The Book of Samael
Set against the brutal landscape of the 1930s Finnish west coast, The Book of Samael plunges readers into a harrowing tale of survival.
Ramiel doesn’t speak, but he sees everything — even when others see nothing at all. When a professor arrives from the city to a small coastal village, Ramiel’s stepfather promises to take him on a winter seal hunting expedition across the frozen Baltic Sea. They hire an experienced hunter who knows the treacherous ways of ice and seals, but nothing can prepare them for what awaits.
On the ice, merciless conditions quickly bring the expedition to its knees. As tensions mount between the men and survival becomes uncertain, Ramiel must choose sides. When the threat of violence looms, his only protection is a mystical tome inherited from his father — the Book of Samael itself.
Marko Hautala, the master of Finnish literary horror, masterfully weaves supernatural elements into a gripping, atmospheric thriller of endurance and survival. A Nordic answer to Dan Simmons’ The Terror with considerable brevity.
READING MATERIAL
Finnish edition & PDF
Sample translation 30 pp.
Synopsis
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Publishing information
Reviews
“Like any good historical novel, Samael's book is also an allegory of our own times.”
“The Book of Samael is a movie-like reading experience, as a closed-setting novel should be at its best.”
“Marko Hautala successfully refrains from explaining too much. It is a hallmark of his psychological horror.”
“The Book of Samael is brimming with interesting characters, rich dialogues, and surprising events. Hautala's descriptions of nature are sensual and colourful, even though most of the book takes place on an unfortunate boat trip surrounded by ice and whirlwinds. [...] The book is an easy-to-read, fluent novella that succeeds in drawing readers into a series of historical events.”
“Marko Hautala surprises – the new book is a chilling leap into history.”
