The Book of Orm

by A.J. Dalton, Nadine West, Matt White

This exciting new collection brings together the writing talents of international fantasy author A J Dalton, Nadine West (Bridport Anthology) and Matt White (prize-winning scriptwriter). Magic, myth and heroic mayhem combine in a world that is eerily familiar yet beautifully liberating.

244 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2015

About the author

Hello there! I'm mainly preoccupied with the question 'If Darth Vader and Dracula were fighting each other, who would win?' When not pondering said question, I bend my mind to writing gothic fantasy. It keeps me off the streets, but often gets me into trouble.

Praise for A J Dalton's writing:
SFX - ‘Empire Of The Saviours gives you an interesting setting and a devilishly good villain’
SciFi Now magazine - ‘Engaging, filled with sacrifice, adventure and some very bloody battles!’
Waterstones central buyer - ‘The best young British fantasy author on the circuit at the moment’
Sfbook.com - ‘Different, fresh and unique’

Best-selling author with Gollancz - Empire of the Saviours, Gateway of the Saviours, Tithe of the Saviours.
Titles published with Kristell Ink - The Book of Angels, The Book of Orm.
Other titles - I Am a Small God, Necromancer's Gambit, Necromancer's Betrayal, Necromancer's Fall.

Hey, I did my best. Oh shut up. It's big in Germany.

Reviews

[Joanne Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

There’s a distinctly Scandinavian flavour to this short story collection from celebrated Gollancz author A J Dalton (Tithe of the Saviours), along with a couple of other contributors. Dalton is an exponent of what he likes to call “metaphysical fantasy” – smart, with overtones of the gothic about it, often exploring the dark side of the self. And there’s plenty of exploration of the dark side in “The Book of Orm”.

Opener, and the story from which the collection takes it’s title, Orm is the story of an exiled troll-child, the runt of his litter, who ventures out into the world to find out who he is, only to discover he has an ability no other troll possesses.

Warrior of Ages and its companion story Knight of Ages are both Gemmell-esqe tales of legendary, almost immortal heroes who are battling with the violence of their own inner demons as well as the real-life enemies that besiege them as they are pulled about by the whims of the gods. The collection as a whole is dedicated to David Gemmell, and neither story would have been out of place in Newcon’s Legends tribute anthology.

The Non-Dragon is the story of a dragon who insists she isn’t a dragon, who forms a friendship with an orphan and learns to accept who she is, while The Dark Arts is the sinister tale of a sculptor who takes things too far and becomes trapped in one of his own creations.

There are two other contributors to this collection (I don’t think that makes it an anthology, just a short story collection with bonus tracks ), Nadine West and Matthew White. White contributes a story about clever Hailey Skjervold and her dog Neville, who have to take on a bullying house-sprite called a Nisse when it moves into their house. West’s story, Rusalka, is one of the highlights of the book, a lyrical, timeless legend of a girl confined to an asylum, who loves, and is loved, by the water.

Well worth seeking out, this collection would appeal to anyone who likes their heroic fantasy smart, with a shot of bleakness and the chill of a Northern winter night.

[C.N. · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is a pleasure to read legends from Scandinavia in this collection of skillfully woven short stories. Each one has its own delicious flavor; something to be savored carefully and then revisited, for this is one of those books that can be read time and again without it growing jaded.. I think my favorite has to be Orm, the troll, who should not be a hero of anything by nature of what he is, but despite this, he has such good characteristics that the reader can't help rooting for him in his struggles against adversity and for acceptance. His transformation into greatness is a wonderful journey and there are many such joys in the other tales in this anthology.

[Steven Poore · Rating 4 out of 5]

AJ Dalton's first collection of short stories features a line-up of epic, imperfect yet steadfast heroes - yes, even the troll Orm of the title counts as a proper hero, since he has a quest of his own to endure. Orm and his fellow inhuman, the (reluctant) dragon, are written in lighter tones and have a lighter touch in general when compared to the weightier quests of the very Gemmellesque heroes of the two tales that are the backbone of this collection. And "Gemmellesque" is no disservice either - Warrior of Ages is a thunderous romp against the minions of a manipulative god, pitting faith and self against "progress", while Knight of Ages draws deep into realms of legend and fable to achieve the same effect. The fact that these two stories share several themes and tropes (for example the gathering of a band of heroes to save the day) is really the only thing I can find to count against them, as otherwise Dalton's prose powers the reader through both stories like Dros Delnoch never fell.

Oddly for a single-author collection, this isn't a single-author collection. Two other stories - Rusalka, by Nadine West, and The Nine Rules of the Nisse, by Matthew White, are included too, and though each is markedly different they do fit in with the North-European tone of Dalton's stories. Matthew White evokes Scandinavian childrens' stories of my childhood with his chapter headings, as his heroine does battle with a house-invading, rule-spouting imp. Nadine West goes into deeper waters with a tale of love and loss that also manages to make clear just how little human life means to the water spirits. Neither story is here just to make up the numbers, and I recommend reading through to the end.

Excellent fun for any fan of straight-out heroic fantasy, but also for anyone who wants some fresh talent in the mix too.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't expect this to be an anthology (ok, I don't read the blurbs very well, so bite me) and that took me a moment to register when I finished the first story. However, once I'd twigged that the stories weren't connected, I enjoyed this. My personal favourite was the title story, The Book of Orm. The Nine Rules of the Nisse is uncomfortable, and the other stories in the book are interesting although no one particularly stood out to me. A good set, with powerful characters and interesting plots, and a good anthology if you like short fantasy stories or Dalton's other work.