En kamp mot demoner

by Kjell-Vidar Åhman Teig, Per Ivar Hjeldsbakken Engevold (Editor), Henning Øverby Klausen (Foreword)

Velkommen til Øyerstad
—

Robert

For mange år siden bar jeg Gene Simmons og Paul Stanley på trøya mi mens vi sang Bad medicine i friminuttene på Øyerstad barneskole. Vi sparka fotball som Lineker og Van Basten, mens jentene hoppa strikk i Ball-gensere. Under bølger av hår og hårspray skreiv de hemmelige lapper som Linn aldri fikk se. Hun sto aleine i hjørnet sitt. Utenfor alle sirklene.

Seinere, i utkanten av 90-tallet sitter jeg på kne på ei flåte oppe ved Mørkvedtjern, jaga av både levende og døde. Kula fra geværet mot nakken min vil kanskje spare meg for selve forbannelsen, men den vil også hindre meg i stoppe faenskapet som har tatt knekken på så mange i min nærhet.

Øyerstad

Dypt inne i hjertet av Indre Østfold, mellom åkre og skog går livet som normalt. Skiltet ved campingen i utkanten av bygda møter deg med; «Velkommen til Øyerstad – Rebel Town». Den som har klistra på de ekstra bokstavene «Rebel Town», sikter nok til antallet senka Volvoer med sørstatsflagg i bakruta som «burner» gjennom bygda. Rånerne, som selvsagt ligger i førersetet mens de kjører, svinger ofte forbi butikken hvor de kjøper brylcreem, stålkam og flaskecola. Skinnvestene og myggjagerne bestiller de med postordre fra «söta bror».

Hadde Nina i kioskbrakka plukka innbyggere slik hun hun plukker dundersalt, for ti øre stykk, hadde du fått samtlige innbyggere for drøye to hundre kroner. Alle kjenner alle i Øyerstad. Alle tror de veit hva som pågår til enhver tid. Det gjør de ikke. For under overflaten vokser og gror en ondskap som ingen kan forestille seg. Noe som skal rive det lille bygdesamfunnet i fillebiter.

Sirkuset

Abstraksjonene som utspiller seg på innsiden av sirkusteltet er sånt som mareritt er laget av. Gledesskrik, latter og ekstase hånd i hånd med frustrasjon, panikk og gråt. En figur står utenfor sirkuset, kroppen gynger seigt fram og tilbake. Lukta av søtsaker, popcorn, smørefett og olje blander seg med en eim av avføring. Føtter, hover og klør mot netting, gitter og jern. En mørkere skygge inne i skyggene rører seg der ute hvor faklenes glød gir tapt for nattemørket. Han vil rive i stykker alt og alle som står i hans vei.

Genres: Horror, Novels

351 pages, Hardcover

Published March 5, 2023

About the author

Kjell-Vidar Åhman Teig is a creative director, designer, singer-songwriter, and author. He grew up in Båstad, Norway, and now resides in Bålsta, just outside Stockholm, Sweden, with his wife and children

Reviews

[Nicolai Alexander · Rating 4 out of 5]

A horror novel written by a relative newcomer on a short roster of Norwegian indie horror writers. It's translated into English as A Battle Against Demons. This is Teig's first novel, but second book. His debut was a horror short story collection called 3 Stones for the Nixie - Stories of Life and Death in Øyerstad. My feedback on this one will be similar in that it feels "original and memorable due to his style of writing combined with his biographical approach to the horror genre". There are a lot of characters and different POVs and moving back and forth in time, though, which can be confusing and takes a while to get used to, but it's worth it. Mixed with humour and love is a dark undercurrent of human suffering in this family and in this village, which pervades the narrative and leads to a satisfying ending. I could definitely envision a movie adaptation or a Netflix series of this book!

The author's main sources of inspiration are Stephen King and Dean Koontz, of which some of you will be very pleased to know (and perhaps a little intrigued by?).

I know that because I interviewed the author for a Norwegian online magazine dedicated to science fiction, fantasy and horror, called Nye NOVA. Alongside this interview, I wrote a review of both this book and Teig's debut collection. He's such a great guy!

