The Skald

Spear of the Gods #0.5

by Gregory Amato

Ansgar the Skald just needs to make a simple delivery. One very fine sword, made by his foster father, needs to go east. Over the mountains, into the woods, and almost to the land of the Swedes. Once he does that, he can go home and warm his feet. All he needs to do is choose the right path through the forest.

This is one foreboding forest, though, and a part of the world Ansgar has never traveled through. In that bleak part of the north, outlaws want to take his sword, wargs want to eat his face, and witches want him for things he would rather not think about.

As a skald, Ansgar knows the kind of lore that can keep a man alive in the far north. Tales of heroes and trolls, of gods and dwarves. He's got the best stories. He's got his wits. And he's got a cynical raven to give him advice. Maybe.

The right direction has a warm fire and a horn full of mead waiting. The wrong direction has wolves the size of ponies. Or worse.

Genres: Fantasy

88 pages, Paperback

Published November 30, 2024

About the author

Gregory Amato made a career of selling his quill as a mercenary writer for many years. He wrote true and important things for newspapers, magazines, academia, and, for over a decade, intelligence analysis for the FBI.

Now, he writes fantasy stories based on the myths and sagas of the vikings. His fiction is often influenced by tales lost to time, usually full of high adventure, and always the sort that makes readers late to dinner.

Outside his time spent spinning yarns about vikings and wizards, he teaches Judo, brews beer, and plays DnD when he gets the chance.

Gregory lives happily with his family in the Pacific Northwest.

Sign up for updates, free fiction, and fascinating musings at AmatoAuthor.com!

Reviews

[Jamedi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review originally on JamReads

The Skald is a Norse inspired fantasy novella, which works as a prequel to the Spear of the Gods series, written by Gregory Amato. Ansgar the Skald has to deliver a sword made by his father, a simple travel if he chooses the correct path to follow into the forest; and for that, he has a sarcastic raven that might or not give him advice, depending if the raven finds his stories worthy enough of giving information.

Amato uses this premise as the excuse to introduce us to Ansgar the Skald, a really gifted storyteller; a characteristic that has proven to be really useful during his different travels, and that might save his life. We have a few examples during the novella, showing a voice that is really adequate for the skald job.
Outside of that, we are spectators of his different encounters during the travel, showing how in this world Norse mythology and fantasy are mixed; Amato's writing is structured and clear, excellent to follow.

While it's not the fastest paced novella in the world, it delivers what I expect from this kind of format, introducing us to a character that will be part of a greater series while creating an engaging plot that makes us feel connected to the main character.

The Skald is a great novella, perfect for those that like Norse mythology, but prefer a more Historical researched focus; there's great potential in the series.

Disclaimer: This novella has been read as part of the SFINCS. This review/rating only represents my personal opinion and it might differ with what the team decides.

[Kayla Kay's Hidden Shelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5 Stars Rounded to 4

I received an eBook from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Talking crows, witches, undead and wit. The Skald is a dark Norse-inspired novella that follows a storyteller and poet on a journey to deliver a package through a dangerous forest.

Ansgar the Skald was a refreshing take on a main character, especially in a Norse setting. While there are several familiar elements within the world building and plenty of dangerous situations that Ansgar finds himself in, his primary weapon is not the sword but stories. Seeing how he navigated these situations as a storyteller, rather than a warrior, was engaging and invested me in the story early on.

As Ansgar is a young man, his character felt true to his age, and he gets satisfying moments of growth. The dynamics between Ansgar and the characters he meets along the way were varied and enticing. One side character quickly became a memorable favourite for me. I also enjoyed the wit and snarky dialogue which added a great balance to the darker scenes.

Now, I did find myself taken out of the story at times with some of the pacing shifts. However, the world was easy to fall into and Gregory Amato showcases impeccable skill with action, and suspenseful scenes.

Though this novella is 67 pages, it captures a mix of memorable characters, high stakes, dark scenes, horrific creatures of legend, magic, and action.

The Skald is an enjoyable introduction to the Spear of the Gods series and Gregory Amato is an author to watch. I look forward to continuing with the series and following Ansgar’s journey.

[Charlton · Rating 4 out of 5]

First and foremost, I learned that a skald was a storyteller or poet. And the MC has to get from point A to point B to make a delivery. On his way he meets several characters from whom he learns new stories for the future. Because he is not a fighter, he uses his wits as weapon of choice.
The book is not long, more novella, but I did enjoy reading the book.
In The Skald there was a lot of use humour I wasn't expecting but was glad was there.
And The Skald is the pre-quel to the Spear of the Gods trilogy!

