In Magnus we enter the world of heroes and villains, gods and monsters, good and evil. With a twist, of course, as one would expect from the author of The Book of Alexander.

Per, Jonas, Mette and Linnéa are university undergraduates on their final year project with Professor Erik Nordveit. Magnus is the unwelcome guest, a student of grotesque appearance with a shady past who must complete the project to be awarded a pass degree. The group will live together in a cabin on the remote island of Svindel off the west coast of Norway for one week. The pressure cooker atmosphere soon increases - who will explode first? Who can really concentrate on monitoring environmental pollution under these conditions when there is no contact with the mainland?

What starts as the capstone of their university careers slowly becomes more difficult for the Professor and the students. Events take a turn for the worse. True natures are revealed. Is there a need in all of us to escape, to maximise our freedom, to be ourselves? Do we naturally split into two sides and become either heroes or monsters? Can people truly govern themselves without laws and force of arms?

The week culminates in a bonfire party to celebrate Midsummer’s Eve. The neighbouring islands light beacons to celebrate the longest day with the sun still in the sky. In its hour of need who will answer Svindel’s call? Are heroes made or born?

Reviews of this book

Magnus, by Mark Carew, is mostly set on a remote island in northern Norway. Five students are spending a week studying the mosses that grow there for a project that will enable them to complete their studies. The professor overseeing their work owns the island and is nearing retirement. It is he who agreed to accept the outsider, Magnus, despite the man’s infamy putting others off attending. The group is small for what is usually a popular placement.

Magnus is older than the other students as he has struggled to graduate. His many health and behavioural issues have led to the university extending the time he is allowed to continue at the institution. This week, however, is his final chance to attain a degree. Magnus’s contempt for other people verges on the dangerous but the professor considers himself capable of managing whatever situations develop.

The island has no phone or internet connection. Power comes from a generator. Food and drinking water must be brought in. The residents are all but cut off from the world for the week they stay.

Parallel to the story of the island group is a tale of a young, English tourist, Alexander Clearly, who is travelling through Norway is search of adventure. He buys a wolf skin that he wears as a cloak and carries few other possessions. There are hints as to his relevance to the main plot and this is eventually revealed.

The arrogance of these two characters puts their lives in danger as they are determined to survive alone, on their wits, by whatever means. Along the way they encounter kindnesses that are rarely appreciated as most would expect. They are loners who only seem to regard their mothers with any sort of fondness. They wish to mate with women but lack social skills.

The dormitory accommodation on the island leads to issues when Magnus goes out of his way to be unpleasant. The group rejects him and he plots his revenge.

The writing is raw in places, which suits the animalistic behaviour of the protagonists. There is much dialogue but once the pace picks up the tale becomes compelling. I was reminded of Scandinavian Noir in translation despite this being an English work. The sense of place is strong throughout. The rituals described are evocative with the undercurrent of unease building well.

The denouement is tightly woven if disturbing. Magnus is really quite a terrifying creation when considered clearly. The reader, like the professor, will be challenged by the desire to give even dysfunctional people a chance, and the dangers this can lead to. A thought-provoking story that is well worth reading..’ —Jackie Law, neverimitate

I'd not come across this author previously, but when I found it while trawling Salt Publishing's website, it sounded really intriguing, so I bought a copy and I was hooked from the off. A small group of final-year university students - including title character Magnus, are gathered on a remote island just off the west coast of Norway to undertake a botancial survey, under the supervision of their professor Erik.
There is a creeping menace and tension which weaves its way throughout the book, as the two main characters - Alexander, the first-person narrator who is making his way across Norway (towards Magnus?) grow closer in geographical distance. With each chapter, the sense of unease and something climactic builds, and I was speculating all the way through, are these two characters connected - and how? Do they meet? And who are they really? Carew cleverly reveals tiny suggestions around these two people, without giving anything away, so the reader cannot help but track their journey. The description of place, too, was evocative without being overly descriptive and the stark, frozen landscape, with its nods to old, Nordic folklore, only adds to the growing aura of discomfort, isolation and uncertainty.
If you're someone who likes their thrillers to be wrapped up neatly and the what, who and why fully explained, this novel may be somewhat frustrating - but its ambiguity leaves you wondering - and wanting more. I will now look to read Carew's other novels The Book of Alexander and Beyond the North Wind! —Rachel, Goodreads