A Haunting Tale of Myth and Darkness
Irish mythology has always carried a special kind of weight. It’s layered with gods, warriors, and spirits that feel both distant and close, timeless yet urgent. JM Lane’s latest work, Setanta and The Hungry Ones: A Haunting Irish Fantasy You Won’t Be Able to Put Down (The Raven Chronicles Book 2), captures that exact balance. It’s dark, fast-moving, and brimming with questions about identity, fate, and survival. For readers who enjoy Celtic-inspired fantasy with a chilling edge, this second installment in The Raven Chronicles offers a journey you won’t forget.
A Story Steeped in Shadow
At its heart, this is the story of a boy caught between worlds. Setanta, son of the Morrígan and Cú Chulainn, grows up with legends shaping his every step. His mother, the goddess of battle and fate, and his father, Ireland’s famed warrior, leave him with a legacy that’s as heavy as it is inescapable. Yet destiny isn’t patient. Famine begins to stalk Ireland, but it doesn’t come in the way most imagine. The dead rise again, transformed into husks stuffed with briars, echoing hunger itself.
Setanta finds himself traveling with his father, a mysterious orphan, and a leprechaun whose trickster ways hide unexpected wisdom. Their enemy is An Fear Gorta, the walking hunger that drains hope as easily as breath. It’s a foe that doesn’t just attack bodies but gnaws at spirit and will. And as terrifying as that spirit is, it’s only the beginning. A darker force waits in the wings: Balor, the demon king, death-eyed and reborn within a child’s form. The stakes tighten with every step, forcing Setanta to confront not just enemies but the weight of prophecy and his own bloodline.
Themes of Identity and Survival
What makes Setanta and The Hungry Ones stand out is its layered storytelling. Readers aren’t only following a battle against supernatural terrors. They’re watching a young boy struggle with questions that hit close to home: Who is he? Does he belong more to the world of mortals or the realm of gods? Is he destined to be swallowed by legend, or can he carve his own path?
This struggle weaves through the narrative as famine, betrayal, and myth press in. The orphan girl’s hidden secret, the looming shadow of Balor, and the ever-present hunger of An Fear Gorta mirror Setanta’s own inner fight. It’s a tale that mixes the thrill of dark fantasy with the tender pull of a coming-of-age journey. Readers will recognize the echoes of Neil Gaiman’s American Gods or Kevin Hearne’s Iron Druid Chronicles in its blend of mythology and modern storytelling, yet Lane gives it a distinct voice rooted in Irish soil and folklore.
A Series Growing in Power
This book builds directly on Setanta and the Lady by the Water, Lane’s bestselling first entry in The Raven Chronicles. Where the first novella introduced readers to Setanta’s world and family, the sequel plunges deeper into its shadows. It pushes Setanta westward across a famine-ravaged Ireland, layering myth and nightmare into every mile. The pace is brisk, the imagery vivid, and the story tight enough to read in a single sitting. Yet it never feels rushed. Each encounter deepens the world and sharpens the sense of peril.
The Raven Chronicles as a whole promises an unfolding saga of gods, mortals, and demons colliding in Ireland’s haunted landscape. Book Two raises the stakes considerably, setting the stage for conflicts that stretch beyond famine to the survival of entire worlds. It’s a series that rewards both myth enthusiasts and fantasy fans looking for a story steeped in history and heart.
The Voice Behind the Story
JM Lane brings more than imagination to his work. Hailing from Ennis, County Clare, and later moving to Sligo, Lane’s life has carried him through many paths. He’s worked as an artist, a social carer, a police officer, a digital designer, and even a chimney sweep. In 2024, after being diagnosed with cancer, he made a decision to pursue writing with full force. That choice has already made him a bestselling author, and it’s clear his storytelling resonates deeply with readers.
What makes Lane especially memorable is his gratitude. He often says that money can be replaced, but time cannot. Readers give him their time when they pick up his books, and to him, that’s the greatest gift. His stories reflect this appreciation, crafted to keep readers immersed and engaged from the first page to the last. For those curious to explore more about him and his work, his website jmlaneauthor.com offers a closer look.
Final Thoughts
Setanta and The Hungry Ones is more than a dark fantasy tale. It’s a story of famine and fear, of legends reborn, and of a boy standing at the crossroads of identity and destiny. JM Lane has written a novella that draws readers into an Ireland where gods still walk, demons hunger, and survival requires both courage and heart. Fans of myth-inspired stories will find themselves hooked, and newcomers to Celtic fantasy will discover a haunting gateway into one of the richest storytelling traditions in the world.