When the cold hand reaches southward,

reaches with its frozen fingers,

comes a child into the Northland,

all the clans to bring together.

That child is Ulla, a green-eyed girl from a hardscrabble village in Iron-Age Finland. Mauled by a bear and left for dead, 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, a mottled crone dripping plague and disease.

Step by step, 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 become a wizard and shaman herself despite the terrible cost. Together, the two battle an invasion of Löhi’s riders, malign spirits from the underworld, and the relentless challenge of the elements in the harsh northern climate.

The Mark of the Bear Clan goes where no epic fantasy series has ever gone before—Finnish myth and the world of the Kalevala where legendary heroes like the wizard Väinämöinen, the hero Lemminkäinen, and Mielikki, Lady of the Forest, mix with original characters like Ulla and Egan to create an exciting, unique mosaic wholly new to fantasy literature. Filled with traditional Finnish versions of magical creatures, races, and places, The Mark of the Bear Clan is a fascinating ride into Finland’s ancient past and an amazing start to a new, instant fantasy classic.

This indie author corner and discussion guide was shared and sponsored in partnership with DartFrog Books.

The Mark of the Bear Clan

The Mark of the Bear Clan Book Club Questions PDF