Snow-Walker

by Catherine Fisher

Eos, August, 2004.
Hardcover, 512 pages.
ISBN: 0060724749
Ages 12 and up

Snow-Walker by Catherine Fisher

"Young and alone on a long road, Once I lost my way: Rich I felt when I found another…" These words from the Havamal of Odin are the heading for Chapter One of British author Catherine Fisher's moody, fascinating new Nordic fantasy. Long ago Gudrun, a beautiful pale sorceress, came out of the North and bewitched the Jarl and his people, and so became de facto ruler of the Jarlshold. Gudrun, a Snow-walker and witch of great power, banishes young Jessa and Thorkil to the northern castle, Thrasirshall because their fathers were loyal to the Jarl. When they arrive at the ruined castle, they find Kari, Gudrun's own son whom she has also banished out of fear of his potential power. Kari was treated like an animal, locked in a dungeon for most of his young life, until the day Brochael took him away to live at Thrasishall. Jessa, a bard named Skapti, Kari and Kari's loyal and fearsome caretaker Brochael band together to defeat Gudrun and restore the Jarlshold to the rightful Jarl.

Originally published in England in three volumes, Snow-walker follows the adventures of the three young Norse teens, Jessa, Thorkil and Kari, as they fight Gudrun and, later, go on a perilous quest to the far north where Kari will finally come into his powers as a Snow-walker. Lyrical, magical and filled with the dark spirits of Norse mythology and darker winters, Snow-walker is an imaginative and memorable tale of friendship, loyalty, adventure and magic.

Snow-Walker is available for purchase on Amazon.com

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This review was published in the September-October, 2004 of The Internet Writing Journal.