Kraken

The survivors from the expedition to the Arctic seas return, but Marius’s father is left behind. The ship went down in those freezing waters and nobody knows why. There’s talk of a monster at the bottom of the ocean. A monster the expedition has roused from its deep slumber. A monster that refuses to die. A monster that Marius will soon encounter as he sets out in search of his father.

Kraken is an adventure story set in the Arctic wastelands and a horror story that draws its inspiration from the old Northern tales of the sea monster ‘Kraken’. And with the illustrations of artist Simon Bukhave, Kraken is also an extraordinarily beautiful book. Every illustration is a meticulously made paper-cut, all done by hand. Horror paper-cuts! Each one an artwork in itself and at the same time deepening the salty and gothic mood of the story.

Benni Bødker mainly writes books for young readers and they often feature horror, historical fiction, crime and Sci-Fi. Boys in particular seem to love his wide ranging gaze. His stories are full of tension, mystery and ancient legends. But even though his books are gorged with zombies, vampires and blood, there’s also room for humor and action.

About the author 

Benni Bødker was born in 1975 and made his debut in 2004. His children’s books have been published in several countries. He is known for his horror series Zombie City and Zombie World - both with illustrations by Simon Bukhave - which have become a great success in Denmark, Norway and Sweden, and more recently for his steampunk novel, The Crystal Ship. In 2013, he was awarded the school librarians author prize and has frequently been short listed for the ‘Orla’ children’s book award. He has also written three crime novels for adults in collaborations with his wife, Karen Vad Bruun.

Text translated by Paul Larkin