Northern Stories Books 2018 by Northern Stories

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Books 2018

CONTENTS 4 6 8 10 12

YOUNG ADULT 14 Asbjørn Rydland | Vegandi 1 and 2 15 Thomas Enger | Killer Instinct NORTHERN STORIES

Astrid Dalaker +47 99 69 19 50 astrid@northernstories.no Thomas Mala +47 46 67 61 55 thomas@northernstories.no OUR CO-AGENTS

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THE ICE

ormer Special Forces commando Anna Aune has abandoned the world and everyone in it, and is hiding out in a hovercraft at the North Pole. She’s there for the duration of the Arctic winter to document the destruction unleashed by climate change. On All Saints’ Day, the pitch-black sky is suddenly lit up by a distress flare shot up from a Chinese research station. Anna and her colleague are the only ones close enough to come to their rescue. But is the flare a cry for help, or a warning sign? At the Chinese base, a vision from a nightmare awaits them. In the laboratory, they find the researchers dead, frozen solid and covered in ice. It quickly becomes clear that they were brutally murdered. At the same moment, a furious Arctic storm blows in. A savage power struggle has provoked a full-scale international conflict — by any means necessary — for Arctic resources. And Anna Aune is caught in the middle of it all. The Ice is a tense international thriller that plays out at one of Earth’s most inhospitable places — the North Pole.

‘The filmmakers cook up the sort of unpleasantness that turns the better disaster pictures, like this one, into nail-biters.’ New York Times

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THE ICE by John Kåre Raake Isen Fiction Gyldendal Norsk Forlag 2019 306 pages

With The Ice, John Kåre Raake is debuting as a thriller writer, although he has an extensive background as a script developer. He is the screenwriter behind the blockbusters The Wave, The Quake and Ragnarok. Together the films have been sold to 120 countries, selling two million tickets in Norway alone. The Wave was Norway’s 2015 entry for the Oscars, and received strong reviews around the world:

VINLAND

JOMSVIKING One man. One destiny. A new continent.

JOMSVIKING — Vinland Fiction Gyldendal Norsk Forlag 2018 540 pages

uring an attack east of Viken in Norway, Torstein’s father is brutally murdered by Olaf Trygvasson’s men. Twelve-year-old Torstein is taken as a slave, but an opportunity arises and he manages to flee. He sets course for the Orkney Islands, to escape in search of his elder brother. In Jomsviking, we follow Torstein Tormodson through his young years as slave and outlaw, and later as he becomes a warrior and mercenary of the infamous brotherhood of the Jomsvikings. He is soon drawn into the power struggle between Olaf Trygvasson and the other Scandinavian rulers. Jomsviking takes us on a journey through vast swathes of Northern Europe as it appeared a thousand years ago.The action coincides with actual historical events.

‘This is first and foremost a fantastic story.’ Dagbladet ‘A fascinating epic.’ Tønsbergs Blad ‘Impressive, believable and well-written.’ Tom Egeland Bjørn Andreas Bull-Hansen was born in 1972. His debut collection of short stories, Seven Tales from the Western Forest (Syv historier fra Vestskogen), was published in 1996, and he has since written a range of novels within various genres. His international break through came in 2017 with the novel Jomsviking, the first book in a sweeping historical series from the Viking age. He also maintains an extremely popular YouTube channel dedicated to Viking culture.

JOMSVIKING By Bjørn Andreas Bull-Hansen Jomsviking Gyldendal Norsk Forlag 2017 574 Pages Rights sold to: Germany, Penguin Verlag Holland, Meulenhoff Boekerij Poland, Czarna Owca Russia, AST Denmark, Turbine Sweden, Lind & Co Bulgaria, Uniscorp Norway, Gyldendal Norsk Forlag

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fter the Battle of Svolder, Torstein and his family must flee west to escape the avenging wrath of Olaf Tryggvason’s men. Torstein has become the chieftain of a band of Jomsvikings, and sets out in search of the fabled larch forests said to be found across the ocean. He plans to become a shipbuilder and to create a future for himself and his family. But Torstein, once an enslaved warrior, is soon forced to fight for his life and the reunification of his kin. Vinland gives readers an unique insight into the lives of North America’s first settlers — as well as the conflicts that arose with the area’s mighty indigenous communities. This is the second novel in the Jomsviking series, but it can also be read as a stand-alone work. The first book in the series, Jomsviking, burst straight onto Norway’s bestseller lists and currently has a total print run of 40,000 copies.

