Shadows of the Short Days

Hrimland Saga #1

by Alexander Dan Vilhjálmsson

A strikingly original Icelandic debut set in a strangely familiar alternate Reykjavik where wild and industrialised magic meet.

Perfect for fans of contemporary fantasy in the style of Lev Grossman's The Magicians or China Mieville's The City & The City

Sæmundur the Mad, addict and sorcerer, has been expelled from the magical university, Svartiskóli, and can no longer study galdur, an esoteric source of magic. Obsessed with proving his peers wrong, he will stop at nothing to gain absolute power and knowledge, especially of that which is long forbidden.

Garún is an outcast: half-human, half-huldufólk, her very existence is a violation of dimensional boundaries, the ultimate taboo. A militant revolutionary and graffiti artist, recklessly dismissive of the status quo, she will do anything to achieve a just society, including spark a revolution. Even if she has to do it alone.

This is a tale of revolution set in a twisted version of Reykjavik fuelled by industrialised magic and populated by humans, interdimensional exiles, otherworldly creatures, psychoactive graffiti and demonic familiars.

Genres: Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Horror, Fiction, Science Fiction, Adult, Dystopia

442 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 25, 2019

Reviews

[James Tivendale · Rating 4 out of 5]

Posted on Grimdark Magazine here - https://www.grimdarkmagazine.com/revi...

I received an uncorrected proof copy of Shadows of the Short Days in exchange for an honest review. I would like to thank Alexander Dan Vilhjálmsson and Gollancz for the opportunity.

Vilhjálmsson's debut is a masterfully crafted dark tale that fuses elements of alternative history, steampunk, science fiction, urban fantasy and grimdark. It is a strikingly original and often complex narrative that mainly follows two well-crafted protagonists. Sæmundur is a sorcerer who has recently been expelled from the magic university of Svartiskóli for being too ambitious, being intrigued by gaining absolute knowledge of the esoteric source of magic galdur which is forbidden and borderline heresy. He has been nicknamed Sæmundur the Mad, is now a drug and alcohol-fuelled reprobate in the eyes of the majority of his peers but he wishes to prove them wrong. The other major player is Garún who is a talented graffiti artist and she wears headphones which contain a noisefiend. She is a half-breed known as a blendingur and she has a political agenda that she magically bleeds into her artwork often brainwashing people to the cause of a potential revolution.

Shadows of the Short Days was a similar reading experience to the one that I enjoyed with The Gutter Prayer by Gareth Hanrahan. It takes certain fantasy tropes and turns them on their heads and breathes fresh air into the genre. This story is brimming with interesting original races, magic and monstrosities including the winged and intimidating Náskárar, the art of seiour and a cloth-golem are examples respectively. The novel - which I believe is the first of a pair that Gollancz have commissioned - features parallel worlds, demons, jellyfish that aid breathing underwater, huge airships, rebellious factions, grotesque torture segments, mind-reading, complex incantations and magical rituals, and a loveable pet cat amongst many other elements.

It is written in the third person following the two aforementioned main characters for the most part; however, there are a couple of chapters that are from a different perspective to add extra depth. Like many debut novels, to add weight and complexity to the characters we are treated to a few flashback scenes. These also aid in the narrative presenting the overall world, the folklore, racist views and undertones held by some, and past character relations. The supporting players were not as fully fleshed but were still interesting with their backstories and their own dilemmas. One minor criticism is that some of the characters names were confusing and I had to write notes to remember who was who. Names such as Styrhildur, Hraki, Hrolfur, Katrin, Kölski - I also occasionally forgot who was male and who was female, and when a character reappeared near the end of the story I had completely forgotten who he was so had to reskim previous chapters to put it all into context. A good amount of the terminology here I believe is crafted specifically for this alternative worldview of Reykjavik. Fortunately, the novel includes a glossary of the more confusing/difficult words. I'm hoping that the final version will include a Dramatis Personae and a map of the city where most of the action takes place.

It was not an 'unputdownable' novel that I raced through in a few days but it was a book that every time I picked up I truly wanted to savour every word, event, development, and chapter. It's superbly well written, thrilling and the pacing is exquisite. The latter is often due to a mid-chapter point of view switch at certain times throughout to accentuate the pacing, emotion, and intensity when it was needed. The finale is complex, slightly confusing and features a major revelation. I did have to re-read it twice and I still didn't fully understand it, especially the epilogue but like Malazan, I think this is a story that will be much better when reading it for a second time, which I definitely will at some point. Shadows of the Short Days is 5-stars for originality, 4-stars overall but I'm sure this could increase when I re-read this before the next book in the Hrímland saga is unleashed. Vilhjálmsson has presented us with one of the most ambitious, intense, original and thrilling debuts that I've read in a long time. If there was a Board of Book Classification I would give this one an 18+, some scenes outdark some of the modern brutal grimdark and it's not always enjoyable to read for that reason. Either way, this is highly recommened and should be a big deal in the fantasy scene. I've also researched that Vilhjálmsson is the vocalist of a black metal band which doesn't surprise me following a few scenes that are featured here and the importance of sound and noise throughout. Now, if you will excuse me I am going to listen to some of his music.

[Rachel (TheShadesofOrange) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars
I absolutely loved this unique urban fantasy standalone. As a Scandinavian translation, this just felt so refreshingly different than the  classic European centric fantasy I normally see. The magic system was brilliant and complex, expressed through various forms of art and music. I loved the themes of prejudice and activism which were seamlessly woven in the narrative. Also, while this was obviously translated to English, I really appreciated the choice to maintain much of the Scandinavian names and dialect. Readers should be aware that this story gets very dark, even leaning into horror. Content warnings for harm to animals.  I would highly recommend this one to any looking for a fantasy story that feels fresh and new.

