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People of the Swan

by Hubert Schuurman

648 pages; quality trade paperback (softcover); catalogue #05-2860; ISBN 1-4120-7962-4; US$37.39, C$43.00, EUR30.71, £21.50

The swan ballets on the river Sanctus drew Elves, Fairies, and many other visitors to town. Life flowed joyously. None heeded the Dwarves' warnings. They always talked gloom and doom!

About the Book

After an award winning career in documentary film with the National Film Board of Canada, Schuurman has brought us a delightful fantasy. People of the Swan transports us to a world of dancing swans, true love, and spirituality.

It took years of striving for King Arcturus to get Elves, Dwarves, Gnomes, Outlanders, Swannefolk and Mountain Fairies to agree upon a 'Common Book of Sacred Lore'. Wise counsel, patience and the great Unity Symposium held atop mount Oneisis brought about the King's vision of unity amongst his people. For generations the people of Swanneland enjoyed a tranquil life by the silent waters of the Sanctus. They trained their great white swans in pattern swimming and aerial ballet. In spring folks from every corner of the Kingdom gathered in the town of Cascade for the splendid swan festivals. The Swannepeople were wonderful showmen and made a good living.

Life in Cascade flowed quietly, like the waters of the great river. Few suspected it would ever change. Only the Dwarves living high above the valley knew otherwise. Who would listen to the Dwarves? Those prim and priggish warriors, talking doom and gloom.

It was when darkness descended, that from amongst the womenfolk, arose Svanhild and Sunflower, to become the Kingdom's heroines. Throughout its pages we meet numerous enchanting characters. Svanhild's brother, Slim, an intense artistic youth who choreographs ballets for his teams of swans. The blithe Mountain Fairies Edel and Weiss, incurable dreamers and romantics. Svanhild the feisty swannemaiden, the great warrior Scimitar and his brother, the formidable Smithereen, a Dwarf of immense strength yet plagued by bouts of depression and self doubt. Nobody appreciates his poetry! Then follow the Sisters of the Secret Crossing, who guide the souls of the dying to the worlds beyond and Elmira, the elven child who received the gift of spirit travel from the hands of the enchantress Amaranth and the sorceress Matista whose psychic powers even beguile the pure in heart. The warp of this tapestry is the timeless struggle between good and evil, and the quest for power and everlasting youth. The woof has threads of many colours. It combines lore of the supernatural with new age spirituality and romantic charm. It explores the deeper layers of the psyche of the players, aided by the wisdom of the owls. The genre of this work falls between Lord of the Rings and Wind in the Willows. It should appeal to teens and adults alike.

About the Author

Born in the Netherlands, Hubert Schuurman arrived in Canada in 1953, where he spent seven years in the film industry before going to university. He did his undergraduate work at Memorial University, and completed an MA in sociology and economics at the University of Minnesota. He is a Woodrow Wilson Fellow and is the recipient of a Governor General's medal. He spent a number of years working in the Arctic as a sociologist before returning to the art of filmmaking. His work for the National Film Board of Canada has earned him a number of awards in Canada and the US.

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