Once Was Willem
The sensational, enthrallingly dark tale of twisted folklore and macabre magic
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- 5,99 €
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- 5,99 €
Publisher Description
'A MASTERPIECE OF MEDIEVAL DARK FICTION' Christopher Buehlman, author of Between Two Fires
From the bestselling M. R. Carey comes an enthrallingly dark medieval tale - a story of twisted folklore, macabre magic and the strangest of found families. This is the tale of Once-Was-Willem.
Reader reviews:
'This book. Is. Phenomenal. Go buy it when it comes out . . . This could EASILY be my favorite book of the year already' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'Perfect in every way. 5/5 stars. Order it now; you do not want to miss this one' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'An amazing tale that I can see myself going back to time and again' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Eleven hundred and some years after the death of Christ, in the kingdom that had but recently begun to call itself England, I, Once Was Willem, rose from the dead to defeat a great evil facing the humble village of Cosham. The words enclosed herein are true.
I speak of monsters and magic, battle and bloodletting, and the crimes of desperate men. I speak also of secret things, of that which lies beneath us and that which impends above. By the time you come to the end of this account you will know the truth of your own life and death, the path laid out for your immortal soul, your origin and your inevitable end.
You will not thank me.
'An incredible masterwork of medieval fantasy-horror, dark and twisted and burning bright with humanity. Once Was Willem is packed with magic, folklore, superstitious fear, and horrors that bring hope' Cameron Johnston, author of The Maleficent Seven
'Weaves a fable full of dread and wonder, a deeply intelligent and emotionally gripping story . . . A masterpiece of medieval dark fiction. I love this book. Highest recommendation' Christopher Buehlman, author of Between Two Fires
'A delicious blend of horror, fantasy and historical fiction, Once Was Willem gave me exactly what I crave most as a reader - the unexpected. That, and a main character I would fight to the undeath for. A unique and brilliant book' Jen Williams, British Fantasy Award-winning author of The Ninth Rain
'It's a long time since a book has reached out and just entirely enveloped me in its world the way Once Was Willem did. Astounding, and I loved every moment of it - it had me absolutely rapt' RJ Barker, author of The Bone Ships
'It's so absurdly fun and readable, you nearly miss the incredible use of language and lore. Lovable grotesques and ghastly villains populate a compelling folk-tale. Absolutely wonderful' Gareth Hanrahan, author of The Gutter Prayer
'A wild fever-dream of novel - complicated, monstrous and beautiful' Seanan McGuire, Hugo Award-winning author
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Carey (The Rampart Trilogy) crafts an empathetic portrait of a medieval monster as a young man in this revelatory dark fantasy. In the 1100s, when post-conquest England is wracked by civil war between King Stephen and the Empress Matilda, Willem, the cherished son of a farmer, dies at age 12 in Cosham village. His grieving parents reluctantly allow malignant magician Cain Caradoc to raise Willem from the dead in exchange for a tithing from the boy's soul, which Caradoc uses to maintain his foothold in immortality. But after the boy gruesomely rises from his grave, outrageously ugly and no longer quite Willem, his parents and the whole village reject him as monstrous. The boy, renamed Once-Was-Willem, goes on to recount Caradoc's sinister attempts through black magic and child sacrifice to command the vast power he senses in the local castle he now controls. Once-Was-Willem finds unusual nonhuman allies, and chronicles their lurid backstories and bloody struggles to free the town of Cosham from Caradoc with wit and compassion, building to a wonderfully satisfying climax. Powerful, captivating, and occasionally stomach-churning, this quintessential tale of good and evil is sure to win fans.
