Career Diplomat Heading Back To Ukraine Pens Unique Fantasy Series Called “Instant Classic” — Senior Advisor for War Crimes and Accountability Writes New Fan Favorite

You might expect Washington DC based David Allen Schlaefer — who spends his days as the Senior Advisor for War Crimes and Accountability in Ukraine in the Office for Global Criminal Justice at the US Department of State — to write a very different kind of book.

Instead, he has followed his passion and penned the three books that make up the incredible series The Far Northern Land Saga- “a fascinating ride into Finland’s ancient past that has been described as “a new, instant fantasy classic.” The thrilling series goes where no epic fantasy series has ever gone before — Finnish myth and the world of the Kalevala where legendary heroes like the wizard Väinämöinen, the hero Lemminkäinen, and Mielikki, Lady of the Forest, mix with original characters like Ulla and Egan to create an exciting, unique mosaic wholly new to fantasy literature.

Schlaefer describes himself as “a diplomat, author, and globetrotter.” He has been a diplomat for almost 30 years. His day job couldn’t be more serious — he was previously the Senior Assistance Coordinator at the US Embassy in Kyiv and served as Acting DCM and Team Leader in Rzeszow during the past year. In that capacity, he worked on coordination of US foreign assistance with international partners and implementers following the Russian invasion as well as the reopening of the Embassy. He will return to Ukraine soon to continue his work there. A career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Schlaefer was also the previous Deputy Special Envoy to the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS from 2020–2021 and the Director for Political-Military Affairs at the US Embassy in Tokyo from 2011–2015.

David’s interest in all things Finnish began at a young age when he discovered the Kalevala, the Finnish national epic, and its stories about shamans, witches, warriors, and magic. He jumped at the opportunity to work at the US Embassy in Helsinki and study Finnish language and culture for almost five years. A member of the Kalevala Society and author of articles on the influence of the Finnish language and Kalevala on JRR Tolkien’s Middle-Earth, David turned to the Far Northern Land Saga to bring Finnish myths to life for a new generation of fantasy fans.

Book 1 — The Mark of the Bear Clan — Book I of The Far Northern Land Saga
The Mark of the Bear Clan Trailer : https://youtu.be/xFqaavQQI88
Buy it at : https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0974Z7NC9

Book 2, The Heir of Lemminkäinen, Book II of The Far Northern Land Saga,
The Heir of Lemminkäinen, Book, Book 2 trailer : https://youtu.be/rotifOzGBZo
Buy it at : https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09WNBZ21V

Book 3, The Queen of Pohjola
Book 3 trailer : https://youtu.be/LKB3qpe6T2A
Buy it at : https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0C8BVHCFS

“”Epic fantasy…like no other. As full bodied as Lord of the Rings. Fantasy fans will find the ongoing epic quest, intricately-detailed world building, and Finnish-based mythology to be compellingly hard to put down. This audience will especially appreciate the special blend of classic mythology and traditional characters with new original characters like Ulla that bring this story to life.”
Midwest Review of Books

More info about this fascinating series and it’s uniquely accomplished author at : https://davidschlaefer.com/