BEGIN AGAIN

In Maddox’s work of speculative fiction, a solitary man sets out to uncover a past he can’t remember.

Bjorn Solberg lives an isolated life with his loyal dog, Tora, in a cabin in the woods. Any memories of his earlier life are a “fog” in his mind; he repeatedly reads an ostensible goodbye letter signed by “Em”—a woman whom he struggles to recall but can’t. He and Tora survive in the wilderness by hunting, although they ultimately befriend a bear cub, whom Bjorn names Sild and who’s seemingly lost his mother. The woods are teeming with peculiarities, including a floating orb and an invisible presence that Bjorn consistently feels. Puzzling images inhabit his dreams, as well, including a recurring image of a house that he’s certain was once his. He vows to track it down, and Tora and Sild join him on his pilgrimage. What awaits Bjorn, though, are more questions: Is he who he appears to be, and what led him to that cabin in the woods in the first place? As the novel progresses, Maddox adds backstory, twists, and overt genre elements to the mix. Although the elucidation of Bjorn’s murky history treads familiar territory, this character-driven tale, which includes flashbacks of Em, offers fresh takes on themes of devotion and retaining one’s identity. The best scenes unfold in the forest, where the author’s lyrical prose shines brightest: “The river was black with winter, the current cloying, haggard, pulling against the banks like an animal caught in a snare. Bjorn stood at its edge, his breath rising in pale plumes, his body still as frost-laden stone.” Throughout, a persistent moodiness prevails, escalating the suspense; it often feels as if something is watching Bjorn, poised to strike. Overall, this is a tightly packed epic tale that smartly focuses on a personal journey of regaining a past and forging a future.

A troubled, compelling hero propels this well-crafted cross-genre story.