[Andrew Hale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ansgar Styrgrimsson appears to have a sense of wonder about the lore around, sometimes being stupid and dangerous (as my youth was quite familiar with), but every time surviving, ignorant to women and alcohol, but savvy in tales and mythical lore. This may also be due to his fostering and farm living, one parent traveled among Midgard but not wanting to see other realms, the other untraveled but always speaking of other realms: experience versus wanderlust, cynicism versus romanticism. Judgment (the raven) contrasts this with his inhuman and practical mentality, avoiding the clear dangers and basking in the consequences of a human that falls to them, enjoying their tasty windows to the soul. Hrani's persona would put him as an engaging character among the Hobbits and wizards, and Judgment would be a leader among Dr. Dolittle's flock or a humorous addition to the beasts of Narnia. Fortunately, without being a part of such worlds, they are fun here in their own story, with the author giving engaging personalities, the potential for absolute horror for the slow-witted, and an epic waxing of poetic heroism through skaldic prose, through sheepish intrusion, through mead-induced challenges, and so forth and so forth. I started small, but I think I shall go larger.

Trollsbane short
The Skald short
The Sorcerer's Reward short
Burden to Bear novel
Rune to Ruin novel
Fallen to Fury novel
The Once and Future Sword short

[Gregory Amato]

I won't be rating my own books, but I intend to use this space for updates:

19 November 2025: The Skald is available in pocket size (4.25"x7") paperback. A great stocking stuffer! Get it from Amazon or Barnes and Noble (direct sales from my web store featuring signed copies coming soon).

30 May 2024: The Skald is now an audiobook!

22 March 2024: The Skald is coming to audio. Initial distribution will be to backers of my Spear of the Gods book two Kickstarter campaign. It's not too late to pledge and get The Skald on audio as a bonus freebie!

7 June 2023: It's live, folks. Everyone who backed my Kickstarter (and responded to the survey) has got a copy. Thanks very much to those Kickstarter backers and to my advance reviewers who took the time to rate this story.

16 March 2023: A few people who've requested advance copies of The Skald have left some reviews. Anyone interested in getting an ARC should contact me directly.

1 March 2023: The Skald will be published with book one of the Spear of the Gods series, Burden to Bear, on Kickstarter! Check out the Kickstarter pre-launch page and click "Notify me on launch" to stay updated.

5 January 2023: The Skald has cover art!

1 August 2022: Sorry for the lack of updates! The Skald is fully edited. Just waiting on cover art, which will likely make the publication date about the same as book one in the series.

16 April 2022: I'm officially hunting for an editor.

6 January 2022: Beta read signups are now live on https://amatoauthor.com!

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t usually read novellas, but I read this one in anticipation of the trilogy part one coming out soon. This was a very good introduction to the main character of the trilogy and served to whet my appetite for the next story. I enjoy stories that move along, so this one met that criteria. And I much prefer to have the prequel first. Looking forward to the next adventure.

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novella provided a great introduction to Amato’s new Norse fantasy. The setting of this new series appears to be dark and unforgiving. However, I loved how the author include humor to this tale.

When Ansgar encounters a talking raven, I found myself chuckling over their interaction. I also noticed this was a clever way to begin building the world. The raven reminded me a lot of the crows in Demon Slayer. Both birds have a lot of personality and provided some light-hearted moments to a dangerous world.

Ansgar also is a welcome addition to the story. I found him hard to dislike and could see myself getting a drink with him in the local tavern. Knowing he is a skald is also a unique perspective, since in my experience I usually follow warriors when reading anything set in a Norse world. Plus it's refreshing to follow a character who is capable but relatable.

Despite liking longer novels, this novella provided a taste of what is to come, and I am excited! Amato’s writing has just the right amount of characterization, plot, and world building to leave me wanting more. I am glad I don’t have to wait too long for the first book in the series, since I am excited to see what happens to Ansgar and gain more insight on the world.

I received a free copy of the novella from the author in exchange for an honest review. All thought above are my own.

[Nils Ödlund · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Skald tells the story of Ansgar, a young man dreaming of being a skald. To make ends meet, he also works at making deliveries across the forest and mountains near his home in northern Scandinavia.

For this particular delivery, he's to take a newly forged sword across the border to the buyer in Sweden. Along the way, he encounters the denizens of the wild and he makes both friends and foes, and at his destination, well, let's just say the complications don't end there...

The story is well told, but I didn't quite get along with the main character. Ansgar is a little too full of himself. It's probably intended to show youthful overconfidence, but it didn't work for me.

Another (and more minor) quibble I have is with the setting. The descriptions paint beautiful images of the forests and mountains, but with me being Swedish, I'm missing that sense of melancholy and loneliness that I associate with such landscapes. Then again, it could simply be that I'm used to reading about those places in Swedish rather than English and that something is lost in translation.
Also, it's probably more interesting to read about things happening than about someone walking for days on end without seeing a soul.

All that said, The Skald is well written story. It's a quick and easy read with plenty of action and interesting characters. The raven especially is a nice touch.

Disclaimer: I read this book as part of the Speculative Fiction Indie Novella Championship where I’m part of Team Jamreads. This review contains my own thoughts and may not reflect the opinion or final rating of the team.

