A Gripping Viking Tale: Blood, Betrayal, and Discovery
The World
As a reader who loves maps, I was happy to see that there is indeed a map at the beginning of this book that tells you all of the essential places and shows you the path of the road of bones … and honestly, that’s all you really need to know … in this book. There may be a more descriptive one in the sequel because our beloved Bloodaxe crew will have many more adventures coming for them. There is also a pronunciation guide at the back of the book with a glossary. I highly recommend that you mark these pages before you begin your reading, especially if you’ve never read any Viking tales before. The names can look daunting. XD. Not to mention, all the new creatures are only in Viking lore. Don’t worry; these pages have no spoilers, unlike a few books I’ve read where you find the glossary or a family tree, which reveals the ‘true identity’ of the main character and spoils the surprise. This was not my first Viking lore read, but it was my first with so much magic involved and all of the different supernatural creatures. I have never heard of any of these creatures before. It was refreshing to delve into a world so rich in mythology and a bit terrifying to encounter these new creatures. I will never look at deer the same way again.
The Beginning
The beginning drew me in with its brutality, honestly. I knew this book was about Vikings, but I forgot how brutal the Viking world was. If you don’t like books with buckets of blood and gore, then put this one back and try again. So much blood … and crows and eyeballs … give me more. The world-building in this book took the entire book to get the whole picture, but it is the first in a series and a fantasy one, so we have to expect a decent amount of world-building. The critical thing to note is that even though there was all this world-building, I was always energized and energized. It never dragged; something was always going on, whether it was being attacked and an intense battle or a sexing Viking chopping work and witty banter between comrades.
The Characters
The main character in this book is Silla. The author does an outstanding job of only telling us what we need to know when we need to know it, so we spend the entire book trying to figure out who Silla is right along with her friend in the Bloodaxe crew. And the crew? Amazing sub-characters. I adore every single one of them. The betrayal that you’d never guess, the earth-shattering revelations, and the friendships that are made in this crew are something that I found refreshing. Yes, the author did jump from one character’s point of view to another, but she did it in a way that wasn’t hard to follow, and it all made sense. There wasn’t a single character that I felt that internal groan when it was their turn for a POV. The love aspect? Sexy and spicey…just how I like them. I don’t want to spoil it and tell you who it is. Read it if you like a scruffy, muscular man who could throw you over his shoulder, battle your enemies, and not break a sweat.
The Plot:
The beginning of the book starts at a steady pace—not too fast, but not too slow, either. However, once you reach part two, be prepared to finish the book in one sitting, even if it means staying up late on a work night, which I may have done. The plot is creatively written, keeping you engaged and wondering what will happen next. I could not figure out the ending during my read, especially regarding the identity of the traveling murderer. What a reveal! The revelation of Sillas’s true character was minor compared to that. A large group is involved in the story, but I don’t want to say too much, as it would give too much away. I will refer to it as a seemingly weak young woman who discovers her strength and takes over the world! It is a seemingly weak young woman who learns her strength and takes over the world!
The Resolution:
Was the resolution satisfying? It was, in the way that the first book in a series often is, featuring incredible last-second reveals and open endings. I wouldn’t say it concludes with a cliffhanger, but it certainly left me eager to add the second book to my shopping cart as soon as I finished it. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I wouldn’t change a thing about it. From the creepy creatures to the bloody battlefields and the challenging names, I loved every moment of it.