[K.J. Charles]

Very bleak fantasy rather heavy on the complex worldbuilding, which I found a bit hard to follow. This may be down to the translation, and it would probably have helped if I'd realised there was a glossary (it was at the back of the ebook, what can you do). There's a lot about political control, revolution, bigotry and racism, social collapse, infighting, selfishness. All good stuff but makes for a rather grim sort of read which for me wasn't sufficiently balanced by the emotional engagement. Terrific atmosphere though, and fans of a harder-edged fantasy than me will doubtless love it.

Read for the 12 book challenge.

[Joanne Harris]

A marvellous, quirky, original fantasy novel set in a magical steampunk version of Reykjavik: teeming with magic, dense with detail and with characters that not only leap off the page, but poke you in the eye as they do. Highly recommended.

[Liis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am quite positive that I have never read anything quite like Shadows of the Short Days. The book has a mystical and rustic and oppressive feel to it. Like the tones of doom metal on a dark-dark winter’s eve- slow tempo, despair and darkness, impending doom.

See the closing of the blurb:
This is a tale of revolution set in a twisted version of Reykjavik fuelled by industrialised magic and populated by humans, interdimensional exiles, otherworldly creatures, psychoactive graffiti and demonic familiars.

This is exactly what Shadows of the Short Days is- one of the best summaries of a book that captures all of its themes. It’s a mix of real, contemporary world with blurring lines into magic used mostly to summon demons for selfish agendas, and stepping through to another dimension. A dimension that sounds like the underbelly of reality.

The contemporary, industrial world on this book is truly inspired by the current events of the world: alienation of peoples who do not fit into society according to the government or ‘normal’ people, the iron fisted rule of the government, the anxiety and unrest in society caused by the ones who want to bring about change and the ones who side with the powers that be. Sounds like the daily evening news…

With the addition of the otherworldly aspect, Shadows of the Short Days has a lot going on. The demonic familiars require blood sacrifices and the psychoactive graffiti with the purpose to influence other people also affects the one who carries the ‘tainted’ graffiti paint.

The clash of the these two very different yet interweaved worlds create the aspect of horror and grimness like no other. I felt like it was constantly dark. dark, dark, dark. And the contemporary feel in fantasy, especially a fantasy as dark as this, feels strange… you’d expect swords and sorcery not political rallies, nightclubbing and sorcery?! Nonetheless, it’s a fresh and, dare I say, Icelandic approach to fantasy.

The characters…Sæmundur is probably one of the most selfish characters I’ve ever read about. Talk about walking over everyone and everything to get what he wants. The cruelty he imposes on living beings without a shred of consideration is shocking. When most books try to pin any redeeming qualities to the evil characters, just to make the reader wobble behind their moral compass, Sæmundur is just straight out psycho! We simply can’t explain away his tendencies to madness… his madness is his psycho.

Garún belongs to one of those groups of people who are ‘not accepted’ by the ‘normal’ society. And like any alienated group needs someone to stand up for their rights, Garún is leading the fight against the government policies. It’s interesting to see how the fight for something good eventually starts to blur the line that limits the use of dark forces… anything for the greater good?! Questionable… Garún’s story is interesting and she has a big mission on her shoulder. No leader ever had it easy.

There were a lot of elements that I enjoyed in this book that worked well, but at times I thought things went on for too long. The long, descriptive scenes overtook the plot and focus of the story which ultimately was the last – but also first and only- nail in the coffin that took away from enjoyment for me. Having said that, the writing is solid- you can feel the author moving through the story with a purposeful stride and a clear vision.

Tons and piles and heaps of potential in this book. Will definitely appeal to an audience of readers who enjoy being firmly planted in the moment of a dark Reykjavik, both in this and the other dimension. The premise remains interesting, wrapped in a foggy shroud of pulse-pumping fight against the system. I can respect that! I do respect that!

[Anna Stephens · Rating 4 out of 5]

Strikingly original and vividly drawn, I thoroughly enjoyed this alternate world where Icelandic myth and Norse paganism combine to create a familiar - and yet surreal - other Reykjavik.
I enjoyed the stories of both main protagonists and their various struggles, as well as their mistakes and beliefs - neither was entirely sympathetic or likeable; both were zealous, selfish and arrogant in their own ways - but not enough to make me incurious about what would happen next. Indeed, it became more and more imperative to know what happened next as the plot progressed.
Saemundur was the more unlikeable of the two characters, but I could sort of relate to his passion for knowledge and how easily - because of that type of knowledge he was seeking - it was for him to cross the border from safe to dangerous, from curious to obsessed. I particularly liked the twist at the end of his narrative. His interactions with Kolski and Bektalphur were both truly terrifying.
I really enjoyed Garun's POV - her status as outsider, half-human, half-huldufolk - made her rejected by both races and fired her with anger at society and everyone. Oppressed even within an already-oppressive system, her choices were easy to understand, even when the outcomes went horribly wrong.
The author skilfully wove magic into modern society and brought Icelandic folklore to life in an utterly believable way.
As this is a novel translated into English, there were some descriptive 'tics', let's say, that were a little unfamiliar, but in the end served to further the sense of other that pervades every page.
The book came to a great conclusion, but I think there's the possibility for a sequel as not every loose end was tied up. I don't know if a sequel is planned, but I can see where one might fit in.
If you're looking for weird and wonderful, other and familiar, with themes of oppression, prejudice and the quest for change, this is the book for you.

Thank you to Gollancz for an ARC copy in return for an honest review.

[imyril is not really here any more]

DNF

I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This is a fascinating world, dark and drenched in Icelandic myth. Unfortunately, I found one of the 2 POV characters utterly unbearable. By the time he had murdered two women and killed his cat to satisfy his ego and ambition (He Must Know Things, He Is So Misunderstood AAAAARGH), I couldn’t stick around for more. The narrative isn’t exactly endorsing him - but frankly I can’t stand to spend more time in his company and I’m not enjoying the other narrative enough to put up with him.

I might try again later this year. But only if someone assures me he gets set on fire and stops being a POV.

