Storytellers by Bjorn Larssen

 

Storytellers by Bjorn Larssen.

Published in paperback 27th February 2019 by Joseph Tailor.

From the cover of the book:

Would you murder your brothers to keep them from telling the truth about themselves?

On a long, cold Icelandic night in March 1920, Gunnar, a hermit blacksmith, finds himself with an unwanted lodger – Sigurd, an injured stranger who offers a story from the past.

But some stories, even those of an old man who can barely walk, are too dangerous to hear. They alter the listeners' lives forever… by ending them.

Others are keen on changing Gunnar’s life as well. Depending on who gets to tell his story, it might lead towards an unwanted marriage, an intervention, rejoining the Church, letting the elf drive him insane, or succumbing to the demons in his mind. 

Will he manage to write his own last chapter?

******************

March, 1920: In the middle of a bitter Icelandic night, Gunnar the blacksmith finds himself with an unexpected visitor. His uninvited guest is an old man going by the name of Sigurd, who having injured his ankle wandering about in the snow is unable to leave Gunnar in the peaceful solitude he prefers - a solitude usually only broken by the presence of his dog Ragnar and horse Karl, and his visits to the local village's doctor to receive his 'medication'.

In payment for staying under Gunnar's roof until he has recovered, Sigurd gives him the mysterious wads of cash from his backpack and promises to keep him entertained by telling him a story. Gunnar grudgingly accepts, mostly motivated by the need for cash, and Sigurd starts to spin his yarn during the times when his host is not occupied by his labours, or sleeping off his alcoholic 'medicine'. It is a rambling tale about three Icelandic brothers - an adventurer called Arnar, his studious twin Ingvar, and their younger sibling Bjarni the builder. Arnar travels to America for an adventure and brings back with him an exotic "princess"called Juana... and so the trouble begins, as all sorts of dramatic shenanigans ensue.

As Sigurd tells his tale, an odd sort of companionship develops between him and Gunnar. Gunnar's life takes on somewhat of a transformation as he finds he needs his medication less and less, leading to some interesting symptoms as his body tries to recover from years of alcohol abuse (including the appearance of an imaginary elf who tries to give him sage advice), and he inadvertently finds himself pursued by a very determined young woman from the village, called Brynhildur. Something strange is happening in Gunnar's cabin, related to this saga-like story... Sigurd's words might just hold a significance the people of this village - a significance that will have dire consequences...

Storytellers is a quirky and compelling tale, set in the land of ice and fire, and Larssen draws on these qualities to feed both strands of this story. 

As the book swaps back and forth between the then of Sigurd's tale and the now of the time he is a guest in Gunnar's cabin, you find yourself getting caught up in the fate of the characters in his story - a story rich in themes long associated with Icelandic sagas, with threads of sibling rivalry, jealousy, suspicion and revenge, an added injection of witchcraft to spice things up, and inevitably rather a lot of bloodshed! 

The action in the present plays out like a comic caper much of the time, and contrasts with the darkness of Sigurd's tale, with humorous episodes as Gunnar goes about his work and leisure time, pursued by Brynhildur and troubled by the bothersome, imaginary elf. Until such time as things take a very dark turn and the real meaning of Sigurd's story becomes clear. We are then treated to an explosion of violence crammed into the final section of the book. I confess I did find this last part a bit confusing, especially since a lot of the things you think you know now prove to be false, but it definitely fits in with the saga theme as multiple revelations hit you like a well honed battle-axe.

This is a hard book to sum up, but I found it rather an enjoyable experience getting lost in this tale. It's well written and intriguing, if a little overwhelming in the final stretch, and keeps you turning the pages all the way through. If you enjoy quirky historical fiction, with an atmospheric Icelandic backdrop, then you will find lots to enjoy in these pages, and I promise you will not have read anything quite like this before.

Storytellers is available to buy now from your favourite book retailer.

Thank you to Bjorn Larssen for sending me a copy of this book in return for an honest review, and to Rachel's Random Resources Tours for inviting me to be part of this blog tour.

About the author:

Bjørn Larssen is a Norse heathen made in Poland, but mostly located in a Dutch suburb, except for his heart which he lost in Iceland. Born in 1977, he self-published his first graphic novel at the age of seven in a limited edition of one, following this achievement several decades later with his first book containing multiple sentences and winning awards he didn’t design himself. His writing is described as ‘dark’ and ‘literary’, but he remains incapable of taking anything seriously for more than 60 seconds.

Bjørn has a degree in mathematics and has worked as a graphic designer, a model, a bartender, and a blacksmith (not all at the same time). His hobbies include sitting by open fires, dressing like an extra from Vikings, installing operating systems, and dreaming about living in a log cabin in the north of Iceland. He owns one (1) husband and is owned by one (1) neighbourhood cat.

Readers' Favorite Gold Medal winner ('Storytellers')

2020 Stabby Award Nominee ('Children')