Brom, Krampus: The Yule Lord
Featured Book
A bold fantasy imagines a dark shadow lurking below some beloved Christmas traditions.
Giving “Christmas spirit” a new meaning, Brom’s bold fantasy novel just might make you think differently about that familiar figure in red. Krampus opens on a desolate Christmas morning in a West Virginia trailer community. Struggling songwriter Jesse Walker is outside his home, drunk and depressed over losing his wife and young daughter to Dillard Deaton, the local police chief. He’s pointed a .38 down his throat, ready to make this his last Christmas, when he spots a bunch of small, devilish men chasing a man in a Santa suit. Moments later, a velvet sack drops from the sky and crashes through the roof of his trailer. Turns out, not only does the sack contain the dolls his daughter wants this year, but it will restore order to the dark Yule Lord, Krampus. As the story goes – and feel free to muffle the kids’ ears – Santa Claus imprisoned the Krampus, and this year, he and his men are back with a vengeance. If Jesse makes a deal with the Krampus, he might get his family back.
Brom has a talent for drawing dark shadows underneath beloved stories. With The Child Thief, the writer and illustrator added a touch of the macabre to J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan. And while this tale of evil retribution appeals to horror fans, it’s grounded in a domestic drama that wouldn’t be out of place on the five o’clock news. Kirby Heyborne adds robust narration that recalls your favorite holiday stories, but with plenty of new twists.
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annaz18on March 17, 2013 at 10:59 am said: I really liked this book. It's a clever and well thought out tale that weaves mythology and modern life together.
