OLD BLOOD

In Jameson’s novel, the arrival of invaders on a peninsula may fulfill an ancient prophecy.

The Wolf Clan, after leaving their land of Aria, traverse an icescape until they reach the “New World.” The Mahwah Tribe, however, already lives in the lush forest the Wolf Clan discovers. The invading “fair-skinned” warriors, though bulkier and brandishing metal weapons in lieu of stone, aren’t as stealthy as the Mahwahn. The indigenous tribe easily captures Wolf Cub, the son of the powerful warrior Harold who intends to claim the region. Cub is taken aback by the Mahwahn’s sense of community, something he’s unaccustomed to. He’s also attracted to Kylen, an immaculately conceived girl discovered in a mountain cave 18 years earlier. She’s referenced in a prophecy that foretells of her union with a “man from another world” who will spawn peace and prosperity. The Mahwah chief’s son, Zande, unhappy about the possible fated bond between Cub and Kylen, turns his ire toward the Wolf Clan. But when he connects with Kylen’s less affable sister, Kezlan, things go in a startling new direction. Jameson’s allegory of Indigenous people being stripped of their lands and ways of life is crystal clear from the outset; the engrossing story touches on topical themes throughout. The focus isn’t merely on the politics of the Clan and the tribe, but on the individuals as well; a handful of these fascinating characters prove surprising as they diverge from readers’ expectations. The author writes in effective, simple prose, especially when depicting groups of people struggling to understand one another (“Having spent most of the day listening to the elders talk, teaching him some of the basics of their language through gesticulation, and being so near to his beloved, he’d felt as though he was being adopted, filling him with love”). The story also smoothly introduces otherworldly aspects, from horrifying and lethal “winged creatures” to a bridge between the realm of the spirits and the more familiar human one.

A gripping, profound tale of a faraway land and the intermingling of clashing civilizations.