You can read that review and interview (in Norwegian) here:

https://www.nyenova.no/intervju-med-g...

[Ash Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like dark tragedies you’ll like this one.

There are a lot of characters and the timeline shifts around, so you’ll need to pay attention. The way the timeline shifts gives you answers as you go along, piece by piece.

I was very emotionally attached to our main character Robert. Will recommend this to anyone that enjoys dark reads, stories about grief, trauma, addiction, or secrets!

[Skrekkbibliotekaren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Denne boken har jeg fått tilsendt som leseeksemplar fra forlag/forfatter. Dette påvirker på ingen måte min anmeldelse av boka.

'En ting er mareritt når du sover, men når de ikke forsvinner da du våkner, det suger.'

Hele anmeldelsen finner du her: https://skrekkbibliotekaren.blog/2024...

'En kamp mot demoner' er en oppvekstroman, for det meste satt på 80- og 90-tallet, hvor vi følger familien Baastad, og deres kamp mot indre (og ytre) demoner i den lille bygda Øyerstad. Mer enn det vil jeg rett og slett ikke si om handlingen, i frykt for å spoile viktige deler av boken. Men det jeg kan si er at dette er en trist, rørende og skremmende bok full av mysterier, tragedier og hemmeligheter!

Jeg elsker indieskrekk, og både eier og har lest en haug med engelske, selvpubliserte skrekkbøker. Det er en viss sjarm med indieskrekkbøker som ofte forsvinner med de større utgivelsene. 'En kamp mot demoner' har den samme sjarmen som de tidligere indieskrekkromanene jeg har lest, noe jeg liker veldig godt. Ja, den er litt all over the place, nei, den er ikke like finpolert som bøkene fra de store forlagene. Men av og til er det ufattelig deilig å lese en roman som ikke er så fryktelig finpolert.

Slurvete skrivefeil, det ser jeg derimot ikke noe sjarm i. Og i 'En kamp mot demoner' er det dessverre litt for mye for at jeg skal klare å overse det. Derimot er resten av boken utrolig godt skrevet, og jeg lot meg virkelig rives med. Teksten er morsom, samtidig som at den er trist og rørende. Ikke minst er teksten skremmende. Skrekken graver seg under huden på deg og blir bare større og større jo lenger du leser. Karakterene er også gode, selv om jeg slet litt med å få noe ordentlig connection med noen andre enn hovedpersonen Robert.

Jeg elska denne, dette er rett og slett norsk skrekk på sitt beste! Jeg applauderer Teig for å ha skrevet en skrekkbok for voksne som nordmenn kan kjenne seg igjen i, det trenger vi mer av! HAIL SAT… eh, jeg mener HAIL NORSK SKREKK! 'En kamp mot demoner' får av meg (trommevirvel…) TERNINGKAST 5!🎲

[Bookaholic__Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was approached by the author and was offered a chance to read this title. Honestly, the cover instantly grabbed my attention because it was absolutely stunning . I was also super fascinated by Nordic Horror, so I quickly agreed to read it!

This book is beautifully written. It's incredibly atmospheric, and the story itself is as beautiful as it is haunting. The trauma, the coming of age, the horror... everything just blended seamlessly to create a unique book.

Many thanks to Kjell for sending me a copy to read and review. I did receive a copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Ida (norwegian_booknerd) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Norwegian horror is pretty rare to find in the book world, so I wasn’t sure what to expect with this one. I’m happy to say I really enjoyed it! I loved it actually!

It’s set in the small town Øyerstad, where something evil has arrived. We follow Robert, his family and friends and all the weird things that happen in their town. It’s part horror, part coming of age and it deals with grief, family drama, friendship and evil things lurking under the surface.

My favorite part of this was part one of the book where we follow Robert, his brother and friends in their childhood. It’s set in the 80’s and 90’s and it was really nostalgic for me. Some of the stuff they did reminded me of things from my own childhood and I laughed out loud several times. I was having a blast reading some of the parts. 😆

The story gets darker as you read along, and I really liked how it all came together. I thought it was well written and really well done. I enjoyed reading about Robert and his life, and the parts that weren’t scary were still interesting. The pacing was good and the story kept moving forward. I liked that the book felt like a mix of horror, a coming of age novel and a thriller with a dash of small town mystery.

