thomas maltman

A story of violence at the heart of a pastoral landscape, from the author of Indie Next pick and All Iowa Reads selection Little Wolves

Recovering from a terrible auto accident just before the turn of the millennium, college dropout and hobbyist computer-game programmer Lucien Swenson becomes the caretaker of a house in northern Minnesota. Lucien sets out to find a missing woman he had been having an affair with, who vanished along with money stolen from the bank where they had worked together. His search will take him to Rose of Sharon, a white supremacist church deep in the wilderness, where a cabal of outcasts wait for the end of the world at a place they call The Land. Lucien is visited at the house by wolves and a mysterious guest, who may not be who she claims, as well as a vast flock of violent ravens out of an apocalyptic vision. At once a mystery and spiritual noir, The Land explores the dark side of belief, the uniquely American obsession with end times and racial identity, and the sacrifices we make for those we love.

“The tale of a broken man seeking a way to wholeness in body and spirit, The Land is a multi-layered journey through a bleak landscape filled with visions and ruminations on the nature of man and God. What Maltman offers readers is nothing less than a brilliant, compelling tale steeped in allegory and dripping with menace. Suspenseful, thought-provoking, and utterly unputdownable, The Land explores those frightening moments when every human being confronts both the devil outside and the devil within. Once again, Thomas Maltman proves himself to be among the finest writers publishing today.”
—William Kent Krueger, author of This Tender Land

“Thomas Maltman’s The Land is a gift to readers longing for a tale of lost love, fringe prophets, souls in cold suspension, and ravens that darken the skies of a Northern winter. Set against looming apocalypse and the clicking of a projector showing classic films, The Land is generous, intricate, and propulsive. It has a kind heart and a tear in its eye, and I enjoyed it completely.”
—Leif Enger, author of Peace Like a River

“The Land gives us an unflinching look at the sad, strained logic of modern white supremacy. By turns lyrical and hallucinatory, it is also an angry, lonely love letter to the most isolated corners of the rural Midwest at the turn of the millennium, a mystery where the man trying to solve it is also increasingly a mystery to himself.”
—Chris Dennis, author of Here Is What You Do

“”Maltman’s very dark novel deals dramatically with considerations of good and evil, of angels and demons, creating a visceral sense of danger…Metaphysics and mystery merge in this haunting, thought-provoking story.”

—Booklist. Click this link for full review!

“This timely novel will appeal to readers who enjoy noir fiction as well as book clubs looking for a meaty, satisfying, and eloquent read . . . The Land is a book that begs to be read in one sitting and contemplated for eternity.”
—Pamela Klinger-Horn, Excelsior Bay Books (Excelsior, MN)