When the Land Darkens
Når landet mørknar
The 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.
In the Norsemen’s Western Settlement, on Greenland, a sense of unease has been creeping in. The walrus that gave the settlers their wealth have been retreating. The ships that used to sail from Norway and Iceland to trade there have become few and far between. The Greenlanders’ own vessels are rotting. The people are wondering: is this the end?
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.
Winner of the 2018 Brage Prize for Best Norwegian Novel
Winner of Sørlandets litteraturpris 2019 (South of Norways award for literature) for Best novel
“An absolutely incredible novel! (…) great storytelling in every way.”
Adresseavisen, 6 out of 6 stars
“Get this book while stocks last! (…) so exceptional, and superbly well written, that I went back to re-read some chapters several times.”
VG, author Tom Egeland, 6 out of 6 stars.
“(…) an impressive Bildungsroman set in the Viking Age.”
Dagbladet, 5 out of 6 stars
