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Black Land's Bane #1
A Flame in the North
An elemental witch and her shieldmaiden journey into a world of ancient myth and unexpected destiny in this sweeping Norse-inspired epic fantasy from New York Times bestselling author Lilith Saintcrow.
The Black Land is spent myth. Centuries have passed since the Great Enemy was slain. Yet old fears linger, and on the longest night of the year, every village still lights a ritual fire to banish the dark.
That is Solveig’s duty. Favored by the gods with powerful magic, Sol calls forth flame to keep her home safe. But when her brother accidentally kills a northern lord’s son, she is sent away as weregild—part hostage, part guest—for a year and a day.
The further north Sol travels, the clearer it becomes the Black Land is no myth. The forests teem with foul beasts. Her travel companions are not what they seem, and their plans for her and her magic are shrouded in secrecy.
With only her loyal shieldmaid and her own wits to reply upon, Sol must master power beyond her imagination to wrest control of her fate. For the Black Land’s army stirs, ready to cover the world in darkness—unless Sol can find the courage to stop it.
They thought the old ways were dead. But now, the Enemy awakens…
The Black Land is spent myth. Centuries have passed since the Great Enemy was slain. Yet old fears linger, and on the longest night of the year, every village still lights a ritual fire to banish the dark.
That is Solveig’s duty. Favored by the gods with powerful magic, Sol calls forth flame to keep her home safe. But when her brother accidentally kills a northern lord’s son, she is sent away as weregild—part hostage, part guest—for a year and a day.
The further north Sol travels, the clearer it becomes the Black Land is no myth. The forests teem with foul beasts. Her travel companions are not what they seem, and their plans for her and her magic are shrouded in secrecy.
With only her loyal shieldmaid and her own wits to reply upon, Sol must master power beyond her imagination to wrest control of her fate. For the Black Land’s army stirs, ready to cover the world in darkness—unless Sol can find the courage to stop it.
They thought the old ways were dead. But now, the Enemy awakens…
400 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 13, 2024
90 people are currently reading
2781 people want to read
About the author
Lilith Saintcrow
132 books4,513 followersLilith Saintcrow was born in New Mexico, bounced around the world as a child, and fell in love with writing stories when she was ten years old. She and her library co-habitate in Vancouver, Washington.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 185 reviews
February 13, 2024
This is a wonderful viking fantasy book that will keep you entertained throughout. I really liked our main character Solveig and her shield maiden Arn. The battle scenes were vivid and engaging. That being said I only gave this book three stars. I did enjoy this story and will continue to read future books in this series but for me the story was a bit repetitive. Travel/fight/travel/fight. I'm not quite sure why it took me longer than usual to read this book but I was forcing myself to finish instead of reaching for it. I do feel that many people with absolutely love this book and I get that, but for me there was just something missing and I can't quite put my finger on it. Some other reviewers complained about the language used and there not being a glossary which I can see as an issue, but luckily for me this was not the case as I had read similar books with similar language but had I not, it may have been a bit more difficult.
Overall I will stay the story is well done and if you are in the mood for vikings and battles, then definitely pick this one up.
Thank you NetGalley, Orbit Books and Lilith Saintcrow for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Pub Date 2/13/24
Overall I will stay the story is well done and if you are in the mood for vikings and battles, then definitely pick this one up.
Thank you NetGalley, Orbit Books and Lilith Saintcrow for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Pub Date 2/13/24
May 19, 2024
3.5 Stars
This is a solid start to a new Norse-inspired epic fantasy. The writing was good and characters were fairly developed.
I liked the worldbuilding we got but it felt underdeveloped. If I'm reading Norse fiction, I want rich, in depth descriptions.
This was a good first novel but it very much felt like a start. I like forward to the next novel to see how the story develops.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
This is a solid start to a new Norse-inspired epic fantasy. The writing was good and characters were fairly developed.
I liked the worldbuilding we got but it felt underdeveloped. If I'm reading Norse fiction, I want rich, in depth descriptions.
This was a good first novel but it very much felt like a start. I like forward to the next novel to see how the story develops.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
January 12, 2024
3.5 stars.
While I did really like this book, it was hard to get through at times. The writing was really heavy handed, and the pacing was slow.
Overall, a very interesting premise. It’s going to be a long wait for the next book of the series.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
While I did really like this book, it was hard to get through at times. The writing was really heavy handed, and the pacing was slow.
Overall, a very interesting premise. It’s going to be a long wait for the next book of the series.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
January 22, 2024
This book was NOTHING like I was expecting. It reads like a retelling of an epic Nordic saga, and yet it’s a work of original fiction. I honestly found myself enamored with it by the end. 💙
The book follows the volva, Solveig, and her shieldmaid, Arneoir, as they venture into a land believed to be myth. It’s filled with Norse mythology references throughout the story while at the same time providing a plot that leaves the reader second-guessing themselves for what they think they know. 😮
The writing style reminds me heavily of epics where there’s it’s a stop-fight-stop-fight kind of plot. This will definitely not be for those who want non-stop action or an easy quest read. But if you don’t mind this kind of plot set up, you’re definitely in for a treat! The battle sequences had some gore here and there, but the character interactions were fantastic as you never really get a sense of what their motivations are at the same time as Solveig. The journey itself makes Solveig and Arneior slowly start trusting the men they are with, and the begrudging respect won in the end for them is honestly rather sweet.🛡️
Another reviewer mentioned that it reads like a Lord of the Rings book and I couldn’t agree more. From dwarves to elf-like beings, I honestly expected a wizard to pop out of no where (a magical being did pop up, but not in a good way). But much like Tolkien’s writing, this book is rather heavy handed in some cases when it comes to describing things in great detail or spoken dialog. . . That and it is a very slow kind of build-up. Either way, this should definitely be on any Tolkien fan’s radar! ⚔️
All in all, I had a wonderful time reading this over the last 5 days, and am rather sad to be leaving these characters and this world. Super stoked to see where the second book takes them (sadly) next year! 🥲
Big thank you goes out to Orbit Books and NetGalley for accepting my request in exchange for an honest review, and to the author for writing an INCREDIBLE Nordic saga-like fantasy! ✨
Publication date: February 13!
Overall: 4.75/5 ⭐️
The book follows the volva, Solveig, and her shieldmaid, Arneoir, as they venture into a land believed to be myth. It’s filled with Norse mythology references throughout the story while at the same time providing a plot that leaves the reader second-guessing themselves for what they think they know. 😮
The writing style reminds me heavily of epics where there’s it’s a stop-fight-stop-fight kind of plot. This will definitely not be for those who want non-stop action or an easy quest read. But if you don’t mind this kind of plot set up, you’re definitely in for a treat! The battle sequences had some gore here and there, but the character interactions were fantastic as you never really get a sense of what their motivations are at the same time as Solveig. The journey itself makes Solveig and Arneior slowly start trusting the men they are with, and the begrudging respect won in the end for them is honestly rather sweet.🛡️
Another reviewer mentioned that it reads like a Lord of the Rings book and I couldn’t agree more. From dwarves to elf-like beings, I honestly expected a wizard to pop out of no where (a magical being did pop up, but not in a good way). But much like Tolkien’s writing, this book is rather heavy handed in some cases when it comes to describing things in great detail or spoken dialog. . . That and it is a very slow kind of build-up. Either way, this should definitely be on any Tolkien fan’s radar! ⚔️
All in all, I had a wonderful time reading this over the last 5 days, and am rather sad to be leaving these characters and this world. Super stoked to see where the second book takes them (sadly) next year! 🥲
Big thank you goes out to Orbit Books and NetGalley for accepting my request in exchange for an honest review, and to the author for writing an INCREDIBLE Nordic saga-like fantasy! ✨
Publication date: February 13!
