Description
A striking Icelandic debut, set in a world where wild and industrialised magic meet.
WELCOME TO REYKJAVIK
Here, people do as they are told. They follow the rules. They stay in line. Citizens are watched over by the flying fortress, and dissidents are vanished deep into the dungeons of the Nine.
A CITY OF WONDROUS POWER
Saemundur is a student of magic, hungry for knowledge. Except his dangerous theories have seen him expelled from university. Garun is an outcast artist, rejected by her city simply because of who she is.
A SAFE PLACE FOR EVERYONE
Both want more from the city they call home. Both will fight against the ruthless police, the masked sorcerers, and the powers that have rejected them. Both will risk everything to change Reykjavik forever.
* * * * * * * * * *
'A marvellous, quirky, original fantasy' Joanne Harris, bestselling author of The Strawberry Thief
'one of the most ambitious, intense, original and thrilling debuts I've read in a long time' Grimdark Magazine
'Fresh and exciting: full of dark, demonic, revolutionary shenanigans' Peter Newman, author of The Vagrant
About the Author
Alexander Dan Vilhjalmsson is an Icelandic author who lives in Reykjavik. He writes in both Icelandic and English and is the founder and editor of Iceland's first SFF magazine, Furdusoegur (Weird Stories). Alexander is also the vocalist and lyricist for Icelandic black metal band Carpe Noctem.
Reviews
Norse mythology like you've never seen it before, set in a Reykjavik that you never knew existed - Shadows of the Short Days is a new breed of fantasy * Edward Cox, author of The Song of the Sycamore *
Shadows of the Short Days is revolutionary fantasy fresher than a dip in a glacial stream. Definitely one for fans of Neil Gaiman and China Mieville. * Gavin Smith, author of The Bastard Legion *
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. * Joanne Harris, bestselling author of Chocolat and The Gospel of Loki *
A masterfully crafted dark tale . . . one of the most ambitious, intense, original and thrilling debuts I've read in a long time * Grimdark Magazine *
Shadows of the Short Days is fresh and exciting: full of dark, demonic, revolutionary shenanigans * Peter Newman *
A heady mix of revolution, monsters and magic, this is a novel of alternative Reykjavik in which myth and religion are alive - and hungry * Anna Stephens *
A pacy, racy read that blends racial and political issues with traditional urban fantasy fare. A recommended purchase, it will bring an icy chill to your summer reading. * STARBURST MAGAZINE *
Vividly imagined and compelling * SFX *
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. * GRIMDARK MAGAZINE *
I won't be forgetting about this book any time soon. * THE FANTASY INN *
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. * THE ELOQUENT PAGE *
Dark and bleak and imaginative * Aliette de Bodard, author of The House of Shattered Wings *
Book Information
ISBN 9781473224124
Author Alexander Dan Vilhjalmsson
Format Paperback
Page Count 528
Imprint Gollancz
Publisher Orion Publishing Co
Weight(grams) 363g
Dimensions(mm) 196mm * 128mm * 38mm