[mjs.readingnook · Rating 4 out of 5]

I boka En kamp mot demoner gjelder det å holde tunga rett i munnen. Det var mange karakterer å holde styr på, og mange perspektiver, som gjorde at det var litt vanskelig å få en connection med karakterene. Det var også vanskelig å henge med tidsperspektivene enkelte steder.
Dét sagt, når det først løsnet opp og jeg ble vant til oppsettet, så likte jeg boka meget godt! Jeg likte spesielt følelsen man fikk av skildringene rundt barndom på denne tiden. Nå har jeg vokst opp på 90-tallet, så jeg kunne gjenkjenne følelsen Kjell-Vidar prøvde å få frem i boka. Det var som å åpne dører med minner, følelser, lyder og lukter som jeg trodde var låst vekk og glemt bort.
Jeg måtte le høyt da jeg leste om manuell telling av pant, for det hadde jeg glemt at jeg pleide å gjøre. Eller at det ble nevnt Mr.Freeze, som jeg da pleide å kalle for «langis». Childhood memory unlocked!
Sett bort fra utrolig gode skildringer og spill på følelser som var bortgjemt og glemt, er historien veldig god. Ting løsner mer og mer opp og faller på plass jo lengre inn man kommer i boka og den oppleves både som skrekkfull og grusom, men samtidig så fin og rørende.
Jeg skulle likt å sett denne boka bli dramatisert, det tror jeg hadde blitt en stor suksess!

[Priscilla BookaddictNL · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story wouldn’t let me go.

We mainly follow Robert as he takes us through his life.

At first, I was a bit confused, but in the end, everything made sense and was coherent. Phenomenal, if you ask me!

Kjell-Vidar is capable of holding the reader’s attention, and this story features various dark and intriguing twists.

His writing style is compelling and the story was worked out well!

Beyond the gruesome details, there is a deeper layer to this story. And it was awesome to read how everything came together. And I loved the 80’s/90’s vibes!

The story is thrilling, dark, and ominous, yet it also contains emotional moments that touched me deeply.

‘A Battle Against Demons’ is, in my opinion, an excellent book and a recommendation!🔥

I can’t wait to read a next book by Kjell-Vidar!😍

[MikeLikesBooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Horror lovers need to read this book. It’s about a family and tragedy in Oyestad, Norway. Something terrible happens and it’s covered up. But those involved now have to pay the price. If you like paranormal horror, I think you will enjoy this one. It actually made me cry as I bonded with the family.

I want to thank the author for providing me a copy of his book. He mailed it all the way from Sweden. It was a perfect horror story.

[Beate Eidissen · Rating 4 out of 5]

For en reise! Jeg fikk boken i leseeksemplar fra forfatteren, og har spart den litt til jeg følte det var rett å lese den. Det ble altså like rundt jul for min del, og det fungerte veldig bra.

Boka er spennde, skummel, trist og til tider intens. Jeg likte spesielt godt den følelsen jeg fikk av å være tilbake i 80- og 90-tallet. Nostalgien traff jeg skikkelig.

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

The books of Kjell-Vidar Åhman Teig always touch me tremendously. In fact, every time I read or even think about them, I become an emotional wreck. 😅😂 I guess the combination of 80’s/90’s nostalgia and the way I feel about life, death and the afterlife is what touches me so deeply. 🥹✨

When I read 3 stones for the Nixie last year, it immediately became my most favorite book ever and I wanted to reread it right again after I turned the last page. 🥰 I felt so connected to all the characters and the surroundings of Øyerstad.

Anyway, now about A battle against demons. It did take a short while before I got into the story. In the beginning, much is still unclear. The story jumps from past to future and is told from different people’s perspectives. But at some point you get used to it and it becomes more and more clear in which direction the story goes and who the real demons in Robert’s life are. From that moment on you just can’t stop reading and at the same time don’t ever want it to end. 🖤

Both books are inspired by the author’s personal life. They are emotional stories about grief and loss, and you will not be able to keep your tears from shedding, but it’s also about hope and unconditional love beautifully blended with terrifying paranormal elements.