Overall: 4.75/5 ⭐️
Read
May 3, 2025A Viking-inspired fantasy world that isn't blatant fanfic for the Vikings TV show?! GASP. (I love you, Ragnar, but what hath you wrought?)
February 24, 2024
Picked this new release up because I've found Saintcrow's books engaging in the past. Solveig has a respected position in her father's hall as one of the most powerful magic users seen in generations. But when her brother impulsively kills a man in a brawl, she's sent north with the dead man's kin as a weregild tribute in recompense. As Solveig travels northward, she begins to realize that the Northerners are not who they seem-- and legends she's heard about the evil that lurks there are more than stories.
Saintcrow does an excellent job of establishing Solveig's Norse-inspired home. It's obvious that she's done research into the material reality of the period, which makes for a much more engaging setting than tacking some (inaccurate) horned helmets onto things and calling it a day. The prose is in a high-formal, faux archaic style which personally I enjoy, but some people might find grating.
Where this book fell a little short for me was the pacing. For a hefty four hundred fifty pages, this book does little more than introduce the basic premise before ending on a cliffhanger with little to no plot threads resolved. It takes a hundred pages to cover the initial setup I summarized in two sentences above-- Solveig being sent north as weregild. The slow pacing is exacerbated by Solveig's essentially passive position in the plot. It's an understandable decision based on her situation and reverence for the rules that govern a weregild's behavior-- but it also means that Solveig could be effectively replaced by a very important suitcase for most of the story without changing the plot.
One further side note and caveat about this book. While the first half of the book had worldbuilding I enjoyed, the second half of the book abruptly entered a narrative where every single backstory was cribbed directly from Tolkien's Silmarillion. I don't mean it vaguely resembled the Silmarillion, with a shadowy big bad and orcs and elves. I mean Saintcrow presented the reader with sentences of plot taken directly from it, with only some token name changes. A representative but not exhaustive list of examples:
The theft of the Silmarils and the Oath of Feanor
The romance of Beren and Luthien and the recovery of one of the Silmarils from Morgoth
Nithraen is a hidden elven cave city that fell in an attack involving a dragon-- which is, of course, the story of Turin Turambar and the fall of Nargothrond.
An interesting beginning and a standout execution, but I don't think I'll be reading the sequel when it comes out in July. If I wanted to know what happens I would just reread the Silmarillion.
Saintcrow does an excellent job of establishing Solveig's Norse-inspired home. It's obvious that she's done research into the material reality of the period, which makes for a much more engaging setting than tacking some (inaccurate) horned helmets onto things and calling it a day. The prose is in a high-formal, faux archaic style which personally I enjoy, but some people might find grating.
Where this book fell a little short for me was the pacing. For a hefty four hundred fifty pages, this book does little more than introduce the basic premise before ending on a cliffhanger with little to no plot threads resolved. It takes a hundred pages to cover the initial setup I summarized in two sentences above-- Solveig being sent north as weregild. The slow pacing is exacerbated by Solveig's essentially passive position in the plot. It's an understandable decision based on her situation and reverence for the rules that govern a weregild's behavior-- but it also means that Solveig could be effectively replaced by a very important suitcase for most of the story without changing the plot.
One further side note and caveat about this book. While the first half of the book had worldbuilding I enjoyed, the second half of the book abruptly entered a narrative where every single backstory was cribbed directly from Tolkien's Silmarillion. I don't mean it vaguely resembled the Silmarillion, with a shadowy big bad and orcs and elves. I mean Saintcrow presented the reader with sentences of plot taken directly from it, with only some token name changes. A representative but not exhaustive list of examples:
The theft of the Silmarils and the Oath of Feanor
Of Faevril's works he spoke, many works of seidhr wrought by an Elder alkuine's hands in the uttermost West. Of how the Enemy, granted grace and lee to repair damage he had previously wreaked, betrayed that ruth with the murder of Faevril's father and the theft of many great works, as well as a crime so dark the Elder do not speak of it, dimming the light of their home well before Moon or Sun arose. Of Faevril's sons and the vengeance they swore with their wrathful father did Eol speak...
The romance of Beren and Luthien and the recovery of one of the Silmarils from Morgoth
"Whatever he told you was only in service to finding what Bjornwulf and Lithielle won at great cost. He and his brother will slay any who seek to keep the Freed Jewel from them, even their kin-- that is their oath...
Nithraen is a hidden elven cave city that fell in an attack involving a dragon-- which is, of course, the story of Turin Turambar and the fall of Nargothrond.
Aeredh clasped the tall man's shoulder, and it looked like he was delivering even worse tidings than Nithraen's fall, for that was the only time I saw Tarit son of Hajithe pale and almost stagger. The songs say he lost a loved one in the cataclysm, an Elder maid...
An interesting beginning and a standout execution, but I don't think I'll be reading the sequel when it comes out in July. If I wanted to know what happens I would just reread the Silmarillion.
June 4, 2024
2.5
A Flame in the North was an enjoyable fantasy story, strongly inspired by Norse mythology and the work of J.R.R. Tolkien. It is this latter inspiration, though, that also caused the most issues for me. While I found the story of the volva and her shield maiden original and intriguing, the high fantasy elements that come into the plot as Solveig and Arnieor venture northwards become too derivative of The Lord of the Rings. The Black Lands, its shadow lord, and the liches are almost direct calques for Mordor, Sauron, and the Nazgul. The orukhar differ in appearance from the orcs of LOTR, but not in function or feel. And the Elder approximate Tolkien's Eldar (elves). Both come from undying lands in the west, both have a particular affinity for music, both are "starborn." Even Tolkien's goddess Varda is invoked. I think there was thought to use Tolkien's Norse inspirations to create an original fantasy world, but too much of Tolkien's own inventions were carried over with that idea. More Tolkien lurks in many other details: Grond the battle ram, the Lich/Nazgul blade that leaves a shard behind turning its victim into one of them, the lich city of Caer Morgulis vs. the Nazgul city of Minas Morgul. I wanted to enjoy the original elements of this story more, but as pages went by I found myself instead looking for the next Tolkien reference.
Add on a narrator that could not decide whether it was limited or omniscient, operating in the present or looking back from the future, and I had a hard time tracking what exactly the plot was. What had or had not happened yet. Why is Solvieg able to tell us about sagas and deaths of characters in the story, but cannot explain what is happening to her in narration? It was a confusing and discomforting narrative ploy.
This review is very critical, but I have to end it by saying I want to know what happens next. I am curious how Solveig is supposed to use seidr to defeat the enemy (although, again, the weapon intended here can be calqued to the Silmarils of Tolkien). But I think these similarities to Tolkien should have been more thoroughly removed or altered in favor of Saintcrow's original content. There is real promise in the magic system and politics Saintcrow developed, but they are lost under the constant shadow of LOTR.
A Flame in the North was an enjoyable fantasy story, strongly inspired by Norse mythology and the work of J.R.R. Tolkien. It is this latter inspiration, though, that also caused the most issues for me. While I found the story of the volva and her shield maiden original and intriguing, the high fantasy elements that come into the plot as Solveig and Arnieor venture northwards become too derivative of The Lord of the Rings. The Black Lands, its shadow lord, and the liches are almost direct calques for Mordor, Sauron, and the Nazgul. The orukhar differ in appearance from the orcs of LOTR, but not in function or feel. And the Elder approximate Tolkien's Eldar (elves). Both come from undying lands in the west, both have a particular affinity for music, both are "starborn." Even Tolkien's goddess Varda is invoked. I think there was thought to use Tolkien's Norse inspirations to create an original fantasy world, but too much of Tolkien's own inventions were carried over with that idea. More Tolkien lurks in many other details: Grond the battle ram, the Lich/Nazgul blade that leaves a shard behind turning its victim into one of them, the lich city of Caer Morgulis vs. the Nazgul city of Minas Morgul. I wanted to enjoy the original elements of this story more, but as pages went by I found myself instead looking for the next Tolkien reference.
