A Ballad of Vengeance

by Karim Soliman

After decades of self-exile in the Nordlands, Aqen decides to return to his homeland, not only to settle a score with a Kemetian titan, but also to end a threat to his family, once and for all. Knowing that he is not the same warrior he used to be, Aqen is fully aware that this might be his final fight ever.

Birna, the sorceress who believes that her husband is marching to his own demise, heads far north alongside her children to seek help for their father. But her quest might provoke the titans of the Nordlands. And the last thing Birna and her family need right now is the enmity of more titans.

As the odds don't look that good for the mortal couple, Aqen and his family will have to overcome fear and doubt with fury and valor. No matter the outcome of the upcoming clash, the folks in Kemet and the Nordlands will forever sing of their heroics.

They will forever sing the ballad of vengeance.

Genres: Fantasy

402 pages, Paperback

Published May 2, 2025

About the author

كريم سليمان من مواليد القاهرة 1984، تخرج فى كلية الصيدلة بجامعة عين شمس، وحصل على ماجيستير إدارة الأعمال بالجامعة الأمريكية بالقاهرة. بدأ مشواره الروائى بقصة قصيرة كانت جزءا من الحملة الدعائية لـ
(Sony Pictures)
لفيلمهم
(The 5th Wave).

نشر العديد من روايات الخيال العلمى والفانتازى باللغة الإنجليزية، أبرزها
(The Warrior's Path)،
والتى كانت من الأكثر مبيعا على أمازون، وأيضًا
(Army of the Cursed)
والتى تأهلت إلى نصف نهائى مسابقة
SPFBO
السنوية التى تدار تحت إشراف الكاتب العالمى مارك لورنس.


Karim Soliman earned his first writing commission through his contribution to the first and last issue of his school magazine. Twenty years later, he earned his next commission from Sony Pictures.

While he holds a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy and a master’s in business administration, Karim finds his groove in building worlds and messing with his characters. His debut “The Warrior’s Path” was a #1 bestseller on several fantasy subgenres on Amazon, and his book "Army of the Cursed" was an SPFBO Semi-finalist.

When Karim is away from writing, he struggles with his insomnia and continues his search for his next favorite dessert.

Reviews

[Esmay Rosalyne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This review was originally published on Before We Go Blog

3.5 stars

Steeped in Norse and Egyptian mythology, A Ballad of Vengeance is a grand yet intimate tale of family and vengeance set against the backdrop of a deadly war between and against the titans. It’s filled with brutal action and lots of magic and mayhem, and you better believe it’s just as epic as the cover would have you believe.

Now, if you are not aware, A Ballad of Vengeance has quite the fun and special origin story behind it. See, this book has sprung forth from the short story Frozen Hell in the indie advent anthology The Advent of Winter, which is where I personally fell head over heels in love with this unique world and this family of badass warriors and magic wielders. Do you need to read that short story first? Arguably not, but I think it would be quite beneficial and add an even bigger emotional impact to this story if you do. Also, who wouldn’t want to spend more time in this cool world?!

The main story of A Ballad of Vengeance picks up nine years after the events of Frozen Hell; nine years which have been suspiciously peaceful for Aqen and his family, until now. Deep down he knew he could never outrun his bloody past, and when a terrible tragedy strikes, he decides to break his decades-long self-exile in the Nordlands to finally end the titanic threat to his family once and for all. But his wife and kids refuse to let him carry out his suicide mission of a vengeance quest all on his own, and soon the entire family is caught in an intricate web of danger, death, and deception spun by the very titans themselves.

For me, Soliman did a great job of immediately setting the stakes and tone with the brutally captivating prologue and tragic inciting incident. Plus, I am always a sucker for a good ol’ tale of revenge, especially one set in such a fascinating world inspired by both Norse and Egyptian mythology and told from the refreshing perspective of a tight family unit as the protagonists; two badass parents (from different cultures) who are around their fifties and their (young) adult children who are total forces to be reckoned with on their own, we love to see it.