On his profile the author shares more about what inspired him, as well as videos about the village of Båstad where he grew up and what became the stage for Øyerstad. This adds even more depth to the whole story and the many emotions behind it. I would really recommend to take a look at his profile. @author_kjell_vidar_aahman_teig

Masterful, sublime and phenomenal are some of the words that come to my mind when I think about these books. The Nixie will always be my ultimate favorite, but A battle against demons certainly comes close!

Robert, Fredrik, Anders, Mom and Dad live forever in my heart! ♥️ Read these books and you will also be enchanted by this unique village and its mysterious inhabitants. 💀🖤💫

[Sheena Forsberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

I kept going back & forth on whether I should post this review in Norwegian or English, but seeing as ~100% of my reader friends aren’t familiar with Norwegian, the choice was simple (especially since this also happens to be one of few Norwegian horror books to have an English translation)

This is my 3rd Norwegian book so far this year and fittingly my 666th registered read here on GR (unplanned).

At the time of writing, there’s not an overwhelming number of Norwegian horror books to be had and I was extra happy when I spotted this: it ended up being a thoroughly enjoyable coming of age horror-tale told from a quintessentially Norwegian POV.
If I were to summarize it through a single blurb, it might go something like this: “Old secrets and sins are stirring: First they take your loved ones and then they’ll come for you”. Fair warning for those who might want to pick up a copy off the back of this: This book goes there in regards to loss (pets & family members).

There’s a distinct relatability to this as a reader who grew up in a Norwegian small town and who isn’t much younger than the main characters. The prose flows nicely with easy-going vernacular (I read this book in Norwegian) and the writing has an almost cinematic quality to it at times: I could visualize the town through the descriptions of the first few pages. The story itself is told from several POVs but mainly follows Robert and we’re initially introduced to him as he finds himself in quite a pickle and (possibly) about to get killed. We’re then thrown back in time to experience the series of events which led him to his current predicament. We get to know him as he grows up in the sticks through the 80s & 90s with his family: How he’d go out to get candy with his younger brother, stumble upon nudie mags, play pranks on people they know and (most notably) their deep-seated fear of a mother-son duo of town outcasts. Said outcasts have been there for years but suddenly go missing; not that the local constabulary cares all that much. The boys, on the other hand, treat it as a bit of an opportunity to explore and end up having a misadventurous snoop in the missing pair’s home. They’ll soon regret they did as it seemingly precipitates a number of dark and unexplainable events as well as deaths. Then there’s Robert’s recurring dreams about a creepy circus; one in which the dead appear and that must mean something, but what?

The shifting POVs from family members as well as Robert’s recurring dreams made for an interesting puzzle. You’re gradually picking up pieces as you are acquainted with the characters and different events. I kept getting earlier King vibes (specifically Pet Sematary/IT) with sprinklings of Bradbury’s ‘Something Wicked This Way Comes’. As in ‘Pet Sematary’ we see a family in decline and suffering loss due to powers stronger than them, it has ‘Something Wicked This Way Comes’ & ‘IT’s coming of age-esthetic combined with the creepy circus tendencies. The supernatural threat is but one aspect of the darkness gaining a foothold(like in the books I’ve likened it to above); it has also been granted fertile ground through the inhabitant’s mundane acts of evil, disregard (like ignoring bullying or participating) and simple carelessness. Anywho, I see I’m meandering again. As I often do when I’m feeling a bout of solid nostalgia. I’ll leave off here and get on with it.

I started this year with a couple of heavier and more literary reads, so this 80/90s time capsule reminiscent of horror stories you’d find in kiosks of that era was a much needed change of pace. It’s nice to see someone from my part of the world writing something as rare as a meat-and-potato horror story. The only thing keeping this from 5-stars for me boils down to personal taste: I found the ending a bit too sentimental (I might be broken inside) and parts of the story slowed things down for me. Even still, glad I came across the story and I’m noting it down as a candidate for a future installment of my traditional ‘5 reads for my British hubby to read’. I’ll have to go looking for a copy of ‘3 steiner til nøkken’ for myself as well.

