Publisher Description
At his coming of age, Thorvald learns a shocking secret about his parentage, and sets out on a perilous voyage in search of a father he has never known. His loyal friend, Creidhe, 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. Creidhe and Thorvald become enmeshed in a battle for survival, 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 in a place protected by ancient forces of nature. Before the summer is over, Thorvald and Creidhe will learn truths about themselves and about the world that will change them both forever.
Praise for Wolfskin:
'An engrossing and enjoyable tale' Starburst
'A powerful narrative...a truly rewarding experience' SFX
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
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.
