“In this refreshing, subversive, and darkly humorous debut novel, poet and journalist Walschots slowly reveals the nuances of her superpower-filled world, keeping readers guessing. Hench reads like a comic without the illustrations and is packed with subplots and rapid-fire wit. With a diverse and inclusive cast of characters, Walschots’ original tale performs a brilliant and exciting variation on the superhero trope and is not to be missed.” — Booklist (starred review)