Irving A. Greenfield is Back With Literary Thriller!

Snow Giants Dancing 


by Irving A. Greenfield

I was honored to be a first reader of Snow Giants Dancing! That was quite some time ago since this prolific author is busy all the time, so I was happy to learn that this novel is now available as an e-book. I bought it right away since I had developed a small library of Irving Greenfield's books, some of which are no longer available in print. Hopefully, with the rise in e-book popularity, many of his earlier books, such as Tagget, that was made into a popular movie, will once again be made available to today's audience!

You know, I read so many books that often I cannot remember the plot unless I refer back to the book; but with Snow Giants Dancing, I could remember the entire story, except the names of the characters. Greenfield not only entertains in this novel, he presents such an intimate look into the lives of his characters that, in some cases, it may force readers to look into themselves. There is prejudice, there is hatred and murder--there is also love...

"In the gathering twilight, Eric looked down at the mount of his
mother's unmarked grave. He stood very still. His hands were
thrust deep into the pockets of his hooded winter cloak. A biting
wind came off the snowfield on the mountainside above the
village. The mound had already lost much of its convex shape.
When covered by the summer grass it would hardly be
distinguishable from the rest of the earth surrounding it.
"Eric remembered telling Max how beautiful his mother was. He
and Max were having a discussion about childhood...
"With memories of his mother running through his head, Eric
was not immediately aware of the ragged cross-like
arrangement of stones in the center of the mound. When he
became conscious of the shape, he could not believe his own
eyes. He knelt down to be sure, of what he was looking at...
"He stood up and looked toward the village. Someone else
remembered his mother. Someone took the trouble to mark her
grave with the Christian sign of forgiveness...
"The sun was far down in the west. Its light touched the snowfield,
where the wind was lifting great veils of snow high into the air.
Eric could not ever remember having seen such strange wisps of
snow coming off the top of the snowfield. They looked like the
tentacles of some beast..."

But there are also...the Snow Giants Dancing...

And when they do, good and evil may both fall to their mighty power...

Come with me, now, and visit Oberfest, a small village far up in the snow-covered mountains where the population is small and the traditions, the buildings and many of the families have been there for generations. They are self-governed, where a Bourgomeister is the leader of the community. But as sometimes happens, it is his wife, behind the scenes, who is the powerful one who really controls much of what happens there.

Eric Muller is the main character and had been the son of a prostitute, who claimed didn't know the father. After fighting in many wars, not caring on his side, he had returned to home, taking up residence in one of the towers of an old fort. Having grown tired of wars, he had taken up sculpture and had been commissioned to create two figures who would stand on either side of the entrance of the new church. Everyone in the village had contributed with either work or money. Interestingly, but perhaps not surprising, it had not been religious fervor that had been behind the construction--rather they had decided that it was something that they could do together--a tangible purpose.

Eric had not yet decided what those sculptures would portray, but The Bourgomeister and his family had come to find out why they were not yet finished, since he had already been paid for them. He promised they would be done by Easter...

Hilda, the wife of the Bourgomeister, was an invalid who never left her bed--but she always knew what was going on in the village. So after the talk with Eric, Hilda demanded to know what had been said and when the statues would be completed. Always claiming to be near death, she wanted the church completely done since the priest had submitted to Rome to have her name in the church as a major contributor.

All of the village attended the same church except for Chayym Zimmer, a Jew and his daughter, Shulamith. She was a very beautiful girl and was favorably looked upon by certain men in town, but it was Eric with whom she was in love. Prejudice again them by town residents had begun when they had first moved there and rumors flew about the two young people being lovers.

The people in the village were individuals, who mostly kept to their own activities but Hilda and her two nephews began to scheme related to Eric and the sculptures. And even the priest began to talk to Hilda, indicating that once the church was completely done, then the people would be idle and God might not be as protective as He was while they were all working together. And with so much depressing discussions, Hilda prayed and felt she had been given directions from God--by divine inspiration she was chosen to lead the people...

The story may be set in a strange land and the people may sound as if they lived long ago--but this story is really ageless. It speaks of those emotions that are still alive today and the drama that happens can be analogous with any location, any race, or any religion. When good and evil come face to face, we can be sure that a major event will result...

But nobody knew that the Snow Giants were dancing...

Fascinating in its content, this novel is not like the thrillers he wrote through the years that you might have read. This is a serious work that demands that readers realize what happens when man turns against man... Greenfield has provided us with a literary masterpiece that will haunt you...in many ways...for the rest of your life... I consider this a must-read...


GABixlerReviews

SOMTHING ABOUT ME

My latest project is a play within a play based loosely on the life and writing of Friedrich Nietzsche. This will be a full length drama with five or six players and a very simple set. While working on the play, I also continue to write short stories. These works represent some of my interests; namely, philosophy and human relationships at a particular time of an individual's life.

I was born in Brooklyn. I now live in Staten Island with my wife Anita, to whom I have been married to for well over 50 years. I spent many years teaching at Wagner College; I am still associated with college and hold the title of Research Fellow. My expertise is in the field of English Literature and in Composition. I was awarded a PhD for my work in fiction.

I found this site that has the entire library of this author...http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/g/irving-a-greenfield/