That said, after the strong emotional hook at the beginning, the plot quickly became very hectic to me, and I soon noticed my interest starting to wane as the action became the main focus of the story. Don’t get me wrong, I liked these characters a lot (especially my precious quiet underdog Hjalmar with his cool warging abilities), yet I never really connected to them on a deeper level. I personally felt like we were more so being told about their feelings of trauma and grief rather than actually getting to experience/feel it with them, and their motivations and actions often surprised, confused or frustrated me more than I would like to admit.

Still, amidst all the exhausting action and chaotic magic and mayhem, there were some good nuggets of enjoyment that I could personally hang onto. For one, I really liked that we got to dig so deeply into Aqen’s troubled past through the flashback chapters, especially as that all ties back so directly into the main conflict playing out in the present timeline. But even more than that, I loved the nuanced exploration of familial love through all the strong yet complicated dynamics between these four headstrong characters, and I really appreciated all the painfully realistic and relatable family squabbles. Also, don’t get me started on the captivating presence of the enigmatic titans; I love me some fickle, meddling gods, and Soliman delivers that in spades in A Ballad of Vengeance.

Despite my personal quibbles, I still ended up blasting through this wild adventure in just 2 days, because Soliman’s storytelling is just that inexplicably addictive and compulsively readable. So, if you don’t mind a story that prioritizes action over emotion and find yourself in the mood for an epic fantasy tale full of rich culture, complicated relationships, and wild twists and turns, then A Ballad of Vengeance is the book for you.

Thank you to the author for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. A Ballad of Vengeance is scheduled for release on 2 May, 2025.

[Blaise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Epic fantasy told in Egyptian lore and magic. Plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader guessing with two main POVs well into their middle years. Brings perspective of life’s lessons and all the pain both of them have had to endure. Highly recommended.

[Chad · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.25 - Stars

I've been following the works of Karim Soliman now for a couple of years. My first exposure was to his War of the Lance series which if I'm not mistaken hit my radar due to book one Army of the Cursed being an entry in the SPFBO competition. I've completed that series as well as his contribution to the Advent of Winter Anthology which came out at the end of 2023.

I've also kept up with what he has going on through his newsletter which has been great whether he's updating us on his writing and release progress or even just touching base letting use know what fun adventures he and his family might be up to. This is where I found out he was about to release his next series beginning with A Ballad of Vengeance. Karim was kind enough to provide me with a digital ARC to dive into.

The theme and timing of this could not have been better for me. I truly had no doubts Karim would provide an exciting story to follow along with but the fact this tale includes a lot of both Norse and Egyptian mythology was great! The reason I say the timing couldn't have been better was due to the fact I had just finishing putting together and playing a tabletop wargame with my Mummified Undead army and was beginning to transition into my newest army which are going to be Vikings. This really allowed me to connect two of my favorite hobbies to start 2025.

The pacing in A Ballad of Vengeance seemed very balanced to me. As exciting as the fight scenes are there is plenty of build up between these moments allowing us to get to know the world, it's characters and what is making these characters do the things they are. This is by no means a long book either coming in right around the 400 page mark. This made the read seem a bit more on the faster side just due to the fact it was a shorter read than a lot of books I've been getting into the last few months.

There are some unique character names that took me a little time to get used to. I even went so far as to try and look up how to pronounce a name or two and though it may or may not have been right, it's what I settled into for the long haul ahead. Even with the copy I had being an ARC I didn't notice any real editing issues to speak of either which certainly helps the reading flow.

The world building was so much fun for me! I already mentioned the timing but I've always been interested or fascinated even as it relates to Norse mythology and even though I used to be more interested in Egyptian than I have in recent years, this was a really nice return for me. I'd be a liar if I said this read didn't have me doing some extra google searches looking up some of these deities for both cultures.

Beyond the general themes there is rich magic, those exciting fight scenes, political intrigue that goes beyond our own mortal beings into the deities as well. All of this is presented to us in just the right amount of detail to keep the story moving along at a good pace but allow the reader to picture these scenes and environments.