[Björn Friðgeir · Rating 4 out of 5]

Þrælgóð bók! Gríðarlega vel gerður, úthugsaður og öðruvísi heimur, byggður á Íslandi og Reykjavík, með virkilega skemmtilegum breytingum.
Sagan mjög þétt og spennandi, þó ég hafi aðeins orðið fyrir vonbrigðum með endinn. Ekkert alvarlegt samt.
Þetta er bók yrir öll þau sem vilja prófa að lesa furðusögu á íslensku en halda að það sé of skrýtið. Hún sýnir að það er ekkert mál að lifa sig inn í öðruvísi Ísland.
Mæli með.

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was disappointing to me. I really liked the beginning and was excited that this was going to be a more modern rebellion fantasy set in Iceland. I really loved the aesthetic and how the world was brought to life and I think the reason I didn't love this story could be a reason a lot of readers should pick it up. This is a very grim dark type fantasy that I thought would be more standard epic high fantasy. Both of our main characters were very difficult for me to root for because of how morally grey to black they were. I remember a scene where one of the perspective did something about 25% of the way in and I basically could never get back on board to giving that character any sympathy and the other character just kept going lone wolf and doing things I felt kind of dumb. It was an interesting take on modern day rebellion in a high fantasy world and lots of fascinating elements but I think if I don't care about characters it really hard for me to enjoy a story this long. I also have no idea what happened at the end and I know there is a sequel but have no intention of continuing.

[Claire O-P · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was really, really excited about this book. Back in 2017, while I was interning at Gollancz, I was given a pile of submissions to read through and provide reader reports on. Were there any worth publishing? This book – then titled Hrímland – was already on the radar for Craig, who was at the time an assistant editor at Gollancz and is now smashing it as an editor for Titan Books. It blew me away. I remember the notes I made on my reader report, comparing it to Gaiman with how dark and disorientating it was. I think I probably scribbled “SCANDI-GOTH” in big letters and a bit excitedly, because it held the exact same feeling as the Norse Myths part of the myths and legends book I had as a child. There was always something more organic and earthy about Norse myths that grabbed me as a child, more tangible and body-based than Greek myths. Shadows of the Short Days is Icelandic, but there’s a tone there which it shares with that mythology, and Vilhjálmsson has taken a running leap right into it. I was hooked after the submission, the first 50 pages. I’ve had to wait two years to find out what happened next.

There are so many wonderful threads and layers to this story, but perhaps the most obvious which is portrayed through both Garún and Sæmundur. Garún is a revolutionary, fighting against an oppressive government, fighting to make the world a better place for people like her, and others who are crushed under the weight of an occupying force. Sæmundur is a self-important drug dealer, convinced he knows better than generations of researchers before him as to the best and safest way to research galdur, an ancient and dangerous magic that carries the risk of demonic possession. At the outset, Garún is portrayed as righteous, a freedom fighter, and Sæmundur is an arrogant waster, self-important but ultimately a functionless member of society as he is expelled, dumped, and perceived as a general failure. There’s something slightly black-and-white about their origins, but those lines become delightfully blurred as the story progresses.

Sæmundur’s isolation is shown to amplify his extremist ideals, and you see his radicalisation intimately in his every thought and action. He rationalises things to himself, and as he moves by inches actions which at the start of the novel were written off as unacceptable then become the logical next step. In some ways his journey is the most straightforward, and a perfect example of tragic hubris. The internal narration which follows him is just pitch perfect for showing how he spirals. His thoughts become an echo chamber, reaffirming his beliefs and his resolve even when he wavers. Of the two narratives his is perhaps the bleakest at the outset, as he seems slightly unhinged already from drugs and delusion. The story comes from seeing how far he will go, and how thin his denial can stretch.

For Garún things begin as the story of a rebel, and seem almost hopeful because she is so full of anger and determination. We’re used to reading stories about rebels and freedom fighters, the plucky underdogs who make the world a better place by triumphing over evil. She is battling prejudice, racism, and a controlling State which keeps communities in poverty and controls borders. She’s the hero, in a way. The way she fights against people telling her to accept a little change at a time, or to try the non-violent approach, it’s a rhetoric we hear daily in a lot of politics – in particular when people are told they’re not being polite when they demand respect or fair treatment. So her tale is a creeping one and it’s hard to identify when the shift comes from righteous to too far – if it ever really comes at all. Where Sæmundur is too far right from the start, how much is deemed acceptable for Garún before it becomes too far?

Magic and drugs are treated almost synonymously in this story too, addiction and impact clearly spelled out in the tale. Garún use a magical element called delysið which can be snorted like coke, or mixed into her paints to evoke strong feelings in people around her if used to paint runes and magical symbols – for better or worse results. She becomes addicted to the feelings she evokes in herself, and other people become prey to the runes she paints elsewhere. Sæmundur smokes moss like pot, but also finds it drives him deeper into his galdur, which becomes a more pressing addiction as it infects him. Government-employed magicians are hidden behind masks, but we hear their bodies become burned out by magic use.

This is by turns a political thriller and personal tragedy, this book is dense but precise, full of tragedies big and small (and, as a trigger warning, things don’t go great for the cat). It’s not a quick or easy read, it’s pretty dark and brutal. There’s something very gothic and inevitable about it, and it’s hard to work out what would be a good ending, and as the book wears on it becomes even harder to try and predict. Possibly that’s because I’m something of an optimist, but perhaps it’s because the narrative drives the characters far beyond rational endings and resolutions. It’s such an intense and dark book, but it drags you along and you can’t stop reading.

I feel like my notes on my reader report stood up in light of reading the whole story. It’s a fantastic book, and something very different from other books I’ve read. It does have smacks of Gaiman in how the magic is very bodily, in the same way Rosewater felt like a very physical SF. There’s a style of writing that makes the readers very aware of the physical being of characters, and that can be used so effectively to make you feel involved and uncomfortable at any given moment. Like Rosewater, it’s also a book that is so richly ingrained with a sense of place and culture in its tone, setting, and style. There are plenty of Icelandic words spread throughout the book, but it’s more than that. This is an Icelandic book, in the same way Rosewater is emphatically a Nigerian book. I love how you can really feel the national identities shining through so intensely.