Add on a narrator that could not decide whether it was limited or omniscient, operating in the present or looking back from the future, and I had a hard time tracking what exactly the plot was. What had or had not happened yet. Why is Solvieg able to tell us about sagas and deaths of characters in the story, but cannot explain what is happening to her in narration? It was a confusing and discomforting narrative ploy.
This review is very critical, but I have to end it by saying I want to know what happens next. I am curious how Solveig is supposed to use seidr to defeat the enemy (although, again, the weapon intended here can be calqued to the Silmarils of Tolkien). But I think these similarities to Tolkien should have been more thoroughly removed or altered in favor of Saintcrow's original content. There is real promise in the magic system and politics Saintcrow developed, but they are lost under the constant shadow of LOTR.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 8, 2024
*Source* Publisher
*Genre* Fantasy / Mythology
*Rating* 3.5-4
*Thoughts*
Lilith Saintcrow's A Flame in the North is the first in the authors Black Land's Bane trilogy with the second book releasing in 2025, and the finale in 2026. Norse-inspired worlds are evergreen in fantasy, with a recent resurgence in popularity as seen by the success of Shadow of the Gods and films like The Northman. The quest-like structure of the book and the emphasis on old legends and myths will also appeal to fans of epics like Lord of the Rings.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
*Genre* Fantasy / Mythology
*Rating* 3.5-4
*Thoughts*
Lilith Saintcrow's A Flame in the North is the first in the authors Black Land's Bane trilogy with the second book releasing in 2025, and the finale in 2026. Norse-inspired worlds are evergreen in fantasy, with a recent resurgence in popularity as seen by the success of Shadow of the Gods and films like The Northman. The quest-like structure of the book and the emphasis on old legends and myths will also appeal to fans of epics like Lord of the Rings.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
February 13, 2024
3.5 stars total
In this epic fantasy start to a Viking inspired saga we follow Solveig who is an elementalist being able to call forth fire from nothing. A rather rare ability among her people, she has her shieldmaiden always by her to protect her. At the new year feast where multiple villages come together, her battle mad brother accidentally kills someone. Being the Eldest Daughter Solveig is to be weregild for a year and day to the people her family wronged. Having to leave home with only her shieldmaiden and new mysterious people can be quite a trial. Slowly she finds out the myths of old are maybe not myths after all. I rather enjoyed this tale a bit. I found the writing to be really different than what I’m used to even with reading high fantasy. It took me a minute to get used to, but fell into it eventually. I felt this did slow the story down quite a bit for me. The action scenes were something that strung me along. I enjoyed the fact that Solveig couldn’t use weapons, but had to use her magic to strengthen the allies around her. These are some tropes I noticed throughout the book:
Reluctant hero✨
A long journey✨
Mythical creatures ✨
A great evil ✨
In this epic fantasy start to a Viking inspired saga we follow Solveig who is an elementalist being able to call forth fire from nothing. A rather rare ability among her people, she has her shieldmaiden always by her to protect her. At the new year feast where multiple villages come together, her battle mad brother accidentally kills someone. Being the Eldest Daughter Solveig is to be weregild for a year and day to the people her family wronged. Having to leave home with only her shieldmaiden and new mysterious people can be quite a trial. Slowly she finds out the myths of old are maybe not myths after all. I rather enjoyed this tale a bit. I found the writing to be really different than what I’m used to even with reading high fantasy. It took me a minute to get used to, but fell into it eventually. I felt this did slow the story down quite a bit for me. The action scenes were something that strung me along. I enjoyed the fact that Solveig couldn’t use weapons, but had to use her magic to strengthen the allies around her. These are some tropes I noticed throughout the book:
Reluctant hero✨
A long journey✨
Mythical creatures ✨
A great evil ✨
February 15, 2024
3.5 ⭐ rounded up
A Flame in the North is an epic Viking Fantasy, and although it wasn't what I thought I was going to read I found it to be quite an enjoyable story. Because Solveig's brother kills someone she is traded for a year and a day to a group called the Wolves of the North. Along the way home they face many battles, where she learns of Elven and other types of magic and a great evil that is awakening. Through their travel many begin to question if Sol will be the one to help them stop the upcoming evil.
I found this book to be an enjoyable fantasy filled with plenty of adventure and lore. I really enjoyed the relationship between Sol and her shieldmaiden who helps her on their journey. Although I felt the story was a little repetitive and slow the ending left me wanting more. I can't wait to read more by Lilith Saintcrow.
Thank you Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
A Flame in the North is an epic Viking Fantasy, and although it wasn't what I thought I was going to read I found it to be quite an enjoyable story. Because Solveig's brother kills someone she is traded for a year and a day to a group called the Wolves of the North. Along the way home they face many battles, where she learns of Elven and other types of magic and a great evil that is awakening. Through their travel many begin to question if Sol will be the one to help them stop the upcoming evil.
I found this book to be an enjoyable fantasy filled with plenty of adventure and lore. I really enjoyed the relationship between Sol and her shieldmaiden who helps her on their journey. Although I felt the story was a little repetitive and slow the ending left me wanting more. I can't wait to read more by Lilith Saintcrow.
Thank you Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
December 17, 2023
I wanted to like this book so bad. I think the story had potential but it was hard to follow and read at times. I had to re-read sections to understand what the author was saying. I'm not a fan of the writing style. It was heavy.
February 20, 2024
3.5 stars
This was difficult to rate. I enjoyed it, but there really wasn't much of a plot. We pretty much follow the characters from point A to point B with some monster fighting along the way.
I really liked Solveig and her shield maiden Arn. The magic is interesting. I kind of feel like this was setting up book 2. I'm going to have to read it to see.
Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for an e-arc.
This was difficult to rate. I enjoyed it, but there really wasn't much of a plot. We pretty much follow the characters from point A to point B with some monster fighting along the way.
I really liked Solveig and her shield maiden Arn. The magic is interesting. I kind of feel like this was setting up book 2. I'm going to have to read it to see.
Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for an e-arc.
Want to read
April 15, 2024Actually super excited to read this one, ty Hachette Book Group & Orbit <3
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dnf
April 10, 2025DNF at 51%
I'm not saying it was objectively bad, just that it was stultifyingly slow. I got so tired of Sol just belaboring the point over and over without actually getting anywhere.
I'm not saying it was objectively bad, just that it was stultifyingly slow. I got so tired of Sol just belaboring the point over and over without actually getting anywhere.
June 25, 2024
DNF'ing on June 25, 2024 at 202pages/408 about 50%
Sigh, this pains me because I am a big fan of Lilith Saintcrow, but 200 pages in and:
-I am still very confused on certain terminology. I had to google the terms, but am still left confused in the way that she has used them. She hasn't given me a clear indication of what the term actually means.
-I keep checking out of scenes because it is so hard for me to focus on what is actually happening...the way the scenes are written are very slow and oversaturated with expressive words that my attention wanders unfortunately.
-the FMC, Sol...is quite a flat character. Not only is she not very powerful, but I feel like who she is and who she thinks she is are two completely different people. And I'm not seeing evidence of a possible arc for her character.
-Because of Sol's character being a bit lackluster, I don't see how she has any purpose in the plot. Which, I can sort of gather what is going on here...but, I also have issues that Sol and her Shield Maiden have not asked any questions of their traveling companions. Why wouldn't they want or demand to be filled in on what the heck is happening? The lack of questions in general, seem at odds with the characters themselves and the timeframe that this is happening in.
