Writing in the Sand

by Angus Dunn

On the tip of the Dark Isle, lies the tranquil fishing village of Cromness, where the normal round of dominoes matches, meetings of the Ladies' Guild and twice-daily netting of salmon continues as it has always done. But all is not well. Down on the beach, an old man rakes the sand, looking for clues to the future. The patterns show him the harmony of the universe, but they also show him that there is something wrong in Cromness. Strange things are beginning to happen. Because this is no ordinary island. Centuries ago, so it is said, the Celtic gods and goddesses took refuge here. Now, behind the walls of the world, there are restless stirring sounds. Mist descends. Strange animals move through the fog, turnip fields disappear and the fishing fleet begin to blockade the island. As the islanders prepare to celebrate the famed Dark Isle Show, the moment of Truth approaches. Soon everyone is drawn into the struggle against the shadows that threaten the Dark Isle. But is anyone truly aware of the scale of events? And who will prevail?

480 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2006

About the author

Angus Dunn (1953 - 2015) was a Scottish poet, short-story writer, and novelist. He was brought up in Aultbea and Cromarty and studied at the University of Aberdeen. He latterly lived near Forres and for many years he was the editor of Northwords Magazine.

His novel Writing in the Sand (Luath, 2006) was shortlisted for the 2007 Saltire Society Scottish First Book of the Year Award, and his short stories are collected in The Perfect Loaf (Two Ravens Press, 2008). He was awarded the 1995 Robert Louis Stevenson Prize and the 2002 Neil Gunn Short Story prize.

Reviews

[Juliet Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a brilliant book, engrossing and readable and weaving in contemporary issues that face Scotland today such as Scottish Independence, land ownership, reintroduction of once native species that have gone extinct and genetic engineering.


The novel is set on the Dark Isle - a fictionalised version of the Black Isle. This is an island populated not only by vivid and memorable human characters but also by a whole range of gods and spirits, who try to push their way into the human world at times of stress.


There are plans afoot to go for a Dark Isle independent of Scotland, and to release the old native species into the isle (including long dead species such as woolly rhinoceros). This is seen by many as messing with nature in the same way that some sensitive characters (this seems to mean most of the inhabitants of the Dark Isle) are aware of the gods' plans to mess with he human world.


The Dark Isle Show is a focal point of the novel, a show that combines agriculture with music and folklore. At the show this year are genetic marvels such as two headed sheep (in fact so many this year that they need a whole new category to themselves) and a musical concert so exciting that it warps the whole fabric of space-time.


This entertaining novel makes the reader laugh out loud while provoking thought into some of the most interesting issues that face today's Scotland.

[Bowsty · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had to wait for a moment of quiet in my life before I could hold the concentration to suss out the opening of this book, but once I had the various characters sorted for myself, I enjoyed this book very much. Angus Dunn clearly loves Scotland; a criticism here would be that he loves it so much he tried to cram it all in--I could have happily followed every character off any branching narrative. The Dark Isle itself was a character in the story, as lively as the various villagers. As a frequent visitor to the Northeast of Scotland I can relate to the experience of being an outsider in a close community--it often feels like time travel, or like I don't quite know where I am in time. Dunn's novel creates a world where time is a landscape, geography seems to be a construct, and existence is subject to propitiations from dubious sources. You will like this book if you hang out with Protestants, Scots, fishermen, seers, villagers, and of course the Fir Bolg and the invading Celtic deities of pre-Roman times. I hope Mr. Dunn has more stories to offer the world in book form.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would give it more than 4 stars if I could without quite awarding it 5.But it was so good that I had a long lie in to finish it.
Having visited the Black Isle, I could walk around Cromarty and many of the other places with the characters; much/most of the geography is real. I loved how the author incorporated so many aspects of the area into the tale; we've met some of the pigs!
I could clearly picture many of the characters, they are so well drawn.
An excellent read.

[Cheryl Brock]

An unusual story of the future of a small isolated Scottish island poulation involving the everyday struggle between christian mores and values and pagan beliefs and rituals. I loved the book because you never know which way it was going to go - from tranquil fishing village life to the dark practice of celtic ceremonies that literally destroys.