A Battle Against Demons
- a novel by Kjell-Vidar Åhman Teig - spring 2024
“Underneath the horror lies an even more captivating family drama with a touch of crime: a nostalgic and chilling journey with autobiographical undertones.”
Bokblogger.com, Kjell Magne Gjøsæter
“The book is almost written as an autobiography from the characters’ point of view. It’s a fascinating writing style that fully pays off in the end product. You get into their innermost thoughts and get to partake in how they react in given situations.”
“When finished reading the book, I can’t help but applaud this slightly daring setup. It’s original, but it works perfectly! It is well-thought-out and masterfully executed.”
“This book could easily become his breakthrough as an author, so here I hope that publishers and editors take the time to check out both the book and the author.”
“Kjell-Vidar writes well. And even though it’s a thriller, it’s so much more than that. This is a book about family, upbringing, grief, and longing. And for those of us who grew up in the 80s and 90s… Sigh! But regardless, I’m cheering for the thriller genre for adults!
We meet Robert and his family in Øyerstad, a seemingly idyllic village, but it harbors some gruesome secrets that haunt its residents.
It took some time to get into the story as there are several characters involved. But eventually, you become very familiar with all the characters and places in the book. I was deeply engrossed in it.
Watch out for this author! Good stuff!”
“The book hits you like a punch to the gut. In a good way. It’s a story about growing up, loss, grief, and anxiety. On the surface, it’s a pure horror story, and a darn good one at that. However, beneath the story lies an even more captivating family drama – a rural tragedy – which takes the reader on a chilling journey with autobiographical undertones. The book is filled with well-developed characters that one gets to know very well, and there’s a strong sense of nostalgia for those of us who grew up in the 80s and 90s. It’s highly recommended.”
Per Ivar Hjeldsbakken Engevold, editor
“I’ve never read anything like it! Kjell-Vidar writes terrifyingly and deeply personal about upbringing, family, grief, revenge, and the simple yet gruesome fact that as one gets older, the consequences of the choices one has made become clearer.
Right now, my husband is reading the book, and it’s so intriguing to see how it affects him. How he actually becomes thoughtful and a bit quiet after reading some chapters. The book evidently impacts people differently depending on their background and personal life experiences! In short, there’s wisdom on the pages of this book.”
Henning Øverby Klausen, skrekkruttskolen.no
📕📕📕📕📕/5! Coffebetweenlines
“It’s wonderfully written – a unique writing style unlike anything else! A nostalgic journey back to the childhood of the 80s where the story suddenly becomes more dystopian and dark!”
“There are many surprising twists and you just have to read to see who survives it all. The book also addresses serious topics like bullying and suicide, family ties, and tragedies created by unforeseen forces in the form of demons. Filled with suspense and a chilling atmosphere! Highly recommended!”
Welcome to Øyerstad
—
Robert
Many years ago, I wore Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley on my shirt while we sang Bad medicine during breaks at Øyerstad elementary school. We played soccer like Lineker and Van Basten, while the girls played jump-rope in Ball sweaters. Under waves of hair and hairspray, they wrote secret notes that Linn never got to see. She stood alone in her corner. Outside of all the circles.
Later, at the end of the 90s, I’m kneeling on a raft by the Mørkved Lake, chased by both the living and the dead. The bullet from the rifle against my neck might save me from the curse itself, but it will also prevent me from stopping the evil that has claimed so many close to me.
Øyerstad
“Welcome to Solberg Camping.” A banner between two fir trees offers cabins, cozy tent spots, elk safaris with a money-back guarantee, and diving courses in Lake Øyeren. Then comes a larger wooden sign where “Welcome to Øyerstad” has been modified to “Welcome to Øyerstad – Rebel Town”. Whoever added “Rebel Town” is likely referring to the many lowered Volvos with Confederate flags in the rear windows that burn rubber through the village. The youngsters, let’s call them greasers, almost lying down while driving, often swing by the store where they buy pomade, steel combs, and bottled cola. They order their leather vests and pointy shoes from Sweden via post-order catalogs.
Everyone knows everyone in Øyerstad, and everyone thinks they know what’s happening at any given time. They don’t. Because beneath the surface, an evil grows. Something that will tear the small village community apart.
The Circus
The abstractions that unfolded within Circus the tent must be the stuff of nightmares. Shouts of joy, laughter, and ecstasy went hand in hand with frustration, panic, and crying. A smell of sweets, popcorn, grease, and oil mixed with a stench of excrement, and my throat pulled tight. I breathed heavily as my body slowly swayed back and forth. I heard feet, hooves, and claws against netting, bars, and metal. Heavy breaths in the darkness behind the tent. Yet, I saw no one. Perhaps the sounds were echoes from a different time or place?
