Saskia Walker, The Strangeling

The Strangeling

Saskia Walker

Juno, Mar 2007, $9.95

ISBN: 0809557932

In her lifetime, no one was abducted by the evil Druids though stories persist that was not so a century ago. Most of the young assume it is an adult device to make them behave. However, with Samheim Eve five nights away, the hooded figure kidnaps the maiden Maerose as he knows she is the key to how the STRANGELING curse will be unleashed upon the world.

Veldar the Druid believes that if he takes her virginity on Samheim Eve, he will prevent the only means of stopping his diabolical plan of bringing forth an army of evil spirits under his control that will attack the living. If he does not and she mates with a pious believer, the portal to allow evil to cross will remain closed. However, over confident, Veldar fails to insure his unwilling future mate cannot escape. Instead Bron rescues Maerose, who realizes to save her life and that of her people, he is the one she must mate with on Samheim Eve as in his way he is a true believer.

This short novel (175 pages) packs a lot of action and three well-developed characters in the exciting storyline. Most fascinating is how similar Veldar and Bron are though at the same time they are opposites as each fervently and passionately believe in what they are doing yet the villainous druid is a megalomaniac while the hero is a caring, kindhearted soul. That comparison along with the coming of age of Maerose from a village mouse into a superhero provides the audience with a wonderful one sitting fantasy.

Harriet Klausner