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Downfall
Noir: Everyday men and women drowning in the murky, corrupt waters of their own flaws.
Saga: Peerless heroes fighting epic battles yet ultimately doomed to fail.
At the crossroads of these two literary traditions stands the Saga of the Myth Reaver.
The Nine Worlds have never seen a hero like Finn Styrrsson. Blessed with an unmatched thirst for victory and the supernatural strength and vigor to slake it, Finn might have been the greatest warrior-king his people had ever known. But he was born the youngest of eight princes with a conniving eldest brother who won’t abide the threat Finn poses to his rule. Despite Finn’s unfailing loyalty, he is forced from his home to forge a new destiny.Already a powerful warrior and deadly reaver, Finn discovers that he above all others is equipped to kill the monsters, the giants, the myths that besiege Midgard. He becomes the Myth Reaver and a living legend.
Yet despite his prowess and fame--indeed because of them--Finn never wins that which he most desires. His longing for home goes unfulfilled. After a lifetime spent battling dread monsters and shining demigods, Finn realizes that in all the Nine Worlds, there is only one enemy whose defeat can give him the renown he so richly deserves.
Whether it's in search of glory or a glorious death, Finn always overlooks his true enemy. That mistake will be his downfall.
Downfall is the first book in the Saga of the Myth Reaver. Approximately 80,000 words.
Saga: Peerless heroes fighting epic battles yet ultimately doomed to fail.
At the crossroads of these two literary traditions stands the Saga of the Myth Reaver.
The Nine Worlds have never seen a hero like Finn Styrrsson. Blessed with an unmatched thirst for victory and the supernatural strength and vigor to slake it, Finn might have been the greatest warrior-king his people had ever known. But he was born the youngest of eight princes with a conniving eldest brother who won’t abide the threat Finn poses to his rule. Despite Finn’s unfailing loyalty, he is forced from his home to forge a new destiny.Already a powerful warrior and deadly reaver, Finn discovers that he above all others is equipped to kill the monsters, the giants, the myths that besiege Midgard. He becomes the Myth Reaver and a living legend.
Yet despite his prowess and fame--indeed because of them--Finn never wins that which he most desires. His longing for home goes unfulfilled. After a lifetime spent battling dread monsters and shining demigods, Finn realizes that in all the Nine Worlds, there is only one enemy whose defeat can give him the renown he so richly deserves.
Whether it's in search of glory or a glorious death, Finn always overlooks his true enemy. That mistake will be his downfall.
Downfall is the first book in the Saga of the Myth Reaver. Approximately 80,000 words.
260 pages, Paperback
First published August 7, 2012
13 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
September 5, 2012
The style reminded me of Robin Hood with the language and the running around getting into fights, only better, cause seriously, Howard Pyle could really have stood to make some cuts. I really enjoyed the Viking setting and I sympathized with the main character. Overall, a fun, worthwhile adventure.
September 6, 2012
I loved the grim viking setting and the quest. This makes me sound like a literature nerd, but it reminded me of the Epic of Gilgamesh only, you know, written for this century. There isn't a ton of character development but that's because this is an action book, not a character one, so I can't really complain there. Unruh is a really strong writer with great imagery and a great story to tell.
August 30, 2012
I had never read a Viking-noir saga before "Downfall," but I think I like it.
The book features Finn Styrrsson, a Viking with the strength of thirty men [sic] in each hand who travels the world slaying monsters with the hope of a glorious death that will see him to Valhalla.
I like that the book has a consistent voice, and it's not a voice that I'm used to hearing. Unruh brings together Norse mythology, modern language, and an enjoyable protagonist with few seams. Finn is compelling -- I care about his mission even though his Viking values have very little that is connected to my own, and I believe that he has the voice of a berserker. I also enjoyed the bits of cunning and political diplomacy mixed in. In that sense, it was very much like a modern (and Norse) version of "The Odyssey." Also, I am used to tolerating books with unassuming beginnings that pick up a few chapters in, but "Downfall" captivates from the start with a superb first page and first chapter.
Stylistically, my one main issue with the book is that some of the fights are so epic as to be unimaginable. I can suspend disbelief that the protagonist is mythically strong, but it often seems like, at the start of a battle, the enemy is literally the size of a house, and midway through, Finn is able to throttle its neck (which would be moderately impossible with something that big).
Also, I was reading an ARC, so more editing will be done before it is published, and this critique is totally unfair, but I felt that the writing lacked a certain meticulous quality. There were a few sentences interspersed throughout the book that I would have to read twice to completely understand because they were slightly less clear or more ambiguous than they should have been, which is something that you can only really get rid of by spending a very long time editing everything.