WHEN THE LAND DARKENS

HARD IS THE LAW OF MY LAND

WHEN THE LAND DARKENS Tore Kvæven Når landet mørknar Fiction, Samlaget 2018, 449 pages

he year is 1293. Arni Vilhjálmsson, a young boy, is rowing out on his first walrus hunt. After the hunt, a girl stands before him. She looks down at the beast he has slain, her eyes full of defiance, and her words full of scorn. Then she turns and runs away from him, without looking back. Her name is Eir. Arni dreams of one day building his own ship and sailing towards the lands further west, seeking timber, iron and hope for the future. Eir is part of that dream. In this quest for a future, Arni is even willing to defy his own chieftain, gods, and the laws of men. Tore Kvæven has written an enthralling historical novel, with highly convincing portrayals of people and nature delivered through colouful and powerful language.

his historical novel provides a potent, brutal and epic portrayal of a Viking expedition to central Africa. The author uses his own experience of travelling in Africa and his knowledge of history to the full in this dramatic and realistic novel about northern Europeans venturing into unknown territory. HARD IS THE LAW OF MY LAND Tore Kvæven Hard er mitt lands lov Fiction, Samlaget 2011, 540 pages Rights sold: Czech Republic and Denmark

‘Let me inform the reader of this review at once: This is one of the best books I have read all year. And I have read a fair amount.’ Telemarksavisa

‘Glorious idea and equally brilliantly conducted about Viking raid to the heart of darkness in Congo.’ Dagbladet

‘This novel is an impressing debut: Well written, exciting and captivating.’ VG

Rights sold to: Denmark, Turbine

‘An absolutely incredible novel! […] When the Land Darkens is great storytelling in every way.’ Adresseavisen

‘A superb Norwegian novel! Tore Kvæven’s new historical novel set in the Middle Ages is so exceptional, and superbly well written, that VG’s reviewer went back to re-read some chapters several times.’ VG

Tore Kvæven made his debut in 2011 with Hard is the Law of My Land, a novel about a Viking voyage into the heart of Africa, which critics called an ‘impressive epos’. When the Land Darkens is a dramatic story of destiny, with highly convincing portrayals of people and nature delivered through colourful and powerful language, transporting readers back to Greenland at a fascinating time. Tore Kvæven is a teacher, a sheep farmer and a writer.

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‘[…] a great author in a genre that is relatively overlooked at present. […] The subject matter, plot and language enthralled me.’ Fædrelands vennen

WINTER WAR

WINTER WAR Janne Drangsholt Winterkrigen Tiden Norsk forlag 2018 346 pages

s usual, Ingrid Winter’s everyday life is full of challenges. At work, she and her colleagues are moving to an open-plan office space with a ‘clean desk’ policy and new, synergy-creating collaboration methods — something quite at odds with Ingrid’s dreams of a professorship and year-long sabbatical. At home, Ingrid is becoming increasingly worried about her daughter Alva, who runs the wrong way on the football pitch, is afraid to touch paper, and is also being bullied by Sara, the most popular girl at school. Christmas is also coming, and unknown to her husband Bjørnar, Ingrid has managed to invite her parents and in-laws, her sister and her sister’s children, her aunt Kari and at least a couple more guests to a fast-approaching Christmas party … Add to this the uber-successful woman next door with her hugely popular blog at Ingrid’s expense, a couple of concerning lumps in the neck, an Advent calendar that never gets finished, parents who are impossible to please and a dash of generalised death anxiety, and you have Ingrid Winter’s life in a nutshell. Winter War is Janne S. Drangsholt’s third standalone novel about Ingrid Winter.

Janne Stigen Drangsholt is a Norwegian writer and academic. Her first novel, The Bumblebee Catcher, was published in 2011, but she is best known for her books about the neurotic and habitually annoyed academic Ingrid Winter, featured in The Marvelous Misadventures of Ingrid Winter, 2015, and Winter in Wonderland, 2016. And now the last one: Winter War, 2018.

Rights sold: World English — Amazon Crossing and Korean

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‘Drangsholt has a clear talent for comedy, and is outstanding at finding the right ways to convey comic situations and achieve balance between them. She fluctuates unrestrainedly between high and low, light-heartedness and gravitas, humour and sincerity; from wordplay such as ‘What the Foucault?’ and ‘Suck my Balzac!’ to a wistfulness at the passing of time — what Ingrid Winter calls ‘Proust-traumatic stress’ — and from entertaining metaphors to dark melancholy.’ Stavanger Aftenblad

‘A fine farce from the country’s new star of comedy... Many comic books are currently being written in Norway, but Janne S. Drangsholt has created a niche that’s well worth a visit.’ Adresseavisen

AGAIN & AGAIN ‘The most interesting author in the country. Icelandic literature has no future without him.’ AUTHOR STEINAR BRAGI ‘The naked heart of the present beats in Again & Again.’ LITERARY CRITIC SILJA ADALSTEINSDOTTIR ‘Halldor Armand is a new voice in Icelandic literature, and one hopes this voice will sound loud and clear in the years to come.’ DV DAILY

s the Twin Towers collapse, a teenage boy in Reykjavik gets a cell phone and subsequently meets his first girlfriend. At the same time, a famous pop drummer gets into a car accident where a young girl loses her life. Fifteen years later, these two men cross paths. Arnmundur is a restless graduate student abroad who spends his time on his phone seducing girls on dating apps. Stefan stopped drumming, be came a ‘Corporate Viking’ and now runs a start-up company that he’s sure will change the world. But under the surface old secrets, disappointments and thirst for vengeance are seething.