-The constant references Sol would make to other people like "That's what Idra would have done" or "This is how Astrid would have reacted", those are not direct quotes, but you get the idea. I wanted to learn how SOL was reacting to these things/scenarios. I was not interested in her comparisons. And that prevented me from getting any depth from Sol's character. Which, added to her character being flat for me.
-The undefined powers/magical system, the undefined world, and the different languages are all sort of failing in my opinion. I think this would have been more successful if it was addressed very early on or having some sort of reference guide in the front or back of the book. Because, I was unable to determine what should have taken the characters by surprise or what would have been familiar....and that was just adding to me not being able to concentrate. Because at the halfway point in a book, I would very much like to have a slight grasp on the world parameters.
Overall, I just couldn't stick it out any longer. It's too difficult for me to stay in the scenes and I am unfortunately no longer interested in what the end goal is.
Sigh, this pains me because I am a big fan of Lilith Saintcrow, but 200 pages in and:
-I am still very confused on certain terminology. I had to google the terms, but am still left confused in the way that she has used them. She hasn't given me a clear indication of what the term actually means.
-I keep checking out of scenes because it is so hard for me to focus on what is actually happening...the way the scenes are written are very slow and oversaturated with expressive words that my attention wanders unfortunately.
-the FMC, Sol...is quite a flat character. Not only is she not very powerful, but I feel like who she is and who she thinks she is are two completely different people. And I'm not seeing evidence of a possible arc for her character.
-Because of Sol's character being a bit lackluster, I don't see how she has any purpose in the plot. Which, I can sort of gather what is going on here...but, I also have issues that Sol and her Shield Maiden have not asked any questions of their traveling companions. Why wouldn't they want or demand to be filled in on what the heck is happening? The lack of questions in general, seem at odds with the characters themselves and the timeframe that this is happening in.
-The constant references Sol would make to other people like "That's what Idra would have done" or "This is how Astrid would have reacted", those are not direct quotes, but you get the idea. I wanted to learn how SOL was reacting to these things/scenarios. I was not interested in her comparisons. And that prevented me from getting any depth from Sol's character. Which, added to her character being flat for me.
-The undefined powers/magical system, the undefined world, and the different languages are all sort of failing in my opinion. I think this would have been more successful if it was addressed very early on or having some sort of reference guide in the front or back of the book. Because, I was unable to determine what should have taken the characters by surprise or what would have been familiar....and that was just adding to me not being able to concentrate. Because at the halfway point in a book, I would very much like to have a slight grasp on the world parameters.
Overall, I just couldn't stick it out any longer. It's too difficult for me to stay in the scenes and I am unfortunately no longer interested in what the end goal is.
November 6, 2023
This e ARC was given to me from Netgalley.com and I am providing an unbiased review.
This is a wonderful start to what I expect to be an epic story based on Viking imagined living, beliefs, and other mythological/religious lore. Solveig is our main character, that has a skill, similar to what we would call an elementist in the fantasy world, that marked her to train as a Volva (kind of a Viking shaman-woman) but her skill is stronger than has been seen for lifetimes. Do to an unfortunate death caused by her brother, she is sent as weregild for a year and a day with a group calling themselves the Wolves of the North. On their journey returning to the Wolves northern homes, she discovers one amongst them is Elven, and learns of other types of magic. She also learns that truly there is a great evil that is awakening again, and many believe her to be the one last hope to stop it.
Let's just say that when I started this book, I was riveted to it. I have read many of Saintcrow's works, and found them enjoyable, but this tops all of them - hands down. I also believe, that this is her best work to date. I found the reading to be very attention getting with the storyline, though there were parts that felt a bit wordier than needed to be. It is written in first-person, from Sol's point of view, and, like a person's thoughts, there is quite a bit of mental wondering, which I believe kind of adds to the writing style. In my opinion, they were many terms I believe to be Viking lore related, and the lifestyle portrayed, region and climate, all added to what I see as Viking lore. Also brought in is some of the Norse gods (Thor, Odin, et cetera) and some comments even of the 'robed ones' that preach their god that died on a cross, versus going to Valhalla.
Truly one of the top books I have read this year, and I am so looking forward to the next one, and I am guessing a third as well. I found it easy reading, even good descriptions of many of the Viking terms used, and the inter-mixing of lore and beliefs.
This is a wonderful start to what I expect to be an epic story based on Viking imagined living, beliefs, and other mythological/religious lore. Solveig is our main character, that has a skill, similar to what we would call an elementist in the fantasy world, that marked her to train as a Volva (kind of a Viking shaman-woman) but her skill is stronger than has been seen for lifetimes. Do to an unfortunate death caused by her brother, she is sent as weregild for a year and a day with a group calling themselves the Wolves of the North. On their journey returning to the Wolves northern homes, she discovers one amongst them is Elven, and learns of other types of magic. She also learns that truly there is a great evil that is awakening again, and many believe her to be the one last hope to stop it.
Let's just say that when I started this book, I was riveted to it. I have read many of Saintcrow's works, and found them enjoyable, but this tops all of them - hands down. I also believe, that this is her best work to date. I found the reading to be very attention getting with the storyline, though there were parts that felt a bit wordier than needed to be. It is written in first-person, from Sol's point of view, and, like a person's thoughts, there is quite a bit of mental wondering, which I believe kind of adds to the writing style. In my opinion, they were many terms I believe to be Viking lore related, and the lifestyle portrayed, region and climate, all added to what I see as Viking lore. Also brought in is some of the Norse gods (Thor, Odin, et cetera) and some comments even of the 'robed ones' that preach their god that died on a cross, versus going to Valhalla.
Truly one of the top books I have read this year, and I am so looking forward to the next one, and I am guessing a third as well. I found it easy reading, even good descriptions of many of the Viking terms used, and the inter-mixing of lore and beliefs.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 25, 2024
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for offering me this book in exchange for an honest review.
I struggled with this book. To start, the writing is not particularly accessible, and the content is confusing. The world building is immense, but that is not shown to the reader. There are so many gods, powers, creatures, and roles in the society Saintcrow has built, but for the most part, it's on the reader to figure out what they are and what purpose they serve.
As far as plot, you can sum this book up easily by saying, "the characters left the city, they ran into trouble on the road and finally took refuge in a different city. When they left that city, they ran into trouble on the road, and took refuge in the next city. In that city, they were attacked, so they fled to the next city, but ran into trouble on the road. In one final journey, they fled that city, ran into trouble on the road, and found refuge in a different city." You can certainly make the argument that I'm being reductive, but as I was reading I kept saying, "ugh not again" so it doesn't feel reductive to me.
Additionally, the main character is incredibly passive. For 75% of the book, she simply does as she is told, and observes, despite seeming to have incredible power. We don't see very much of that, we only hear about how others treat her as though she has power. Her shield maiden, also is claimed to be an incredible fighter, but she doesn't seem to show that, instead we're just told that people are impressed by her or should be afraid of her.
That all being said, I really enjoyed the last 25% of the book, and I'm curious to see where the next book takes this story. Until I read the rest of it however, I'm going to recommend that if you're going to read it (or are reading this review as you're struggling to read it, as I did with many reviews) you can pretty safely read until they leave Sol's city, and then skip ahead to about the 75% mark. You won't miss much, and you'll get to the interesting part.
I struggled with this book. To start, the writing is not particularly accessible, and the content is confusing. The world building is immense, but that is not shown to the reader. There are so many gods, powers, creatures, and roles in the society Saintcrow has built, but for the most part, it's on the reader to figure out what they are and what purpose they serve.
