Norse mythology? Yes, Please!

 

⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑  For those of you awaiting the, seemingly, unlikely to be released The Winds of Winter, Northern Wrath will be a distraction well worthy of your time and attention. Set in a bygone era of Viking raiders, Norse gods, runes, giants, dwarves and other fantastical creatures from ancient tales, this book honestly took my breath away. I have been reading it for ages to savor it slowly and immerse myself in this magical, not to be forgotten, experience.

I admit to a passable knowledge of Norse mythology and reading this has fueled a desire to know a lot more. But this isn't simply about Odin and Loki. Here we travel with a band of raiders seeking vengeance alongside a handful of disparate souls on separate, but linked, adventures. Not one of them is as they appear and that feeds the magic of this engaging yarn. I find it difficult to express how rich this story is. It's got such great bones - characters fully fleshed out, huge challenges that must be overcome, brilliant battles, all with roots in an ancient religion that brings meaning to it all. More than just the future of our raider's village is at stake, it is safeguarding the nine worlds and their ways which face a slow death as Christianity takes hold and unsettles the balance. The scope is huge and awe inspiring given this was Thilde Kold Holdt's debut!

I am so excited for any of you who can read this during the next lockdown (here in the UK). You will be happy for the distraction-free time to enter a new and amazing world crafted within the pages of Northern Wrath. What's even more exciting is knowing this is the first of a series (hooray!). I, for one, am eager to get my hands on the next installment to see how we carry on from the harsh blow dealt at the close of Northern Wrath.