Again & Again is a riveting and brilliantly written story for our times where normal people struggle to find love, warmth and meaning in a globalized world of fluid capital and random violence.

Halldor Armand (b.1986) is a new and extraordinary voice in Icelandic literature. He received great acclaim for his previous novels, Vince Vaughn in the Sky and Drone. His play Shift was performed at the Nordurpoll theater and was well received. In 2014 he was awarded the Icelandic Literature Center Green Shoots Awards for his book Vince Vaughn in the Sky.

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AGAIN & AGAIN Halldor Armand Aftur & aftur Novel Forlagid 2017 304 pp

THE BREACH BRANDED

KILLER INSTINCT

Best YA book in Norway 2017 — Uprisen

Best YA Book in Norway 2018 — Uprisen

story about magic, gaming, ancient gods and the end of the world. Branded is a tense, action packed story for both teens and adults, where cold, hard sci-fi meets Norse mythology in a fantasy novel beyond the norm.

BRANDED — Vegandi, Book 1 by Asbjørn Rydland Galderstjerna Young Adult Samlaget,2016, 334 pages

‘The book stands out from the crowd in a very popular genre. Science fiction, mythology and fantasy are mixed in a unique way. There are no clichés, and even though it’s fantasy, it’s still believable.’ From the jury’s statement, Uprisen 2017

he Breach is the sequel to 2017 Young Adult Book of the Year Branded where we follow the main character Eirik and his friends Maria and Khalid deeper into the mysteries of the Vegandi world. The stakes are higher, the risks greater, and Eirik’s wits and abilities are put to the test like never before.

‘Enger is one of the most unusual and intense talents in the field.’ Independent, UK

KILLER INSTINCT By Thomas Enger Killerinstinkt Young Adult Kagge forlag 2107 256 pages

Rights sold: Iceland, Draumsyn Germany, cbj-verlag (Random House)

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THE BREACH — Vegandi, Book 2 by Asbjørn Rydland Draumsende Young Adult Samlaget 2018, 232 pages

Asbjørn Rydland was awarded both Fabel Prize and New Norwegian Prize for Children’s Literature for the Dragon Boy series, and his debut book was listed among the best loved Norwegian books for youth/children from 2005 to 2015.

iller Instinct is this year’s winner of the coveted Uprisen for Best Young Adult novel. This is the second time Thomas Enger receives this price, he also got it for The Evil legacy in 2014. How well do you really know the people closest to you? That’s the question Even Tollefsen must find the answer to when his ex-girlfriend Mari is found dead at Fredheim High School, the morning after the premiere of the School cabaret. One of Even’s friends — and the lead singer in the school band Even plays guitar in - is also found brutally molested and murdered at the same school. The suspicion is quickly turned towards Even. Everyone knows that Mari broke up with him just days earlier, they know he is frustrated, and that he never got an answer to why she did it. Soon Even realizes that his father’s accidental death ten years earlier plays an important part in solving these murders. At the same time, Even starts doubting who of his closest friends or family he can really trust. The next few days will be intense for Even, who must fight against the rumors spreading in the village. And against a killer who will stop at nothing in order to cover his tracks.

TRAITOR’S GUIDE TO NORTH KOREA

hroughout the present decade, Norwegian director Morten Traavik made more than 20 visits to and travels around North Korea, conducting a series of ground-breaking art projects in close collaboration with the notoriously secretive country’s authorities. In the autumn of 2017, a geopolitical standoff, a nuclear test and a death threat made him suspend the relationship. Now the stories he has been keeping under wraps for several reasons, can finally be told. Traitor’s Guide to North Korea is an honest, revealing and affecting ‘user’s manual’ to this enigmatic nation that many hold strong opinions about, but very few have experienced from the inside. Through his unexpected and evolving friendship with the civil servant and Party member ‘Mr Win’ Traavik brings us closer to the daily lives of North Korea’s silent majority and their striving against all odds to live normal and dignified lives in the everlooming shadow of the Kim dynasty. With human warmth, sharp-eyed insights and a wry sense of humour, Traavik opens up to the reader both the more flamboyant and the less known sides of North Korean society, from ‘Ground Zero’ at the world’s most militarized border (dmz) with South Korea, through the showcase capital Pyongyang and up north to the Yalu river and the bridge to big brother China.

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TRAITOR’S GUIDE TO NORTH-KOREA by Morten Traavik Forræderens guide til Nord-Korea Non-fiction Aschehoug 2018 330 pages

Morten Traavik is a Norwegian director and artist working across a wide spectrum of artistic genres and international borders. Trained as theater director in Russia and Sweden, the notion of the world as a stage and identity as role play is never far away in his works, as well as a characteristically blurred distinction between art, activism and social issues.

