Book Reviews and More: Draugr - Arthur Slade

Friday, 24 September 2010

Draugr - Arthur Slade - Northern Frights #1

Draugr
Northern Frights Book 1
Arthur Slade
Orca Books Publishers
ISBN 1551430940
Deva Enterprises Edition
ASIN B08CSVL179

Draugr is the first published novel by Arthur Slade. It was the 7th novel he wrote. It is set in a small town in Manitoba, with three American teenagers visiting their grandfather. The first night of their visit their grandfather tells them ghost stories and tales from his homeland, Iceland. The next day the three youngsters Sarah, Michael and Angie have a very strange encounter; it is almost as if their grandfather's tales are starting to come true. And as the old saying goes 'truth is stranger than fiction'. Soon they find themselves experiencing things that should not be possible but are really happening. In less than 3 days they have a life-changing experience.

The three teenagers are supposed to be visiting for 2 weeks but on their second day there, they are told their grandfather has unfinished business and they will be going home the next day. But the house is attacked that night and their grandfather goes missing. Soon Sarah must summon strength and courage she did not know she had; she will have to defy adults she respects and risk her life to save those who are closest to her. This is a story that has an open grave, strange legends, beasts walking the night, and maybe a Draugr, a dead man walking again. It is both frightening and wonderful.

This story is wonderfully written, like ghost stories told around the campfire, but with a depth of details and great characters. The readers find themselves wrapped in a talk at once both exciting and addictive. You will not be able to put the book down. Considering it is Slade's first published novel, it has a level of polish and skill rarely seen in an author's early works. It is an incredible story.

There are three books in the Northern Frights series by Arthur Slade and they are some of his earliest published works, each story based on Norse mythology. They were published under the name Arthur G. Slade by Orca Book Publishers. They are currently out of print, but they are really worth tracking down. They are incredible stories by a master storyteller.

Note: a eew ebook edition is available from the author in 2020. It is well worth the read.

Books by Arthur Slade:
The Dragonfly's Journey (1996)
John Diefenbaker: an Appointment with Destiny (2000)
Dust (2001)
Tribes (2002)
Monsterology (2005)
Villainology (2005)
Megiddo's Shadow (2006)
Jolted (2008)
Shades: 17 Startling Stories (2011)
Flickers (2016)
Crimson (2018)
Death by Airship (2019)
Mr. Universe (2021)

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