A darker shadow within the shadows moves out there where the glow of the torches gives way to the darkness of night. He wants to tear apart everything and everyone in his path
MUSIC FROM ØYERSTAD
LOCAL NEWS
Øyerstad på kartet
Øyerstad ca 1990
Kart
“This is the first Norwegian horror novel for adults I’ve read. The book certainly has many dark and chilling elements, but I also found it filled with camaraderie, love, and especially loss and grief. The book is written in the first person, and we get the perspectives of several main characters, some from childhood to young adulthood. This ensures we become well acquainted with the cast of characters, something I appreciate. The story is set in the 80s and 90s, which I greatly enjoyed. Many fun memories came back as I read. I found the book intriguing and exciting and liked it very much. I highly recommend it, even for those who might typically avoid the horror genre. The book is so much more than that.”
“This was an outstandingly good book! The book brought out a lot of nostalgia in me, and I had a hard time putting it down. A fantastic book that made me think and reflect. Many of us have, or will at some point in our lives, battle demons. A super exciting book from start to finish! I highly recommend this!”
“I’ve read quite a bit in my life. I’ve ventured into many genres, and I tend to be most comfortable in the crime landscape. ‘A Battle Against Demons’ is… well, what should I say? Horror? Maybe thriller-horror, with undertones of interpersonal relationships, emotions, and imagination. It has a lot of linguistic humor and nostalgia (especially for those of us who grew up in the 80s and 90s. Seriously, if you grew up during that time, you should read this book just for the sake of reminiscing alone.)
In summary, this book is unlike any I’ve read before. It’s original in a really good way, the language is vivid, and the story captivates you. If you’re a bookworm like me, I highly recommend this one.”
«…Teig writes with a nerve that keeps you on your toes the entire novel. You’re always on edge and uncomfortable, waiting for the next terrible thing to occur. It’s all thanks to his brilliant writing. I was born in the 2000s, yet I was pulled back to the 80s and 90s due to this amazing descriptions. It was so vivid. From the first page he lays out the setting so perfectly that I had no problem imagining anything.»…
“In a greeting in the book, he welcomes us to Øyerstad. And I must say, it was quite a place to visit! We follow Robert and his family and friends in a small rural community. The village where everyone knows everyone, but where something evil lurks beneath the surface.
The story takes place in the ’80s and ’90s, and I felt warmed by nostalgia reading all the descriptions of how things were back then, especially since I myself was a child and teenager during that time 😍 This book is a mix of coming-of-age, horror, and suspense, and it works really well! The author writes well, the language flows easily, and the story is very engaging and exciting.
I couldn’t read the book in bed. At times, it’s so creepy that I wouldn’t have been able to sleep… 😰 The book also touches on teenage infatuation, love for siblings and parents, grief, and coping with loss. The author covers many important themes and ties them all together very well. The book is both scary, beautiful, and sad. I liked it very much and would go as far as to say that it’s one of the best books I’ve read this year! Highly recommended!”
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💀Spenningsbok under juletreet?🎅
Liker du eller noen du kjenner å lese nervepirrende bøker? Da er "En kamp mot demoner" midt i blinken. Romanen som utspiller seg i bygda Øyerstad i Indre Østfold – et sted hvor alle tror de kjenner alle – er en unik blanding av familiedrama, krim, og grøss. Vi følger Roberts oppvekst på 80-tallet, hvor valg tas av ham selv, venner og familie, som får store konsekvenser for fremtiden. Vær forberedt på å sove med tærne godt innunder dyna.
Nå kan du kjøpe boka med en spesiell hilsen til deg selv, eller til noen andre som kanskje skal finne pakken under juletreet!
Sagt om boka:
«Denne boken er ulik noe annet jeg har lest. Original og engasjerende, med levende språk og en fengslende historie. Anbefales på det sterkeste for alle bokormer.»
«Et vågalt og originalt oppsett som fungerer utmerket. Gjennomtenkt og mesterlig utført – en ekte pageturner fra start til slutt.»
«Herlig skrevet, med en unik skrivemåte ulikt noe annet! En nostalgisk tidsreise tilbake til 80-tallets barndom, hvor historien brått blir mer dystopisk og mørk!»
Bli med til Øyerstad og opplev mysteriene som venter i hver en krik og krok. Bestill ditt eksemplar nå på enkampmotdemoner.no.
#EnKampMotDemoner #Øyerstad #ABattleAgainstDemons #abattleagainstdemons2024
@bookedmybook har lest en kamp mot demoner og delt sine tanker! Tusen takk!
«A Norwegian horror novel and a bloody good one at that. Pun intended.