I don’t know if there are going to be more in the series, following other characters or showing the aftermath, but it almost doesn’t matter if there are. It’s a fantastic ending where it is.

Briefly:

- A dark, rich story, with a very Icelandic flavour. It’s both political and personal, dealing with the macro and the micro at the same time, and it’s riveting and tragic and fantastic.

- I enjoyed the different types of magic, although I wish there had been slightly more description of the different races, specifically the Huldufólk. Whilst we had a lot of description of the raven-like Náskárar and some of the aquatic Marbendill, the only description we really got of Huldufólk was in the features that Garún shared with them.

- It’s a complex book, with a lot of characters and unfamiliar words and even letters. You’ll work hard to get to the ending but I think it’s worth it.

- There are some genuinely bone-chilling moments in this and it’s wonderful. In particular the horrible mushroom which Sæmundur uses will stick in my memory for a while, and it was one thing I retained over two years from reading the submission.

Rating: 5/5 – this is a complex, brutal, and very gothic story which bears the hallmarks of perhaps Lovecraft’s eldritch horrors and descent into madness, but with a clear Icelandic identity.

[Sarah B · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's been awhile since I had struggled through a book like this one. It had started out really interesting all right and I recall I had read the first 75 pages in like an hour - but as I had read more - somewhere towards the middle - the book had started to drag for me. I didn't want to believe that, that this story with such unique ideas about magic, was getting boring but it was! I would be reading and the sleepiness would come along! But if I switched to a different book then suddenly I was awake! So it was the plot in here..

Now I am a person who doesn't like politics. I find it very boring! Just can't stand it. Or anything similar. And there was some of that in here all right. One of the main characters is a freedom fighter. And that may be very noble and all but that part of it just bored me to death. And the book seems to describe every little thing she does too. Every little drink in a bar, etc. A person does a lot of little things throughout a day but if you write that in a book well it just bogs it down. So it's no wonder I was falling asleep! Now all sorts of stuff does happen in here. In fact a lot happens. But maybe it was just too much?

The magic system in here was very fascinating and original. Garun was doing magic through special paints and by making graffiti. Who would have thought?? But it was also her bit of the story and her desire to cause a revolution that slowed the story. By the way she is only half human.

The other main character, Saemundur, I had found much more interesting even if his magic goals were only focused on making himself great and powerful. He really goes through a huge character arc. And he does some great but truly awful (and dangerous) things! Plus by his magic experiment we learn more about the nature of magic in this world.

This is definitely a creature story. Very unique creatures in here. And the book contains many a strange words as well. Luckily the author has included a list of definitions at the beginning so you can look up these terms as you read. It was very easy to use. Think demons, weird magic from the lava fields outside the city, magic portals, half human creatures and giant birds with three legs. There is also a magic academy too.

But the closer I got to the end the more I lost interest. I no longer cared what happens to Garun or the others with her or her revolution. I was half curious about Saemundur...but it was just curiosity.

So at the end of the book, after reading the last paragraph, I just feel flat. Glad I am done with it. Which I guess is very odd for a 576 page book! But that is where I find myself.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shadows of the Short Days, by Alexander Dan Vilhjálmsson, is an urban fantasy novel with a distinctly political air. The huldufólk (hidden people) of Icelandic folklore walk among us. These magical beings that live in and around Reykjavik are subjugated for being different and otherworldly. Decades of near slavery has pushed the huldufólk to their limit. Change is in the air, but at what cost?

When we first meet Garún she spends her nights tagging buildings with magical graffiti. Her tags are designed to cause dissent against the occupying forces of the Kalmar Commonwealth. Reykjavik has become a city split down the middle. A powerful minority control everything with an iron fist. Unregulated magic is a crime and is not to be tolerated. Driven by her anger at the establishment, we follow Garún from dissident to revolutionary. She tries to work within the confines of the system but is ignored repeatedly. The Commonwealth are all powerful, keeping the huldufólk brow beaten and down-trodden is in their benefit. Garún and her friends have no choice but to employ direct action. As tension continues to escalate, it is only a matter of time before blood begins to flow.

Elsewhere a disgraced student, Sæmundur, decides the rules regulating the use of magic need to be broken. He sets out to prove that the sorcery employed by humanity is just the tip of the magical iceberg. Ultimate power is available to those who are brave enough to explore it. There are some truly surreal moments as Sæmundur attempts to understand the seemingly inexplicable nature of magic. He regularly smokes a special moss that increases perception and offers invaluable insight into his quest. There is almost a shamanistic quality to how Sæmundur works, he draws on powers from the light and dark sides of nature. The further he progresses in his studies, the more obsessive he becomes. Knowledge is the only goal, any fallout or unforeseen consequence becomes an irrelevance. The failures that Sæmundur experiences drive him forward to the point where he begins to lose all sense of self. Consorting with demonic forces, researching forbidden texts and copious amount hallucinogenic drugs all take their toll. Sæmundur is changed at a fundamental level, he becomes something unrecognisable to others.

All this magical experimentation leads to some moments of suitably gross body horror. The book’s final chapters are a wildly chaotic hybrid of industrialised magic, Akira-esque evolution* and the Cthulhu mythos. Put it this way, there are a plethora of tentacles and demons.

One word of warning, there is a moment of animal cruelty that is pretty horrific. I saw it coming, and can even appreciate it within the context of the story, but it upset me nonetheless. It did make me want to give the character responsible a serious beating. Thinking about it that, may have been the point.

