Fighting Tooth And Nail

Aatu is eighteen years old, a respectable landowner, and about to marry the girl he loves. The south coast of Finland provides everything his little village requires.

It’s a peaceful life, until a band of ex-Crusaders land on the shore. With the harsh winter and lean times approaching, they cannot be allowed to stay for long. When their priests disturb things best left alone, Aatu fears a minor annoyance will become a disaster.

Aatu’s people turn to the old ways to fight the enemy, to teeth and claws instead of swords and spears. Though they are outnumbered and unused to fighting, Aatu is about to discover that wild wolves are not the most fearsome predators in this land, and even the most peaceful people can become ferocious in defense of the ones they love.

By the Light of the Moon by Blake Smith is a mix of historical fiction and the supernatural, although the author does take huge liberties with the historical part. I'm reminded of both movies Pathfinder and Kingdom of Heaven, with an original version of a familiar creature included. The story is not as predictable as one might think.

In addition to surprising readers with some rather dramatic scenes, Smith fleshes out her characters with details about personal relationships, as well as family history. By the time the end battle is over, readers will be left breathless and torn.

I will be adding this story to my Top 2018 list.

As always,
AstraDaemon