STARHUNTER ‘Larsen has opened up a new pathway to the origins of the solar system’. Michael E. Zolensky, NASA

STARHUNTER by Jon Larsen Stjernejeger Non-fiction Cappelen Damm 2018 315 pages Rights sold: Germany, Benevento Books

he solar system is a dusty place. Every day approximately 100 metric tons of cosmic dust collide with Earth, mainly in the form of micrometeorites. Still, little is known about these exotic extraterrestrials. Is it possible to find micrometeorites in populated areas? The question has been raised for nearly a century, and despite numerous attempts, up until now the answer has been a very short ‘No’. Until, that is, Jon Larsen managed to solve this puzzle, which was rated among the top 100 Discoveries of 2017 by Discover Magazine. One morning ten years ago he found a tiny sparkling grain of rock, and started to wonder where it came from. This thought started a chain of events, with Larsen’s curiosity leading him to find out more and more. Eight years later, he discovered the answer of how to find micrometeorites and how to classify them. Starhunter tells the story of how his discoveries turned his life upside down — and it explains what it is like to hold a part of cosmos in your hands.

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Jon Larsen (born 1959) is a jazz guitarist, record producer, surrealist painter, founder of the group Hot Club de Norvège, and has produced more than 450 jazz records. He has played with both Frank Zappa and Chet Baker, among many others. He has received several awards for his musical work and has published several books.

CAPE HEARTSTONE

Espen Ytreberg is a professor at the Department of Media and Communication at the University of Oslo. Ytreberg has been a visiting researcher at cnrsParis, Université de Paris II and the Department of Communication Studies, University of Iowa. He has written several books, his latest a novel about Roald Amundsen.

Rights sold: Germany, Transit Verlag

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CAPE HEARTSTONE by Espen Ytreberg Kapp Hjertestein Non-fiction Forlaget Press 2018 180 pages

n January 1921 the Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen took over responsibility for a fouryear-old girl from the Siberian Chukchi people. He named her Nita. Three months later he took charge of another girl from Chukotka — 11-year-old Camilla Carpendale, daughter of a local trader. At this time Amundsen’s fame as the conqueror of the South Pole spanned the globe. Nita and Camilla were the closest Roald Amundsen ever came to establishing his own family. For almost three years, they lived together on journeys across the globe and in Amundsen’s home outside of Oslo. Diaries, letters and newspaper reports tell of their strong mutual affection in these years. Nita and Camilla learned Norwegian, went to school and made friends. Then in 1924 Amundsen sent them back alone to an uncertain destiny in Siberia. They never saw Norway again. In Cape Heartstone, Espen Ytreberg tells the full story of these three intertwined lives, and the forces that shaped, them for the first time. Through an attentive and original use of historical sources — written, filmed and photographed — Ytreberg reveals a unique story and places it in a broader context. Cape Heartstone is a thoughtful, tender and often surprising book about colonialism and globalisation, modernity and migration, family and prejudice, and ultimately about the abiding and fleeting sides of love.

THE LAST EEL

Torolf Edgar Kroglund is an author, journalist and a sportsfisherman. He has published several books on fishing and hunting before. He was earlier the Head of the Ibsen- and Hamsun festival, but he’s now Director of Culture in Risør.

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THE LAST EEL by Torolf E. Kroglund Reise med ål Non-fiction CappelenDamm 2018 237 pages

he eels are disappearing. It is one of the species that may be extinct in our lifetime (like the Dodo, the Geir-bird or the Mammoth). European eels is said to have lost well over 90% of its numbers the last ten years. The Norwegian author, journalist and sports fisherman Torolf E. Kroglund tries to find out why — starting on an remote island in the middle of the long Norwegian coastline — Frøya — where he first caught eel as a kid. The author then travels through Europe (Germany, Spain, England, Netherlands and Sweden among others) and to the Sargasso Sea to find answers, in a journey that is both a personal one and a quest for big answers. By following the fish that vanishes he not only finds the extraordinary tale of the eel but is also able to connect this unto a bigger and broader perspective. The Last Eel will show the close connection between culture and nature, between use and protection — and also how every living creature on earth, even the more unlikely and ugly, reflects man and mankind doings and undoing’s.

PETTER NORTHUG — MY STORY HOW MUCH DO YOU HAVE TO SACRIFICE TO BE THE BEST IN THE WORLD?

his is the story of one of our greatest athletes. He who lost all the cross-country skiing competitions at a young age, but never gave up. It’s about courage and willpower, about a grandfather and a grandson, about loneliness and uncertainty, and about daring to be whoever you are. It’s about the boy who defied everyone and revolutionized cross-country skiing. About all the gold medals, the scandals and the drive that changed everything. Told by Petter Northug — the only one who know the true story. The book is an inspirational autobiography, where you get to know how the brain of one of the world’s mentally strongest athletes works. It will be published simultaneously in Norway, Sweden and Finland this fall.

‘First, you feel the pain in the legs. The next in the chest. But I have to push on. Until throbbing pain in the temples sets off. Until the gaze narrows. Until the alarm goes off, all over the body. That’s when I make my move.’

