At his coming of age, Thorvald learns a shocking secret and sets out on a perilous voyage in search of the father he has never known. His loyal shadow, Creidhe, daughter of a Wolfskin and a wise woman, was never meant to be part of this desperate journey. But love works in strange ways. In the Lost Isles they find a population gripped by terror. The Unspoken sing away the souls of the newborn and the chieftain of the isles answers to nobody, least of all to the Christian hermits who seek to bring a measure of calm to the troubled folk. Creidhe and Thorvald become enmeshed in a battle for survival, a battle in which they find themselves on opposing sides. For the future of the islands depends on a visionary child: the powerful seer, Foxmask. Snatched away in infancy by a young kinsman, the boy is held on an isle protected by ancient forces of nature. To retrieve him and bring peace, the islanders must endure the annual ritual of the hunt on the Isle of Clouds. Before the summer is over, Thorvald and Creidhe learn truths about themselves and about the world that will change them both forever.

Reviews

In this captivating historical fantasy, the sequel to Wolfskin (2003), Australian author Marillier sweeps the reader to Dark Age Britain's northernmost islands, where life is hard and opportunistic raiders have forced change on the peace-loving, magic-believing inhabitants. When 18-year-old Thorvald reads a letter from his unknown true father, Somerled, his world collapses. Somerled was exiled forever after slaying his chieftain brother, Ulf. Fearing that he may be subject to the same curse that afflicted his father ("I'm the son of some evil madman, a crazed killer"), Thorvald decides to search for the disgraced Somerled. He persuades his friend Sam the fisherman to transport him by boat to the island where he believes his father to be. Unbeknownst to both Sam and Thorvald, a young woman, Creidhe, stows away on the boat. Creidhe becomes a key player in the stirring events that unfold when they reach the Northern Isles. Though this artful mix of myth and magic starts out a bit slowly, the pace picks up nicely in the novel's second third and barrels onward to a rousing finish. Agent, Russell Galen. (Aug. 1) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

This is the latest novel by one of our most unique fantasy writers. Foxmask returns to the setting of last year’s release Wolfskin—the Orkney islands to the north of Scotland. Set years later, it focuses on the children of the protagonists of the first book. Eyvind and Nessa have worked to blend the Viking colonists Eyvind arrived with, and the remnants of the island natives Essa represents, into a prosperous community. However, the bloody past of the Light Isles is not so easily forgotten. A young man will set out on a journey to find out the truth about himself and his people, seeking out the man responsible for the islands’ most brutal war, the banished Viking chieftain Sommerled. Foxmask and Wolfskin are examples of just how wide the appeal of fantasy novels can be. An artful blend of history and mythology, with a hint of magic, this book will be very popular with readers of both genres. This is an excellent recommendation to those readers who are interested in the early history of the British Isles, as well as anyone who enjoys original, character-driven fantasy. Stefen Brazulaitis is a bookseller for Dymocks Carousel in Western Australia. C. 2003 Thorpe-Bowker and contributors

The Norseman Eyvind becomes a Wolfskin a Viking dedicated to Thor and travels to the mystical Orkney Islands, where he meets the Princess Nessa, a seer who becomes his soul mate. As Vikings and Orkney residents work out a peace, a new generation arises to forge strong ties. A question of paternity throws the delicate balance between the two peoples in jeopardy, and some young folk set out on a journey to discover the truth. The author of Wolfskin continues her exploration of the fusion of two cultures with strong family ties and great trust in powers beyond the merely human. For most fantasy collections. Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.