Horror novel? It's more of a folk-gothic novel. But there are certainly streaks of horror in it, Faxneld tells TT.
It all started with "Dracula," which Per Faxneld read for the first time when he was eight years old.
It made an indelible impression. And then it was on that path.
This interest led Per Faxneld to a career both as a religious historian and as an author, and he is now out with "Three Turns Counterclockwise".
He lives in central Stockholm in an apartment that is shaped by his interests. There he has a large LP collection with masks from different parts of the world, a collection of books by iconic horror authors such as Algernon Blackwood and H.P. Lovecraft, and a DVD collection where the film adaptation of Stephen King's "The Dead Zone" is at the top.
Secret teachings
Faxneld is a professor of religious studies at Södertörn University. His research focuses primarily on esotericism and new spiritual movements – but what is esotericism?
There are often secret teachings that have existed alongside the establishment. A kind of rejected tradition of knowledge, it could be theosophy, anthroposophy, ritual magic, Freemasonry. There have been many conspiracy theories, such as around the Freemasons who have been blamed for everything from the French Revolution to the assassination of Gustav III.
He has written about this in his academic books - but his debut novel is about folklorist Edda, who in 1929 is cycling around Lake Storsjön in Jämtland in search of a mythical book about the black arts. She has deadly competition in her search, and perhaps supernatural beings are lining her path.
The interest was sparked when I edited a new edition of Ella Odstedt's 1943 book about werewolves in Swedish folk tradition. The main character is inspired by her. She was cycling around Norrland at the same time, armed with a revolver.
Spinning imagination
At first, Faxneld thought about writing about Odstedt, but then his imagination began to spin in different directions.
A central theme in the book is the tension between what is real and what is unreal. Edda longs for the supernatural, but as a researcher she must maintain a cool distance.
The book is also being published in a fancy deluxe edition (“books should look nice,” says Faxneld) and a sequel is planned. It is intended to be a trilogy about Edda, while he is also writing a book about spirituality in Japanese martial arts.
The next book about Edda will be about werewolves. It's an underutilized monster.
Gunnar Rehlin/TT
Facts: Per Faxneld
TT
Age: 47.
Family: Wife, two children.
Lives: In Stockholm.
Occupation: Religious historian, author.
Previous books in selection: "Apostles of Dark Circle", "Satanic Feminism", "The Sacrificial Tree", "The Occult Turn of the Century", "Secret Stockholm".
Current: With the debut fiction book "Three Turns Counterclockwise".