Rights sold: Sweden, Mondial Finland, Otava

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PETTER NORTHUG — MY STORY by Jonas Forsang Petter Northug — Min historie Non-fiction Pilar 2018 249 pages

Jonas Forsang is an an award-winning Norwegian journalist, author, publisher and musician. In 2015 he co-authored Petter Stordalen’s autobiography I’ll Tell You My Secret. One of the most selling biographies in Norway with 160 000 copies.

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BIG BOOK OF KNITTED MITTENS By Jorid Lindvik Den store votteboka Crafts Vega Forlag 2015 208 pages

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beautiful and charming patterns for children and adults that will keep your fingers warm and your lips smiling. Something for everyone — the romantic and the traditionalist, the cat lover and the rock star, the quiet thinker and the expressive storyteller. Vivid, full-color photographs, and hints, tips, and tricks that make mitten-knitting a cinch.

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BIG BOOK OF KNITTED MITTENS BIG BOOK OF KNITTED SOCKS

SOKKEBOKA SOKKEBOKA Den store

JORID LINVIK

he new knitting success from Norway, #Urban knitting went straight to the top of the bestseller list when published last year and stayed there for more than 30 weeks. Ingunn Myklebust — one of Norway’s most popular knitters with more than 40 000 followers on Instagram — has collected her most famous patterns in this book. Ingunn’s speciality is to combine uniquely traditional patterns with self-developed colour schemes into garments you can wear in urban life as well as for leisure.

Jorid Linvik is a successful author, blogger and speaker. She has over 28 000 devoted followers on Facebook from all over the world. She designs all her patterns herself by hand. Jorid lives in Bodø.

‘I love to combine tradition with modernity, to find new color combinations and think a little differently when I develop new patterns. My garments can definitely be worn with high heels!’ Ingunn Myklebust

distinctive sock designs in a rainbow of colors and brilliant patterns, featuring everything from stripes to flowers, animals to instruments. Multiple sizes, for children and adults. Vivid, full-color photographs, and hints, tips and tricks that make sock-knitting a breeze.

Rights sold for both books: USA Sweden Finland

Rights sold: Standaard Uitgiverij, Holland and Belgium

MORE URBAN KNITTING By Ingunn Myklebust Enda mer bystrikk Crafts Pitch 2018 190 pages

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URBAN KNITTING Ingunn Myklebust Bystrikk Crafts, Pitch 2017, 190 pages

fter a fantastic first year on the bestseller list, Ingunn Myklebust has just published her second book, More #Urban Knitting, where you will find 48 new patterns, among them patterns for women, men, children — and even dogs.

Ingunn Myklebust is one of Norway’s bestselling authors of knitting books. Ingunn has now published two books, both of which went straight to the top of the bestseller lists.

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BIG BOOK OF KNITTED SOCKS By Jorid Lindvik Den store sokkeboka Crafts Vega Forlag 2016 196 pages

URBAN KNITTING MORE URBAN KNITTING

THE WORLD IS A SCANDAL OPERATION SELF-DISCIPLINE

fter a hectic decade in the capital, author Agnes Ravatn temporarily settles in the small village of Valevåg, in western Norway, to spend some calm months with husband and baby during the maternity leave. In a dilapidated little farm with no internet connection, surrounded by forests, mountains and sheep, days pass by slowly for the little family. The World is a Scandal are small reflections and insights from six months in Valevåg, a move that took an unexpected turn for the family. It’s also about happiness, writing, the easy life and the hunt for the perfect cracker. THE WORLD IS A SCANDAL by Agnes Ravatn Verda er ein skandale Non-fiction Samlaget 2017 95 pages Rights sold: Germany, Btb

‘Playful and entertaining about life in the countryside.’ Dagbladet ‘A well written, entertaining and wise book.’ Bergens Tidende A self-help book for those of you who can’t stand self-help books

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OPERATION SELF-DISCIPLINE by Agnes Ravatn Operation sjølvdisiplin Non-fiction, Samlaget 2013 108 pages

V presenter Allis Hagtorn leaves her partner and her job to go into voluntary exile in a remote house in an isolated fjord. But her new job as housekeeper and gardener is not all that it seems, and her silent, surly employer, 44-year-old Sigurd Bagge, is not the old man she expected. As they await the return of his wife from her travels, their silent, uneasy encounters develop into a chilling, obsessive relationship, and it becomes clear that atonement for past sins may not be enough … Haunting, consuming and powerful, The Bird Tribunal is a taut, exquisitely written psychological thriller that builds to a shocking, dramatic crescendo that will leave you breathless. Winner of the pen Translate Award, the nrk p2 Listener’s Prize, The Youth Critics’ Prize and The Book Blogger Award, and nominated for the International Dublin Literary Award 2018.

‘The whole book is characterised by an uncomfortable and ominous tone and an exquisite writing style. It is dark, thrilling and captivating, as we slowly learn more and more about these two lonely people.’ The International Dublin Literary Award nomination statement

Agnes Ravatn ( b. 1983) is an author and columnist. In 2015 was she chosen as one of the ten most promising authors under 35 in Norway by the paper Morgenbladet and the Norwegian Festival of Literature.

