Preview: Dina Norlund’s ‘The Snowcat Prince’ Brings You A Magical Fantastical Hero’s Quest

Released Wednesday 8th March, Dina Norlund’s The Snowcat Prince promises a rich fantasy tale of royalty, honour, and myth.

If you’re after a lovely, lushly illustrated fairy tale that explores the realms of fantasy with fine style, Dina Norlund’s The Snowcat Prince is definitely worth a look this month.

The Oni Press PR blurb goes like this…

“To break the curse on the kingdom, Syv, the youngest snowcat prince sets out on a dangerous quest to find the long-lost magical crown of his ancestor and learn the true meaning of bravery and honor.

Syv is a snowcat and the youngest in a family of princes. When his father dies, Syv and his brothers are all in line for the throne. Eager to become kings themselves and wary of how well-liked Syv has become by the citizens, Syv’s brothers send him on a dangerous quest to find the long-lost magical crown that once belonged to their royal ancestor, the Eldking. Legend says that the snowcat who finds the crown will break the curse on their land and bring great honor to the family. But failure could mark Syv with three black stripes, and he’d be banished forever.

Along his journey, Syv will face dangerous beasts, dark powers, and the ever-lurking sand foxes—sworn enemies to the snowcats. But when Syv discovers the truth about the legend of the Eldking and his magical crown, he’ll have to learn the new meaning of honor and find another way to break the curse.”

And that really tells you all the plot you really need to know. Coupled with the art samples you’re seeing in this here preview, you should come away with an impression of a rich fantasy quest, of a young prince desperate to do the right thing yet absolutely failing to realise how different the real world outside the palace can be.

It’s beautifully illustrated, taking you to all those familiar and comfortably familiar places of this sort of fantasy but nonetheless doing everything very well, creating an enjoyable tale for young readers.

The Snowcat Prince – by Dina Norlund, letters by Crank

Published by Oni Press on 8 March 2023

Now, a little preview for you. First, the introductory chapter, ’10 Years Earlier’, where a very young Syv learns of the history and mythology of the land from his father…

And finally, a little selection from Chapter 2 ‘The Seven Brothers’. It’s 10 years later and one week after the death of the King… little Syv is out amongst the people…

And later in the same chapter, the brothers (Boo! Hiss!) hatch their plan to get rid of Syv…