Title: Dreadlands
Author:
Jaimie Engle
Genre: Epic Fantasy, YA
Genre: Epic Fantasy, YA
Sub-Genre:
Norse Mythology
A
fresh spin on shape-shifting wolves and dark magic,
this Viking world will leave you hungry for more.
this Viking world will leave you hungry for more.
With
a grandmother who is unnatural, an anxious mother, and a missing
father, Arud’s family tree is rooted in secrets. Leif Erikson
abandoned the settlement in Labrador, Canada, when the ferine
attacked and murdered his small crew. A band of families stayed
behind to rebuild. Arud Bergson lives in the Outlands far from any
other Viking village. His father is two-days late coming home from
market leaving Arud to protect his mother, grandmother, and sister,
Lykke, from arctic shape-shifting wolves who can break their bonds
with the Dreadlands under the light of each full moon. Called the
ferine, they are a matriarchal species birthed by the she-wolf that
nursed Romulus and Remus. While hunting, an anomaly occurs: a ferine
takes Arud’s kill in broad daylight. His mother sends him and
Lykke, who has a sickness from birth, on a three week journey across
the realm to Vithalia City where they will stay with an uncle they
have never met. They journey for only several days before the rogue
ferine takes chase, forcing them to launch into the river and over
the falls. At the bottom, Lykke is missing. So is Arud’s pack with
his supplies, crossbow, and bolts. He finds Lykke in the caves
beneath the falls then meets a strange girl named Scalvia who leads
them to her home where he can retrieve his pack. “Dreadlands weaves
Viking lore, animalistic-shape-shifting (wolves), and coming-of-age
adventure into a fantasy epic.” –Kirkus Reviews Arud and Lykke
stay overnight in Scalvia’s home. Her father, Ek, refuses to return
his things until the morning. During the night, a howl wakes Arud.
The ferine is hunting him. Lykke’s skin is clammy and Arud fears
she already needs her monthly tonic, administered only days before.
Ek fortifies Arud’s bolts with silver tips to pierce the ferine’s
pelt and forces Scalvia to lead them through the Dredge Woods to the
base of the double mountains. On their trek, Lykke’s sickness
worsens. She stays behind to rest while Scalvia leads Arud to a
stream, explaining about the Purebloods, those shape-shifting wolves
who are tied to the Dreadlands, and the Cur, who are the offspring of
ferine and human. They are attacked by the ferine hunting Arud. They
manage to run her off with silver, but when they reach camp, Lykke is
missing. Arud’s world is shaken and family deceptions unravel, when
he learns his sister may be the key in a century old prophecy and a
sorceress may be stalking them. The stakes are raised, and getting
safely to the city in the sea becomes more than a quest. It becomes
survival. “Jamie Engle takes the reader beyond fantasy and fiction
as she transcends imagination into the world of believability. This
is like no other adventure taken, for the storyteller instantly
captivates with a command for Old Norse language that is uniquely her
own. The character creation transforms the main protagonists in ways
that their supernatural journey won’t let go of you until the last
pages are explored and the final words are spoken. Fortunately, Engle
has hinted that her new world will continue to deliver even more than
her audience has already breathlessly experienced and has yet to
envision.”
The
first book in a compelling new series praised as the next Twilight
Add
Dreadlands to your TBR list
Jaimie Engle
Jaimie
Engle was once sucked into a storybook, where she decided she would
become an author. She has modeled bikinis, managed a hip-hop band,
and run a body shop. Her passion is talking to kids about writing and
social issues because words have power. When not writing, she's
probably editing or playing trivia. She lives in Florida with her
awesome husband, hilarious children, and the world's best dog.
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