Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

This story was super unique and perfectly blended the magic with the mundane. It certainly wasn't fast paced, but the authors writing style, and overall story made me want to savour each word. I will certainly be checking out the sequel!

I gave this book a quick try, and ultimately decided to DNF -- my tastes have changed since I requested this. Many thanks to the publisher for sending me a copy of this book!

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.

Something a bit different this week, some Icelandic fiction. 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.

Everything was wrong. Himself most of all. He had been assimilated into the grotesque nightmare world of the mushroom.

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.

Shadows of the Short Days is published by Gollancz and is available from 25th July.

My musical recommendation to accompany this book is the soundtrack to Jordskott II by Erik Lewander and Olle Ljugman. It has an atmospheric, slightly eerie tone that suggest a mood that fits the book perfectly.

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

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!

https://lynns-books.com/2019/08/01/shadows-of-the-short-days-by-alexander-dan-vilhjalmsson/
Shadows of the Short Days is a difficult book for me to review. It contains so much promise, is packed with vibrant imagery and magic, myths and folklore not to mention horror and yet I really struggled to get through it, which I think in the main part boils down to the fact that I didn’t really like the two central characters plus I think it was maybe a little too brutal.

So, how to describe SotSD. Well, at its core it’s about revolution. Here we have an alternate Reykjavik where magic and industry combine, where graffiti carries subliminal messages if painted with the correct ingredients and where prejudice runs rife. Sæmundur is literally the mad scientist of the piece. Expelled from University because of his radical ideas concerning magic, he’s a sorcerer on the edge. Fuelled by drugs and his own sense of self importance he is determined to show the world his brilliance – no matter what the cost. Garún, ex girlfriend to Sæmundur, uses magic to infuse her art and graffiti with messages in the hope of inspiring an uprising. Garún has been oppressed her entire life for reasons completely outside her own control. She is half human and half-huldufólk (hidden folk) which means she is accepted by neither. The two of them will become the catalyst for violent change.

I have to confess that, even though this didn’t work it’s magic on me, there are some exceptional scenes in this book. It’s truly a work of breathtaking creativity and a number of the chapters where we look at the past are really well crafted and downright enjoyable to read. The seedy underbelly of the city and the underworld, accessed via unusual hidden portals are all brilliantly imagined and coupled with the very real tension that the author manages to create just gives the whole place an incredible sense of danger.

In fact, even at this point I find myself still thinking about this book, the strange sense of place and the underlying political messages. To me, a book that makes me think about it after I’ve put it down has to be applauded, but at the same time this isn’t a book that I can say I enjoyed, and at the back of my mind there’s almost a niggling feeling that perhaps this shouldn’t be a book that you can say you enjoyed. The oppression and sense of wrong together with all the hate that simply pours off the central characters all lead to a very dark and disturbing read yet at the same time one that demands attention and can’t be ignored even when put down.

In terms of my criticisms. Well, in some respects I’m going to admit that this is probably more an example of ‘it’s me not you’. This is simply too grim for my own tastes, and the horror is a little too near the knuckle – the sort that makes me squirm uncomfortably – also be aware that there is one particular scene that contains animal torture – so be warned. Plus, as I mentioned above, both the MCs are difficult to like. Don’t get me wrong, I have a good deal of sympathy for Garún and I can see why she’s consumed with such uncontrollable anger, but at the same time she’s so completely self absorbed that she really isn’t capable of making good or rational decisions, she wants change no matter how many people have to suffer in order to achieve it. Sæmundur, well, he’s in a whole other class of unlikable, I don’t even want to think about him long enough to number them in this review.

Strange, surreal, violent, dark, disturbing, brilliant – I could reasonably apply all these words to this book. If you like a good dose of weird and you’re not averse to grim horror then I certainly don’t want to dissuade you from picking this up – even though it was a little too much for me.

I received a copy courtesy of the publisher, through Netgalley, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.

Oh dear. I was incredibly excited about this one - urban fantasy! Reykjavik! Icelandic sensibilities! - but sadly I hated one of the two protagonists (yes, him) to the extent I wanted to set the book on fire. Garun and the world-building were intriguing, but in the end they couldn't offset just how angry Saemundur made me.

This book should come with a qualifying question to help you judge whether to read it: how unlikeable are you comfortable with your protagonists being, on a scale of mildly self-indulgent to justifying murder of women and pets to progress your obsessive interests?

...guess what I have strong opinions about ;)

Perhaps a better fit for those who love grimdark narratives and protagonists. Me, I'm off to read about someone who doesn't leave such a bad taste in my mouth.

