Unusual in being set in Northern Ireland, this is a dark
fantasy along the lines of 'Mythago Wood'. Michael Fay is
a boy aged thirteen in 1950s Antrim. On the farm where he
lives with his grandparents there is a wood where no birds
sing, no sheep graze. He's drawn to explore the wild woods
with the mare Fancy, and meets a wild girl there, Cat, who
seldom leaves the wood, and he stays with her in A
DIFFERENT KINGDOM. As the lad grows up faster than normal,
he realises that the woodland is magical, dangerous and
haunted.
A dark horseman and hounds prowl and the trees seem to be
alive - more or less antagonistic in different areas of the
woodland. Wolves stalk the Wolfweald area and goblins lurk
just out of sight. Cat is a fierce survivor who says that
holy water burns her, and is a friend of the Changelings
who live here. When they come upon a village, it seems to
be back in time, with swords, bows and daggers in use as a
mounted raid occurs. Then Michael cannot discover a way out
of the wood and tries to tackle a dark castle in the eerie
centre instead in the hope that it will give him answers,
because now he is ageing too fast.
I first read this book in 1996 but I'm delighted that it
has now been reissued. I felt drawn in to the atmospheric
story and the settings and descriptive detail are
excellent. The travelers eat bannock bread with honey and
drink foaming buttermilk; there are scents of treacle, hay
and pipe smoke hanging on the damp air. I can recommend A
DIFFERENT KINGDOM to horror fans, as well as fantasy
lovers. This story by Paul Kearney has fewer primeval
English legends than 'Mythago Wood' but there are elements
of Celtic legend instead such as fox-men. The author has
written several other fantasies about travel to a different
world, but this tale stands alone and has an earthy flavour
and chilling absorption like few other books.
A different kingdom of wolves, woods and stranger, darker,
creatures lies in wait for Michael Fay in the woods at the
bottom of his family's farm.
Michael Fay is a normal boy, living with his grandparents on
their family farm in rural Ireland. In the woods there are
wolves; and other things, dangerous things. He doesn’t tell
his family, not even his Aunt Rose, his closest friend.
And then, as Michael wanders through the trees, he finds
himself in the Other Place. There are strange people, and
monsters, and a girl called Cat.
When the wolves follow him from the Other Place to his
family’s doorstep, Michael must choose between locking the
doors and looking away – or following Cat on an adventure
that may take an entire lifetime in the Other Place.
This is Paul Kearney’s masterpiece.
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