That single nasty moment aside, I really enjoyed this novel. Ultimately, Shadows of the Short Days is a novel about change and the lengths people will go to achieve it. Garún wants to change the system, break it all down and create something new where everyone is equal. Sæmundur wants to push the limits of magic, to change the very fabric of existence. Both characters exhibit a grim determination that felt palpable. I got caught up in the tension of it all, that sense that these were people fighting for the right to live the way they wanted to live. The blending together of revolutionary politics and magical fantasy creates a gripping narrative with a surreal air that I found hugely entertaining. If you are looking for thought provoking genre fiction then this could well be the book for you.

*Tetsuo’s final transformation remains a thing of nightmares as far as I am concerned.

[Einar Nielsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hrímaland er alveg einstaklega frumleg og skemmtilega bók. Þessi hliðstæði heimur sem höfundur býr er ótrúlega ríkur og verður enn áþreifanlegri þar sem í honum eru mjög kunnuglegir staðir. Maður sá stundum alveg fyrir sér þegar sögupersónurnar voru að hlaupa um götur Reykjavíkur ásamt ýmsum furðuverum. Það er greinilega mikill undirbúningur að baki þessarar bókar og algerlega búið að smíða heim sögunnar.

Sagan sjálf sem virtist í fyrstu vera afskaplega hefðbundin en kom mér nokkrum sinnum á óvart og jafnvel alveg fram á lokasíðu. Ég átti þó ekki von á að framhald yrði en mun algjörlega grípa eintak þegar það kemur út. Aðalpersónurnar tvær voru vel gerðar, höfðu áþreifanlega sögu og sína eigin rödd. Eina sem ég get sett út eru nokkrar draumkenndar senur í lokin sem rugluðu mig, en þess ber að geta að ég var orðinn nokkuð spenntur og las hratt :)

Bókin á lík hrós skilið fyrir að vera vel upp sett og vel prófarkalesin, sem er ekki alltaf tilvikið í sjálfsútgáfu. Þannig að endilega ef þið eruð hrifin af íslensku furðubókmenntum þá er þetta bók sem þið megið ekki missa af.

[RG · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wanted a more challenging book as I had decided to stay in. Bookstore reccomended this due to my fondness of Mievelles novels.

It had the same politcal and urban fantasy feel to the story. The characters were much darker. However i felt the plot was pretty standard. The world building was amazing. Theres so much detail and history woven into this story but at times I felt that it became a little distracting to the overall plot.

Some scenes were a bit too dark at times especially involving one of the main protagonists.

If youre going into this because of the tagline or blurb Id prewarn you. Maybe give this a sample read becauses its much more a politcal drama filled with intrigue than your magical battles and adventure style fantasy.

[Charoi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very unique, very grim, and kept me hooked until the last page.

[Halla Kolbeinsdottir · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elskaði þessa bók. Mér finnst mjög skemmtilegt hvernig höfundurinn tekur element úr íslenskum þjóðsögum og býr til drungalegan heim þar sem huldufólk og seiðskrattar lifa við hlið mannfólksins.
Sagan er marglaga og áhugaverð og mig langar alveg rosalega til að sjá hana gerða að þáttaröð.
Ég gæfi 5 stjörnur, en finnst vanta aðeins upp á edit vinnuna. Annars algjört æði. 4 1/2 stjarna frá mér ❤️

[A.M.]

Made it 30 pages in. World is interesting, premise had caught my interest, but characters are this far unlikeable and I've been wading through pages of infodump set up. DNF.

[Mike Dean · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

[Katja · Rating 2 out of 5]

Saying I read it is an exaggeration - I quit about half way through. It just wasn't for me. Some interesting ideas, but (I felt) it didn't quite come together.

[Ranger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Boy, this has to be someone's cup of tea, but it certainly was not mine.

[Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yeah, that was Not For Me. Grim, bleak fantasy horror with very dense and confusing worldbuilding... perhaps due to the translation? Hard to track, especially the politics.

It didn't feel clunkily translated as a lot of world lit does, however, so kudos to the translator on that front.

[David Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm grateful to the publisher for a free advance e-copy of this book via NetGalley.

Shadows of the Short Days is set in an alternate Iceland where instead of geothermal power, magic - seiðmagn - wells up from the ground and is harnessed to industrial and military use. While details are kept vague - everyone knows this stuff, right? - it's clear that the seiðmagn is toxic, mutating wildlife and poisoning the ground. Whether this has always been the case or there has been some recent cataclysm is not stated. The island is occupied, forcibly incorporated into the Kolkar "commonwealth" and one suspects it is that magical energy that they really want - possibly it is a rare commodity? Much of the motivation for the story is struggle against that foreign occupation and the oppression it brings.

This political setup of course reflects, to a degree, Icelandic history and the movement for independence in the 19th and 20th centuries. Fittingly then, the two central characters are both, in their different ways, rebels.

Garún is a "blendigar" - half-human, half-huldufólk, and subject to prejudice and discrimination on that ground. Huldufólk are something like are elves (one feature of this book is that the mythological creatures and things tend to be labelled in un-translated Icelandic - for example we also meet "Marbendill", which are mermen/ maids. While there is a glossary at the end, it was fun to encounter these creatures and concepts, which are very stark and strange, in a foreign language). There is a whole backstory to the huldufólk explaining why they're so reviled, hooking into a wider history of this alternate world. Garún is firmly part of the revolutionary movement, spending her nights grafitti-ing magical sigils across Reykjavík to provoke dissent and unrest. By day she's a struggling artist and a member of a Bohemian underground fuelled by the consumption of magic-infused drugs. (Vilhjálmsson has some powerful scenes documenting this). She also has a rather sad backstory - Garún is overall a very well rounded character with whom I strongly sympathised, her sense of rejection as a blendigar and the prejudice she meets coming through strongly.

Sæmundur, the other main protagonist, is equally well drawn although he's difficult to actually like. Sæmundur - obsessed, driven - is a student and part of the same set as Garún (they were together but split up several months before). He's more focussed - even fixated - on developing his magical abilities and studies at Svartiskóli, effectively a university devoted to "Galdur", a branch of magic concerned with the invocation and manipulation of demons. Sæmundur is at loggerheads with his teachers who regard him as a loose cannon, likely to go his own way and meddle with Things Better Left Unknown (they're basically right about this).