DNF at the end of Part One.

Epic fantasy tends to fall into a bit of a rut – dragons, dwarves, prophecies, royalty. And even urban fantasy, the grungier sub-genre that lives more comfortably on modern streets has its common tropes. So it is important to remember that the fantasy genre grew out of a multitude of roots and can provide the basis for a range of stories.And while there is a bit of Scandinavian horror around such as Sweden’s John Ajvide Lindqvist. And much like Icelandic crime fiction has risen on the back of the Scandi-noir trend, we now have Shadows of the Short Days – grimdark, Icelandic urban fantasy with a mythological edge. Originally written in Icelandic by author Alexander Dan Vilhjálmsson, and now translated into English by the author. And it is a wild ride.
Garún is a graffiti artist with a twist. She uses a magical substance called Delýsíð in her graffiti which gives it the capacity to affect emotions. Garún has plenty of emotions of her own. She is a Belndingur, half human and half huldufólk, and so not welcome anywhere. She lives in Reykjavík but is fighting against the authorities, trying to foment revolution. Meanwhile her ex-boyfriend Sæmundur is taking a darker path. Expelled from the university for trying to experiment in the dark mystical art of Galdur he decides to continue his studies regardless of the real danger of demonic possession or worse.
As is obvious from the previous paragraph there are plenty of concepts, names and new words for a reader to get their head around. There is a glossary at the back of the book, but in some ways it is better for readers to immerse themselves in the language - everything is either explained or comes clear from the context. And the immersion technique heightens the experience of being in this strange, modern magical alternative Reykjavík. Through the plot, Vilhjálmsson manages to seamlessly visit all of the different areas of this city – the mirror city of Rukkovik and the realms of the three legged, aggressive raven-like Náskári and water dwelling Marbendill.
Shadows of the Short Days is intense and dark urban fantasy. The characters, particularly Sæmundur are fairly unlikeable, Garún literally wrapping herself in a rage infused blanket for the last third of the novel. And there is plenty of body horror and violence. But it is all of a piece and creates a dark but fascinating world and while it is a little unclear where it is going, that is better than running on the familiar lines of epic fantasy. The book ends in, if anything a darker place for its main characters and its world, setting up for a second and final planned volume.

This book is amazing and is one the most original fantasy I read this year.
I loved the unusual and original world building, the mix of genres, and the complex and engrossing plot.
The characters are interesting, fleshed out and you cannot help rooting for them.
The plot flows flawlessly and keeps you hooked till the last page.
It was an amazing reading experience and I look forward to reading other books by this author.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

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. There is a sense 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 clear. The island is occupied, forcibly incorporated into the Kolkar "commonwealth" (and one suspects it is that magical energy that they want - possibly this is a rare circumstance?) and much of the motivation for the story is struggle against that foreign occupation and the oppression it brings.

This of course reflects, to a degree, Icelandic history and its movement for independence in the 19th and 20th centuries and fittingly, 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 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.

Sæmundur is a student and part of the same set (he and Garún having split up several months before). he's more focussed on developing his magical abilities - he 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 recommednation, you need to read this.

This debut surprised me a lot. It was very very good and unique.

It's a dark fantasy that combines many elements like steampunk, sci-fi, alternative history and more. It's a very complex book that's very well crafted that ended up very original and a pleasure to read. I really couldn't put it down.

If you're looking for a unique, dark urban fantasy that's very well written, you should check this out.

Thanks so much to the publisher and Netgalley for this free e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

Before I start I will echo (at least) one other reviewer who remarked that this book would be a lot easier to read if the glossary were at the start of the book. That’s possibly a quirk of reading from a digital proof copy, but if you’re on the fence about whether to get print or digital, I’d probably recommend going for print so you’ll have the ability to flick back and forth. While the book is in English there are a lot of Icelandic words in there and everything makes a bit more sense when you can quickly work out just what’s going on. – My two cents.

But I really loved this book. I’m always on the lookout for fantasy that doesn’t feel like something I’ve read before, without just being weird for the sake of weirdness. Shadows of the Short Days manages to simultaneously capture a huge number of tropes that I adore, while also feeling utterly new and distinct. I loved Garún, one of the two points of view in this story. She’s most easily described as a badass, half-human half-huldufólk (other folk…kind of like the fae but less blah), revolutionary, a magical, graffiti artist. Yeah. She’s great. You first meet her while she’s painting subversive graffiti around the city and gradually you watch the movement she is a part of building grow into something far beyond her.

