On April 23, Margit Sandemo would have turned 100. The Norwegian-Swedish author is most known for her bestselling romance series, The Legend of the Ice People, a family saga totaling 47 parts.

The series is narrated in Swedish by actress Julia Dufvenius, who also initiated the release of the beloved book series in audio format. The first five books in the series were released on Storytel Sweden in the summer of 2013. The success was immediate. Audiobook listeners were so captivated by the story that they called Storytel, pleading for a faster release pace.
Dufvenius was busy in the recording studio.

– Reading 47 books in the same series was at times fantastic – and at times, I cursed and was truly mad. I had to call Margit and ask how she intended names she had invented to be pronounced. When I recorded the last part after about two years in the studio, I actually cried. I had developed a relationship with Margit and her fantasy world, and it was special to say goodbye to all the characters I had lived with for so long, recounts Julia Dufvenius.

– I am truly grateful for what all listeners have given back over the years, stories of how I, with my voice, have been with them in their lives. In depression and loneliness as well as in moments of joy, on walks, when falling asleep, during maternity leave…

In the summer of 2015, the very last part of the series was released. By then, the story of the Ice People family had reached from the 16th century to the mid-20th century, where the suite concludes.

But the story doesn't end there. This summer, Storytel is releasing the first part of Norweigan author Hilde Susan Jægtnes' standalone prequel to The Legend of the Ice People, also narrated by Julia Dufvenius.

Son of the Sun, part one of The Curse of the Ice People, is written with the blessing of the Sandemo family and translated into Swedish by Öyvind Vågen. The physical book, released earlier this year, has been praised in Norwegian media.

– Even those of us who worked with The Ice People and Julia felt great emptiness after the last book was released. That's why it's so wonderful to once again dive into Sandemo's universe, which Hilde Susan Jægtnes has managed well. Without spoiling anything about the book, I can guarantee that all Sandemo fans will love Son of the Sun, says Cecilia Fredriksson, Executive Producer at Storytel.

– Son of the Sun is about Hanna, who is the original mother of everything, and about how she became an evil person. I'm so excited to dive back into the Ice People world, says Julia Dufvenius.

Son of the Sun by Hilde Susan Jægtnes is exclusively released on Storytel Sweden on July 8.

Facts: The Legend of the Ice People on Storytel Sweden

• The Legend of the Ice People by Margit Sandemo (1924-2018) was published as physical books between 1982 and 1989 and in audio on Storytel between 2013 and 2015.
• In the romance genre, Sandemo's The Legend of the Ice People is the third most popular series on Storytel, after Lucinda Riley's The Seven Sisters and Julia Quinn's Bridgerton.
• In total, The Legend of the Ice People has been listened to for almost 20 million hours on Storytel Sweden.
• The series consists of 47 parts and is a total of 332 hours long. All parts have been narrated in Swedish by actress Julia Dufvenius, who has also narrated a large number of Margit Sandemo's other books. In total, Dufvenius has narrated about 130 Sandemo titles.
• Storytel users who start The Legend of the Ice People finish it, to a greater extent than with other audiobooks. The Legend of the Ice People has a higher so-called finishing rate than the average audiobook.
• Storytel users can rate audiobooks using emojis symbolizing the different emotions the titles evoke. The most common emojis for The Legend of the Ice People are the emojis for heartwarming, page-turner, and cozy.
• 11 years have passed since The Legend of the Ice People was first released on Storytel, but Margit Sandemo still remains one of the service's top ten most popular authors.
• In connection with Sandemo's 100th birthday, all 47 parts of The Legend of the Ice People receive new book covers on the platform.