Hear the call and join us as we travel to the far north. To a time and place that exists only in the depths of our ancient past. To the vast woodlands, their surface unbreached by any plow. These stories wander in the winds of that distant land, in the cold whispers of the ancient forests.
Vierra is a strong-minded girl of the Kainu tribe. When she, along with her cousin, heads for a journey toward her adulthood, the forces that are to direct her life are set in motion. Can Vierra break her path painted in stone, a path leading her toward a life filled with great turmoil? Can she find her place among her tribe, or will she fulfill her destiny as the Fargoer?
Fargoer begins the series of fantasy novels that draws its power from the harsh, yet beautiful nature and folklore of Finland. Its roots are at the same time in mythology and in the ancient, unwritten history. The foundations have been laid on the wonders of the ancient world, and the fast-paced storytelling is colored by poetry, the age-old tradition of self-expression.
Excerpt
The knife’s voice was cold, metallic and strong, and the emerging warmth in her had no chance to subdue its will. Her hand moved shakily behind her back and coiled around the handle of the thick-bladed knife, one dirty finger at a time. How familiar the feel of that handle against her hand was. The knife rose up like a thought, ready to strike, and the green eyes stared the hunched figure with an icy gaze. The master snorted in his sleep and Vierra instinctively jumped backward, knife still held up high.
Professional Reviews
Goodreads - Richard Abbott
Fargoer will appeal to those who like to immerse themselves in different settings, especially those which readily blend human society with the environment and spirituality. It is set in a deliberately unspecified pre-modern time, when different tribes and clans share a sparsely settled and lean land. To my mind at least, it offers a compelling and credible insight into how life carries on in an environment continually shifting between hostile and beautiful. The relationships between the various people-groups dwelling in this wild region vary similarly, and any encounter carries with it uncertainty and risk as well as opportunity.
In essence, the novel traces a series of stages of a journey made by the main character Vierra. Along the way she makes both friends and enemies, and comes into contact with a wide variety of groups inhabiting this part of northern Europe. The journey is traced out in physical space, but also takes her on an inner journey - one which can be every bit as rewarding and threatening as her geographical wanderings. Having been forced away from home, the return journey forces into focus the question of what she will find when she gets back.
I first encountered Fargoer as a set of individual short stories. In that condition, the translation from Finnish was a little irregular between episodes. It has since been edited and reworked into a complete novel, helping the reader to see it as a whole story rather than separate pieces. In that light, the changes in the interior life of Vierra as she faces different situations become more apparent. The narrative style mirrors these interior changes. Close to her home environment, she becomes filled with her people's poetry and lives closer to the natural and spiritual worlds. Away from home, she retreats into a rather barren and stubborn will to survive.
I have found Fargoer to be a compelling read, and have no hesitation in giving a five star review. It has not only lured me into its own world, but also into the wider base of myth and creativity within Finland as a whole. Without Fargoer I would not have read the The Kalevala (Oxford World's Classics edition), and so would not have discovered unexpected points of contact with other literature that I love. I would heartily recommend this book to readers who find pleasure in exploring different cultures, as well as the very diverse ways in which sibling rivalry can work itself out across a landscape.
Goodreads - KaroliinaK
I really liked the main character, Vierra. Fantasy literature is a pretty new acquaintance to me, but the independent, strong female character made the book interesting and for me, easy to approach. I could really vision her on her journey across the beautiful Northern land.
I have read both the Finnish and the English versions of Fargoer. I preferred to read it in Finnish since it brought the story closer to me - of course, reading something in your native language helps to understand the different nuances a bit better.
Finally, I have a bad habit of checking the final page of the book beforehand, and since the English short stories first came out one at the time, I was not able to do that. Very smart!
Christmas When Music Almost Killed the World is a novel in which nothing is quite what it seems and everything is loaded with shadowy dreams of the past and nightmares set to soul-pounding music of the future.