[Giovanni Jacobs · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW

This was a tour de force of a novel.
it was dark, and had you on the edge of your seat concerning whether what you were seeing was true or not. The setting was noir, and the tragedies and grief that the characters went through was palpable.
Each new chapter reveals something you were wondering about in the previous one, or will be relevant in the next one or two.
I can't recommend this book enough to people who love dark tragedies or magic realism (as this book is a bit trippy too), and a bit (a lot) of heartbreak.
it does hint at a happier ending, though (no spoilers).

[John Watson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The town of Oyerstad in Norway seems forgettable to those who pass by, yet it is home to Death, a witch, and a circus that seems to be home to wicked things. Is that actually the case, or is it all stories woven by the locals and children with wild imaginations?

Throughout the course of the book, the story is told through different viewpoints and timelines, all of which can be a little dizzying at times. There are little fragments of what is going on scattered throughout, so though it may feel confusing at tines, stick with it.

The character development and storytelling is fantastic, with the author doing a fantastic job of making you feel as though you are stuck in the 80s and 90s as the story unfolds. The revelation, when it comes, will leave you flipping back pages to see how you missed it.

[Jesy Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy cow, where do I even start? I just finished this book and I am so full of emotions right now. The start takes you on an almost confusing journey. There are lots of things happening and things being remembered and, occasionally, you get confused. But the plot goes on and the pieces fall into place. And suddenly you understand every single tiny bit of story and why it was shared. And that chapter hits and wow. This book deals heavily with grief and loss but every single time, it makes sense to the story. There will be tears, believe me. But it is absolutely, completely worth it.

[Bokkjellden · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Denne omtalen omhandler en bok jeg har fått tilsendt av forfatter/forlag, men det foreligger på ingen måte noe avtale om (fordelaktig) omtale.) 

Øyerstad og En kamp mot demoner satt virkelig en støkk i meg! En god bok hvor demonene lusker i skyggene. Ta en tur, du og!

Full pott: 🎪🎪🎪🎪🎪

Besøk bokkjellden.com for omtalen min.

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful dark twisted tale of a family going through tragedy.

This story starts off slow, confusing and dark, but it is a journey of life so you venture through it to find out more.

If you're looking for a fast paced story, this isn't it but I tell you that it is worth every second. You need to take your time with this book so you don't miss out on any details and can follow along with the jumps from present to past.

What doesn't make sense in the beginning of the story makes perfect sense at the end when everything falls in its place.

I grew up reading books by the kings of horror Clive Barker and Stephen King, this book gave me the exact same feeling the books of those authors gave me. It feels sweet and nostalgic taking me back to my early experience with horror.

There's a lot of metaphors used on certain characters like Death and Witch but their names are revealed later in the story.

I went on such a deep emotional journey while reading this, one of the events that happened in this story hit me very hard. The loss of a child is the worst experience anyone can go through and it so happens that one of the characters got buried on a similar date my youngest daughter got sick, she passed away a day later. The coincidence was to me so shocking I needed to take a break before continuing reading. And I read this book the first time literary a month before what was supposed to be my daughter her 16th birthday. The second time I read it I started on the 5th of January and finished on the 8th of January 2025. The 5th of January is the day she got sick and the 6th is when she passed away. So when I say this was such a scary coincidence I wasn't joking. This made the story for me even more real.

I've gone through so much trauma through my child, teen and adult years that my nightmares have always associated my trauma with circus and clowns. I actually base a lot of my art on it as well as part of my healing journey. Another coincidence in this story is that Robert does exactly the same thing so I was able to connect to his character on such a deep level, I simply understood what he was going through.

It's a rare thing to find a book with a story so deep, with so much horror that you end up finding yourself in it.

If there is anything this story teaches you is that there is always light after darkness, there is always hope that things will get better and that you are not alone in this life.