THE BIRD TRIBUNAL by Agnes Ravatn Fugletribunalet Novel, Samlaget 2014, 207 pp Rights sold: UK, Orenda Books (World English rights) Germany, btb Denmark, Batzer Serbia, Agora Publishing House Lithuania, Svajoniu knygo Turkey, Tünel Russia, AST Licence Limited Czech Republic, Albatros Media France, Actes Sud Italy, Marsilio Bulgaria, MATCOM Spain, Grupo Planeta

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he lack of self-discipline is an increasing problem for many of us. This was also the case for the author Agnes Ravatn, who for many years was a chronic slave to the internet with a lifestyle in shreds and much too-high a heart rate. That was when she decided to get a grip. The result is a personal, practical and funny guide to how you can regain willpower and self-discipline.

THE BIRD TRIBUNAL

THE HENNING JUUL SERIES BURNED, PIERCED, SCARRED, CURSED, KILLED

KILLED by Thomas Enger Banesår Crime Gyldendal Norsk Forlag 2015 384 pages

n a cold September night, Henning Juul — one of the best crime reporters in Norway — wakes up to the terrible sound of his six-year old son Jonas screaming. His bedroom door is covered in flames, and while Henning does everything to save his son, he fails miserably. Jonas dies, and Henning gets severely damaged. Two years later, tormented by guilt and still deeply traumatised, Henning decides to go back to work. He needs to pick up the pieces of his life again, and get an answer to the question that has tormented him: Why was there a fire in the first place? Henning knows that he, through his work, has made a lot of enemies, and he has a feeling that someone was targeting him, not Jonas. The Henning Juul series has so far sold to 30 countries with more than 500 000 copies in worldwide circulation. A tv series based on the series is also under development.

‘Tightly packed with excitement, unexpected twists, high tempo and a prologue that kept me guessing until the very end ... Few other crime stories in recent times have engaged me more than the story of the fire-damaged network journalist Henning Juul.’ Geir Tangen, Author

nne and her daughter Thea are relocated to the remote village of Ramnes in order to escape a violent ex-husband. They are living with a new identity at a secret address under code 6, the strictest security code under the protection of the police. Anne is filled with constant anxiety fearing that her ex-husbands last words will come true — that he will find them and kill them. Her life is thrown into disarray when her daughter Thea comes home in shock, and her new husband is found critically injured at the neighbouring property. At the same time, her linens now smell of her exhusbands aftershave. Whilst Anne is certain that her ex-husband has managed to locate them, Police Chief Ole Vik and Cecilie Hopen will soon reveal a sombrely more complex story. Monster is the eight book in the series about Ole Vik and Cecilie Hopen.

‘Monster may turn out to be the bestseller that launches Jæger into Nesbøs’s league … Jæger writes honestly and concisely, without attempting to impress or overexaggerate … His work represents some of the finest Norwegian crime these days.’ Stavanger Aftenblad Jørgen Jæger is one of Norway’s bestselling crime authors. Last year he sold one book every fourth minute, making him the third most-sold Norwegian crime author. His ever-growing fan base is eagerly awaiting Jæger’s eleventh release early next year—to see how the story of the highly respected police chief Ole Vik and his adept detective Cecilie Hopen will continue to unfold. Jørgen Jæger has been nominated to the prestigious Norwegian Bookseller Award three times.

MONSTER By Jørgen Jæger Monster Crime Juritzen 2015 414 pages Sold to: Sweden, Lind & Co

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Thomas Enger (b. 1973) is the author of the critically acclaimed Henning Juul series, consisting of five novels. Enger’s books has also been nominated to The Riverton Prize (2012). This summer his latest novel Point Zero, written in collaboration with Jørn Lier Horst, was Norway’s number one bestselling book.

MONSTER

THE YEAR OF THE WOLF

TO THE WAVES

THE YEAR OF THE WOLF by Anders Bortne Ulvens år Novel Tiden 2017 160 pages

t is summer and Daniel is about to pick up his 11-year-old daughter Sara, who has just finished a vacation with her mother. The same morning a national press conference is being held where the Minister of Justice warns of a possible terror attack on Norwegian soil. They caution people to be on guard. Daniel has planned for an easy day; however, in light of the terror threat, nothing goes according to plan for Daniel and Sara. Instead, Daniel is reminded of an old sorrow of his, and as a result, is left fearful that something may happen to those he treasures the most. The Year of the Wolf is about the concerns we have for our loved ones and what these concerns may end up costing us. What happens when we put restraints on our unconditional love? How does our concern for our children affect our relationship with them? In an era of terror, can moments without fear truly exist?