As far as plot, you can sum this book up easily by saying, "the characters left the city, they ran into trouble on the road and finally took refuge in a different city. When they left that city, they ran into trouble on the road, and took refuge in the next city. In that city, they were attacked, so they fled to the next city, but ran into trouble on the road. In one final journey, they fled that city, ran into trouble on the road, and found refuge in a different city." You can certainly make the argument that I'm being reductive, but as I was reading I kept saying, "ugh not again" so it doesn't feel reductive to me.
Additionally, the main character is incredibly passive. For 75% of the book, she simply does as she is told, and observes, despite seeming to have incredible power. We don't see very much of that, we only hear about how others treat her as though she has power. Her shield maiden, also is claimed to be an incredible fighter, but she doesn't seem to show that, instead we're just told that people are impressed by her or should be afraid of her.
That all being said, I really enjoyed the last 25% of the book, and I'm curious to see where the next book takes this story. Until I read the rest of it however, I'm going to recommend that if you're going to read it (or are reading this review as you're struggling to read it, as I did with many reviews) you can pretty safely read until they leave Sol's city, and then skip ahead to about the 75% mark. You won't miss much, and you'll get to the interesting part.
February 2, 2024
**I received this ebook as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, thank you to NetGalley**
I will say, Lilith built one heck of a story.
This starts very slow and I found it took me a little while to get into, I will also admit that I was in a bit of a reading slump so for me that was an added difficulty.
Let it be known that the comparisons to LOTR are very on the nose. I found myself understanding the world and its history more than the character. They felt very much a part of it and the world moved with them, not for them as I find is so common in most new fantasy novels these days. The story does pick up and flows smoothly with plenty of character moments and action.
So whose perspective do we see this old broken world? Solveig, our all-knowing horse calming, main girl, or volva. She's great I love her, there is no romance but Sol and Aeredh have such great chemistry I wouldn't be surprised if we see something in the future. But if they stay the best of friends I am still fully on board. I really liked Sol's relationship with her family, I know they only play a part in the first 15% of the story but they stay with her throughout the Saga. Even though there aren't characters we get a lot of time with I know how Sol feels about them, her father and her mother in particular. Her brother is so stupid and headstrong but it was so relatable that I had to laugh.
I would have really appreciated some sort of glossary as it was hard to keep track of all the new Viking and Norse terms. Not impossible of course but it would be a nice touch.
All in all, this was a really nice story, again it is slow and drawn out but it built the world and I didn't find it to be a detriment.
If you've read Goddess of Nothing At All or Name Of The Wind I think you would like this.
I will say, Lilith built one heck of a story.
This starts very slow and I found it took me a little while to get into, I will also admit that I was in a bit of a reading slump so for me that was an added difficulty.
Let it be known that the comparisons to LOTR are very on the nose. I found myself understanding the world and its history more than the character. They felt very much a part of it and the world moved with them, not for them as I find is so common in most new fantasy novels these days. The story does pick up and flows smoothly with plenty of character moments and action.
So whose perspective do we see this old broken world? Solveig, our all-knowing horse calming, main girl, or volva. She's great I love her, there is no romance but Sol and Aeredh have such great chemistry I wouldn't be surprised if we see something in the future. But if they stay the best of friends I am still fully on board. I really liked Sol's relationship with her family, I know they only play a part in the first 15% of the story but they stay with her throughout the Saga. Even though there aren't characters we get a lot of time with I know how Sol feels about them, her father and her mother in particular. Her brother is so stupid and headstrong but it was so relatable that I had to laugh.
I would have really appreciated some sort of glossary as it was hard to keep track of all the new Viking and Norse terms. Not impossible of course but it would be a nice touch.
All in all, this was a really nice story, again it is slow and drawn out but it built the world and I didn't find it to be a detriment.
If you've read Goddess of Nothing At All or Name Of The Wind I think you would like this.
February 6, 2024
February 2024 is apparently the season for Nordic inspired fantasy! A Flame in the North reminded me of a Norse Lord of the Rings–and I really enjoyed it! The first thing that stood out to me was the style of language in which Lilith Saintcrow wrote the book–it’s a very old fashioned usage, so outside of the plot it also feels like The Lord of the Rings stylistically. It is also written in first person, which feels a lot more to me like a YA POV and can often make the MC feel unrelatable or unsympathetic and whiney with so many me and I statements, but this FMC doesn’t come across any of those ways and often uses a fourth-wall break style to reveal future events or knowledge. I ended up really enjoying the first person POV because it felt like a bard spinning a saga on which they journeyed.
The immersive worldbuilding has come to be something I expect from Saintcrow’s writing, in which lore is not often explained, and can be a little disorienting, but just enough backstory was often given to keep me curious for more! I actually ended the book with as many questions as when I began, but I don’t count that as a bad thing–I just can’t wait for the next to come out! I think it’s meant to be a duology, so hopefully the conclusion has all the answers! Regardless, for a book with a lot of travel and journeying, which can become boring and repetitive, I enjoyed the ride! Five stars!
The immersive worldbuilding has come to be something I expect from Saintcrow’s writing, in which lore is not often explained, and can be a little disorienting, but just enough backstory was often given to keep me curious for more! I actually ended the book with as many questions as when I began, but I don’t count that as a bad thing–I just can’t wait for the next to come out! I think it’s meant to be a duology, so hopefully the conclusion has all the answers! Regardless, for a book with a lot of travel and journeying, which can become boring and repetitive, I enjoyed the ride! Five stars!
June 13, 2024
I was actually quite disgusted with this book. While there were some very small differences the events, characters, and locations were primarily from J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. It was basically a work of plagiarism with a bit of Norse influence to make it a "different" book. If it had been written under the guise of fan fiction, I would have had an easier time with it, but it was described and marketed as a new novel. This was by an author who has many published works already and who should be able to make up her own ideas.
Also, by the end of the book there was the barest hint of a plot. In a book of over 400 pages, you should be able to tell what the plot is very early on, not have mere hints of what it could be. There was a very poor attempt at mysterious details, however since the things were brought up over and over again, it just became annoying.
The only thing that was well written were the battle scenes, but that alone didn't make me want to read more. I finished this book only to say that I made it all the way through. However, I can honestly say I will not be reading anything more by this author.
Also, by the end of the book there was the barest hint of a plot. In a book of over 400 pages, you should be able to tell what the plot is very early on, not have mere hints of what it could be. There was a very poor attempt at mysterious details, however since the things were brought up over and over again, it just became annoying.
The only thing that was well written were the battle scenes, but that alone didn't make me want to read more. I finished this book only to say that I made it all the way through. However, I can honestly say I will not be reading anything more by this author.
July 4, 2024
I have a lot of books on the go right now, and yet this book is what I consistently reached for. I wanted to know what would happen, and was fascinated to see what she was going to do with the tropes that she was using. If you always wanted a Tolkien book but wanted the POV characters to be a magic-using lady and her shield maid, and you can deal with the fact that it is not, in fact, Tolkien, then this might be the book for you. (Also, book two is already out. And I already put it on hold.)
Solveig is happy at home and the beginning set there is really beautifully written, but for reasons that are spoilery, she and her shield maid make a journey into the north. (While I quite enjoyed going in without reading the cover blurb, I would have loved a story that was set in her lovingly-rendered home.) There is a dark force reawakening beyond the gates of the Black Land... stop me if this seems familiar. The similarity goes on- This isn't a perfect book for me (as enumerated below) but it was still enjoyable and quite Good Enough.
Characters: It's interesting to me that Saintcrow obviously wanted to make this about girl power, and makes a point to show how women have and carry power in this culture. Yet Sol and Arn are the only two women characters that really get much page time. Why couldn't there be female warriors traveling with them?