I thought it was very clever and unique to have Garún be part of a pre-existing revolutionary movement. So often in fantasy, the young female characters get swept up into a revolution – without too much agency until the end where they discover that they really do care about uprooting the norm after all! In this instance, Garún is a key part of a more believable movement that grows and develops throughout the story. I will say, this is a white author very clearly writing a racial analogy - something of a red flag, but I did think it was well handled. I’ll be interested to read some reviews from reviewers of colour and see what their thoughts are.

I also enjoyed the way that this book plays with you a little, in terms of who the villain(s) are. It manages to twist and turn in such a way that you can tell who is morally grey but it wasn’t clear at the start of the book where the plot was going to go and precisely who the antagonists would be. What it does do, is keep it clear why people do the things they do, which is very important when crafting any narrative. 

I personally loved this story, but I think it’ll be a bit of a marmite book. You’ll either embrace it as I did or it’ll feel too weird and waffley. If you are reading it or planning to, what I suggest is to just let yourself go, to embrace the unfamiliar and let the story carry you. It’ll be a great ride.

My rating: 5/5 stars

I received a free digital advanced review copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Shadows of the Short Days is available July 25th

I think I would have liked this book a lot more if the glossary was at the front! The Icelandic is very hard to wrap your head around without flicking back and forth - normally if you have a native word, there is a sentence the first time it is used to explain what it is - so readers immediately say, oh, that means 'otherfolk', every time you read it. It makes the book flow. I found rather in this novel the Icelandic was just in there, and most of the time I used my imagination or took context from the surrounding words, but I did stumble a bit until I got used to it.
Secondly, in the glossary, it would be awesome if the pronunciation was also in syllabic as well - for us readers that struggle with reading official pronunciation script!
My main problem with this book (which has an enchanting world that normally I'd be massively on board with), is that everyone is... Not nice. I didn't like them much at the beginning, and at the end, I actively disliked them. Everyone was angry, and made poor choices, and it got a bit much.
Recommended if you are good at wrangling dual languages in books without the "I'm dumb so help me understand" sentences, fans of Icelandic myth, people that love a good revolution.

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 I experienced 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.

I love it when I read a book that feels genuinely unique. It makes my job a little harder when I have to think of ways to describe it, but the originality more than makes up for that.

Shadows of the Short Days is the English-language version of the Icelandic fantasy book, Hrímland, translated by the author. It pulls heavily from Icelandic/Norse mythology, and weaves that together with an industrial Iceland to create a world with this wonderful, surreal atmosphere. The marketing for this novel compares it to China Mieville’s The City & The City, and honestly that’s about as good a comparison as I can think of. Though, of course, there’s a lot more magic here.

Our main characters are Sæmundur and Garún. The former is an expelled and disgraced student of the local magical university, and the latter is a half-human magical graffiti artist and revolutionary leader. These characters were romantically involved prior to the events of book, but now have a fraught yet cordial relationship with each other. This relationship impacts how they interact, but doesn’t necessarily define them. Both characters may chase their goals with a frightening tenacity, but these goals are very different, even if the paths taken to achieve them overlap at times. Garún wishes to bring an end to the corrupt and racist government, and Sæmundur wishes to gain enough power to prove his critics wrong.

I didn’t find this to be a particularly comfortable read, but it was definitely engaging. I love revolutionary stories, and this one takes a more cynical and perhaps more realistic look at what a revolution actually entails. There’s no romanticised march to parliament to overthrow the government here. Peaceful protests are declared illegal and often end in violence. The leaders of the revolution are not moralistic ideals, but people with flaws and some extremist tendencies, who often make mistakes. It’s not a condemnation of revolutionary movements by any means, but it is a very critical exploration.

There’s a lot more to the world than just this revolution, though it and Sæmundur’s quest for power form the basis of much of the story. There are many non-human races, including the huldufólk (elves), and they each have their own politics and factions. The world is bleak, with a tangible and ever-present sense of impending danger which lends a gravity to those scenes where a character is made to face the consequences of their actions. (Or in Garún’s case, her existence.)

There’s a lot more I could say about Shadows of the Short Days, but really it’s one of those books that’s better experienced first-hand. It’s surreal, it’s spooky, it’s uncomfortable… but it’s sure as hell memorable. There are a lot of Icelandic terms used throughout, but most of these are defined in the glossary at the back of the book (which I really, really wish someone had told me about beforehand), and their meanings can usually be inferred from context.

If you’re looking for something different, or perhaps want to read a Norse fantasy from a perspective you’ve never seen before, then Shadow of the Short Days might be what you’re looking for. I won’t be forgetting about this book any time soon.