‘This is the trivial answer to Cormac McCarthy’s post-apocalyptic The Road, and in that respect far more relevant ... Rarely do you read a novel with so little action but so much suspense.’ Dagens Næringsliv

‘The Year of the Wolf portrays the adults’ betrayals and parental love with warmth and tenderness.’ Vårt Land

Anders Bortne is a writer and musician. He has written four acclaimed books and has released eight albums.

ahl wishes everything could just stay the same. But how can he possibly stand still while everything around him is changing? Since an accident in his youth, Zahl has lived a quiet and secluded life on a small island, but when the house he lives in is sold against his wishes, and his new doctor starts questioning his injury, he is forced to move forward, even if he doesn’t want to … To The Waves is a sad, yet cheering novel about a person trapped in his own quiet life. It is a warm and intimate portrait of a man who is too afraid to live. Ida Løkås once again proves her unique ability to describe the lives of those on the outside.

Ida Løkås (b.1985) won a nationwide novel competition with her debut novel The Beauty Drifting By. The Chairman of the Jury, the acclaimed Norwegian author Ingvar Ambjørnsen stated: ‘A beautiful, mature and different novel. It is a great pleasure to find a talent like this’. The novel was published to much critical acclaim. Her second book, the young adult novel Daddy is a Postcard was nominated for the U Prize for Best YA Novel. In 2015 she was named Artist of the Year in her hometown Stavanger. Ida Løkås was born in Bodø and raised in Stavanger. She has a Master’s degree in creative writing from Kingston University in London.

TO THE WAVES by Ida Løkås Til bølgene Novel Vigmostad & Bjørke 2016 174 pages

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‘A new terror litterature is on the rise in Norway. Anders Bortne provides a thoughtprovoking and cunning contribution.’ Aftenposten

ONCE THEY WERE WOLVES

nce They Were Wolves is a collection of short stories about people who are confronting something new and unknown in their lives. The stories explore what happens when people are being pushed hard, by others, by themselves, by the unexpected paths life takes. The first sentence in the book immediately sets the scene: It had been raining for ten days. Thunder filled the air. The houses around his were dark and empty, and the moisture clung to his skin, making breathing difficult. Perhaps IngerMarie and he were the only ones left in the village.

ONCE THEY WERE WOLVES by Therese Tungen Ein gong var dei ulvar Short stories Aschehoug 2017 266 pages

‘As in all good literature, Therese Tungen’s book handles the foundational problems of existence. In her best stories she does it in an inspiring way.’ Stavanger Aftenblad ‘The strength in Tungen’s short stories are … that they push through the barriers of social realism … it is well-written, brave and original …’ Vårt Land ‘We have been given a new, exciting short story writer.’ Adresseavisen

The winner of the Brage Prize for Best Non-Fiction Book in Norway in 2017.

hat is a map? How have people drawn the world throughout history? What do maps say about us? Theatre of the World. The History of Maps is an unique book with the complete and incredible history of maps. Thomas Reinertsen Berg takes us all the way from the mysterious symbols of the Stone Age to Google Earth in a fascinating tale of science and differing views of the world, about art and technology, power and ambition, practical needs and distant dreams of the unknown. Along the way, we encounter visionary geographers and heroic explorers along with the unknown heroes in the history of maps. Fantastic visual material allows us to immerse ourselves in the history of maps with our own eyes.

Fascinating…sumptuously produced with lots of full-colour images, is a kind of potted treasury of cartographical history … this is an enthralling book, and joins the likes of Simon Garfield’s On the Map and Jerry Brotton’s A History of the World in Twelve Maps in the field of popular reaffirmations of the ingenuity of geography. Travis Elborough, The Spectator Thomas Reinertsen Berg (born 1971) is a journalist and writer. He has written for several Norwegian papers such as Morgenbladet, Klassekampen and Dagsavisen, where he has worked especially on cultural and scientific subjects.

THEATRE OF THE WORLD by Thomas Reinertsen Berg Verdensteater Kartenes historie Non-fiction Forlaget Press 2017 350 pages Rights sold: UK, Hodder & Stoughton USA, Little, Brown Sweden, Lind & Co Netherlands, Athenaeum Norway, Forlaget Press Poland, ZNAK Germany, dtv Italy, Vallardi China, CITIC Press Denmark, Lindhardt & Ringhof Estonia, Eesti Raamat

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Therese Tungen ’s first book Once They Were Wolves came out in March 2017, and has already received much attention and critical acclaim comparing her to Norwegian giants such as Olav Duun and Merethe Lindstrøm, as well as to classic masters of the short story, like Poe and Chekov.Therese Tungen has worked as an editor for ten years. She is now an editor for non-fiction at Det Norske Samlaget.

THEATRE OF THE WORLD

WHO KILLED BIRGITTE TENGS?