In a little place called Øyerstad a circus one day appears and everything goes on the highway to hell. (Hihi). Weird occurrences and deaths suddenly plague the town without anyone seemingly caring. Robert’s little brother, Fredrik, is followed by voices and shadows, but nobody believes him. After all they’re just young boys have fun. Until they aren’t. Until they do something terrible, until Fredrik gets sicker and sicker and their father starts acting more absent. Something terrible has arrived to Øyerstad and refuses to let its inhabitants rest until they’re all shell shocked and teary-eyed.
I’ve never read a horror book before, so this was my first venture into the genre. I can’t say I enjoyed the book, but you’re not supposed to either. Teig writes with a nerve that keeps you on your toes the entire novel. You’re always on edge and uncomfortable, waiting for the next terrible thing to occur.
It’s all thanks to his brilliant writing. I was born in the 2000s, yet I was pulled back to the 80s and 90s due to this amazing descriptions. It was so vivid. From the first page he lays out the setting so perfectly that I had no problem imagining anything. Which made the gruesome scenes even more horrific and bloodied. Warning: I ate breakfast on the train on way to school. When I read the book afterwards I got physically sick 😬
The book is separated into four different sections where we follow Robert through his childhood and early adolescent years. Some parts are told in first perspective and some are told as an extract from Robert biography written several years after all the events in the book. Though it’s first person in some sections, it’s not always Robert’s point of view. At times we hear from several of the other characters. I appreciated it at times, but also think it could be a bit much back and forth.
If you’re Norwegian and enjoy horror I would definitely check it out. If you like blood and gore this sure as hell will satisfy you.»
#enkampmotdemoner
#Øyerstad
#abattleagainstdemons2024
www.instagram.com/p/CzgBy-nAKWm/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
En kamp mot demoner - fakta:
Lille Båstad, dypt inne i Indre Østfolds skoger, ikke langt fra Øyeren, er et ganske så trivelig sted. Der går bønder, forhandlere, småflyentusiaster, smeder, kreative sjeler, mekanikkere, sangere, skribenter, rånere, skiløpere, turgåere, hyttefolk, campingfolk, pendlere, småvilt, elg og alt det nå måtte være om hverandre. De, folka altså, handler på Bunnpris og er allment trevlige. Alle kjenner alle, og hilser nesten alltid. Og jammen minner ikke bygda jeg vokste opp i om ei annen bygd noen har hørt om, Øyerstad. Den som Robert Baastad vokste opp i. De sier "ikønn" i stedet for "ekorn" i begge bygdene.
Hvorfor Øyerstad, sier du? Joda, det er ikke vanskeligere enn at det er ØYERen og båSTAD satt sammen til ei ny aldri så lita bygd. Den store forskjellen må nok være at mens det i Øyerstad lurer en hel del jævelskap under overflaten, skjer det strengt tatt ikke så mye i Båstad.
«Jeg er, og har alltid vært stolt av å være fra Øyerstad. Det vil si, jeg har nesten alltid vært stolt av å være fra Øyerstad. Det siste tiåret har jeg gått fram og tilbake på akkurat det. Jeg rømte for å ikke bli sinnssyk, eller i verste fall stryke med, og med skoa nok en gang planta i hjembygda, lurer jeg på om jeg burde kommet hjem i det hele tatt.
Skyenes bleikfeite mager over oss varsler om et skifte i vinden som stryker mot meg med en duft av gran og furu. Den berører forsiktig flekken i hodet der de satte stinga for mindre enn en uke siden. Han trykker munningen på børsa hardere mot nakken min så jeg nesten ramler framover. Det var jo ikke slik det skulle slutte. Jeg har viktigere ting jeg skulle ha gjort. Ting mye større enn jævelskapen med bøssa bak meg.»
«Velkommen til Solberg Camping». Banneret mellom to grantrær lokker med hytter, koselige teltplasser, elgsafari med penga-tilbake-garanti og dykkerkurs i Øyeren. Deretter følger et større treskilt hvor «Velkommen til Øyerstad» er blitt «Velkommen til Øyerstad - Rebel Town». Den som har klistra på de ekstra bokstavene «Rebel Town», sikter nok til antallet senka Volvoer med sørstatsflagg i bakruta som «burner» gjennom bygda. Rånerne, som selvsagt ligger i førersetet mens de kjører, svinger ofte forbi butikken hvor de kjøper brylcreem, stålkam og flaskecola. Skinnvestene og myggjagerne bestiller de på postordre fra «söta bror».»
