Mist Gallows

The Prophecies of Ragnarok #3

by Meri Benson, Marie Sinadjan

Are you ready for the battle of a lifetime?

The end has begun. Ragnarok has arrived as prophesied. The Great Winter has brought Midgard to its knees, and it’s only a matter of time before the gods and their armies clash on Vigrid one last time.

Desperate to save the realms, Victor leads his friends on a mission to the underworld. He intends to seek out Hel, daughter of Loki and Hodr’s lover, and convince their side to stand down and make peace with Odin, therefore averting the war.

But a far greater threat than the reckoning of an ancient feud looms on the horizon. Silje learns that Yggdrasil is dying, and if the Tree of Worlds dies, the worlds die along with it…

353 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 11, 2023

About the author

Meri Benson is a Chicago-land native, and storyteller for as long as she can remember. She’s always had an extremely vivid imagination, leading to the creation of imaginary friends as a child, and characters that live in a variety of worlds of their own as an adult. Most of her characters tend to stay locked up in notebooks, their worlds spun and developed carefully until she feels that they are ready for family and close friends; though occasionally developed further into stories for writing contests and classes, including a Best Mystery win during grade school.

Her preferred writing genres are science fiction and fantasy; coming as no surprise to those aware that she’s been attending sci-fi conventions since the age of four---adorned in hand-made costumes, no less, thanks to her talented family. The artist halls of these conventions were filled with dragons, fairies, and other mythical creatures that only fueled her imagination and stories she developed both on paper and in her head. This is also her preferred choice for a quick read as well, thanks to growing up around her parents’ massive library ranging from mystery to fantasy and beyond.

While she graduated with a BA in psychology, Meri is an artist at heart and is always looking for new ways to create and has a myriad of things to keep her busy. When not writing, she is usually found behind her camera capturing the world one shutter snap at a time, or drawing it onto a sketch pad; though she’s also been known to be bent over a potter’s wheel, molding the world to her liking. Her favorite distractions from creative endeavors and writing are her two cats that enjoy ‘helping’ by settling themselves on her, or whatever project has stolen her attention away from her number one “fans”.

Reviews

[C.J. Daley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks again to the authors for the audible code! The narration by Jennifer Pratt, who took over with book 2, really sells the story and her voice work is great.

This is the third and final book in The Prophecies of Ragnarok trilogy. The first, Hotel Fen, is almost like a fantasy/romance mixed with hotel horror. The second, Monster Ridge, amps up the fantasy content, really bringing out the Norse Mythology, and getting more into the characters’ pasts. And this third one, really takes off from there. The consequences of book two have started The Great Winter, bringing all of earth to survival basics, and Ragnarok has begun.

Our star-crossed and forever-(ill)fated lovers, Victor and Silje, are still just trying to make it work. Why does that always seem to involve someone chasing them, attacking or kidnapping them, or them having to try to save the world/universe?

There is character growth in this one even though it’s pretty all-out action. Their past-selves bleed more and more into their present-selves, bringing with it strengths and abilities long forgotten. Angers too.

I was pleasantly surprised by the action in this one. While molded by Norse Mythology, the authors clearly weren’t afraid to write this as their own. I think it’s probably because of the recent Thor movies (naturally) but this feels like almost ‘superhero level’ action—and I mean that in a good way. And with that, there is of course sacrifice…to save everything, something or someone is gonna have to give. It felt worth it, it felt earned, and yes it hurt like hell (Hel). And I’m still so happy that it wrapped up with just a dash of hope.

These two authors have cooked up a well done trilogy, and I would love to see more people talking about it!

https://fanfiaddict.com/review-mist-g...

[fantasybookquet · Rating 4 out of 5]

📖 Mist Gallows – 4.5 Stars
🌫️ A breathtaking, emotional finale.
This one had me hooked. From start to finish, Mist Gallows delivers heart-pounding twists, emotional depth, and a satisfying conclusion to the prophecy. The blend of eerie, supernatural elements with raw human emotion was masterful. 😱❤️ Silje and Victor truly come into their own, and their bond is both tested and solidified in ways that hit hard. The pacing was tight, the twists were jaw-dropping, and the resolution was well-earned. The hotel’s secrets unravel beautifully, leaving you haunted long after the last page. A genuinely great finish to the trilogy!

[Elisa Menz · Rating 5 out of 5]

With Mist Gallows, we reach the epic conclusion of The Prophecies of Ragnarok. Did Victor, Silje, and their friends succeed in stopping Ragnarok from happening? The epic final battle might clue you to the answer. It's a prophesied humongous battle, after all. What were you expecting?!
They didn't stop trying, though, and this book takes us on a journey through many kingdoms filled with amazing characters and mindblowing landscapes.
I didn't know what to expect when I read the first book in the trilogy, Hotel Fen, or when I learned that these were written by two authors (how does that even work?). I can confidently say that I'm a fan. Reinterpreting history or myths can't be easy, but I 100% recommend these. Exciting, intriguing, fun as hell, and so emotional.
Great ending! Happy ending? You'll have to read it to find out.