Also, while the people of Sol's family and home are lovingly rendered and often mentioned in the book no matter how far they have journeyed, most of the characters in the band they travel with for much of the book remained pretty indistinguishable to me. They had names and stuff but they never really managed to differentiate themselves. It didn't really matter, but it kind of should. The reader instead is often directed to thoughts of people at home. This makes a kind of sense as she's quite homesick, but not as much narrative sense.
Plot: There isn't much of one once the traveling starts. Part of it is trying to figure out where they are going and why. And gaining trust as they go to different amazing places. But not much actually happens that isn't like battles or meeting potential allies after they start traveling. The books feels oddly uncentered because of this, and strangely paced. They just travel and travel and travel (like Tolkien). Maybe I would have found this less irritating if there hadn't been hints of plot and character stuff that could have been brought out more.
Because here's the thing: Solveig's character is so invested in being a Normal Person instead of a Chosen One that she's always feeling like she's not up to the task, or accomplishes things only by accident or fear response. She continually feels useless because honestly she kind of is, unless you can scare her enough to get her to like burn a snow wraith from the inside. Not useful, but kind of. I feel like she is supposed to be showing a lot more agency than she actually does, because she's being relatably scared instead.
The Magic: Sol is simultaneously very powerful and also someone whose powers the reader doesn't understand much of the specifics of. We get all of her magic training in flashbacks, and hear that she can like astral project, but the description of her abilities is frustratingly lacking. In theory she can prophesize, but that gets dropped pretty quickly except for a couple of times when like gods suddenly use her voice as their own. Not quite the same thing. I wanted to know waaay more.
Same with Arn - we hear that she is touched by the wingèd ones, but very little about what this actually means. We get one training montage flashback. Arn in general feels a bit underdeveloped - she is there to support Sol, and that's about all she does.
One thing that I found really interesting (besides the description of hall life in the beginning) was the tone of the book. It's wistful. She feels like (knows) And the amazing places she sees - none of them seem to have much of a future, according to the voice of Future Solveig. It's all very elegiac. But I guess the benefit of her telling the story from a future point of view means that she makes it to somewhere? Maybe they don't all die?
I also really like that this wasn't set up as a romance. The one dude is obviously smitten with Sol but it's all very low-key- she really hasn't even realized it yet and thinks he hates her. But I like that it was on the back burner. Even if Arn doesn't quite get her due as a character, this is a female friendship story first.
My conclusion is that some of the writing depth got lost as the book and journey progressed, but that I still quite enjoyed it. I hope that Sol can get a grip and stop saying that she can't do stuff/ use the special magic weapon and get down to figuring it out. This is 3.5 stars rounded up for keeping my interest despite the flaws.
p.s.- I realized early on that this must be the same writer as The Throne of the Five Winds, by her somewhat-buried pen name S.C. Emmett. How did I know? Because of the use of Southron and Westron (so irritating). This book upped the ante by using "summat" instead of "something" pretty consistently. To me this is a usage from the north of England, and makes me think of Monty Python and "Trouble at t'mill!" But I dealt with it.
Solveig is happy at home and the beginning set there is really beautifully written, but for reasons that are spoilery, she and her shield maid make a journey into the north. (While I quite enjoyed going in without reading the cover blurb, I would have loved a story that was set in her lovingly-rendered home.) There is a dark force reawakening beyond the gates of the Black Land... stop me if this seems familiar. The similarity goes on- This isn't a perfect book for me (as enumerated below) but it was still enjoyable and quite Good Enough.
Characters: It's interesting to me that Saintcrow obviously wanted to make this about girl power, and makes a point to show how women have and carry power in this culture. Yet Sol and Arn are the only two women characters that really get much page time. Why couldn't there be female warriors traveling with them?
Also, while the people of Sol's family and home are lovingly rendered and often mentioned in the book no matter how far they have journeyed, most of the characters in the band they travel with for much of the book remained pretty indistinguishable to me. They had names and stuff but they never really managed to differentiate themselves. It didn't really matter, but it kind of should. The reader instead is often directed to thoughts of people at home. This makes a kind of sense as she's quite homesick, but not as much narrative sense.
Plot: There isn't much of one once the traveling starts. Part of it is trying to figure out where they are going and why. And gaining trust as they go to different amazing places. But not much actually happens that isn't like battles or meeting potential allies after they start traveling. The books feels oddly uncentered because of this, and strangely paced. They just travel and travel and travel (like Tolkien). Maybe I would have found this less irritating if there hadn't been hints of plot and character stuff that could have been brought out more.
Because here's the thing: Solveig's character is so invested in being a Normal Person instead of a Chosen One that she's always feeling like she's not up to the task, or accomplishes things only by accident or fear response. She continually feels useless because honestly she kind of is, unless you can scare her enough to get her to like burn a snow wraith from the inside. Not useful, but kind of. I feel like she is supposed to be showing a lot more agency than she actually does, because she's being relatably scared instead.
The Magic: Sol is simultaneously very powerful and also someone whose powers the reader doesn't understand much of the specifics of. We get all of her magic training in flashbacks, and hear that she can like astral project, but the description of her abilities is frustratingly lacking. In theory she can prophesize, but that gets dropped pretty quickly except for a couple of times when like gods suddenly use her voice as their own. Not quite the same thing. I wanted to know waaay more.
Same with Arn - we hear that she is touched by the wingèd ones, but very little about what this actually means. We get one training montage flashback. Arn in general feels a bit underdeveloped - she is there to support Sol, and that's about all she does.
One thing that I found really interesting (besides the description of hall life in the beginning) was the tone of the book. It's wistful. She feels like (knows) And the amazing places she sees - none of them seem to have much of a future, according to the voice of Future Solveig. It's all very elegiac. But I guess the benefit of her telling the story from a future point of view means that she makes it to somewhere? Maybe they don't all die?
I also really like that this wasn't set up as a romance. The one dude is obviously smitten with Sol but it's all very low-key- she really hasn't even realized it yet and thinks he hates her. But I like that it was on the back burner. Even if Arn doesn't quite get her due as a character, this is a female friendship story first.
My conclusion is that some of the writing depth got lost as the book and journey progressed, but that I still quite enjoyed it. I hope that Sol can get a grip and stop saying that she can't do stuff/ use the special magic weapon and get down to figuring it out. This is 3.5 stars rounded up for keeping my interest despite the flaws.
p.s.- I realized early on that this must be the same writer as The Throne of the Five Winds, by her somewhat-buried pen name S.C. Emmett. How did I know? Because of the use of Southron and Westron (so irritating). This book upped the ante by using "summat" instead of "something" pretty consistently. To me this is a usage from the north of England, and makes me think of Monty Python and "Trouble at t'mill!" But I dealt with it.
March 21, 2025
I kept putting this off, never really in the mood to start it. When I did finally convince myself I should read it (primarily cuz I have kept it from the library an excessive amount of time), it was hard to get into. The story starts out quite slow, and all the unusual language and info-dumping can be rather dry. None of the characters stand out as particularly well-developed, and there are a LOT of characters. Even now that the book is over, there are a lot of things I’m confused about.
The detailing at the beginning of chapters is pretty, but the quote at the beginning of chapters is normally fairly dry/not too engaging, although it is an interesting idea.
The regret-filled foreshadowing was odd at times.
Quotes and comments:
An honest and relatable heroine.
“Curiosity is better than fear, but I had a surfeit of both at the moment.”
Some creative wording was used in this novel.
“There is no other word for the feeling, though I wracked my porridge-impersonating skull-meat to think of one.”
Some truths were written, as well.
“Every man, even Elder, has a measure of self-regard, and it curdles swifter than any milk.”