The character development was also very strong in A Ballad of Vengeance. The family dynamic between Aqen, Birna and the kids was a pleasure to see. As fantastical as their adventure was, their relationship still seemed so normal at times. One moment I wanted to mention was the fact that I lost track of the kids ages for awhile and Karim did a nice job in reminding me that Sigrun was old enough to have her own new family waiting for her to return during all of this. I actually made a note about this moment.

This normalcy even extended to the various deities and their dynamics between each other. There are several moments that not only do our characters but as a readers are given glimpses that even if these are gods and demigods, they still have very human or mortal tendencies at times.

All of this combines to provide me an excellent read to start the year off. I wasn't sure if this was a standalone or the beginning of a series but Karim assured me he was already working on book two so I'll be looking forward to the next installment as there is so much to revisit the way things ended in A Ballad of Vengeance. I'm certain we haven't seen the last of either group of deities from the Norse or the Egyptian.

I still have a couple of older series by Karim Soliman that I want to get to which are Bermuda and Tales of Gorania. The later being higher on my list but I still want to get to both eventually.

If you haven't checked out anything from Karim yet, I would highly recommend War of the Last Day while you wait for A Ballad of Vengeance to release or after you read book one once its in the wild waiting for the next.

A Ballad of Vengeance provides readers an exciting world where two very different cultures provide deities and titans who even though are restricted from contact with mortals, still find ways to have such contact which almost always ends with chaos sooner or later.

[Dom · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this. First, it was really nice to see something that originated in my anthology, The Advent of Winter – it makes me proud to see a new world take shape from that one little adventure. But second, this was just a really good read.

It takes inspiration from both Egyptian and Norse mythology, and I really like how the two are combined to make a coherent background for the story. You have gods and related lore that you might recognise, and they all fit together in different parts of this world. Although the world is presumably quite large, there is magic that enables quick travel, so you do get to see both the frozen plains of the Nordlands and the baked sands of Kemet. This presents a number of challenges for characters who are not accustomed to the extremes of temperature, and I thought that was really nicely handled.

The story is one of revenge, but you don't need me to tell you that if you've read the title. I thought the plot was very solid, with some nice elements built in, including some unexpected (but not far-fetched) twists and turns to keep readers on their toes. The characters were good, and I liked the family dynamic of our main group. It's also nice to see those characters ten or so years after the events of Frozen Hell, the original short story. There, you got a taster of the "side" characters, Aqen and Birna's children, but here, they are young adults who are afforded more page time, and I thought their character growth was very good.

I like the magic and the limitations of it we are given, although sometimes it does seem like certain characters are just a little too invincible. Most of this is explained within the pages though, so although it might be a bit convenient, it definitely fits the storyline.

All in all, there were some nice little surprises in here, and it's a world and a story that I'm looking forward to seeing more from.

[Nina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Karim for giving me the chance to read this prior release day.
After the story in the Advent of Winter, i was curious what this world would be like and how Brina and Aqen already lived so far and what will become of them and their family after the encounter. We only get a glimpse in the short story, but here - oh boy oh boy - do we get the real story!
All is packed into the pages of this book.
Characters were distinguished, relatable and 3dimensional, which I am really looking forward in a book, also emotions were coming through. Absolute must for me personally.
I could identify myself with different characters throughout different scenes and even had one or two tears in my eyes.
World building was really interesting to follow. I love the detail to mythology as well as the interactions btw the titans and the humans. The mesh-up btw Egyptian and Norse Mythology worked (plus they are both my fav Gods) in a way since they are similar but not the same.
What i loved most about it though, was the family-dynamics!
It was so wholesome to read not yet again about another broken family but about a family that sticks together and loves each other. The love for family shines throughout the whole book.

[Literature and Leaves · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A thrill ride from the start!
The prologue pulled me into this new series and I was invested from page one. I loved the pacing and that the plot constantly moved forward. I was thrust into a world of titans from different mythologies and loved how they were written into the story. It had depth and great world building, but was easy to read.
Aqen and his family have such a great dynamic- that even if they don’t always see it, they complete each other with how different they all are. The twists and turns were fast paced and everything a good fantasy should be.
A great read- can’t wait for what’s next!