This line ''He was in a freefall descending into the hole beneath the bed...''; you know that feeling when you are having a nightmare and suddenly it's like you are falling right back into your bed, it feels like your soul has left your body... yeah that disgusting feeling you wake up in night sweats not knowing if you are still dreaming or awake, that is what I felt when I read that. It gave me such an ick but that just shows how brilliantly written this book is.

Something I thought was very funny was the 80s and 90s references, it were like flashbacks to my childhood cause I grew up during those years.

These funny yet scare names like Jungle-Jim and Bingo Bob reminded me of a few clowns from 90s blood and gore films I've seen when I was younger.

I read the book Twice, first on Ebook then the physical paperback. I annotated the shit out of the Ebook, there's more Red lines than not. Have you seen the cover art? It's murderously beautiful and the cover plays a big part in the story too. ''The entrance gaped at them with dirty teeth.'' Yeah bye I'm running the opposite side haha.

I can't tell you how many times my mouth fell open towards the end of the book because of ALL the damn plot twists, suddenly so much happened all at once it felt like the entire book was making sense. Everything you don't understand at the beginning now made sense. The amount of times I went 'oooohhh fuck', well let's just say it was a lot!

And to Kjell-Vidar, I tell you hats off. If you are planning to be the next horror king of Norway you are doing a stellar job at it. I also found some fun easter eggs in your book titles and characters because I had already checked your company website and I see what you did there! Well played!

A beautiful dark poetic horror story that takes you to all corners of your nightmares and yet ends so beautifully. If that isn't the perfect book then I don't know what is.

I leave you with this: 'A circus coming to Øyerstad: wow that was something special.'

[fanboyriot · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really was hoping to like this but honestly the only thing I liked was the cover. The atmosphere was good but the characters were not my cup of tea. And my big reason for not liking this was the animal deaths, it was just an ick.

Read For
✓ Trauma
✓ Timeline Shifts
✓ Stories of Grief
✓ Dark Tragedies
✓ Norwegian Horror

⚠️ Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Cursing, Death
Minor: Sexual content, Murder

𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊

Spice Level: 🌶️
Sad Level: 💧

Plot: 4/10
Pace: 3/10
Ending: 4/10
Characters: 3/10
Enjoyability: 2/10
Writing Style: 4/10
Would I Recommend? No
Favorite Character: n/a

Favorite Quote: ❝“Bingo-Bob?”❞

POV: Multiple, Third Person
Pages: 340
Format: ebook
Language: English
Release Date: 01, May 2024

[Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could lie to you, but I decided not to.
I have wanted to read this book for months. I was sure I’d like it. And holding it in my hands I was afraid I would not.

Thank you so much Kjell-Vidar Åhman Teig that you found me and sent A Battle Against Demons! Now my heart is yours. You confirmed my love for dark Nordic Noir. Have I ever read Nordic Horror? Hmmm… No. Till now. And now I need more books like this!

As long as I started reading Demons, I thought “Hey, is it magical realism? I don’t quite like this genre.” But I still kept reading, something was holding me there. After awhile I understood how wrong I was! It’s far from fantasy and magical realism.

Having started reading the first few chapters, I was a little confused. I couldn’t understand what was going on, whose point of view I was reading from. There were quite a lot of characters. Then it all developed very smoothly and well. Well enough to break reader’s heart, to cry, to feel goosebumps running through your entire body.

The book is built with several timelines and from several points of view. It was really hard to read at the beginning. And this manner reminded me somehow of David Lynch.
Many of the readers say A Battle Against Demons reminds them of Stephen King. Maybe. There’re similarities with long and vivid descriptions of events and things. I thought it’s all the resemblance. Till I finish this book.

This story soaked in deep, dark, and painful feelings. It contains something that only Nordic people can produce. This dark creepy magic of words. It seeps under the skin and becomes stronger with each word.

Is this a horror story? Definitely! And this horror comes from people. Our life can sometimes be much more than just horror. This story is sad, heartwarming and terrifying. This is a coming-of-age story, the story of manhood, endurance, addiction and freedom. This story is about secrets, loss, grief and revenge. This story is about fighting with our inner demons. This story is about true love. This story is about family.


