A Different Kingdom by Paul Kearney
"A Different Kingdom" is a fantasy novel set in rural Northern Ireland, centered around the life of Michael Fay, an orphan whose parents are killed in a bomb blast. Raised by his grandparents, Michael's childhood is marked by loneliness and the presence of his Aunt Rose, whose tumultuous life takes a tragic turn when she dies in childbirth. At a young age, Michael encounters the mythical Fox-People from an alternate realm and faces dangers from wolves and a menacing figure known as the Horseman, whom many perceive as a devilish entity.
As Michael grows, he forms a romantic connection with Cat, a wild girl who shares an enigmatic bond with him reminiscent of Rose. Together, they embark on a perilous journey to rescue Rose's soul from the Horseman’s castle, encountering fantastical allies such as Mirkady, the Elf King, and a troll named Dwarmo. The narrative explores themes of loss, redemption, and the struggle against dark forces, culminating in Michael’s realization of the true nature of the Horseman and his eventual path to healing. Ultimately, the story weaves a rich tapestry of adventure and emotional depth, inviting readers to explore the interplay between reality and fantasy.
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Subject Terms
A Different Kingdom
First published: 1993
Type of work: Novel
Type of plot: Fantasy—mythological
Time of work: The 1950’s
Locale: Northern Ireland and the Wildwood
The Plot
Orphaned by a bomb blast that kills his parents, Michael Fay is brought up by his grandparents on a large, remote farm in rural Antrim in Northern Ireland. He is left alone, except by his Aunt Rose, a warm, very sexual, young woman.
When he is eight years old, Michael trips on the riverbank and gets his first sight of the Fox-People from an alternate world. Subsequently, wolves swarm into his world, unnoticed by others but capable of killing. To add to his problems, Rose becomes pregnant and dies in childbirth. A local man is blamed, but the real father is a mysterious hooded horseman.
Five years later, Michael sees the Fox-People kill a werewolf. He digs up its skull the next day and uses it to defend himself against a wolf attack. Michael sees the Horseman and feels his evil. He encounters an attractive wild girl, Cat, who reminds him of Rose. They meet several more times and become lovers, but he is too young to leave his world to join hers.
Escaping pursuit by wolves, Cat arrives at his house. He takes her in, and they leave together in the morning. They are chased through the forest by wolves and the Horseman, who is recognized by everyone as the Devil. Michael wins the support of the Myrcan Fox-People and their leader, Ringbone, by rescuing two Myrcans from some Catholic Knights Militant who were intent on killing them. Michael already has been helped by Mirkady, the Elf King, and by a troll, Dwarmo. Now, with a legendary sword, Ulfbehrt, he is ready to rescue Rose’s soul from the Horseman-Devil’s castle.
Despite wolf attacks, Michael and Cat reach the edge of the forest and enter Wolfweald, an area that has obliterated two expeditions by the Christian brothers. Only with Mirkady’s help do they survive a goblin attack. He gives Michael and Cat a gift of Wyr-fire, to be used only once when in dire trouble. Nothing can alter the fact that Michael, chronologically fifteen years old, is aging quickly.
They stumble across the encampment of Brother Nennian. Recognizing Michael’s original faith, the brother wants to join them. The journey becomes even harder; they are starving, the castle is elusive, and Michael is reaching middle age. Finally, they come to a glade. The wind whips up, the trees grow closer, and there is an urge to join with them; then the wolves arrive. Nennian is killed, and Cat and Michael are wounded before they can invoke the Wyr-fire. Once invoked, the Wyr-fire destroys the wolves, which are made of wood. After they leave the Wyrwood, turning away from the quest in defeat, Michael decides to quit and return to his own world.
More than a decade later, Michael is found to be a nightmare-ridden alcoholic by Mirkady and Dwarmo, who have been looking for him. He finally reaches the Horseman’s castle but discovers that the Horseman is not the Devil; rather, he is the spirit of the Wildwood. He wants Michael, so Michael is able to negotiate terms. Rose is restored to life with her stillborn child, and Michael is freed from his painful memories. The Michael that inhabits the alternate world remains with Cat.