The Firehandler

by Jason Lee Willis

According to legend, the Horned Serpent, a primordial symbol for evil, dwells in the watery abyss of Lake Manitou. To fifteen-year-old Lily Weber, who lives along the shores of Lake Manitou, the Horned Serpent is just another symbol for Satan, which the nuns at Sacred Heart Mission explained as Leviathan in the Old Testament and the Red Dragon in the New Testament. To Halvar Dobie, rumors of a Horned Serpent connect to his Norse heritage with Jormungandr, the creature destined to destroy the world with fire. If his forefathers are correct, an ancient quest is nearing the end. To Winnie Weber, Lily's mother, the evil Unktehi is a malicious monster from Lakota legend that brought the great flood and, even in death, is a force to be feared. To Lily's estranged grandfather Nanakonan, the Horned Serpent is mishi-ginebig, a dreaded creature from Anishinaabe lore that sleeps below the waters of his home, Lake Manitou. His hereditary role is to prepare a warrior to defeat this monster, but when his grandson is forcibly taken away to a boarding school, he is forced to teach Lily the secrets of their family. Caught between cultures, Lily confronts not only this sleeping evil but also her own faith and family as she learns what it means to be a FIREHANDLER.
THE DREAMCATCHER CHRONICLES is a generational battle between good and evil, where the dark deeds of the past shape the present-and the prophecies of the future reach back to influence the past.

477 pages, Paperback

Published June 2, 2017

Reviews

[Allison Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes slow going, but interesting. Really picked up about 3/4 through.