More funny turns of phrase:
“I refused to think further upon that path, but the mind, like an inquisitive goat, goes where it senses its master does not wish it to.”
Favorite character: I’m not certain. Maybe Aeredh? Or maybe that’s just because he was one of the characters mentioned the most, I don’t know.
I will say I was surprised by the lack of a romance plot, and I was happy with the fairly feminist representations of women.
If you like the Eragon series by Christopher Paolini, The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley, The Hedgewitch Queen by Lilith Saintcrow, or A Fate Inked in Blood by Danielle Jensen, I would recommend this book.
Although I wouldn’t be clamoring for the sequel immediately even if it were already published, but I will be reading it eventually.
The detailing at the beginning of chapters is pretty, but the quote at the beginning of chapters is normally fairly dry/not too engaging, although it is an interesting idea.
The regret-filled foreshadowing was odd at times.
Quotes and comments:
An honest and relatable heroine.
“Curiosity is better than fear, but I had a surfeit of both at the moment.”
Some creative wording was used in this novel.
“There is no other word for the feeling, though I wracked my porridge-impersonating skull-meat to think of one.”
Some truths were written, as well.
“Every man, even Elder, has a measure of self-regard, and it curdles swifter than any milk.”
More funny turns of phrase:
“I refused to think further upon that path, but the mind, like an inquisitive goat, goes where it senses its master does not wish it to.”
Favorite character: I’m not certain. Maybe Aeredh? Or maybe that’s just because he was one of the characters mentioned the most, I don’t know.
I will say I was surprised by the lack of a romance plot, and I was happy with the fairly feminist representations of women.
If you like the Eragon series by Christopher Paolini, The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley, The Hedgewitch Queen by Lilith Saintcrow, or A Fate Inked in Blood by Danielle Jensen, I would recommend this book.
Although I wouldn’t be clamoring for the sequel immediately even if it were already published, but I will be reading it eventually.
December 23, 2025
This was an absolutely fascinating literary exercise, fulsomely realised, that unfortunately didn't quite work for me in a few ways. I went in expecting a Viking-inspired fantasy perhaps in a similar rich vein to the work Saintcrow did under her SC Emmett pseud (some of my favourite books of recent years). And it sort of is that - female-focused, rich in detail and sense of place and people, restrained and styled. But it's also a take on Tolkien - or rather, on the same folklore, history and myth that inspired Tolkien. Saintcrow braids together a Norse feel with elves, dwarves and orcs, but tightly focused on a feminine everyday experience within that world. I'm fascinated by this concept and really like what this book is going on that level.
Unfortunately, the execution has all the problems that I also have with Tolkien - the fulsome descriptions and stately pacing scratch at my impatience, and the journeying structure lacks the full draw of implacable tightening for me. I also had, as things went on, a niggling problem with the narration, which generally has a "telling this story from well after the events took place" self-conscious first-person style. Mostly, that worked well to maintain that "epic tale of myth" vibe, and to keep the tension taut in moments when it might otherwise have been slack. (For instance, the early "I never saw my home again" statement.) However,
Anyway I conclude that this is not for me, but I remain fascinated by it as a conceptual undertaking and highly recommend it to anyone who really, genuinely enjoys Tolkien and/or Norse myths.
Unfortunately, the execution has all the problems that I also have with Tolkien - the fulsome descriptions and stately pacing scratch at my impatience, and the journeying structure lacks the full draw of implacable tightening for me. I also had, as things went on, a niggling problem with the narration, which generally has a "telling this story from well after the events took place" self-conscious first-person style. Mostly, that worked well to maintain that "epic tale of myth" vibe, and to keep the tension taut in moments when it might otherwise have been slack. (For instance, the early "I never saw my home again" statement.) However,
Anyway I conclude that this is not for me, but I remain fascinated by it as a conceptual undertaking and highly recommend it to anyone who really, genuinely enjoys Tolkien and/or Norse myths.
February 13, 2024
In this epic fantasy start to a Viking inspired saga we follow Solveig who is an elementalist being able to call forth fire from nothing. A rather rare ability among her people, she has her shieldmaiden always by her to protect her. At the new year feast where multiple villages come together, her battle mad brother accidentally kills someone. Being the Eldest Daughter Solveig is to be weregild for a year and day to the people her family wronged. Having to leave home with only her shieldmaiden and new mysterious people can be quite a trial. Slowly she finds out the myths of old are maybe not myths after all. I rather enjoyed this tale a bit. I found the writing to be really different than what I’m used to even with reading high fantasy. It took me a minute to get used to, but fell into it eventually. I felt this did slow the story down quite a bit for me. The action scenes were something that strung me along. I enjoyed the fact that Solveig couldn’t use weapons, but had to use her magic to strengthen the allies around her. These are some tropes I noticed throughout the book:
Reluctant hero✨
A long journey✨
Mythical creatures ✨
A great evil ✨
Reluctant hero✨
A long journey✨
Mythical creatures ✨
A great evil ✨
June 16, 2024
Prethodnu trilogiju Lilit Sentkrou, koju je doduše pisala pod pseudonimom, pročitao sam s velikim uživanjem, iako je bila napisana praktično kao istorijski roman, samo smešten u sekundarni svet, nadahnut ranosrednjovekovnom Kinom, Mongolijom i Japanom.
Za ovaj serijal po svemu bi se reklo da je moja šoljica otrova, budući da je očito nadahnut nordijskim sagama, u sekundarnom svetu, sa obiljem magije i fantastičnih stvorenja. Na prvi pogled, očekivao sam da ću dobiti nešto u maniru Džona Gvina i njegovih "Krvozavetnika", samo sa feminističkim prizvukom - i nije da nisam. Početak knjige u popriličnoj meri čita se kao Hall of Smoke autorke H. M. Long, međutim ubrzo se priča odvaja putem za koji baš i nisam siguran koliko mi prija.
Naime, "Plamen na Severu" se suštinski čita kao Lord of the Rings - ili pre "Silmarilion" fan-fiction. Nije mi jasno kako se niko od stranih čitalaca toga nije dotakao u svojim osvrtima, niti se to bilo gde spominje. Ovo je doslovce napisano kao priča u kojoj se protanogistkinja iz svojevrsne mešavine nordijske i keltske kulture susreće s vilovnjacima koji su mešavina Tolkinovih i vilinskih bića Sare Mas, kao i opet mešavinom Tolkinovih Dunedaina i vukodlaka iz paranormalne romantike, pa se suprotstavljaju Senci na Severu, da ne kažem Morgotu, negde u Drugom dobu Srednje zemlje - ali opet uz popriličnu primesu reklo bi se Midnight Campaign Settinga (objavljenog za D&D 3.5 i 5e), koji suštinski za premisu ima šta bi se desilo da je Morgot pobedio - i sve to uz solidnu kritiku Feanora.
Sve ovo nije napisano nimalo loše. Nekom mlađem i neiskusnijem čitaocu verovatno bi bilo više nego zabavno, a Arda zna da ima daleko lošije napisanih knjiga fantastike nego što je ova. Međutim, jednom matorom i oguglalom čitaocu kakav sam ja ne može a da se ne nametne pitanje - čemu?
Ponajviše zbog tog - čemu? - ova knjiga dobija ocenu koju dobije. Ako imate negde između 15 i 25 godina, a niste pročitali "Gospodara prstenova" 30+ puta kao ja, a još ste i ženskog opredeljenja, vaša ocena će verovatno biti za zvezdicu viša.
