Troll Fell: Summary and book reviews of Troll Fell by Katherine Langrish, plus links to an excerpt from Troll Fell and a biography of Katherine Langrish.
Troll Fell
by Katherine Langrish
Hardcover: May 2004,
272 pages.
Paperback: Jul 2005,
304 pages.
A secret kingdom of trolls, and their legendary gold, lies in the mysterious shadows of Troll Fell. It is to this eerie and dangerous place that Peer must go after his father's sudden death, to live with his greedy uncles, Baldur and Grim, at their mill.
When Peer discovers his uncles' plan to sell children to the trolls, he has to bury his fears and set out to stop them somehow. In a world filled with magic and mystery, Peer has only his bravery, his wits, and two new allies -- a daring girl looking for adventure and a mischievous house spirit looking for a good meal. Their story will become part of the legends and lore that fill this extraordinary land by the sea.
Characters
Peer Peer's life has changed forever. Left an orphan and claimed by his mean-spirited uncles, Peer is treated like a slave. But Peer and his faithful dog, Loki, soon make a friend in Hilde. When they discover his greedy uncles are plotting with the trolls, Peer, Hilde and Loki are plunged into a terrifying adventure.
Hilde The daughter of the Grimssons' kindly neighbors. When her father sets off for the summer on a Viking longship, trouble seeks out her family, and their farm, in the shape of thieving trolls and the evil Grimsson brothers. But they might have just found their match in the brave Hilde…
The Grimsson Brothers These mean-spirited brothers live at their dilapidated mill near the dark and mysterious Troll Fell. They are supposedly Peer's Guardians but this evil pair will do anything for gold and riches. However, all that glitters is not gold and the brothers find there is a heavy price to pay for their greed!
Grendel The Grimsson's enormous, bloodthirsty hulk of a dog - he is as cruel and menacing as his owners!
Trolls Reside at Troll Fell – causing trouble, stealing animals and looking for treasure. Stinking and evil, with black tongues and terrible faces, they come in an assortment of repulsive shapes and sizes. They are rich and cunning and despise human beings. These nasty creatures leave smears of bad luck on everything they touch!
Granny Greenteeth Lives in the black millpond and has the power to take any shape she wishes, but always with her trademark green teeth and webbed feet and hands. Scary stories of her are widespread, but Peer soon finds out that she isn't interested in riches – what she wants if far more valuable – life!
The Nis A temperamental and at times, mischievous house spirit in the Grimsson's mill. Also frustrated at being tied into servitude, Peer and the Nis find they have one thing in common.
His father's funeral pyre is still burning when Peer's cruel step-uncle arrives to take him to a life of servitude. However, all is not totally bleak (although it's pretty bad). Peer befriends a local girl, Hilde, and together they must foil his uncles' plans to sell human children to the king of the trolls. Troll Fell is set loosely in medieval Norway and is good, clean, fun fantasy at its best - and a great introduction to Nordic mythology. This is recommended for Grades 5-7 but our children who are a little younger loved every nasty twist and turn. (Reviewed by BookBrowse Review Team).
Kirkus Reviews
Even though the tale incorporates many elements common to fiction about orphans, the clearly delineated, memorable characters transcend stereotype. Goodhearted, resourceful Peer's courage, loyalty to his friends, and generosity will win reader's hearts and will ensure the appeal to readers of Emily Rodda's Rowan of Rin series and the Lemony Snickets. (Fiction. 9-12)
Booklist
Starred Review. Gr. 5-7. Climaxed by a well-set-up twist and a splendidly trollish subterranean wedding feast, Langrish's tense, quick-paced story will keep readers glued to the page, cheering the determined young folk on as they muster the wit and courage to face challenges both natural and supernatural. A rousing debut, steeped in Scandinavian lore and history.
Recent Reader Reviews
Rated of 5
by sidney
loved it
Rated of 5
by tim
the best book i ever read! Such detailed passages that make your heart beat like crazy i recomened this book to everone
Rated of 5
by Anonymous Troll Fell is a wonderfully written story with everything a good book should contain. The main characters have their own personality, and the minor characters aren't over done , but still make you feel like you know them. I think... Read More
Katherine grew up in Yorkshire and has been writing stories for as long as she can remember. As a child, Katherine was convinced that Narnia existed and set up a secret society with the aim of finding the way in! She even wrote the 8th Narnia book as she was so disappointed to have finished the 7th - she still has it now, hidden away far from prying eyes in her attic.
She is married with two daughters and loves reading, and telling and writing folk tales and fairy tales.
The second in the series, Troll Mill has just been published in the UK and will be published in the USA in February 2006. It picks up the story 3 years after we left Peer and his friends. Determined to get the mill up and running again he goes to investigate the old mill but who or what creatures will be lurking in the shadows of Troll Mill...And are his greedy scheming uncles really dead!
Master storyteller Joanne Harris has created a magical and epic romp– a fresh, funny, and wonderfully irreverent new take on the old Norse tales, sure to be enjoyed by readers young and old.
An apocalyptic battle between good and evil is vigorously, violently fought in British author G.P. Taylor's suspenseful, action-packed fantasy.... a pageturner bursting with magic and myth. (Ages 11 and older).
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Loved this book. Magical, quirky, enchanting I could go on. All books do not have to be literary fiction, sometimes it is just so comforting to read...
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