This world that Vilhjálmsson draws is, then, intricate, well thought out, and immersive. We can feel the wrongs being done to the people of Reykjavík (the city is surrounded by a wall, the better to maintain control). We can hear the beat and smell the drug-laden air of the parties Garún attends, taste Sæmundur's rage at being judged by his teachers, see the prejudice directed at the blendigar, huldufólk, Marbendill and other non-humans. It's a very strong background, and makes the story thoroughly credible and absorbing. That said, I did regret that there is almost no material from the viewpoint of the occupiers - a couple of scenes at most - which means their movements, motivations, reactions and plans are almost completely missing. The effect is that the resistance movement of which Garún is part seems simply to be kicking at a monolith. That doesn't make for any lack of drama, though: the scenes that describe the eventual conflict are excitingly written and pacy with real tension and terror for our group of rebels.

And I think terror is the right word - this book is very dark indeed. The opening section, showing Garún and Sæmundur going about their lives, gives a rather deceptive impression, suggesting that the darkness is only an incidental theme while it is, I think, actually rather the central feature in this book. Set around Icelandic Midwinter that's also rather fitting. But in the end this is I think a very bleak book even if it is a magnificently bleak book. It is certainly an enthralling and tasty read, genuinely different from the run of fantasy. You could, perhaps, fit it into the Lovecraftian things-from-beyond-time template, or the dystopian pattern of an oppressive state but that doesn't really work, this is a book that speaks for itself and - especially once that introductory third is past - both excites and appals with its weird, weird appeal.

A definite recommendation, you need to read this.

[Jessie (Zombie_likes_cake) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grim, gnarly, grey. I could use so many adjectives to describe this breathtaking book but why break this wonderful alliteration? It's also a fairly fitting description but there is more, so much more. It's also the kind of book I want so many people to read, yet it needs to be the right kind of reader. If you regularly find yourself complaining about not likeable characters, need your protagonist to have a strong moral compass and an arc that brings out the hero in them (or have uttered the phrase that you need at least someone to root for), I would advice you to run far and wide. The rest of you: gather around, I have a book for you. I hope I can sell it because it deserves a much bigger audience than it has at the moment.

It's a Fantasy novel, and I rarely do Fantasy. I like Magical Realism and Fairy Tales but I hardly ever venture into more traditional Fantasy realms. Yet I am so incredibly happy I walked into this world and honestly it is not that traditional after all just more within the genre bounds than my usual fare. It is dark and compelling, it has clear Horror reader appeal, it is bleak and best of all set in Iceland. Seriously, a huge point is the setting: Iceland or Hrímland as it is called here in a sort of steampunk but not really steampunk/ maybe Urban Fantasy/ Alternative Reality where Icelandic mythology and also magic is real. The magic is complicated though, as it should be: summoning a demon should be as hard as it is in here. But you can also infuse your messages and graffiti with magic before you go to a protest! Oppression, racism, an evil governments, a rebellion. But also night clubs, a magically infused rock concert & Ravenfolk. The plot is less political than it sounds though and you will see only little of the magical school (I mean, the character who attends gets expelled...). It has its focus on the characters and their down spiral while they try to spark a revolution. And downward the spiral is, seriously, this book can be scary and brutal though more so on an emotional level. Or if you are the main character's cat, then it's a very physical level of fear.

Something that was most intriguing for me was the use of language, Icelandic language to be precise. Vilhjálmsson did a hell of a job translating this beast by himself into English while preserving a lot of the original language and with that a lot of original flavor. Many magic and world building terms are in some form of Icelandic (don't you worry, there is a glossary and similar to something like Potter Harry you will get used to the terms). I absolutely loved that, having just been to Iceland a few months ago and having familiarized myself a teeny weeny bit with language and pronunciation (meaning mostly pronunciation) this was huge bonus for me personally and yes, it made the book even more fascinating. However, this world speaks for itself. Again, it helps to have an interest in Icelandic culture but I would say anybody who wants to see Fantasy done a little bit differently will get something out of this. The magic system is truly interesting but more importantly the pacing and presentation of this world is just done so well, there are some phenomenal visuals to this. It helped to suck me along with these characters on their road to hell paved with (occasionally) good intentions.

I feel like I am not doing this book justice, I just read over what I have written so far. I somehow need to make it clear how much this book surprised, consumed and destroyed me. My husband read it during our Iceland trip, he liked it quite a bit. And because I am still obsessed with Iceland I wanted to read it too, but pretty much expected it would not be for me. Instead I am looking at my first 5* of the year, I could not put this book down and now my inability to put into perfect words how absolutely world shaking good this book is destroys me further. But isn't this inability the final proof because when do we book reviewers fail to find the right words? When we are blown away by a book and think it would be better for others to simply read it instead of blabbing on about it. With that I rest my case. Please consider reading it.

[Chris Aylott · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, that was grim. The language is interesting and I enjoyed the Icelandic geography and culture. But the story is mostly about horrible things happening to horrible people (and various innocent bystanders, and animals), which was not really what I wanted right now.

[aaa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hugmyndarík og firna sterk bók. Atburðarásin er hröð og einbeitt og persónur áhugaverðar, eins og heimurinn allur sem höfundi tekst að draga upp mynd af í fáeinum vel staðsettum línum. Reykjavík er skemmtilegri, viðbjóðslegri og margbrotnari staður til að lifa í eftir lestur þessarar bókar. Vel gert!

[Elís · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stjörnur. Hún var fín en hefði mátt vera mun styttri.

[Doreen · Rating 4 out of 5]

First published at TheFrumiousConsortium.net.