It's 80s. Robert lived with his family in Øyerstad, a small town deep in the forests of rural Norway. He liked to play with his little brother Fredrik and his friends. Fredrik was a year and a half younger than Robert. He also had a big brother Anders, Mom and Dad. They had a happy family.
Till one night, Robert saw his Dad arguing and fight with Dad’s friend Kai. It seemed so what? Friends could argue especially after some booze at the hunting. Though this night changed their lives forever.

Read this book! You will live through these people’s lives, through their feelings. You will be happy, you will be sorry, you will be angry and desperate. You will smile. You will cry. Actually, cry a lot. It will break your heart. But you definitely will like it. And you will surely want to come back to Øyerstad.

[Martin Sørvold · Rating 4 out of 5]

🖤 Thank you so much for sending me this special edition copy, Kjell-Vidar! I even got a cute postcard from the fictional village of "Øyerstad" where the story is set.

💀 We really need more horror fiction in Norway, and this book hits the spot! The English translation is flawless, and the foreword by @skrekkruttskolen
is perfect!

😈 "...Demons" is a horror story at first look, and it's full of monsters, human and not-so-human. But this book is also a coming-of-age family epic about greif, loss, regret, addiction. And it seems partly autobiographical. Reading this novel was highly nostalgic, and it triggered a lot of childhood memories i had forgotten. The story is also heartbraking, and a few tears fell while reading.
The story also feels a bit Stephen Kingy, and is chock full of refferences from movies and music.

🏍️ The book seems a bit unfinished and I think that is part of it's charm. It also felt a bit jarring in the beginning because of the multiple POVs and the time jumps, but I quickly got used to the style and I really loved this book. I can't wait to read the authors next project.

🤡 Check out abattleagainstdemons.com if this is something for you. You can also buy the book on Amazon.

See you in Øyerstad!

[Coffeecats_books · Rating 5 out of 5]

First impression of this book is—OMG, what a cover! This is one of the most impressive covers I own, and it will be on display forever.

Then I dug in, and well, well, well... What a surprise. This book is going to stay with me a long time. Days after finishing it, I still dream about eerie circuses, shadows, and houses deep in the woods. My subconscious and I are still processing what we went through.

It is a horror book with Nordic settings and vibes (much love for this). There is a murder mystery that unravels throughout the story and a lot of family drama. All intertwined and delivered with curses, shadows, and, of course, battles against demons.

I connected deeply with the main character, so I felt all of the emotions throughout the book. Tread carefully—it destroyed my soul! I cried many, many times! One of the last scenes, with Jungle Jim the cat, broke my heart, and I actually sobbed (no animal cruelty, don't worry).

This has so many layers... I felt like I was looking deeply into someone's soul, like I was being told their darkest thoughts, nightmares, and fears with so much honesty. The grief is so raw, running deep within the words. It felt so intimate, like nothing I've ever experienced before.

[Life in books Ric · Rating 3 out of 5]

ⓇⒺⓋⒾⒺⓌ
A Battle Against Demons - Kjell-Vidar Ahman Teig

In A Battle Against Demons we follow Robert, who lives in the small Norwegian village Oyerstad.
He finds himself on a raft in Lake Morkved, pursued by both the living and the dead. The narrative explores the eerie and haunting atmosphere of the village, where everyone thinks they know each other, but dark secrets lurk beneath the surface

This book had all the elements that make a great read for me, horror, coming of age, grief, trauma, but the multiple povs and timeline changes made it too difficult for me to follow to allow me enjoy it as much as I would of liked.

There is a fantastic story here, but it wasn’t until the last couple of chapters that it all came together, once it did, it all made sense… I guess I’m just an impatient swine!

The author did a brilliant job with the characters, especially the main character, Robert. I couldn’t help but root for him throughout - even though I wasn’t fully aware of what was going on at times.

Overall I liked the book, but didn’t love it, so I’d still give it a solid 📚📚📚/5

Thank you Kjell for sending ‘A Battle Against Demons’ my way, much appreciated.