[Rowdy Geirsson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really fun short story that is tied into the longer (ie full length novel that you should read) Burden to Bear. Creepy witches, talking ravens, wyrd woodsmen of the Odinic variety, and draugr galore!

[C.K. Sorens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Greg's nordic world is gritty and real, and his characters are instantly believable, whether they're witches or talking ravens and gave me Patrick Rothfuss vibes.

In The Skald, our main character, Ansgar, has been tasked with delivering a sword. Only, the path is through a dark and cursed forest, so he trades a story with a reluctant-to-help raven to learn the safest way. On the path, he crosses a witch, and a strange hermit far too magical to be what he claims. And once at the farmer's house to deliver the sword, it turns out Ansgar's trip isn't over yet when faced by the threat of an undead draugr.

I devoured this novella in one sitting. I am very excited to see what comes next in the Spear of the Gods series.

[Tate Hausman · Rating 5 out of 5]

The universe that Greg Amato has woven in The Skald is by far my favorite Norse fantasy world. It has just the right balance of mystery, magic and the realistic grit of life in the fjords. Life here is tough and ugly, but full of human cleverness and inhuman forces.

So many fantasy novels go overboard in one way or another -- too much gore, too much deus ex machina, too much plot, too little character. Not Amato. He just nails it.

As a novella, this is a fast, fun read. I devoured it in one night, over beers at my local pub. But it also sticks with you. The climax scene has a wonderful cinematography to it, and the namesake skald is a great, intriguing character to build a series around.

I'm VERY excited for the next book to come out. Write faster, Greg!!!

[CJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

So so good!

Smart, funny, fast-paced. Clearly Amato knows his Norse history and culture, and can use it to deliver a great story. If this is just a prequel, I can’t wait for the first book to come out.

I loved the humor, the talking ravens, and the excellent ending. Hurry up and release the next book!

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the world-building in this short story. A great introduction to norse fantasy fiction and I'm excited to read more about adventuring skalds.

[Already Overbooked · Rating 5 out of 5]

We don't organize ourselves into absurd classes like you hairy brutes love to do

[Brandon Claycomb · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a picky reader and put most books down after a chapter or two because I don't believe the world or can't get into the characters. It's extremely rare for me to read even a short work in a single sitting. I devoured The Skald in one bite, as if I were a troll.

From the first paragraph to the last, I felt like I was reading a modernized, streamlined version of a Viking saga, a fast-moving story from a Medieval Norse world where magic and gods are real. The protagonist matches wits with nearly every character he meets, each of whom might be friend or foe - though with an emphasis on the foes.

The only moments that knocked me at all out of the story's world were when the protagonist used what struck me as anachronistic language, as when he talked about his "throwing arm," which put me more in mind of baseball than Thor. These moments were rare, though, and now, days after my readthrough, I find myself imaging the wide, threatening, and vivid world this short tale promised and wanting this skald to tell me more about it. My troll-like hunger has not abated. I look forward to my next chomp.

[Tammie Painter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short, prequel novella felt a little jumbled at first, but definitely has me curious to try more from the author.

The Basics: Ansgar, a storyteller, needs to deliver a sword to the person who ordered it made. To find his destination, he needs the help from a talking crow and has to avoid pesky things like witches and sorcerers. And even once he reaches his destination, well, there's still a few problems to deal with.

I liked the blend of Norse mythology and historical fantasy in this. As I said, the start felt a bit herky jerky, but about a third of the way through (only about 20-30 pages since it is a novella), the character's voice really starts standing out and the plot goes more smoothly. Ansgar seems to have a wry sense of humor but it comes and goes and I would have liked to see it shine a bit more throughout his brief adventure.

Still, a fun read, and one that makes me curious to try a full novel from the series.

[NOLA Bert · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Viking Hobbit-like tale of travel, danger, hospitality, and battles of wit and wisdom along with the more conventional kind with sword and spear. I’m giving the novella 4/5 stars for the slow start. But once the story gets going, it’s a pretty fun read. I like the focus on a Skald instead of a warrior or raider like most of the Viking stories I’ve read. I got this story as a freebie from Mr. Amato as part of Norsevember. Much appreciated.

[Kat M · Rating 5 out of 5]

this had a great concept in a Gods story, it has a great plot going on and the characters felt like they were suppose to. I enjoyed how good Gregory Amato wrote this and am excited for more from this series and from Gregory Amato.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Josiah Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to the audiobook. I have not listened/read any of the other Spear of the Gods books yet.

A fun novella introducing a world of norse folklore. I liked the poetic feel of the writing. It was quick listen and felt like dipping a toe into the world.

The narrator (Philip Battley) was fantastic.

[Liam · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun and witty read about a skald on a quest to deliver a sword. It involves talking to ravens, the supernatural, and wisdom. Very fun and quick read that sets up a character (told in 1 person) in an upcoming trilogy.

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good novella that gave a fine sense of a Viking skald alone in the wilderness.

[Bret · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining and enjoyable. I am excited to read the next story in the series.