After the adventures in The Utgarda Trilogy, Anna Rykov is back for another series of adventures in The Thule Trilogy by Joab Stieglitz.
In Joab Stieglitz’s first pulp adventure trilogy, The Utgarda series, we met several interesting characters. One of them is the Russian anthropologist Anna Rykov. Rykov is part of the trio with Father Sean O’Malley and Dr. Harry Lamb, the three main protagonists in the series. The Thule Trilogy is a spin-off from the previous series and focuses on Anna Rykov and her latest adventures. In 2019, Joab Stieglitz released the first two books – The Hunter in the Shadows (May) and The Worlds I Know (October). The third installment is yet to be released. ReadersMagnet Review takes a look at The Thule Trilogy by Joab Stieglitz.
Book One: The Hunter in the Shadows
Barely two years after the release of The Other Realm (third book of the Utgarda series), Joab Stieglitz published the first book of The Thule Trilogy- The Hunter in the Shadows. Stieglitz reintroduced Anna Rykov’s character as the main protagonist of the series. In The Hunter in the Shadows, Russian anthropologist Anna Rykov is sent to Depression-era Boston after dreaming of her alter-dimensional sister Sobak being in danger. Anna’s mission is to find and kill the shape-shifting creature in her dream, Sobak, whose plans could annihilate all life on Earth. Together with Cletus the Hound and a homeless World War I veteran with a murky past, they must find their target and evade a notorious law enforcer that would later become the head of the famous Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Hunter in the Shadows is set in the 1930’s and features new characters, including a young J.Edgar Hoover.
Book Two: The Worlds I Know
Upon learning of the German Thule Society plot to spread alien chaos in Western superpowers, Anna Rykov is summoned to England. Rykov is tasked to investigate the mysterious runes. A recent mining survey uncovered the mysterious runes. Despite the order, the British authorities are not so keen on having the Russian anthropologist. At the site, Anna discovers Siashutara. Siashutara is the world seen by Brian Teplow (the psychic character from the previous trilogy). Siashutara is well- documented in Teplow’s childhood journals. However, the Siashutara that Anna saw is a modern one. Rykov also encounters a life-changing discovery- she is the heretic scion of Nygof. Nygof is the assassin who is causing the upheaval known as the Cataclysm. Worse, Rykov also learns that her old enemy Queen Sif and all her cohorts from Earth have alter-egos there as well. She must find a way to escape imprisonment and prevent the two worlds from merging. By doing so, she will restore order by setting the two planets to their own paths. Failure is not an option.
Book Three: In Progress
Author Joab Stieglitz is currently working on the third book. The title is yet unknown but based on the previous two books. Book three will largely feature Anna Rykov’s final adventure in the series. This article will be updated as soon as details on the third book is made public.
To know more about Joab Stieglitz and his other works, you can purchase copies of his published works or visit his author website today.
Joab Stieglitz
Joab Stieglitz is an author and a lifelong gamer. He was born and raised in Warren, New Jersey. Joab Stieglitz’s fantasy and pulp adventure novels are influenced by his passion for RPG games and science fiction. He is also a huge fan of Lovecraftian literature, as evidenced by his plots and style. As a gamer, Steiglits is a game master of horror, espionage, fantasy, and science fiction genres that includes Savage Worlds (Mars, Deadlands, Agents of Oblivion, etc.), Call of Cthulhu, Pathfinder, Lamentations of Princess, GUMSHOE, among others.
Joab Stieglitz has worked for more than thirty years as a software trainer, network engineer, project manager, and technical writer. He currently resides in Alexandria, Virginia.