[Cassius Cae · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a wild, enthralling, fantastic ride! At first you don’t really understand why certain things are happening but it doesn’t matter because it hooks you. It goes back and forth in time and in different point of views but not difficult to follow. It’s centered around one family in a small village, and how the past and one’s choices can haunt one’s future. I don’t want to give anything away but this has been a definite 5 star for me.

There are real horror aspects in this book which was something I was looking for and enjoy, but it’s also very relatable in human experience that includes loved ones, coming of age, sibling relationships, parental experience, friendship, and so much more.

In the end everything ties together in a perfect circle, perfectly told, and this may very well be my favorite horror read of 2025. This author has another book that I will be getting next. Fantastic work!

[paganfrogs_bookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I first spotted this book being promoted, The covers image and the title got my attention, and then on reading the book blurb I was intent on reading it, mainly because of the horror tag but also because its Nordic fiction and I have enjoyed Nordic speculative fiction before, and I like to see more fiction specially horror coming from there more often.
The story jumps around between the past and the present as viewed by a various characters who are childhood friends and relatives, of memories, mysteries and of grief and loss, of childish beliefs and superstitions and uncovering the horrific truths as adults.
This is a well written book and I recommend it to be on your must read list.

Thank you Kjell for sending me a copy to review.

[Demonika · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fornøyelig og kudos for et tilskudd til den norske skrekklitteraturen!

Jeg gir fortellinga 3 stjernekast. Dette betyr at boka er god, men byr også på litt dødtid. Det som fungerte veldig godt med denne boka var hovedpersonen Robert, man heier på han og ønsker å se han overleve og beseire demonene. Samtidig følte jeg ikke at jeg bli skikkelig kjent med ham, før han rømmer fra bygda. Og da hadde jeg allerede lest nesten halve boka.

Skrekk-scenarioet, demonsirkuset, var også fint. Her var det et pluss at jeg ikke forsto så mye av det, før mot slutten av boken, hvor Robert også forstår hvordan det hele henger sammen.

[Becca Green · Rating 4 out of 5]

Firstly, the writing is really well done with fantastic characters, setting and pace.
It reminded me of Stephen King’s IT with how deep it delved into characters and their backgrounds and the coming of age aspect (which I loved) It was a beautifully dark and tragic story with an interesting set up and executed to perfection. I will definitely be looking out for future books from this author and can’t recommend this one highly enough. It was an exciting and original read. Fans of horror and mysteries will love it 🖤

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to the author for a copy for review.

I really enjoyed A Battle Against Demons. Started out a bit slow as were introduced to the characters and the town of Oyersrad.

Told from multiple POV’s spanning many time frames. The main POV, is Robert, a boy growing up in the small town of Oyerstad. Lots of coming-of-age horror. There’s a scary witch in the woods and her vampire son. But nothing is as it seems in this book.

Everything ties together so well and I hadn’t guessed any of the twists. Loved the ending.

[Morten Holst · Rating 5 out of 5]

Åhman Teig writes the way i always wanted to be able to write, but never will. I love the setting and the way the writer vividly brings back the atmosphere and feeling of the 70s and 80s. Most books sometimes shake me out of the fiction with a string of bad sentences or incorrect details, but not this one. I really loved the reading experience and await Åhman Teigs next book with anticipation.

[Kearstin Ellis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow
Going into this I had no clue what to expect.

This is dark, twisted, but so well written. It is truly hard to put down once you pick it up.

You feel connected to each character and honestly felt the turmoil.

This is true horror in book form.

Each chapter will answer questions to previous chapters and take you in a new direction.

My goodness this was AMAZING

[Natalie Simmons · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so much more than I expected. Yes, it’s creepy and suspenseful. I’m still thinking about that circus scene, but what got me was the emotional depth. Robert has crafted a horror novel with real soul. If you’ve ever wrestled with anxiety or grief, this book gets it. One of the most memorable horror reads I’ve had in years.

[Henning Klausen · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book nr 2 from an author that has very much found his language and the stories and emotions he wants to convey.