Imagine Christopher Marlowe's Doctor Faustus crossed with Doris Lessing's The Good Terrorist, filtered through a China Mieville sensibility of industrial magic set firmly in the history and myths of Iceland. That's what you're getting in Shadows Of The Short Days, Alexander Dan Vilhjálmsson's wildly inventive, deeply thoughtful debut novel, which he translated himself from its original Icelandic. Set in an alternate universe Reykjavik rife with sorcery, the country of Hrimland is still under the control of the Kalmar crown, who use the natural, mostly magical resources of the area to enrich themselves, their chosen representatives and favored human Hrimlanders, while oppressing other races and disappearing dissidents into a prison known colloquially as the Nine.

Half-human, half huldufolk Garun has always felt like an outsider. Whether growing up in her small huldufolk town or struggling to survive as an adult in Reykjavik, she's always been treated as an outcast for not being fully one race or another. It's no surprise then that she gravitates towards a political movement that fights for civil liberties and justice for all, even if she finds her radical viewpoints increasingly at odds with the rest of her fellow protestors'.

Her ex-boyfriend Saemundur has his own set of problems. A gifted magician, he's grown increasingly frustrated by what he views as the suffocatingly conservative doctrine of the local college of magic. After his professors finally kick him out, his burning desire to prove his former teachers wrong sets in motion a deadly chain of magical events. When Garun comes looking for his help in fomenting revolution, their blind desires to achieve their goals, no matter the cost, could have unthinkable consequences, not only for them but for Hrimland itself.

This is not a book for the faint of heart. The magic can be bloody and grotesque, and is all the more realistic for it. The author is definitely writing a fantasy novel for adults here: the trappings might be out of fairy tales but the details are all too everyday, and nowhere more so than in the incredibly timely depiction of mass protests and government oppression, of young people using drugs to fuel their passions or numb their pains, and of people of all ages slipping through the cracks of an unjust society. Tackling the real costs and struggles of revolution, SotSD accurately describes the pain and division inflicted on and within protest movements, both by bad actors and by the hopelessly naive. Garun is a fascinating protagonist, an increasingly paranoid dissident who loses herself to the struggle, while Saemundur gives up more and more of himself in search of his personal enlightenment. Their parallel tales are impossible to look away from, even as the incredibly rich world-building tempts the reader to imagine all the wondrous things happening off-stage, especially with the magical races who serve as a compelling stand-in for diversity given Iceland's historically homogenous ethnicity. It's always heartening to see authors make a deliberate choice to represent more than the default white European in their writings, and especially in an area where one could easily take a pass on discussing racism at all. Inclusion and an unwillingness to sugarcoat human failings, while still extending the grace of empathy to our flawed characters, make this one of the more compelling urban fantasies I've ever read.

SotSD is a wonderfully written parable for our times, and while I was a little confused by the ending -- but ready to write off my lack of understanding due to not being culturally Icelandic enough to immediately get the references -- I was pleased to discover that this is meant to be the first in a series where more will likely be explained. On its own tho, this is still one of those books destined to become a classic, cult or otherwise.

Shadows Of The Short Days by Alexander Dan Vilhjalmsson was published in the US today November 20th, 2020 and is available from all good booksellers, including Bookshop! Want it now? For the Kindle version, click here.

[Khimaera · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hrímland was first written back in 2014 in Icelandic, translated and then published by Gollancz in the U.K. in 2019, then reached U.S. shores through Titan Books in paperback in October 2020. There is a brilliant piece on John Scalzi's The Big Idea blog about Alexander Dan Vilhjálmsson’s process of translating his own work, exploring the use of language, and deciding what to keep or not along the way. I was delighted at the introduction and glossary that presented me with the proper pronunciations and definitions I would need for some words that were not familiar to me as a U.S. reader. By the second chapter, I was barely having to glance back to make sure I was getting something reasonably right. The word choices helped draw me into the fantastical world of Hrímland. The back of the book mentions Shadows of the Short Days is for fans of China Miéville and Neil Gaiman. I would add to that alchemical blend a touch of Elizabeth Hand and dash of Charles DeLint.

Hrímland is an introduction to an Iceland inhabited by pure humans, huldufólk (extradimensional exiles), huldumanneskja (those born of human and huldufólk parents), náskári (the ravenfolk), marbendill (aquatic folk), and the four landvættir (the spirits of the land). We are introduced to Sæmundur who has been expelled from the Svartiskóli, the School of Supernatural Sciences and driven by an obsessive need for knowledge and understanding of terrifying, undefinable, spoken magic called galdur. Its companion is seiður, a more orderly, land-based, sorcerous energy (seiðmagn) that can be harnessed by industrial means. We also meet Garún, a mixed-breed artist of huldufólk and human parents with a foot in both worlds and part of neither. She is on a singular quest for belonging by destroying the Kalmar Commonwealth’s hold over her homeland and guided at times by her demon-powered audioskull that plays changeable music through her headphones to alert her of danger.

As our two obsessed protagonists continue on their separate journeys, we are introduced to a Reykjavík where everything is a potential threat under an authoritarian regime that is deeply intelligent, crafty, spies on its own citizens, and has no qualms about using violence to put down protests. At their disposal is not only a looming airship and a prison from which none escape, but also disturbing seiðskratti (wielders of seiðmagn) in red robes and plague doctor masks who call to mind the worst imaginings of inquisitional torturers. Sæmundur and Garún continue to spiral into ever deeper shadows and riskier situations in their personal quests from venturing into the Forgotten Downtown to the depths of Svartiskóli’s forbidden magical library. The protest scenes and dystopian atmosphere are very timely as our world sees a rise in authoritarianism and as one character points out, “They will kill us for demanding civil rights and rewrite history to make us sound like hooligans.”

At turns deeply satisfying, rebellious, and disturbing. Vilhjálmsson plays with music, sound, and silence as a part of his rich worldbuilding. At one point he calls this out directly: “As a composer [Sæmundur and Vilhjálmsson both] break up his work with the absence of sound, he used the silences as well to draw in the power from beyond, lying behind the entirety of creation.” If as Vilhjálmsson writes, “No space is as infinite as the gulf between the mind of a living being and the reality outside it,” he has done an excellent job at creating a bridge between one mind and another to draw the reader into his astonishing first novel.

