When the cold hand reaches southward, reaches with its frozen fingers, comes a child into the Northland, all the clans to bring together. The child is Ulla, a green-eyed girl from a hardscrabble village in Iron-Age Finland. Mauled by a bear, she is healed by the famous wizard Väinämöinen, but walks away with a striking scar that evokes an ancient prophecy. Hundreds of miles away, Prince Egan is thrust into power when his father is killed by a horrific shade from Hell. The lives of the two young heroes intertwine as they battle Löhi, a powerful sorceress and the Far Northern Land’s ancient enemy. For Egan, this means overcoming the skepticism of his own people and the hidden self-doubt that gnaws at him deep inside. Torn from everyone she ever knew, Ulla embarks on a desperate search for love and belonging, and takes the first steps to becoming a wizard herself. The Mark of the Bear Clan , Book I of the Far Northern Land Saga , goes where no epic fantasy series has ever gone before—Finnish mythology and the world of the Kalevala, where legendary heroes like the wizard Väinämöinen mix with original characters like Ulla and Egan to create a unique mosaic wholly new to fantasy literature. "Epic fantasy...like no other. As full-bodied as Lord of the Rings ."-- Midwest Book Review Imagine the passion and pathos of a Jean Auel prehistory story, but with the addition of wizards and fantasy, for a taste of what awaits readers in The Mark of the Bear Clan . The first installment in the Far Northern Land Saga, this tale introduces readers to an epic fantasy that draws inspiration from Finnish legend like no other. As the story opens, Iron Age Finnish child Ulla has been mauled by a bear. She's saved by the wizard Väinämöinen, but the bear has left a scar he cannot fix...a scar that fulfills an ancient prophecy about her importance as a hero to her world. In a very different stratum of society, young Prince Egan suddenly finds himself crowned king when his father is killed by a creature from Hell. Both find themselves on parallel journeys as they grow into their powers and strengths too soon, are called upon to battle sorceress Löhi, and begin to uncover their vocations in life and who they really are against the backdrop of adversity and threat. David Allen Schlaefer excels at creating a vivid, action-packed fantasy that rests on the shoulders of two equally strong young protagonists who become caught in snares of prophecy and their own uncertain status in their worlds. He takes the time to explore the special circumstances surrounding wizard Väinämöinen, who acknowledges that all his powers can't save people who are unwilling to see the truth: "The old man sighed. "Our own folk may reject our warning and counsel. Among the Seven Clans, what mortals will heed our call? It will be a cold winter without end if Löhi prevails, and the snows will be stained red with blood. The Witch's star is in the sky, even as the prophecies of old foretold. Still, there is the girl. And she gives me hope." Finnish mythology and culture add a historical backdrop to this fantasy milieu as Schlaefer depicts the evolution of different peoples and their understanding of the forces of good and evil around them. Ulla bears the Clan Mark, the mark of hope. But will this translate to a peaceful life for her—or a peace that only her people could experience? Readers who enjoy sweeping epic fantasies rooted in Nordic culture and myths will appreciate this complex, involving story. A host of characters and different perspectives make it a recommendation not for the casual adventure-oriented reader alone; but for those who enjoy detailed epics, diverse and strong characters, and a setting that is as full-bodied as Lord of the Rings and other expansive works. The Mark of the Bear Clan is like Jean Auel's world on steroids, with a heavy dose of fantasy driving its peoples, their purposes, and the special interests and forces that work against them both from within and outside, in social and political circles. Although the main characters are young, this story is recommended for mature teen to adult readers, who will find it captivating and satisfyingly well-detailed. David Allen Schlaefer is a diplomat, author, and globetrotter who started his life in tropical south Texas at the Mexican border and wound up 10,000 miles away in the snowy wonderland of Finland. Along the way, he's lived in Hong Kong and Tokyo, Rio de Janeiro and Bucharest, Kiev and Mexico, and served alongside the 3rd Brigade Combat Team in Iraq where he won a Commander's Award for Civilian Service. David's interest in all things Finnish began at a young age when he discovered the Kalevala, the Finnish national epic, and its stories about shamans, witches, warriors, and magic. He jumped at the opportunity to work at the US Embassy in Helsinki and study Finnish language and culture for almost five years. A member of the Kalevala Society and autho