#enkampmotdemoner
#enkampmotdemonerfakta
#øyerstad
#3steinertilnøkken
www.enkampmotdemoner.no
En kamp mot demoner - fakta:
Flere av de som har lest romanen trekker fram nostalgifaktoren som et svært viktig element, spesielt for de som vokste opp på 80- og 90-tallet. Kiosken omtalt i boka sto i Båstad sentrum på 80-tallet og blei seinere integrert med butikken som var av typen FM-kolonial. Og herregud, noen av bertene som jobba i kiosken, ja, de var fine. Det synes vi. Gutta. De likte nok da vi kjøpte Stjerneposen eller dundersalt i poser, for da slapp de å plukke...smågodt. En. Og. En.
Stjerneposen kosta 6 kroner i 1984. Helt i begynnelsen av 90-tallet forsvant den fra hyllene i norske kiosker og butikker.
«Bryntes dagligvarehandel og kiosk smykker seg med et FM-skilt over inngangspartiet. Å ha en kjedebutikk i bygda gjør Øyerboerne rettere i ryggen.Kiosken, ei lurvete brakke, er plassert på et fundament av europaller noen meter fra butikkbygget. De skilter med spaceburgere og Kiss-posen. Stjerneposen, dracula-kjærligheter og andre godsaker har fått plass i vinduet ved siden av en samling håndskrevne lapper med tilbud, savnede, og ikke lenger savnede katter og andre ting som folk har mista eller funnet igjen.»
«Vi hadde vel fått en tier av farmor og farfar, og dreivsom vanlig Nina bak disken i kiosken til vanvidd. De eldregutta bestilte enkelt og greit «blanda for en tier», og fulgtenøye med da hun bøyde seg framover etter dundersalt ogbringebærtopper. Buksene stramma seg om baken hennesog t-skjorta trakk seg opp og blottla huden i overkant avrumpa. Fredrik og jeg derimot brydde oss ikke om sånt,ei heller lot vi valg av godteri være opp til henne. Nei, vibestemte selv hva vi skulle ha: fem bringebærtopper, firedundersalt, en Dracula-kjærlighet, to vepsebol, og… nei,forresten, ett vepsebol og de dundersalta, jeg vil bare ha to avde, kan jeg heller få… Vi maksimerte antall enheter og detkunne ta en jævla tid. Innimellom klemte Fredrik til med enspesialare, - bringebærtopper for alle penga. Det ga deg etthundre godbiter for en tier! Storebror Anders veksla mellomgodteri på nederste hylla, og blanda for en tier.»
#stjerneposen
#dundersalt
#enkampmotdemoner
#Øyerstad
#3steinertilnøkken
#enkampmotdemonerfakta
www.enkampmotdemoner.no
meget spennende bok.
Godt skrevet! 🙂 Skyter inn litt småtteri her også.. 😉
En kamp mot demoner - fakta:
Slik ser den ekte særoppgava ut, og opprinnelig ble den laget av lillebror, Odd-Johnny Teig på midten av 90-tallet.
Utdrag fra romanen:
"- Særoppgava, vil du ha den? Fredrik fikla med bunken foran seg og sikta til oppgava han skreiv på barneskolen om «Arnold - The Terminator». Tegningene og kråkeskrifta var ikke det vakreste verden hadde sett. Bildene var ujevnt klippa ut. Det spilte ingen rolle, for det var innsatsen han hadde lagt i oppgava som betydde noe. Smilet hans da han kom hjem fra skolen den dagen. Han, Fredrik, hadde fått skryt på skolen. Det var knapt så Morsan trodde på han, og da han lurte på hvorfor hun gråt, skyldte hun på rusk i øyet. Fredrik tenkte ikke mer på det, men jeg så ikke noe rusk."
www.enkampmotdemoner.no
#enkampmotdemoner
#Øyerstad
#dentøffestegutten
#fuckcancer
#frabåstadtilradiumen
gamle minner-
Nok en signert utgave går med posten 🙂 Det varmer på en halvkjølig formiddag. #enkampmotdemoner #Øyerstad #abattleagainstdemons
www.enkampmotdemoner.no
“Kjell-Vidar Åhman Teig was born and raised in Båstad, Norway, but now resides in Bålsta outside of Stockholm. He is married, has two children, and the cat Istella.
He works daily as a Creative – Art Director at the advertising agency innocode.com, while dreaming of becoming a rock musician and author. Kjell has written, produced, and recorded two albums: “Bare Noen Minner” and “Bag of Bones.”
A number of years ago, with an ambition to become a Norwegian Stephen King, he began writing a novel that was put on ice. Then, a few years ago, he wrote several short stories that also ended up shelved. However, as he approached his midlife crisis, he decided to actually pursue his dreams of music and writing.
The short story collection “3 steiner til nøkken (2020)” is Kjell’s debut as an author. “En kamp mot demoner (2023)” is a standalone suspense novel, filled with laughter, tears, thrills, and chills from the same universe.
Kjell continues to write, and more books will come. He will contribute further to the category “horror in Norwegian,” and other ventures are on the horizon.”