The package is wrapped roughly in butcher’s paper, restrained with string. Inside, is a tan leather journal crammed with tortured handwriting, a letter written in the decorative style of an adolescent girl, and a phallic curve of yellowed bone tattooed with an elaborate, snake-like engraving of a Chinese dragon.
Tests on the bone confirm it is carved from the tooth of a Physter Macrocephalus, or sperm whale.
Tests on the journal reveal its leather cover is made from the epidermis of a woman.
An ancient man without a past hails a taxi driven by a petty criminal with no future.
Reluctantly, the pair embarks on a journey in search of a legendary whaler and murderer known only as the Norseman. This is a one-way trip — but who’s taking who for a ride?
The Norseman’s Song is a stylish blend of gothic mystery and modern crime noir. Evoking the spirit of Joseph Conrad and Edgar Allan Poe, Joel Deane creates a violent and lyrical vision of contemporary Australia with the pace and energy of a road movie and the haunting atmosphere of a nightmare. Trade Paperback, 240pp * ISBN: 9780980740523 * $32.95 * March 2010