3*
Za ovaj serijal po svemu bi se reklo da je moja šoljica otrova, budući da je očito nadahnut nordijskim sagama, u sekundarnom svetu, sa obiljem magije i fantastičnih stvorenja. Na prvi pogled, očekivao sam da ću dobiti nešto u maniru Džona Gvina i njegovih "Krvozavetnika", samo sa feminističkim prizvukom - i nije da nisam. Početak knjige u popriličnoj meri čita se kao Hall of Smoke autorke H. M. Long, međutim ubrzo se priča odvaja putem za koji baš i nisam siguran koliko mi prija.
Naime, "Plamen na Severu" se suštinski čita kao Lord of the Rings - ili pre "Silmarilion" fan-fiction. Nije mi jasno kako se niko od stranih čitalaca toga nije dotakao u svojim osvrtima, niti se to bilo gde spominje. Ovo je doslovce napisano kao priča u kojoj se protanogistkinja iz svojevrsne mešavine nordijske i keltske kulture susreće s vilovnjacima koji su mešavina Tolkinovih i vilinskih bića Sare Mas, kao i opet mešavinom Tolkinovih Dunedaina i vukodlaka iz paranormalne romantike, pa se suprotstavljaju Senci na Severu, da ne kažem Morgotu, negde u Drugom dobu Srednje zemlje - ali opet uz popriličnu primesu reklo bi se Midnight Campaign Settinga (objavljenog za D&D 3.5 i 5e), koji suštinski za premisu ima šta bi se desilo da je Morgot pobedio - i sve to uz solidnu kritiku Feanora.
Sve ovo nije napisano nimalo loše. Nekom mlađem i neiskusnijem čitaocu verovatno bi bilo više nego zabavno, a Arda zna da ima daleko lošije napisanih knjiga fantastike nego što je ova. Međutim, jednom matorom i oguglalom čitaocu kakav sam ja ne može a da se ne nametne pitanje - čemu?
Ponajviše zbog tog - čemu? - ova knjiga dobija ocenu koju dobije. Ako imate negde između 15 i 25 godina, a niste pročitali "Gospodara prstenova" 30+ puta kao ja, a još ste i ženskog opredeljenja, vaša ocena će verovatno biti za zvezdicu viša.
3*
July 13, 2024
This is the first book of a Norse inspired fantasy series by Lilith Saintcrow. The plot line is good, but the world building and backstory incorporated into the book was so dense that at times it was a bit off-putting. However Solvig is a great protagonist, a Volva and an elementalist, who, along with her shield maiden, Arn, are taken from their home in the Southlands, presumably to satisfy a wereguild when her brother accidentally kills the son of a Northern king. However it soon becomes clear that the choice of her as wereguild is because the Northern lords wish to use her skills to help battle an enemy those in her homeland thought was long dead and gone or simply myth.
January 30, 2025
The book starts off with some great world building and I was excited that it will be the start of an amazing epic.
An amazingly epic fail.
Credit where it’s due are the action scenes and battles. I was engaged for those, but with the lack of plot that I was really hoping to see, this book just failed me.
How does one make a Nordic version of Tolkien’s world boring?! Is it even ok to just change names and then say it’s yours? And surely…. Wouldn’t you pick something less read by everyone?
Needless to say I won’t bother with book two. I will venture into some of this authors other works though because the writing itself, I must admit, is decent.
An amazingly epic fail.
Credit where it’s due are the action scenes and battles. I was engaged for those, but with the lack of plot that I was really hoping to see, this book just failed me.
How does one make a Nordic version of Tolkien’s world boring?! Is it even ok to just change names and then say it’s yours? And surely…. Wouldn’t you pick something less read by everyone?
Needless to say I won’t bother with book two. I will venture into some of this authors other works though because the writing itself, I must admit, is decent.
September 30, 2024
Epic fantasy is not usually my thing, but the high concept of this novel looked interesting, and I credited Lilith Saintcrow the skill to maintain the proper tone of somberness. Having said that, I also have to admit that I didn't find this story as compelling as I had hoped; it has its moments but I was left with the sense that events were being dragged out a little too long. This is keeping in mind that I appreciate that fantasy readers like their thick, immersive, books. Still, I'm interested enough to return to this series if the next book comes out.
Actual rating: 3.5.
Actual rating: 3.5.
February 3, 2024
First off, thank you to NetGalley for letting me read this book before its release.
Now, let's talk about this story. I'm going to try to keep it spoiler free because I feel this book needs to be experienced to really understand how the tale has been woven. The plot is so delicately laid out in beautiful prose even as the story is sometimes brutal.
Solvieg knows who and what she is and she also knows the rules of how she should be treated. Her character drew me to her and her relationship with Arn, her shieldmaid, well, I love them together. Their bond is subtle but tells its own story.
There were times that I thought the pacing was slow, but then when I finished I realized it all made sense and how am I ever going to wait for the next book in the series when this one isn't even put yet!
If you like Goddess of Nothing At All or Shield Maiden, give this one a go!
Now, let's talk about this story. I'm going to try to keep it spoiler free because I feel this book needs to be experienced to really understand how the tale has been woven. The plot is so delicately laid out in beautiful prose even as the story is sometimes brutal.
Solvieg knows who and what she is and she also knows the rules of how she should be treated. Her character drew me to her and her relationship with Arn, her shieldmaid, well, I love them together. Their bond is subtle but tells its own story.
There were times that I thought the pacing was slow, but then when I finished I realized it all made sense and how am I ever going to wait for the next book in the series when this one isn't even put yet!
If you like Goddess of Nothing At All or Shield Maiden, give this one a go!
February 9, 2024
TL;DR - I LOVED this. It is difficult to read, but I think it’s 100% worth it. Lord of the Rings, with a Viking flavor, and a female Gandalf as the lead is my best comp for this. Love, love, love it.
A Flame in the North tells the story of Solveig who, after her brother kills a man, is traded to another clan for a year and a day. This clan of takes her North, to where she believes is their home, but it is instead the beginning of an epic journey. She and her sworn Shieldmaiden face threats straight from the old ballads as they travel, finding themselves nearly lost in the cold north.
This is a journey book, in the purest most basic form. So if you don’t enjoy journey’s definitely pass this one up. It’s also dense and difficult to read. Lilith Saintcrow takes a very classic style with her writing. It’s meaty and she introduces and uses quite a few new world specific words and terms, and more archaic language and sentence structure at times.
Is all that worth moving through to get to the end? Yes, hard yes. I adored this. It took me so long to read and when I did I almost pre-ordered the audio AND the physical. I wanted the book for my shelf and I wanted to hear it again in my ears. This is a journey of cold you can feel, political maneuvering that will leave you furious and intrigued, and a few moments of heartbreak.
6 out of 5 little squat man rune statues. This is going to be a best book of the year. Pick this up if you are interested.
A Flame in the North tells the story of Solveig who, after her brother kills a man, is traded to another clan for a year and a day. This clan of takes her North, to where she believes is their home, but it is instead the beginning of an epic journey. She and her sworn Shieldmaiden face threats straight from the old ballads as they travel, finding themselves nearly lost in the cold north.
This is a journey book, in the purest most basic form. So if you don’t enjoy journey’s definitely pass this one up. It’s also dense and difficult to read. Lilith Saintcrow takes a very classic style with her writing. It’s meaty and she introduces and uses quite a few new world specific words and terms, and more archaic language and sentence structure at times.
Is all that worth moving through to get to the end? Yes, hard yes. I adored this. It took me so long to read and when I did I almost pre-ordered the audio AND the physical. I wanted the book for my shelf and I wanted to hear it again in my ears. This is a journey of cold you can feel, political maneuvering that will leave you furious and intrigued, and a few moments of heartbreak.
6 out of 5 little squat man rune statues. This is going to be a best book of the year. Pick this up if you are interested.
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