When people think of tabletop gaming, many think of the classic 1995 board game,Settlers of Catan, or, since 2015, simplyCatan. The game is the perfect entry into more serious strategic gameplay, tasking players with managing a settlement on a newly discovered island.
The idea ofCatan: the Novelsounds unnecessary at best, a money-grab at worst, especially given the 2005 (2011 forEnglischers) novel by Rebecca Gable,The Settlers of Catan, which was a decent high-fantasy novel. However, this time, the original creator of the game and avid history nerd, Klaus Teuber, took up the mantle, penning a trilogy before his unfortunate passing in 2023. Within the first few pages, it was clear that this novelization was working the same magic captured by the board game, bridging the gap between lifelong readers and gamers with a passing interest in books by creating an immersive fantasy world steeped in historically accurate realism.
The novel follows a group of three brothers and two sisters living in a fictional Nordic village in the frozen country of Norway in 860 A.D. The story begins with a fairly progressive plot, leaving both groups of siblings in exile and heading towards the promised land of Catan. That progressiveness is carried through the entire book, though in a different way than many historical fiction pieces, book or otherwise. The obvious obstacles presented by ancient Nordic lifestyles, which Teuber tackles with as much accuracy as possible within his fictitious framing, are frequently butted up against contemporary morals and culture through the myriad of characters readers meet.
Even taking into account the fact that the story is about a new settlement, there are atonof characters. In this, Teuber manages the first of his parallels between the book and the game, slowly building his cast from just two main characters, each person blossoming from the relationship between Thorolf and Asla. Even from this humble beginning, the characters are surprisingly inclusive and the writing puts everyone’s perspective on display.
This is particularly noteworthy for the female characters, who are usually overlooked or delegated to familial roles in fantasy and science-fiction. InCatan, most of the women are strong, kind, and capable, while a few simply enjoy domestic lifestyles. Additionally, Thorolf’s older brother, Digur, is black. This presents a somewhat problematic story beat, as both indentured servants and slaves were essential to Nordic life at this time. Though it was extremely common for Jarls and other free men to get their maids pregnant, as is the case with Digur, it’s almost equallyunlikelythat a black woman would be a servant in Norway and would have a relationship with the Jarlandbe freed by that Jarl once he wanted to “properly” marry.
Teuber’s story lives within this realm of technically possible plot points, though, and they are executed in a way that takes a lot of pressure off of the desire to read something that’s socially responsible, yet real and visceral. A broad example is the lack of sexual violence through most the book, which is unfortunately starkly noticeable, if ultimately refreshing. More specifically, Teuber’s best scenes thrill audiences with familiar setups, followed by unexpected solutions.
During the girls’ daring escape, two exceptionally pervasive tropes are dodged with flair. Firstly, as a teenaged Asla escapes a nightmarish betrothal, her similarly aged sister, Stina, is, as expected, completely forgotten by Asla. However, Teuber doesn’t forget Stina, instead showing off the young woman’s bold, cheeky personality and making the entire plot seem a bit more realistic, as readers are also drawn to the obvious conclusion that Stina would bear the punishment of Asla’s escape. Yet Asla, understandably, is so distracted with worry that she doesn’t consider the consequences of her actions as much as she should.
The second trope Teuber skips is a bit more complex, yet perfectly balances great storytelling and progressive sentiments. Everyone hears “escaping a betrothal for true love” and expects someone to die or be recaptured and suffer, and it sucks every time, even if it does eventually allow the character to “rise above” whatever challenge they face. Without spoiling the plot too much, this escape attempt is a bittersweet success. Remarkably, the fallout is pretty fairly shared across the siblings, with the men having to pay the highest price rather than the women, Teuber again bucking a popular plot point in fantasy with little effort, thanks to his natural writing.
Throughout the novel, Teuber does an excellent job conveying the multi-faceted emotions that affect the diverse cast of characters. Each character sees a surprising amount of development very quickly, and each is quite unique, even among siblings, making it easy for readers to keep track of the multitude of names.
That’s just one way that Teuber makes the book as approachable as possible, too. The book has a lightning-fast pace, spurred along by frequent page breaks in spite of the already short chapters. The language used is fairly simple, utilizing less common words and hyper-specific vocabulary to paint a clear picture of each scene, without needing to go on for paragraphs at a time.
Many fantasy readers don’t want to hear that about a new book, butCatan’s fast pace is supported by a ton of action. There are many events that happen before the characters reach Catan, and Teuber does a lot of world-building, character introduction, and character-building through short scenes that act as vignettes of ancient Nordic life.
These aren’t wholly fantasy, either. Teuber clearly had a vast knowledge of history at this time, as he covered a variety of tasks, hunting methods, and more. Whether it’s something as simple as threshing wheat or a high-risk operation like the village deciding to hunt a whale, Teuber carefully describes each step, with wonderful onomatopoeia and plenty of tension that really pulls readers in with its detailed accuracy.