WHO KILLED BIRGITTE TENGS? by Bjørn Olav Jahr Hvem drepte Birgitte Tengs? True crime Gyldendal Norsk Forlag 2015 398 pages

n the night of Saturday May 6, 1995, 17-yearold Birgitte Tengs was found murdered, a mere 500 metres from her home. She had been sexually abused and subjected to brutal violence. Twenty-one months later, the police arrested Birgitte’s cousin. After spending three weeks in isolation he confessed to a murder he couldn’t remember having committed. He later withdrew his confession and was acquitted by the court. Now, the question on everybody’s lips was: If her cousin wasn’t the murderer, then who was? The murder of Birgitte Tengs is one of Norway’s most famous criminal cases. In this book Bjørn Olav Jahr paints a compelling portrait of a divided community, of families being torn apart and a police investigation spun out of control. Above all, he provides a realistic theory of what actually took place. As a direct result of this book the police investigation was reopened a year later and is still ongoing. This autumn a TV documentary about the Birgitte case has been released by TV2.

2017

was the year when right-wing populism would conquer country after country. Inspired by the shock of Brexit and Donald Trump’s victory in the US, Europe’s right-wing populists got together in Koblenz in Germany. “History is being written before our eyes,” exclaimed an excited Marine Le Pen. Author Simen Ekern has travelled through Europe, meeting party leaders, ideologists and voters to learn about our most-discussed political movements. I am the People is a book that enlightens, surprises and entertains.

‘Simen Ekern’s new book should be obligatory for anyone who cares about democracy and the future…. Do yourself a favour and read this book — you are going to need it.’ Aftenposten

I AM THE PEOPLE by Simen Ekern Folket det er meg Non-fiction Spartacus 2017 250 pages Rights sold: The Netherlands, De Geus

‘It’s an exciting, educational and especially relevant book.’ Klassekampen

Simen Ekern (born 1975) worked as a correspondent in Brussels for several years, and is currently living in Rome. He has covered European politics and culture for several media outlets including Dagbladet, TV2 and Morgenbladet. He was awarded the Brage Prize for Rome. New Fascists, Red Terrorists and the Dream of La Dolce Vita in 2011.

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Bjørn Olav Jahr (born 1969) is a journalist, author and an editor. He has a degree in social economics from the University of Oslo and has worked for many years as a journalist. In 2003 he won the SKUP Prize, the most prestigious Norwegian prize for investigative journalism, for his disclosure of the Finance Credit scandal. Jahr has published several books.

I AM THE PEOPLE

LETTERS IN HISTORY

IN SEARCH OF STARDUST

Most Beautiful Norwegian Non-Fiction Book in 2017 GRAFILL

letters in history by Øyvin Rannem Bokstavene i historien Non-Fiction, Forlaget Press 2017, 388 pages

‘You will never read or write in the same way after reading this book. Øyvin Rannem’s Letters in History is a Norwegian non-fiction book of international standing.’ Dagens Næringsliv ‘A brilliant book.’ Klassekampen ‘The relationship between power and typography is a complex and exciting story.’ Le Monde Diplomatique

IN SEARCH OF STARDUST by Jon Larsen Jakten på stjernestøvet Non-Fiction Quarto 2017 150 pages Rights sold: USA, Quarto Publishing House Germany, Geramond Verlag Japan, Segansha China, Shangdong Science & Technology Press Norway, Den gylne Banan Nordic rights are held by Northern Stories.

‘This book is worth buying for the pictures alone: it is a fantastic aid to micrometeorite hunters.’ Dr. Penny Wozniakiewicz, BBC ‘In Search of Stardust is a visual extravaganza ... and will undoubtedly wow you.’ Physics World

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Øyvin Rannem is a typo grapher and former Assistant Professor at Buskerud University College. He has been engaged in analytical work with new technology in the graphic industry for many years. He has earlier written two academic books on typography and the history of fonts.

etters surround us all the time. But there are not many who know their story or background. In Letters in History, typographer Øyvin Rannem shows us the West European culture of writing and letters, reaching back for more than 2000 years from antiquity to fascism. Why do letters look like they do? What is their origin? And why was it Latin letters that won and not Greek? In the background there is politics and power struggles, Rome against Constantinople, east against west, north against south, and Christianity against paganism. For the first time the development and history of letters is put into a historical context with the development of society and culture in Europe as its backdrop. A truly remarkable book that inspires and teaches you everything you didn’t think you needed to know about letters. A perfect companion on a trip to Rome.

iny pieces of space rock called micrometeorites are everywhere on Earth. In Search of Stardust shows you how to find them and keep them safe. In Search of Stardust is the first comprehensive popular science book about micrometeorites. It is also a photo-documentary comprising more than 1,500 previously unpublished images: the first atlas of micrometeorites, hundreds of which are depicted here in high-resolution color microscopic photography and in scanning electron microscope imagery. Author Jon Larsen shows readers how and where to look for micrometeorites, explains their history, and offers chapters about micrometeorite formation, classification, and analysis. The book explains how, with inexpensive equipment, anyone can find their own little piece of the cosmos and hold it in their hand.

NORTHERN STORIES

Arbinsgate 1 0253 Oslo Norway Phone: +47 466 76 155 post@northernstories.no www.northernstories.no @northernstorieslitag @northernstorieslitag @Northernstories

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