A hundred years ago, a man with a secret could travel a few hundred miles and give himself a new name and life story. No one would be any the wiser, as long as he didn’t give anyone a reason to start asking questions. These days, that’s not so easy, with everyone on social media, and CCTV on every street corner. So Daniel Mackmain keeps his head down and keeps himself to himself.
But now a girl has been murdered and the Derbyshire police are taking a closer look at a loner who travels from place to place, picking up work as he goes. Worse, Dan realises the murder involves the hidden world he was born into. When no one else can see the truth, who will see justice done?
One of my many obsessions is the folklore and mythology of the British Isles. I’ve always been utterly fascinated by all the stories. I grew up reading books like Mythago Wood by Robert Holdstock and Watership Down by Richard Adams. On television, I was entranced by The Box of Delights, while musically albums like Songs from the Wood by Jethro Tull were always near the top of my playlist*. Heck, even the tattoos I have are inspired in no small way by pagan gods and the creatures of the hedgerow.
I decided recently that I needed to extend my horizons when it comes to folklore-themed fiction so I put a call out on Twitter for novels worth checking out, hopeful I could discover some hidden gems.
I had some great responses and one in particular piqued my interest. The Green Man’s Heir by Juliet E McKenna was suggested multiple times. Who am I to ignore the will of the people I thought. I went straight out and got myself a copy. Turns out in this instance social media was 100% right. This is a great book.
Daniel Mackmain’s complex relationship with the Green Man lies at the heart of the novel. The Green Man leads and expects to be followed but his guidance is never overt. I like the air of uncertainty this creates within Mackmain’s character. He is still discovering the true elements of his heritage. Mackmain is trying to follow the direction of a supernatural entity but the instruction he receives are only from visions or dreams. It turns out that Interpreting the will of nature incarnate is not always the easiest job in the world. There are moments where you can sense the doubts attempting to creep in.
There is also an inherent loneliness in Mackmain’s character. His roots, excuse the pun, ensure he is shunned on all sides. He doesn’t quite fit with human society and supernatural beings views him as a threat. It makes Mackmain an introspective soul, always seeking the answers to exactly what he is and where he fits.
I’ve always loved the idea of the duality that exists within nature. Day and night, life and death, even the constant change of the seasons reflect this. McKenna’s writing really taps into that idea. The Green Man and the denizens of the forest are the chaos of nature made real. Sometimes they’ll help you, other times not. They are all capable of good or evil and discovering what motivates them is central to Mackmain’s journey.
As an aside, and on an entirely personal note, I was very pleased with an appearance by Black Shuck. I have a great fondness for ghostly black dogs.
The Green Man’s Heir achieves exactly what I would hope for when it comes to great genre fiction, it leaves you wanting more. Juliet E McKenna offers tantalising hints about the larger world that Mackmain inhabits. I get the impression the Green Man is a secretive sort and he has much more to left still to tell us. Though only appearing in a couple of scenes he is a constant presence throughout the entire novel.
Apologies if this review has been a bit waffly and rambling**. I could happily discuss folklore and this book endlessly. When I come across an author whose work explores themes I connect with I tend to get a bit giddy. The exact same thing happened when I read the Age of Misrule trilogy by Mark Chadbourn.
The Green Man’s Heir is published by Wizard’s Tower Press and is available now. The best news is a quick internet search reveals another three books in this series are already out there in the wild. The Green Man’s Foe, The Green Man’s Silence and The Green Man’s Challenge will be finding their way onto my bookshelves very soon. Highly recommended.
Regular readers of the site know I like to pair every book I read with a suitable musical partner. In this instance, I’ve decided my musical recommendation to accompany The Green Man’s Heir is the soundtrack to the console game Moss by Jason Graves. It has a subtle, supernatural quality that fits the tone of McKenna’s writing perfectly. You know the drill by now, read the book while listening to the music and enjoy both.
*It still is. What can I say? I’m a crusty old hedge wizard at heart.
**I know, even more so than normal.
No Comments