As we get toward the end of this Icelandic opera, we are treated to a carefully orchestrated discordant tone. Where other authors might linger over action in Reykjavík at a particularly dramatic moment, Vilhjálmsson instead pulls us headlong into the obsessive nature of the protagonists with shorter passages switching between the two that rushes the reader into the explosive crescendo of a conclusion that should not be told here, only experienced.

[M. K. French · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reykjavik has industrialized magic, different kinds of creatures living alongside humans, psychoactive graffiti, and demonic familiars. There is also a rebellion, masked police, and dark magic within the city. Sæmundur is forbidden to study magic after getting thrown out of university. Garún is an artist desperate for justice and willing to do anything to achieve it. Together, they will change Reykjavik forever.

We begin with an extensive pronunciation guide for the vowel sounds and letters present in the language that would be difficult for an English reader. There is also a glossary to help with some terms. After that, the story begins in force, following Garún around the city as she places magical graffiti around and longingly thinks of protests like any other social justice warrior would. She is blendingar: half human, half huldufólk, and neither side really trusts her with anything. Like many people who are biracial, there are microaggressions everywhere, and often she can only trust herself. Sæmundur is gifted and creative with magic, particularly galdr, which involves singing and particularly sound tones. (This likely will sound somewhat familiar if you read Norse mythology.) It’s partly because of this creativity that he gets expelled from the university. Failing classes, disorderly conduct, thaumaturgical narcotic use, and failing to rework his thesis rounds out his charges and tells us a lot about his character before he even gets a chance to defend himself to the university staff.

The beginning is slow and a little ponderous, really laying out the magic and the world these characters all live in. There are also lengthy asides delving into the backstories of the characters, which can sidestep some of the tension and slow down the momentum of the plot in later sections of the book. It’s still important to know, giving more insight into characters and the world they live in. The magic had invaded when an alternate dimension shattered, leaving remnants behind. Of course, survivors would try to create a home and a foothold, and of course, there would be crossbreeding with humans. Dangers abound in magic, not just in the casting, but in the rituals and components that could be used. This isn’t just rhymes and a magic wand kind of magic. This is blood, bone, memories, and highly contagious components that have the potential to be lethal. Some of the graffiti laid around the city can act as portals, and the search for knowledge leaves bodies in Sæmundur’s wake.

Garún is looking for equality for the huldufólk and blendingar, but those in power aren’t willing to give it up. Protests and interactions with police are dangerous, and those exposing the corruption are at risk of being blackballed from multiple areas of life. Thaumaturgic bullets and truncheons do considerable damage, and her graffiti kept protestors in place long after they normally would’ve left. At other points, the graffiti keeps people away from portals and locations she wants to keep secret. Magic threading through the city is twisted and used by any person that is capable of using it, and as the novel progresses there are more examples of the spirits and magic uses that are intense and bloody. The conflict between the Crown and the protesters intensifies as well, upping the stakes for Garún, Sæmundur and their friends..

Shadows of the Short Days didn’t go where I thought it would, and I was very surprised by the ending. The magic is deadly and dangerous, and using it doesn’t solve all of their problems. If anything, new ones are opened up. I almost feel bad for the characters, because there are so many forces manipulating them, and they aren’t aware of it. I feel incredibly sad for the future that will come after the close of this book, leaving me with a melancholy kind of book hangover.

[Benny Hinrichs · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was a lot of good to this book, but it was rough. Just line editing alone needed like 3 more passes. I assume this had something to do with bringing it over from a British to American version, but there were hundreds to thousands of punctuation errors on speech quotations. Once on one of the last chapters, it switches viewpoints in the middle of a paragraph. Like just drops the action in the middle of a scene and jumps all the way across the continent into a different scene and continues like nothing happened. Or like where Sæmundur takes off his scarf, then a few paragraphs later takes it off again. Or it would randomly shift from limited to omniscient perspective for a couple sentences. It just needed a lot more editorial attention.

Okay, let's talk about what I think is ADV's most solid strength: scenes. Good gravity, the man can craft a scene. All of the high points for me were strictly scene based. The magic is going crazy, and he draws the warp and weft of galdur and so forth around you so convincingly. He forces you to feel the intensity of what's happening. Very incredible work there.

However, I didn't like the characters and sometimes didn't understand their motivations. Lots of things didn't have enough detail to make me understand what had actually happened. Like when he first manifests the Stone Giant through song. I still am not sure what exactly happened there. I thought he had connected to the Giant somehow, but he didn't. Then when he summoned Bektelpher, it was talking about the Stone Giant, and I thought he had bound the Giant there. But he didn't.

I couldn't connect with Gary (that's what I call Garún because I have an American keyboard). She's just pissed off the whole time with practically no redeeming qualities. And she wraps herself in an infected tartan to piss herself off more, further promoting her stupid decisions. Sæmundur was weird to identify with too, but a little easier. He's set up as this angry, butthead villain at the start. Then he kills some people and seems like his personality changes. Then there's giant stretches of the book where we just don't hear from him, and I guess he's just chilling being possessed or whatev.

Haha, Gary goes and finds her dead cat and it says, "she felt that if she hadn’t given herself that moment to say goodbye to Mæja she would have lost something integral to herself." But she literally beat a dude's brains out the chapter before. Like, what even is this character?

This was a vocab heavy book, even for me who has studied Icelandic in the past. It would sometimes mention a race or type of magic and either never mention it again or do so infrequently enough that you had no clue what it was. Makes the reading experience just a bit rocky (though not a huge complaint for me).

Even more than 50% through the book we were still getting infodumps. That's understandable, though undesirable, in the first 25% or so. But when I'm at like 55% and hit yet another infodump about Count Trampe (President Trump?), what a drag. Takes a crap on the pacing. A lot of the flashback scenes only served to mire the pacing as well.