A Reader's Guide to Books and Reviews

Title: Krampus: The Yule Lord

Author: Brom

Genre: Fantasy, Horror, Urban Fantasy, Mythology, Christmas Mythology, Holiday, Adult, Monsters

Date Started: December 4th, 2022

Date Finished: December 4th, 2022

Status: Finished

Rating: 3.5/5

Sypnosis: Santa Claus, my dear old friend, you are a thief, a traitor, a slanderer, a murderer, a liar, but worst of all you are a mockery of everything for which I stood. You have sung your last ho, ho, ho, for I am coming for your head. . . . I am coming to take back what is mine, to take back Yuletide . . .

—from Krampus

The author and artist of The Child Thief returns with a modern fabulist tale of Krampus, the Lord of Yule and the dark enemy of Santa Claus

One Christmas Eve in a small hollow in Boone County, West Virginia, struggling songwriter Jesse Walker witnesses a strange spectacle: seven devilish figures chasing a man in a red suit toward a sleigh and eight reindeer. When the reindeer leap skyward, taking the sleigh, devil men, and Santa into the clouds, screams follow. Moments later, a large sack plummets back to earth, a magical sack that thrusts the down-on-his-luck singer into the clutches of the terrifying Yule Lord, Krampus. But the lines between good and evil become blurred as Jesse's new master reveals many dark secrets about the cherry-cheeked Santa Claus, including how half a millennium ago the jolly old saint imprisoned Krampus and usurped his magic.

Now Santa's time is running short, for the Yule Lord is determined to have his retribution and reclaim Yuletide. If Jesse can survive this ancient feud, he might have the chance to redeem himself in his family's eyes, to save his own broken dreams, . . . and to help bring the magic of Yule to the impoverished folk of Boone County.

Review: Ever wondered about the story of Krampus and Santa Claus?



Well, you have come to the right place. This story takes place in modern Appalachia's West Virginia where we find a failed songwriter, Jesse, who is struggling not only to get back his family but be something they can be proud of. Unfortunately for him, he's entangled in the drug ring and the Chief of the police force is trying to find any means necessary to keep him away from Linda and his daughter, Abby. But the police chief has his own secrets that he is trying to hide. Jesse will find himself not only being hunted by the police chief but he will be embroiled in a war between Santa and Krampus.

Although this story is filled with Norse mythology, it is also really weird(?). To find that Krampus is actually the good guy here and not Santa Claus, it turns the entire world of mythology on its head. The whole thing seemed bizarre to me and yet the story was really intriguing. I felt sorry for Jesse. He has been a loser for so long and when Santa's bag falls into his lap, his luck changes, but it also brings him into the crossfire of Santa and Krampus' long-standing feud.



Although this story is a bit absurd, I found it entertaining. I actually thought Krampus being different from the stories and adding sprinkles of Norse mythology was wonderfully different. Yet, there are a few things I did not care too much for, but I am not going to nitpick on them.

But this was a weirdly, wild story and the only way to form your own opinion is to read it yourself.