Teuber’s writing style caters to everyone in this way. More advanced readers may not necessarily be challenged, but they’ll likely find a new word or see one for the first time in ages. At the same time, less-practiced readers will be able to breeze through each section, picking up and putting down the book at their leisure, with little worry as to getting spoilers.
Yes, the book about an hour-long board game is more about the journey than the destination. It must be said, though: there are no references to the game inCatan: The Novel. While that would have been a nice touch, if somewhat annoying, Teuber elects to instead infuse theCatanbook with themes of the game, and he is quite successful at evoking the same feeling players experience during play sessions.
Trade is the central theme of the book and, as with his sprawling cast, Teuber expands the world through a domino effect, each location leading to the next and making the world bigger in the process. Everything begins with Asla being made into a pawn for her father’s power grab, only to be spirited away by the neighboring Jarl’s sons. Trade between people in that village works to establish characters and locations in Norway, eventually spreading to include the rest of Europe, mainly France and Spain. As the plot moves towards Catan, readers almost get a history lesson in trade between Northern Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Middle East. While the scale does continuously get larger, Teuber manages to give the scope an ebb and flow, showing off the reverberations of local and international trade during the late 800s.
The diversity of the characters comes into play here again, with escaped slaves, fugitive servants, and displaced Christians all vying for power, freedom, or both. By around the midpoint of the book, the stage is set for the most in-depth game of Catan ever, and it isn’t as bloody as you might imagine.
This leads to another major theme of the book: equality. Yes, there are slaves throughout the story, but the latter half of the book has numerous characters questioning whether slavery is right, whether it is the best way to run a society, and how dehumanizing people affects everyone. It’s easy to argue that given the economic structure and lack of resources, Vikings had few other options, but Teuber works hard to essentially put an ugly face on slavery, rather than an excusable one.
Klaus Teuber addresses this in his afterword, graciously tying this theme to the beloved game:
“At the gaming table, everyone is equal: origin, skin color, gender, sexual orientation, religion, and age do not matter. Everyone holds the same rights within the framework of the rules. While we play, we meet each other with respect. During the course of a game, we learn that we are more successful if we communicate, approach one another, and cooperate. War is not an option as a solution to conflict — neither in the game, nor in the book.”
Overall,Catan: The Novelis one of the year’s best fantasy books, one that ties together realism and approachability to deliver an exciting novel to readers and gamers alike. The book doesn’t end on a cliffhanger, but is the first in a trilogy that was completed by Teuber before he passed away last year. While it is unclear how much of the third book was actually completed, the second book is done and will almost certainly be announced sometime next year.
Those who are loathe to begin another unfinished series can rest easy with this first volume, at least, as it is self-contained enough to be a good read. The book also manages to avoid that awful feeling of wanting to continue the story with nothing left to read, wrapping up tidily, albeit with several open storylines waiting to be continued.
Catan: The Novelis a five-star read, and the perfect gift for anyone who enjoys Catan or fantasy novels in general, especially with the lovely, gold-trimmed cover. Straddling the line between high fantasy and YA fantasy, it’d be tough to find a reader who would not enjoy this book, even with the rest of the series’ future up in the air. Though Teuber will almost certainly be most remembered for the Catan game,Catan: The Novelcaptures his creative voice and solidifies his celebrated legacy within the gaming community.
Catan: The Novel
Norway, 860.Half-brothers Thorolf, Yngvi, and Digur have conspired to help Asla–daughter of Halldor, a powerful Viking chieftain–to escape her father’s oppressive rule. However, when they are discovered the chieftain’s revenge is swift and mighty. Pillaging his way through the realms of his daughter’s liberators, Halldor banishes his kin and has the brothers driven from their land.Left with no other choice, the three brothers–together with family and their allies–depart their home, sailing for new shores and, after a treacherous voyage, finally reach their destination: Catan, Land of the Sun.But new challenges await on this island, and new discoveries must be made if they are to survive. Will the brothers be able to stand together and offer a better future for all the settlers, or will this new mission divide them even more …
Catan: The Novelis up for pre-order through various retailers, and will be available for purchase starting October 1st, 2024. Any fan of the game should be sure to pick up a copy and dive into Klaus Teuber’s page-turner swan song.
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FAQ
Q: Is the Catan book any good?
Yes, Catan: The Novel is an excellent fantasy book to read.
Q: Is Settlers of Catan based on a book?
No, but two books have been set within the world of Catan:The Settlers of CatanandCatan: The Novel.
Q: What does the name Catan mean?
‘Catan’ means ‘land of the sun’, according to the 2024 novel. However, Klaus Teuber reportedly made up this word specifically for the game, and it has no further origin.
