No one knows where the Tufa came from, or how they ended up in the Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee, yet when the first Europeans arrived, they were already there. Dark-haired, enigmatic, and suspicious of outsiders, the Tufa live quiet lives in the hills and valleys of Cloud County. While their origins may be lost to history, there are clues in their music—hints of their true nature buried in the songs they have passed down for generations.
Private Bronwyn Hyatt returns from Iraq wounded in body and in spirit, only to face the very things that drove her away in the first place: her family, her obligations to the Tufa, and her dangerous ex-boyfriend. But more trouble lurks in the mountains and hollows of her childhood home. Cryptic omens warn of impending tragedy, and a restless “haint” lurks nearby, waiting to reveal Bronwyn’s darkest secrets. Worst of all, Bronwyn has lost touch with the music that was once a vital part of her identity.
With death stalking her family, Bronwyn will need to summon the strength to take her place among the true Tufa and once again fly on the night winds. . . .
The Hum and the Shiver is a Kirkus Reviews Best of 2011 Science Fiction & Fantasy title.
Review
"This powerful, character-driven drama, set forth in superbly lucid prose, occurs against an utterly convincing backdrop and owns complications enough to keep everybody compulsively turning the page. A sheer delight.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review) on *The Hum and the Shiver
"With a deep love for the mountains embedded in his language, the author crafts a deceptively simple story of family and community, laced throughout with the music and beliefs of a magical reality. . . . Elegantly told, this series opener calls to mind the Silver John tales of the late Manly Wade Wellman and should attract a wide readership beyond genre fans."--Library Journal (starred review) on The Hum and the Shiver*
About the Author
ALEX BLEDSOE grew up in West Tennessee, but now lives in Wisconsin.
Description:
No one knows where the Tufa came from, or how they ended up in the Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee, yet when the first Europeans arrived, they were already there. Dark-haired, enigmatic, and suspicious of outsiders, the Tufa live quiet lives in the hills and valleys of Cloud County. While their origins may be lost to history, there are clues in their music—hints of their true nature buried in the songs they have passed down for generations.
Private Bronwyn Hyatt returns from Iraq wounded in body and in spirit, only to face the very things that drove her away in the first place: her family, her obligations to the Tufa, and her dangerous ex-boyfriend. But more trouble lurks in the mountains and hollows of her childhood home. Cryptic omens warn of impending tragedy, and a restless “haint” lurks nearby, waiting to reveal Bronwyn’s darkest secrets. Worst of all, Bronwyn has lost touch with the music that was once a vital part of her identity.
With death stalking her family, Bronwyn will need to summon the strength to take her place among the true Tufa and once again fly on the night winds. . . .
The Hum and the Shiver is a Kirkus Reviews Best of 2011 Science Fiction & Fantasy title.
Review
"This powerful, character-driven drama, set forth in superbly lucid prose, occurs against an utterly convincing backdrop and owns complications enough to keep everybody compulsively turning the page. A sheer delight.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review) on *The Hum and the Shiver
"With a deep love for the mountains embedded in his language, the author crafts a deceptively simple story of family and community, laced throughout with the music and beliefs of a magical reality. . . . Elegantly told, this series opener calls to mind the Silver John tales of the late Manly Wade Wellman and should attract a wide readership beyond genre fans."--Library Journal (starred review) on The Hum and the Shiver*
About the Author
ALEX BLEDSOE grew up in West Tennessee, but now lives in Wisconsin.