Thank you to the Author for the arc, my opinions are my own.

[Martin Pingree · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first in a series that should be awesome ! It’s an epic fantasy that blends Egyptian and Norse mythology. A self exiled Aqen is headed home to get revenge for the death of his son by a titan God. He has been given special powers by the gods to do their dirty work and is finally ready after his exile to get his revenge. As he and his family begin their journey, Agen and his family will have to overcome fear and doubt with fury and valor as they face the mighty titan gods.

[DOROTHY SILLS · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great read, this is a great start to a new series with myth, magic, and vengeance. It is a story about what one will do for revenge and how a family stuck together. I recommend this book to everyone.
Karim Soliman is one of my favorite authors.

[Laurie Robertson · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent start to what could only be described as an epic adventure saga. The characters are compelling and the blending of the two mythological beliefs is equally so. There must be more to come but thankfully there is no cliff hanger ending. Throughout there is a feeling that more will be revealed, it is an engaging read. Well recommended for teens and above.

[Wouter K · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a mixed bag for me, but in the end I did enjoy it. Let me start out by saying that I loved the short story in The Advent of Winter that this novel is based on. I was one among those that actively asked for more content in that universe. And in that sense this novel does not disappoint.

This story centers around Aqen, a fighter with a divine boon from the south, and Birna, an Ice mage from the north, and their children. They live in a world where there are several pantheons of titans. It is set nine years after the short story in which the titan Apophis had come after Aqen and his family to punish him from leaving his service. Now he's come back and one of three children of Aqen and Birna has died.

This book is action-packed and there's a lot of interaction and fighting with titans. The titans in this world really speak to the imagination. They are powerful beings based on the historical Egyptian, Nordic and Greek pantheons, as are the geographical locations. This, while awesome, is also one of the first issues I had when reading the book. I really had to get used to naming and geography being so close but not the same. In the beginning of the book there's a map with three countries and it's literally Scandinavia, the Iberian peninsula and Greece and then Northern Africa with Kemet having a Nile delta kind of geographical feature. The only difference really being that the middle part of Europe is taken out. And there's a city in the north called Trodheim, and a city called Athenai, and Sparti etc. and to me that's just so close that I'd either take our literal historical geography or put in some effort and make up some new names.

Still the titans are awesome, as are the background stories of Aqen and Birna. We get to know them quite well, as well as Sigrun and Hjalmar, their surviving children. As to their character work, I kind of felt that Soliman had some trouble finding his footing. In the first part of the book, I find the emotions, especially of Aqen quite one-dimensional and flat. And with a lot of action there, I kind of felt that I was reading a Steven Seagal movie, which for me is not a compliment. But I feel that around the halfway point the interactions within the family and the feelings and past they share, helps overcome this. So in the end it became easier to relate to the characters. Although I still find some thoughts and responses somewhat clunky, I've come to think that's just who they are and then it is kind of very realistic :)

Overall the pacing is very fast. It's a fun action packed book and the ending is satisfying and has great cliff hangers. So really the book was a tale of two parts for me, but I do recommend it and will read the sequel!

[Sebastian Michaels · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderfully crafted novel, character driven and well written, fair amount of world-building, however without prior understanding of the stories I had to read, and re-read the book, it still confused me sometimes.

The jump from the prologue, to chapter 1 was a shock and surprised, but I did continue reading the story and judge it to be a good book, however, it wasn’t my favourite book that I read recently.

I will read the previous books, and then re-read the book to see if my feelings on the book changes with a better understanding of the background of the stories.

[Sebastian Micheals · Rating 3 out of 5]

To confusing, the story crisscrosses with abandon leaving readers wondering what they are reading.

It’s not one of Karim’s great novels making this one a difficult read for some.

I’ll read the prior books soon and then revisit it again later.

Till then it’s just not the best read by Karin Solomon in my estimation, but as I said, I wasn’t aware of the story or prior books so I was lost and floundering a lot with this one.