Originally crowdfunded through Kickstarter in 2016, The Dark North, is a beautifully sinister anthology containing breathtaking work from five of Scandinavia’s best artists. The Dark North presents five separate Nordic or science fiction-esque tales that are told in the ancient tradition of mythology.
Joakim Ericsson, Henrik Pettersson, Peter Bergting, Magnus Mojo Olsson, and Lukas Thelin are the brilliant minds behind The Dark North, each of whom comes from common backgrounds in the gaming and comic book industry. Between them, the artists have been a part of such well-known projects as Minecraft, Scrolls, and worked on graphic novels with Clive Barker and Mike Mignola (Hellboy).
While reading The Dark North, I was especially compelled by the shorter, prose presentations of the stories that reminded me of reading Greek or Roman mythos. The book does an outstanding job extending a hand to the reader to bring them on five dark journeys that take place in various settings with distinct characters.
The variety is commendable, too, with one story focusing on a husband and father remembering his identity and the consequences of his enlightenment, while another follows the enslavement of a desperate survivor of a crash on an unknown planet.
The Dark North also does a really terrific job translating the Nordic style to unfamiliar readers of the genre and, within the first few pages, you quickly acclimatize to the style of storytelling.
Overall, The Dark North is a hugely interesting read for those who are seeking out creepy, sinister content that will strike a cold chord with readers who are unfamiliar with Scandinavian works, such as myself.
Furthermore, The Dark North is visually compelling, with the intense illustrations melding expertly with the insanely descriptive prose throughout the book. I recommend The Dark North to any anthology or horror fan, as well as anyone who is seeking something different from traditional horror anthologies.
Get your own copy of The Dark North when it releases from Dark Horse Books on September 27th, 2017.