While it was an enjoyable read, I didn't feel like I gained any insight into the human condition from reading it, an expectation I hold even of fantasy works. As a result, it only gets 4 stars rather than 5, but if you're looking for a fun Viking novel, I strongly recommend it.
The book features Finn Styrrsson, a Viking with the strength of thirty men [sic] in each hand who travels the world slaying monsters with the hope of a glorious death that will see him to Valhalla.
I like that the book has a consistent voice, and it's not a voice that I'm used to hearing. Unruh brings together Norse mythology, modern language, and an enjoyable protagonist with few seams. Finn is compelling -- I care about his mission even though his Viking values have very little that is connected to my own, and I believe that he has the voice of a berserker. I also enjoyed the bits of cunning and political diplomacy mixed in. In that sense, it was very much like a modern (and Norse) version of "The Odyssey." Also, I am used to tolerating books with unassuming beginnings that pick up a few chapters in, but "Downfall" captivates from the start with a superb first page and first chapter.
Stylistically, my one main issue with the book is that some of the fights are so epic as to be unimaginable. I can suspend disbelief that the protagonist is mythically strong, but it often seems like, at the start of a battle, the enemy is literally the size of a house, and midway through, Finn is able to throttle its neck (which would be moderately impossible with something that big).
Also, I was reading an ARC, so more editing will be done before it is published, and this critique is totally unfair, but I felt that the writing lacked a certain meticulous quality. There were a few sentences interspersed throughout the book that I would have to read twice to completely understand because they were slightly less clear or more ambiguous than they should have been, which is something that you can only really get rid of by spending a very long time editing everything.
While it was an enjoyable read, I didn't feel like I gained any insight into the human condition from reading it, an expectation I hold even of fantasy works. As a result, it only gets 4 stars rather than 5, but if you're looking for a fun Viking novel, I strongly recommend it.
September 11, 2012
I had the privilage to be an advanced reader of “Myth Reaver,” and Josh Unruh has got some quality stuff here.
Myth Reaver is...unique. As many readers might already know, “ending/un making” and “everything wears out” are overarching themes throughout Norse mythology; Unruh has realized parallels exist in hardboiled fiction, and builds a plot and cast of characters around these themes with hardboild sensibilities. There is, of course, more to it than that, but Finn is always wearing out his welcome in ways Raymond Chandler would appreciate.
Especially when Finn starts lipping off to...famous Authority Figures, shall we say?
A word of warning: genere fiction fans expecting Tolkien-eque length are going to be disappointed. The novel is by no means short, but there's no way one could prop a door open with it either.
Likewise, though the dialogue itself feels very Norse, the writing on the whole owes more to Chandler than Tolkien -with some sutibly awesome exceptions.
I enjoyed the writing immensely (several of Finn's boasts had me laughing out loud, as did Finn's brother attacking a dragon with a hammer), but heads up for those of you who are Jordan and Martin fans.
Myth Reaver is one of those books that, upon finishing, I found myself thinking “it works so well, and makes so much sense. Why hasn't anyone done this before?”
Read it. Because passing on this would be a damn shame.
Myth Reaver is...unique. As many readers might already know, “ending/un making” and “everything wears out” are overarching themes throughout Norse mythology; Unruh has realized parallels exist in hardboiled fiction, and builds a plot and cast of characters around these themes with hardboild sensibilities. There is, of course, more to it than that, but Finn is always wearing out his welcome in ways Raymond Chandler would appreciate.
Especially when Finn starts lipping off to...famous Authority Figures, shall we say?
A word of warning: genere fiction fans expecting Tolkien-eque length are going to be disappointed. The novel is by no means short, but there's no way one could prop a door open with it either.
Likewise, though the dialogue itself feels very Norse, the writing on the whole owes more to Chandler than Tolkien -with some sutibly awesome exceptions.
I enjoyed the writing immensely (several of Finn's boasts had me laughing out loud, as did Finn's brother attacking a dragon with a hammer), but heads up for those of you who are Jordan and Martin fans.
Myth Reaver is one of those books that, upon finishing, I found myself thinking “it works so well, and makes so much sense. Why hasn't anyone done this before?”
Read it. Because passing on this would be a damn shame.
November 20, 2014
Joshua Unruh's talents bring the grand days of the Norse Saga to life once more. Finn Styrrsson has it all...muscles, not so many brains that they get in his way, and a voice that pulls you into his story and won't let you go. His faults make for dry humor and some warm emotional moments and his qualities make for exciting battle sequences while getting him in ever more trouble. He's both true to his times and very comprehensible to the modern reader. Prepare to stay up late, devouring every word!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews