What do you think?
Rate this book
The Wyrd #2
Stormbringer
In Liesmith, a “wildly entertaining debut novel . . . guaranteed to resonate with fans of mythopoeic fantasy from the likes of J.R.R. Tolkien, George R. R. Martin, and Neil Gaiman” (Library Journal), Alis Franklin introduced a band of charming, unforgettable heroes. Now they’re playing host to reincarnated Norse gods who are settling ancient grudges in the twenty-first century.
Ragnarok—aka the end of the world—was supposed to doom the gods as well. Instead, it was a cosmic rebooting. Now low-level IT tech and comic-book geek Sigmund Sussman finds himself an avatar of a Norse goddess. His boyfriend, the wealthy entrepreneur Lain Laufeyjarson, is channeling none other than Loki, the trickster god. His best friends, Em and Wayne, harbor the spirits of slain Valkyries. Cool, right?
The problem is, the gods who survived the apocalypse are still around—and they don’t exactly make a great welcoming committee. The children of Thor are hellbent on reclaiming their scattered the gloves, belt, and hammer of the Thunder God. Meanwhile, the dwarves are scheming, the giants are pissed, and the goddess of the dead is demanding sanctuary for herself and her entire realm.
Caught in the coils of the Wyrd, the ancient force that governs gods and mortals alike, Sigmund and his crew are suddenly facing a second Ragnarok that threatens to finish what the first one started. And all that stands in the way are four nerds bound by courage, love, divine powers, and an encyclopedic knowledge of gaming lore.
Praise for Stormbringer
“An engaging read, suitable for YA audiences [and] for those who enjoy mythology and complex relationships.”—Libromancer’s Apprentice
“Another great volume of this series . . . I really loved this book . . . and I will be looking forward to reading more.”—A Shared Brain Cell
“While I really enjoyed Liesmith, I loved Stormbringer. . . . [There’s] plenty of action and more than a few sweet moments. . . . I’m looking forward to whatever is next.”—SF Crowsnest
“I can highly recommend Stormbringer. . . . Franklin has pretty much cemented herself in my virtual buy-everything-they-release headspace.”—Between Once Upon a Time and Ever After
“Like Liesmith, [Stormbringer] ends with a surprising bang, and goes nowhere that anyone involved, including the reader, ever imagined. And it’s utterly cool.”—Reading Reality
Ragnarok—aka the end of the world—was supposed to doom the gods as well. Instead, it was a cosmic rebooting. Now low-level IT tech and comic-book geek Sigmund Sussman finds himself an avatar of a Norse goddess. His boyfriend, the wealthy entrepreneur Lain Laufeyjarson, is channeling none other than Loki, the trickster god. His best friends, Em and Wayne, harbor the spirits of slain Valkyries. Cool, right?
The problem is, the gods who survived the apocalypse are still around—and they don’t exactly make a great welcoming committee. The children of Thor are hellbent on reclaiming their scattered the gloves, belt, and hammer of the Thunder God. Meanwhile, the dwarves are scheming, the giants are pissed, and the goddess of the dead is demanding sanctuary for herself and her entire realm.
Caught in the coils of the Wyrd, the ancient force that governs gods and mortals alike, Sigmund and his crew are suddenly facing a second Ragnarok that threatens to finish what the first one started. And all that stands in the way are four nerds bound by courage, love, divine powers, and an encyclopedic knowledge of gaming lore.
Praise for Stormbringer
“An engaging read, suitable for YA audiences [and] for those who enjoy mythology and complex relationships.”—Libromancer’s Apprentice
“Another great volume of this series . . . I really loved this book . . . and I will be looking forward to reading more.”—A Shared Brain Cell
“While I really enjoyed Liesmith, I loved Stormbringer. . . . [There’s] plenty of action and more than a few sweet moments. . . . I’m looking forward to whatever is next.”—SF Crowsnest
“I can highly recommend Stormbringer. . . . Franklin has pretty much cemented herself in my virtual buy-everything-they-release headspace.”—Between Once Upon a Time and Ever After
“Like Liesmith, [Stormbringer] ends with a surprising bang, and goes nowhere that anyone involved, including the reader, ever imagined. And it’s utterly cool.”—Reading Reality
374 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 28, 2015
8 people are currently reading
140 people want to read
About the author
Alis Franklin
9 books66 followersAlis Franklin is a thirtysomething Australian author of queer urban fantasy. She likes cooking, video games, Norse mythology, and feathered dinosaurs. She’s never seen a live drop bear, but stays away from tall trees, just in case.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
July 27, 2015
I received this book as an arc through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I really loved this book. Often times the second book in a series suffers when compared to the first, or is slow going because it's setting up for the climax in the third book, or for another arc in books to come, but this was not the case in this book. The plot continued to be nicely complex, and I loved the twists and turns. The new characters fit into the plot well, and I liked that no one, even secondary characters was exactly who they first appeared to be. No one dimensional villains or innocent victims to be seen.
I liked that the story continued to not just be about Sig and Lain, but was about everyone involved. The view points changed, but not a breakneck pace, and it was easy for me to keep the characters and their stories straight. The varied points of view made the story richer for me, and helped me appreciate how the characters thought about themselves, and how they viewed each other. I liked that the author didn't seem wed to the absolute traditional Norse mythology. I liked how their interpretations worked with the idea that history is written by the victors, and how that might have influenced how characters were portrayed. It was thoughtful, and interesting.
The plot was fast paced, and I loved how the author drew all the disparate threads together in the ending. It was nicely tied together without feeling too pat or easy. Another great volume of this series, and I will be looking forward to reading more.
Got the ARC!
I really loved this book. Often times the second book in a series suffers when compared to the first, or is slow going because it's setting up for the climax in the third book, or for another arc in books to come, but this was not the case in this book. The plot continued to be nicely complex, and I loved the twists and turns. The new characters fit into the plot well, and I liked that no one, even secondary characters was exactly who they first appeared to be. No one dimensional villains or innocent victims to be seen.
I liked that the story continued to not just be about Sig and Lain, but was about everyone involved. The view points changed, but not a breakneck pace, and it was easy for me to keep the characters and their stories straight. The varied points of view made the story richer for me, and helped me appreciate how the characters thought about themselves, and how they viewed each other. I liked that the author didn't seem wed to the absolute traditional Norse mythology. I liked how their interpretations worked with the idea that history is written by the victors, and how that might have influenced how characters were portrayed. It was thoughtful, and interesting.
The plot was fast paced, and I loved how the author drew all the disparate threads together in the ending. It was nicely tied together without feeling too pat or easy. Another great volume of this series, and I will be looking forward to reading more.
Got the ARC!
Read
April 14, 2021The good news is that the first chapter of Stormbringer: Book 2 of the Wyrd confirms all my suspicions regarding the last chapter or so of Liesmith: Book 1 of The Wyrd, the first book of Alis Franklin’s Urban Fantasy series ‘The Wyrd’. I can’t spill any further details here, though, as that would spoil the fun.
When you read a lot of fantasy or speculative fiction in general, you quickly come to the conclusion that dead doesn’t really mean dead. Even when there’s a body. Even when limbs have been flung to far corners of the word and the head has been squashed like a grape. There is always a Horcrux or some idiot on a mad quest to collect the limbs. That’s the beauty of stories.
The Wyrd is ruled by ‘the story’. Therefore Ragnarok can’t really mean the end of the world because stories don’t end, they simply reach conclusions which can be altered by whatever happens next. But every story has recurring themes and Ragnarok is a beauty. I mean, what’s more compelling than an apocalypse? So when Lain (aka Loki, etc.) returns to Asgard to say ‘Hey’, it’s hardly surprising that his presence is just the kick off the end of times game needs to start rolling all over again. This is the bad news.
In Asgard, Lain’s welcoming committee is made up of Thor’s kids, humorously referred to throughout the book as the Thunderbrats and the Brat Pack. Despite the fact Thor was apparently an amazing husband and father, his kids are jerks. Except for his daughter. She’s actually pretty sweet, which is why she’s being married off to the dwarves in exchange for a set of magic gloves and belt which are needed to wield Thor’s hammer. Only Lain knows where the hammer is hidden. Consequently, he is captured, chained and tortured by Thor’s brats until he agrees to help them gather up their birthright.
Meanwhile, Sigmund is back in Australia settling into his new home, the apartment he’s sharing with Lain. His first visitor is Hel, who is sort of Lain’s daughter. I say ‘sort of’, because Lain is a lot of people and he’s related to a lot of people. She has a favour to ask and in doing so reveals the fact Lain has yet another wife and son causing trouble in Asgard. Hence, Sigmund finds himself inducted into his own quest, best friends and former Valkyries, Em and Wayne at his side.
While I really enjoyed Liesmith, I loved Stormbringer. I was already prepared for Franklin’s quirky style – which really suits the characters she writes – but also felt she’d toned it down a little. This book is easier to read and the story is much more linear. If Liesmith represents a bit of a learning curve, Stormbringer works with what you know.
What doesn’t change is the inventive blend of myth and reality, Lain’s awesome Loki-ness and Sigmund’s adorable cluelessness. He’s no warrior, but he loves Lain with a ferocity that gives him courage. Also, he’s a gamer, so he’s got the strategy part of every fight down and he has great friends he can rely on. The novel is peppered with extra stories that are relevant to Loki’s past and they’re fascinating. Cultural references abound, some of which will resonate more strongly with an Australian audience. There is also plenty of action and more than a few sweet moments, with one in particular having me all sniffly. I really do love books that touch all points of the emotional spectrum. Finally, the story has a great conclusion that wraps up this episode nicely without precluding further adventures. After all, dead isn’t really dead and even Ragnarok isn’t really the end of the world.
I’m looking forward to whatever is next, whenever Alis Franklin gets around to writing it.
Written for SFCrowsnest.
When you read a lot of fantasy or speculative fiction in general, you quickly come to the conclusion that dead doesn’t really mean dead. Even when there’s a body. Even when limbs have been flung to far corners of the word and the head has been squashed like a grape. There is always a Horcrux or some idiot on a mad quest to collect the limbs. That’s the beauty of stories.
The Wyrd is ruled by ‘the story’. Therefore Ragnarok can’t really mean the end of the world because stories don’t end, they simply reach conclusions which can be altered by whatever happens next. But every story has recurring themes and Ragnarok is a beauty. I mean, what’s more compelling than an apocalypse? So when Lain (aka Loki, etc.) returns to Asgard to say ‘Hey’, it’s hardly surprising that his presence is just the kick off the end of times game needs to start rolling all over again. This is the bad news.
In Asgard, Lain’s welcoming committee is made up of Thor’s kids, humorously referred to throughout the book as the Thunderbrats and the Brat Pack. Despite the fact Thor was apparently an amazing husband and father, his kids are jerks. Except for his daughter. She’s actually pretty sweet, which is why she’s being married off to the dwarves in exchange for a set of magic gloves and belt which are needed to wield Thor’s hammer. Only Lain knows where the hammer is hidden. Consequently, he is captured, chained and tortured by Thor’s brats until he agrees to help them gather up their birthright.
Meanwhile, Sigmund is back in Australia settling into his new home, the apartment he’s sharing with Lain. His first visitor is Hel, who is sort of Lain’s daughter. I say ‘sort of’, because Lain is a lot of people and he’s related to a lot of people. She has a favour to ask and in doing so reveals the fact Lain has yet another wife and son causing trouble in Asgard. Hence, Sigmund finds himself inducted into his own quest, best friends and former Valkyries, Em and Wayne at his side.
While I really enjoyed Liesmith, I loved Stormbringer. I was already prepared for Franklin’s quirky style – which really suits the characters she writes – but also felt she’d toned it down a little. This book is easier to read and the story is much more linear. If Liesmith represents a bit of a learning curve, Stormbringer works with what you know.
What doesn’t change is the inventive blend of myth and reality, Lain’s awesome Loki-ness and Sigmund’s adorable cluelessness. He’s no warrior, but he loves Lain with a ferocity that gives him courage. Also, he’s a gamer, so he’s got the strategy part of every fight down and he has great friends he can rely on. The novel is peppered with extra stories that are relevant to Loki’s past and they’re fascinating. Cultural references abound, some of which will resonate more strongly with an Australian audience. There is also plenty of action and more than a few sweet moments, with one in particular having me all sniffly. I really do love books that touch all points of the emotional spectrum. Finally, the story has a great conclusion that wraps up this episode nicely without precluding further adventures. After all, dead isn’t really dead and even Ragnarok isn’t really the end of the world.
I’m looking forward to whatever is next, whenever Alis Franklin gets around to writing it.
Written for SFCrowsnest.
April 26, 2019
LOVED this second book, with Sig, Em, and Wayne riding at the head of Hel's undead army.
This series is a must read, full of the Norse mythos and magic and one sassy ex god who has embraced being Australian with every bit of his immortal self.
**Spoilers ahead. If you haven't read book one, stop here. **
Sig and Lain are settling into their new apartment. Sig's still a little befuddled that his boyfriend was once the god Loki, and isn't human, but jotunn in his native form. Lain has some unfinished business to attend to on the other side in Asgard after the battle in the last book--but he's set up and captured by Thor's thuggish sons and their elder sister, who want to know where Loki hid Mjolnir after Thor's death.
Sig and the reincarnated valkyries, Wayne and Em, are busy creating a new video game for their boss (also Loki, when he's not being Lain), when Hel, the goddess of death, shows up at the door with her undead army behind her. She was killed by Baldr in the recent battle, and as such, she qualifies for rest in Valhalla -- and she wants to take all her subjects with her, to reunite them with their families. Trouble is, the new King of Asgard is a total jacka** and won't even consider the possibility. She wants Sig to come with her, because as Sigyn's reincarnation, they can't refuse him entrance to Asgard.
While Sig and Em and Wayne help Hel in her quest, Lain is subjected to his worst nightmares, and the god of chaos who lives beneath his skin is dangerously close to the surface, something he doesn't want. His struggle to free himself isn't going well, and when Sig discovers Lain has been kidnapped, his whole heart turns toward a rescue mission while Em and Wayne mastermind Hel's game plan. It's an exciting, vacillating between thrilling high fantasy and urban fantasy adventure, and you don't want to miss this.
This series is a must read, full of the Norse mythos and magic and one sassy ex god who has embraced being Australian with every bit of his immortal self.
**Spoilers ahead. If you haven't read book one, stop here. **
Sig and Lain are settling into their new apartment. Sig's still a little befuddled that his boyfriend was once the god Loki, and isn't human, but jotunn in his native form. Lain has some unfinished business to attend to on the other side in Asgard after the battle in the last book--but he's set up and captured by Thor's thuggish sons and their elder sister, who want to know where Loki hid Mjolnir after Thor's death.
Sig and the reincarnated valkyries, Wayne and Em, are busy creating a new video game for their boss (also Loki, when he's not being Lain), when Hel, the goddess of death, shows up at the door with her undead army behind her. She was killed by Baldr in the recent battle, and as such, she qualifies for rest in Valhalla -- and she wants to take all her subjects with her, to reunite them with their families. Trouble is, the new King of Asgard is a total jacka** and won't even consider the possibility. She wants Sig to come with her, because as Sigyn's reincarnation, they can't refuse him entrance to Asgard.
While Sig and Em and Wayne help Hel in her quest, Lain is subjected to his worst nightmares, and the god of chaos who lives beneath his skin is dangerously close to the surface, something he doesn't want. His struggle to free himself isn't going well, and when Sig discovers Lain has been kidnapped, his whole heart turns toward a rescue mission while Em and Wayne mastermind Hel's game plan. It's an exciting, vacillating between thrilling high fantasy and urban fantasy adventure, and you don't want to miss this.
May 31, 2015
Stormbringer is the sequel to Alis Franklin’s debut novel, Liesmith (which I reviewed here), and the second book in the urban fantasy series The Wyrd.
Liesmith focused very much as an introduction to the world of The Wyrd, seen through Sigmund’s eyes as a newcomer (of sorts) and human (of sorts) as well as those of Loki/Lain. I loved this book. I loved the relationship between Sigmund and Lain, I loved Franklin’s spin on the Norse sagas. I actually went back and reread Liesmith before reading Stormbringer for review, and loved it just as damn much.
Which is to say, if you haven’t read Liesmith, you should. And then you should make haste to pick up Stormbringer.
Liesmith was a book fairly tightly focused on the Sigmund/Lain relationship, as well as Sigmund coming to grips with the strange new world he finds himself part of (finding out that you’re basically the reincarnation of a Norse goddess will do that to you). Stormbringer expands out from this focus – Sigmund and Lain spend much of the book apart, and each takes the reader into new parts of the world.
Major kudos are due to Franklin for how she deals with the whole reincarnated goddess bit, too. Other writers would have chosen to go down a path of fate/instalove with Loki/Sigyn, but she always makes Sigmund and Lain their own people, much more than anything fate could manipulate. It’s always clear that both of them are with the other because they choose to be, and their love for each other admirably never falters. No fear of love triangles here (and thank the Gods, because that trope has been so, so overdone). It’s very clear that the relationship between Sigmund and Lain is a new and unsteady thing, and all the more compelling because of that. Seriously, I think I may have actually cheered when Lain and Sigmund met again near the end of the book.
The female characters that Franklin writes continue to be awesome. Wayne and Em, both once-Valkyries, are unfortunately sidelined by events a little (but are, nonetheless, extremely important to how the events of this book unravel). To make up for this, we have three (!) new female characters: the goddess Nanna, Hel (Loki’s daughter, ruled of Helheim, and oh, I am in love with how Franklin writes her) and more prominently, Thor’s daughter, Þrúðr. All of these women are amazing, and even when they are squashed into more traditional female roles (such as being married off by others for their gain) they find a strength and power in it. Each of the characters, male and female both, are complex and all are fascinating and unique enough to carry off a book on their own. Which is to say, this is an awesome cast.
The nerd/geek/gaming humour and references continue through this book (as befitting the characters, especially Sigmund, Wayne and Em, who are all gamers and general awesome geeks). There is also some fantastic interrogation over what it means to be monstrous (and just what defines being monstrous).
And here’s a little personal confession: rereading Liesmith and reading Stormbringer got me through a particularly awful week. I am so, so glad that there is at least another book in this series coming.
If you’re burned out on urban fantasy, I can highly recommend Stormbringer (as I can also recommend Liesmith). And even if you’re not, go and read these books now. Franklin has pretty much cemented herself in my virtual buy-everything-they-release headspace.
Liesmith focused very much as an introduction to the world of The Wyrd, seen through Sigmund’s eyes as a newcomer (of sorts) and human (of sorts) as well as those of Loki/Lain. I loved this book. I loved the relationship between Sigmund and Lain, I loved Franklin’s spin on the Norse sagas. I actually went back and reread Liesmith before reading Stormbringer for review, and loved it just as damn much.
Which is to say, if you haven’t read Liesmith, you should. And then you should make haste to pick up Stormbringer.
Liesmith was a book fairly tightly focused on the Sigmund/Lain relationship, as well as Sigmund coming to grips with the strange new world he finds himself part of (finding out that you’re basically the reincarnation of a Norse goddess will do that to you). Stormbringer expands out from this focus – Sigmund and Lain spend much of the book apart, and each takes the reader into new parts of the world.
Major kudos are due to Franklin for how she deals with the whole reincarnated goddess bit, too. Other writers would have chosen to go down a path of fate/instalove with Loki/Sigyn, but she always makes Sigmund and Lain their own people, much more than anything fate could manipulate. It’s always clear that both of them are with the other because they choose to be, and their love for each other admirably never falters. No fear of love triangles here (and thank the Gods, because that trope has been so, so overdone). It’s very clear that the relationship between Sigmund and Lain is a new and unsteady thing, and all the more compelling because of that. Seriously, I think I may have actually cheered when Lain and Sigmund met again near the end of the book.
The female characters that Franklin writes continue to be awesome. Wayne and Em, both once-Valkyries, are unfortunately sidelined by events a little (but are, nonetheless, extremely important to how the events of this book unravel). To make up for this, we have three (!) new female characters: the goddess Nanna, Hel (Loki’s daughter, ruled of Helheim, and oh, I am in love with how Franklin writes her) and more prominently, Thor’s daughter, Þrúðr. All of these women are amazing, and even when they are squashed into more traditional female roles (such as being married off by others for their gain) they find a strength and power in it. Each of the characters, male and female both, are complex and all are fascinating and unique enough to carry off a book on their own. Which is to say, this is an awesome cast.
The nerd/geek/gaming humour and references continue through this book (as befitting the characters, especially Sigmund, Wayne and Em, who are all gamers and general awesome geeks). There is also some fantastic interrogation over what it means to be monstrous (and just what defines being monstrous).
And here’s a little personal confession: rereading Liesmith and reading Stormbringer got me through a particularly awful week. I am so, so glad that there is at least another book in this series coming.
If you’re burned out on urban fantasy, I can highly recommend Stormbringer (as I can also recommend Liesmith). And even if you’re not, go and read these books now. Franklin has pretty much cemented herself in my virtual buy-everything-they-release headspace.
July 22, 2015
STORMBRINGER, the sequel to LIESMITH, plays out the consequences of the major reveal. I think that people who haven't read LIESMITH would be quite confused, but they're cheap books so there's no reason not to read it.
There is a shift in focus from LIESMITH. The relationship between Sigmund and Lain takes a backseat, and they are in fact separated for most of STORMBRINGER. Lain is imprisoned and forced on a quest for Mjölnir. Sigmund is working to free him. Meanwhile, Hel is fighting for better rights for the dead who didn't go to Valhalla. It's a great plotline that combines the modern and mythological elements brilliantly as she and Sigmund's friends reframe the story and start to gain support.
The focus has also shifted from Miðgarðr to Asgard. The first book took place mostly in our world, but STORMBRINGER takes place mostly in theirs. This change in perspective worked well. It helps explain more of how the world works and what's at stake. It also helps show what Miðgarðr has to offer - namely the advancements humans have made since the Aesir paid any attention to them. Women's rights drive the story in more ways that I expected when I picked STORMBRINGER up.
I think Alis Franklin showed good growth as a writer. There are several different plot threads in STORMBRINGER, but they're resolved with less confusion than in LIESMITH. I missed the central romance, but I think giving it a bit of a breather could be a good move in the long run. I'm certainly enjoying the series enough to return for book three.
There is a shift in focus from LIESMITH. The relationship between Sigmund and Lain takes a backseat, and they are in fact separated for most of STORMBRINGER. Lain is imprisoned and forced on a quest for Mjölnir. Sigmund is working to free him. Meanwhile, Hel is fighting for better rights for the dead who didn't go to Valhalla. It's a great plotline that combines the modern and mythological elements brilliantly as she and Sigmund's friends reframe the story and start to gain support.
The focus has also shifted from Miðgarðr to Asgard. The first book took place mostly in our world, but STORMBRINGER takes place mostly in theirs. This change in perspective worked well. It helps explain more of how the world works and what's at stake. It also helps show what Miðgarðr has to offer - namely the advancements humans have made since the Aesir paid any attention to them. Women's rights drive the story in more ways that I expected when I picked STORMBRINGER up.
I think Alis Franklin showed good growth as a writer. There are several different plot threads in STORMBRINGER, but they're resolved with less confusion than in LIESMITH. I missed the central romance, but I think giving it a bit of a breather could be a good move in the long run. I'm certainly enjoying the series enough to return for book three.
May 5, 2015
I obtained this advance reader copy from Netgalley.
Lain and his boyfriend are back in the second part of their adventure. (Read book #1 first, otherwise you will be utterly confused. Heck, I read book #1 and was still confused for the first few pages.) In any case, Lain holds the souls of the original Loki and a bit a Baldur within him. He returns to Asgard with Odin's spear, intending to deliver it to the heirs/children of Thor and Baldur. He is kidnapped but Thor's children, who intend to use him to retrieve their inheritance. Meanwhile, Sigmund, mortal boyfriend and reborn wife of Loki, Sigyn, and his friends, Em and Wayne, who are reborn Valkyries, are approached by Hel for a favor. Into Asgard they go, without knowing exactly what is happening in the other realm. War is coming, on multiple fronts, with Lain at the center of it all. (Also, the next generation of Asgardian heirs are a bunch of assholes, in my opinion.) A mix of pop culture and Norse. mythology, do NOT expect much in this book to resemble the Marvel canon. As it is an ARC copy, there are a few typos that need to be fixed. 4 stars for story, 3 stars for some parts that are either unclear or redundant. 3.5 stars total, and I plan to read book #3 when it is available.
Lain and his boyfriend are back in the second part of their adventure. (Read book #1 first, otherwise you will be utterly confused. Heck, I read book #1 and was still confused for the first few pages.) In any case, Lain holds the souls of the original Loki and a bit a Baldur within him. He returns to Asgard with Odin's spear, intending to deliver it to the heirs/children of Thor and Baldur. He is kidnapped but Thor's children, who intend to use him to retrieve their inheritance. Meanwhile, Sigmund, mortal boyfriend and reborn wife of Loki, Sigyn, and his friends, Em and Wayne, who are reborn Valkyries, are approached by Hel for a favor. Into Asgard they go, without knowing exactly what is happening in the other realm. War is coming, on multiple fronts, with Lain at the center of it all. (Also, the next generation of Asgardian heirs are a bunch of assholes, in my opinion.) A mix of pop culture and Norse. mythology, do NOT expect much in this book to resemble the Marvel canon. As it is an ARC copy, there are a few typos that need to be fixed. 4 stars for story, 3 stars for some parts that are either unclear or redundant. 3.5 stars total, and I plan to read book #3 when it is available.
October 30, 2018
I have so many feelings about this book that I barely know where to start, a problem compounded by the fact that I just did not see it coming. The first book of The Wyrd, Liesmith, was pretty good. But, you know, just pretty good. A fun read, but not exactly a keep you up all night who cares if you have toddlers and work and shit to get done tomorrow just one more page kind of book. A Stormbringer kind of book, in other words.
Holy shit guys. This book. So many feelings.
So you know how Loki has a wife, right? Actually, maybe you don't. My only knowledge of her prior to reading these books was from Neil Gaimains Sandman comics, wherein a gaunt and sad-looking woman eternally stands over her bound husband catching snake venom in a bowl, even though there are no chains making her stay and do this. I didn't even know her name.
And this is a point Stormbringer brings up again and again; I didn't even know her name. And not just that. It didn't even occur to me to ask. To wonder why I didn't know it. Who she was, how she came to be married to Loki, what her dreams and fears were, why she didn't just drop the bowl and walk away. What about Thor's wife? Or his daughter? Thanks to God of War I can name his sons but his daughter? Didn't even know he had one.
Stormbringer is a book about what stories leave out and more importantly, why. Men die in glorious battle and go to Valhalla, that's a story we all know. But what about their wives, who stay home and die humble deaths, what about the eternal afterlife they spend apart? Loki had sex with a horse and gave birth to a horse, that's a story a lot of us know. Except that Sliepnir's father wasn't actually a horse and neither is Sliepnir, it's just easier to tell the story that way, easier to put a bridle on him and not think about the part where he's actually a sentient creature.
What about Loki's wife? Her name was Sigyn, by the way. In Stormbringer it's also Sigmund. That might not be an accurate part of the myths, but one can't doubt that the author knows her way around the Norse mythological canon. I mentioned that Liesmith was a bit full on when it came to mythology, and much of Stormbringer is set in Asgard so believe me when I say it doubles down and can get overwhelming at times with words I haven't a hope in hell of pronouncing right.
It actually made for a very strange reading experience for me. Because this books other setting is modern day Australia. So on the one hand I was encountering some really confusing stuff, but on the other hand this book was one of the most intensely familiar things I've ever read, in a way that I think many American or English readers will take for granted but I have never experienced before for myself, not in a fantasy novel anyway. The cultural references were my cultural references. I didn't have to figure things out via context, because the context is my context. The climax of these book features a well-known Australian song with a particular quirk, and I knew about the quirk, and I knew what was about to happen, I didn't have to read between the lines or google it understand the significance, I just knew, in real-time. You should have seen the grin on my face, guys. For non-Australians this book will likely be doubly alien, but honestly I kind of love the idea of Australia coming across as otherworldly as the literally otherworldly Asgard.
I'm getting off track. This books takes myths that almost all of us know, stories we've heard over and over, and forces you to actually think about them. It makes real people of Gods. It searches for the truth behind the meme. And it does this without stripping any of the weirdness and the wonder from it all. Loki is a still a shapeshifter and an arsehole, a father and a mother, a monster and a friend. But in Stormbringer he's real in a way I've never encountered before. All the old myths are made real, for better or worse. And unlike stories, real things can change.
Liesmith was a pretty good book. It was fun, and you won't regret reading it. But Stormbringer is something special. Still fun, incredibly fun in fact, I hope my review hasn't made it out to be all serious and hard-work because it's quick and funny and so much fun, but I love it most for the questions it asked me and the things it made me think about and, above all, for all the nameless women whose names I now know.
Holy shit guys. This book. So many feelings.
So you know how Loki has a wife, right? Actually, maybe you don't. My only knowledge of her prior to reading these books was from Neil Gaimains Sandman comics, wherein a gaunt and sad-looking woman eternally stands over her bound husband catching snake venom in a bowl, even though there are no chains making her stay and do this. I didn't even know her name.
And this is a point Stormbringer brings up again and again; I didn't even know her name. And not just that. It didn't even occur to me to ask. To wonder why I didn't know it. Who she was, how she came to be married to Loki, what her dreams and fears were, why she didn't just drop the bowl and walk away. What about Thor's wife? Or his daughter? Thanks to God of War I can name his sons but his daughter? Didn't even know he had one.
Stormbringer is a book about what stories leave out and more importantly, why. Men die in glorious battle and go to Valhalla, that's a story we all know. But what about their wives, who stay home and die humble deaths, what about the eternal afterlife they spend apart? Loki had sex with a horse and gave birth to a horse, that's a story a lot of us know. Except that Sliepnir's father wasn't actually a horse and neither is Sliepnir, it's just easier to tell the story that way, easier to put a bridle on him and not think about the part where he's actually a sentient creature.
What about Loki's wife? Her name was Sigyn, by the way. In Stormbringer it's also Sigmund. That might not be an accurate part of the myths, but one can't doubt that the author knows her way around the Norse mythological canon. I mentioned that Liesmith was a bit full on when it came to mythology, and much of Stormbringer is set in Asgard so believe me when I say it doubles down and can get overwhelming at times with words I haven't a hope in hell of pronouncing right.
It actually made for a very strange reading experience for me. Because this books other setting is modern day Australia. So on the one hand I was encountering some really confusing stuff, but on the other hand this book was one of the most intensely familiar things I've ever read, in a way that I think many American or English readers will take for granted but I have never experienced before for myself, not in a fantasy novel anyway. The cultural references were my cultural references. I didn't have to figure things out via context, because the context is my context. The climax of these book features a well-known Australian song with a particular quirk, and I knew about the quirk, and I knew what was about to happen, I didn't have to read between the lines or google it understand the significance, I just knew, in real-time. You should have seen the grin on my face, guys. For non-Australians this book will likely be doubly alien, but honestly I kind of love the idea of Australia coming across as otherworldly as the literally otherworldly Asgard.
I'm getting off track. This books takes myths that almost all of us know, stories we've heard over and over, and forces you to actually think about them. It makes real people of Gods. It searches for the truth behind the meme. And it does this without stripping any of the weirdness and the wonder from it all. Loki is a still a shapeshifter and an arsehole, a father and a mother, a monster and a friend. But in Stormbringer he's real in a way I've never encountered before. All the old myths are made real, for better or worse. And unlike stories, real things can change.
Liesmith was a pretty good book. It was fun, and you won't regret reading it. But Stormbringer is something special. Still fun, incredibly fun in fact, I hope my review hasn't made it out to be all serious and hard-work because it's quick and funny and so much fun, but I love it most for the questions it asked me and the things it made me think about and, above all, for all the nameless women whose names I now know.
August 14, 2015
Originally published at Reading Reality
The road FROM Hel is also paved with good intentions. And every story needs a villain – but it doesn’t need to be the SAME villain. Not even when that villain is Loki.
One last important point, by way of the American humorist Will Rogers, “It isn’t what we don’t know that gives us trouble, it’s what we know that ain’t so.” There are all too many people (and beings) in Asgard that think they know all about Loki and his lies and betrayals, only to discover that what most of them know is wrong, and it’s that wrong that gets everyone in seriously big trouble.
Stormbringer picks up right where Liesmith: Book 1 of The Wyrd left off. And if you haven’t read the absolutely awesome Liesmith, Stormbringer is going to be more than a teensy bit confusing. On the other hand, Liesmith is utterly fantastic urban fantasy, so if you love UF, go get Liesmith.
A lot of the things that Asgard believed about Ragnarok come not quite true at the end of Liesmith. (It helps if you know a little about Norse mythology, but deep knowledge isn’t strictly necessary).
Way back in the day, over 1,000 years ago, Odin had plans to subvert Ragnarok by having his beloved son Baldr and his always sacrificed frenemy Loki body swap. Unfortunately for Odin, Loki’s wife Sigyn did a swap of her own, and attended Ragnarok in Loki’s place wearing Loki’s armor. So Baldr and Loki stayed swapped. For a millenia. It messed them both up something awful. Naturally.
Asgard has never recovered from what it perceived as Loki’s betrayal. He wasn’t guilty, but since the prevailing mythos that surrounds Loki is that he is always guilty, everyone acted on that belief, often to their detriment, nearly always to Loki’s.
The story in Stormbringer is all about a whole bunch of Asgardians believing that Loki is the root of all evil, and treating him so horribly that while it can definitely be argued that they are way more evil than anything Loki is even thought to have done, he feels forced to do some fairly bad stuff to fix the mess he has walked into.
Meanwhile, back at the Lokabrenna ranch, Loki’s daughter Hel enlists Sigmund and his friends Wayne and Em on a quest of her own. It turns out that Hel set up a whole chunk of the events in Liesmith for her own purposes. She wants to get her people, the supposedly dishonored dead into Valhalla. But Valhalla is only for those who died in battle, which Hel has finally done.
That not many people die in battle these days has caused a serious population explosion in Hel. Their goddess wants to remedy that by getting them all into Valhalla, and by the way reuniting the dead warriors in Valhalla with their not-illustrious but still beloved wives and small children, who generally did not die gloriously in battle.
So while Loki is being abused all over Asgard and the associated realms by one group, Hel, with Sigmund and Wayne and Em recreate Aragorn’s march from the Paths of the Dead from Return of the King by heading towards Valhalla. The difference is that Aragorn’s march was intended to end in a battle. Hel hopes for peace and reunification, and only ends up with a battle after someone cheats.
The story, like Liesmith, ends with a surprising bang, and goes nowhere that anyone involved, including the reader, ever imagined.
And it’s utterly cool.
Escape Rating A-: One of the things that always gets me about modern interpretations of Loki stories is that Loki is always evil and the big villain. Except he wasn’t. He was a trickster god, a chaos agent. Every mythology seems to have one.
Chaos is not necessarily evil per se, but it is always upsetting to those who benefit from the current status quo and don’t want anything to change.
When Stormbringer begins, Loki and Baldr are both kinda sharing the body of Lain Laufeyjarson, who isn’t either of them exactly, but isn’t not, either. It’s as confusing for Lain and his boyfriend Sigmund as it may be for the audience. The entire confusion factor is much higher because Sigmund is the reincarnation (more or less) of Loki’s wife Sigyn, and his BFFs Wayne and Em, who are both female in spite of Wayne’s name, are reincarnations of Valkyries.
Hel needs Sigmund’s Valkyrie friends. Lain needs Sigmund to rescue him from the mess he has been dropped into, only partly of his own making, in Asgard. And Asgard and all of the other realms surrounding it need to seriously get themselves updated from the 10th century to the 21st.
A lot of what goes wrong on the Asgard side revolves around not paying attention and not keeping up. The Earth has moved on from the days that the Vikings went a-Viking, but Asgard never got the memo. And that’s in spite of warriors in the intervening centuries who have found themselves in Valhalla, WITH all their kit.
So there are two stories going on, Thor’s kids taking Lain on what they believe is a one-way trip to retrieve their father’s treasures by way of a past that never was, and Sigmund and his friends supporting Hel in what becomes a 20th century style protest movement against a tyrannical regime that has gone on way too long.
The story is crazy wild and utterly absorbing. I did find myself wishing I knew a bit more about Norse mythology, but that’s just me. There is enough explanation to get the reader through the mythical bits.
The Asgardians, who are all-too-appropriately called as, pronounced ass, have acted like asses to everyone around them. The reader wants them to get their comeuppance. Lain falls all too far into the trap of being Loki, and discovers that he really needs Sigmund to keep him making good decisions. Sigmund discovers that he can be a hero with a little help from his and Lain’s friends. It makes their relationship just a bit more equal.
But the thing I loved most about this story was the way that the eventual solutions to the mess all come from women’s ideas and women’s decisions. Not just Hel, but also Wayne and Em and Thor’s daughter Trud and especially Baldr’s wife Nonna. With a little bit of help from the Loki’s other daughters and the part of Sigyn that lives in Sigmund.
Even though the majority of this story is set in Asgard, I would have preferred that the author had stuck to the common English translations or transliterations of most of the names. It is possible to get a bit lost, especially attempting to search Wikipedia for what else is known about some of the characters.
On that infamous other hand, that Lain’s car turned out to be Sleipnir was just plain awesome.
The road FROM Hel is also paved with good intentions. And every story needs a villain – but it doesn’t need to be the SAME villain. Not even when that villain is Loki.
One last important point, by way of the American humorist Will Rogers, “It isn’t what we don’t know that gives us trouble, it’s what we know that ain’t so.” There are all too many people (and beings) in Asgard that think they know all about Loki and his lies and betrayals, only to discover that what most of them know is wrong, and it’s that wrong that gets everyone in seriously big trouble.
Stormbringer picks up right where Liesmith: Book 1 of The Wyrd left off. And if you haven’t read the absolutely awesome Liesmith, Stormbringer is going to be more than a teensy bit confusing. On the other hand, Liesmith is utterly fantastic urban fantasy, so if you love UF, go get Liesmith.
A lot of the things that Asgard believed about Ragnarok come not quite true at the end of Liesmith. (It helps if you know a little about Norse mythology, but deep knowledge isn’t strictly necessary).
Way back in the day, over 1,000 years ago, Odin had plans to subvert Ragnarok by having his beloved son Baldr and his always sacrificed frenemy Loki body swap. Unfortunately for Odin, Loki’s wife Sigyn did a swap of her own, and attended Ragnarok in Loki’s place wearing Loki’s armor. So Baldr and Loki stayed swapped. For a millenia. It messed them both up something awful. Naturally.
Asgard has never recovered from what it perceived as Loki’s betrayal. He wasn’t guilty, but since the prevailing mythos that surrounds Loki is that he is always guilty, everyone acted on that belief, often to their detriment, nearly always to Loki’s.
The story in Stormbringer is all about a whole bunch of Asgardians believing that Loki is the root of all evil, and treating him so horribly that while it can definitely be argued that they are way more evil than anything Loki is even thought to have done, he feels forced to do some fairly bad stuff to fix the mess he has walked into.
Meanwhile, back at the Lokabrenna ranch, Loki’s daughter Hel enlists Sigmund and his friends Wayne and Em on a quest of her own. It turns out that Hel set up a whole chunk of the events in Liesmith for her own purposes. She wants to get her people, the supposedly dishonored dead into Valhalla. But Valhalla is only for those who died in battle, which Hel has finally done.
That not many people die in battle these days has caused a serious population explosion in Hel. Their goddess wants to remedy that by getting them all into Valhalla, and by the way reuniting the dead warriors in Valhalla with their not-illustrious but still beloved wives and small children, who generally did not die gloriously in battle.
So while Loki is being abused all over Asgard and the associated realms by one group, Hel, with Sigmund and Wayne and Em recreate Aragorn’s march from the Paths of the Dead from Return of the King by heading towards Valhalla. The difference is that Aragorn’s march was intended to end in a battle. Hel hopes for peace and reunification, and only ends up with a battle after someone cheats.
The story, like Liesmith, ends with a surprising bang, and goes nowhere that anyone involved, including the reader, ever imagined.
And it’s utterly cool.
Escape Rating A-: One of the things that always gets me about modern interpretations of Loki stories is that Loki is always evil and the big villain. Except he wasn’t. He was a trickster god, a chaos agent. Every mythology seems to have one.
Chaos is not necessarily evil per se, but it is always upsetting to those who benefit from the current status quo and don’t want anything to change.
When Stormbringer begins, Loki and Baldr are both kinda sharing the body of Lain Laufeyjarson, who isn’t either of them exactly, but isn’t not, either. It’s as confusing for Lain and his boyfriend Sigmund as it may be for the audience. The entire confusion factor is much higher because Sigmund is the reincarnation (more or less) of Loki’s wife Sigyn, and his BFFs Wayne and Em, who are both female in spite of Wayne’s name, are reincarnations of Valkyries.
Hel needs Sigmund’s Valkyrie friends. Lain needs Sigmund to rescue him from the mess he has been dropped into, only partly of his own making, in Asgard. And Asgard and all of the other realms surrounding it need to seriously get themselves updated from the 10th century to the 21st.
A lot of what goes wrong on the Asgard side revolves around not paying attention and not keeping up. The Earth has moved on from the days that the Vikings went a-Viking, but Asgard never got the memo. And that’s in spite of warriors in the intervening centuries who have found themselves in Valhalla, WITH all their kit.
So there are two stories going on, Thor’s kids taking Lain on what they believe is a one-way trip to retrieve their father’s treasures by way of a past that never was, and Sigmund and his friends supporting Hel in what becomes a 20th century style protest movement against a tyrannical regime that has gone on way too long.
The story is crazy wild and utterly absorbing. I did find myself wishing I knew a bit more about Norse mythology, but that’s just me. There is enough explanation to get the reader through the mythical bits.
The Asgardians, who are all-too-appropriately called as, pronounced ass, have acted like asses to everyone around them. The reader wants them to get their comeuppance. Lain falls all too far into the trap of being Loki, and discovers that he really needs Sigmund to keep him making good decisions. Sigmund discovers that he can be a hero with a little help from his and Lain’s friends. It makes their relationship just a bit more equal.
But the thing I loved most about this story was the way that the eventual solutions to the mess all come from women’s ideas and women’s decisions. Not just Hel, but also Wayne and Em and Thor’s daughter Trud and especially Baldr’s wife Nonna. With a little bit of help from the Loki’s other daughters and the part of Sigyn that lives in Sigmund.
Even though the majority of this story is set in Asgard, I would have preferred that the author had stuck to the common English translations or transliterations of most of the names. It is possible to get a bit lost, especially attempting to search Wikipedia for what else is known about some of the characters.
On that infamous other hand, that Lain’s car turned out to be Sleipnir was just plain awesome.
July 29, 2018
This was an excellent second book to the series, I enjoyed it slightly more than the first.
I enjoyed again the subversion of "good guy" and "villain" and the incorporation of modern actions with characters with a medieval/viking perspective.
The romance between Lain and Sigmund has reached an intimate phase and the language was appropriate and not OTT.
I am looking forward for book number 3.
I enjoyed again the subversion of "good guy" and "villain" and the incorporation of modern actions with characters with a medieval/viking perspective.
The romance between Lain and Sigmund has reached an intimate phase and the language was appropriate and not OTT.
I am looking forward for book number 3.
January 11, 2021
Better than the first one, though I liked both. There’s more clarity in the plot lines of this one, and it’s easier to follow what’s going on. Although I’m confused on if there is a third one. GR says there is published in 2018, but it has nor reviews.
September 25, 2015
Loki really shines and gets into a lot of trouble (and causes a lot of it), in this sequel to Liesmith, the urban fantasy where Loki and Norse mythology has moved to present-day Australia with a cast of geeks. Stormbringer is a strong follow up to Liesmith, and it takes a more traditional fantasy route with the cast of characters journeying to Asgard post-Ragnorak and dealing with Thor’s kids who are still living in the dark ages literally and know nothing about modern advances—talk about culture clash. Lain goes back to Asgard and is forced to help Thor's kids recover Thor's hammer and gauntlets. Hel has recruited Sigmund and his friends to take an army/escort of the dead to Asgard to sue for their rights. It is an interesting setting with a sequel to Sigmund and Loki's story, as well as a sequel to the Norse stories after Ragnorak. Sigmund gets to meet Loki's extended family and his kids, and it's definitely awkward family drama and reunions all around. The Wyrd and how it works is better developed and better explained. It's rather metafictional, with the idea of a narrative force causing stories to follow a certain path, genre tropes, so the characters and story go in expected directions, yet Franklin subverts the expectations of the narrative. Like setting the story in Asgard (noted in the glossary that this a medieval European setting and just about any typical epic fantasy setting), readers would expect quests, action, fights between good and evil, and there are all these but not quite as expected. Sigmund and his friends were the comic relief in book 1, as they geeked out and freaked out about this fantasy world come true, are still providing the humor, but they are easily the weakest and least prepared (role-playing experience aside), yet manage to play a bigger role in this story bringing in their modern sensibilities and thinking outside the box to deal with situations (which also subverts the Wyrd and the expected outcomes of a story).
Some of the happenings are darker and more brutal. Lain takes the brunt of it and hints at other brutalities that have happened in the past. Franklin captures more of Loki's complex and contradictory nature (especially the character who causes trouble and doesn't always get away with it). I like how she draws on some of the Norse myths and stories to connect to her current story, especially the obscure ones, odd ones, and ones that show a less flattering side of the characters (not just Loki but many of the others). We get to see different sides of the characters, and it doesn't seem as obvious a matter of good vs evil when nothing is so clear-cut. These myths parallel the present-day story, where things are not a simple good vs evil fight. Plus, Sigmund, Lain, and their friends bring a modern sensibility and more liberal attitude to how they handle things. The Norse mythology is more complex than what you'd get from the Marvel comics (the book comes with a handy glossary to navigate some of the names and words). Flipping between glossary and story with an e-book is not that easy, but it is almost necessary to follow the Norse words and names that are heavily used. It was a little overwhelming at first, but it adds a lot to the feeling of connection to the Norse myths and the sense of complexity in the myths.
The geeks-turned-heroes get to experience how adventuring is different from role-playing games, and their experience is narrated in an entertaining, ongoing commentary. The snarky humor and pop culture references are plentiful. It's not all fun, and Franklin balances between the fun and serious moments. Sigmund grows as a character, though he will not ever amount to an action hero, it is his sweet and caring side that makes a difference. He is still reeling from the climactic fight in Liesmith and suffering nightmares even several months later, and it makes him more easier to relate to, more of a typical person's response to unusual situations. Though he and Lain spend most of the story apart, Franklin does show some progression in the few months time between book 1 and 2, and it's sweet how both worry about each other while they are apart. Though there is a huge inequality (power, finance, experience/age), Lain lets Sigmund set the pace, and Sigmund will speak out when he thinks Lain is in the wrong. Book 2 was a little easier to follow Lain and Sigmund's alter egos/identity issues (revealed in book 1), though it was a little strange at time when they converse and argue with their other selves.
I read this title as an ARC from Netgalley.
Some of the happenings are darker and more brutal. Lain takes the brunt of it and hints at other brutalities that have happened in the past. Franklin captures more of Loki's complex and contradictory nature (especially the character who causes trouble and doesn't always get away with it). I like how she draws on some of the Norse myths and stories to connect to her current story, especially the obscure ones, odd ones, and ones that show a less flattering side of the characters (not just Loki but many of the others). We get to see different sides of the characters, and it doesn't seem as obvious a matter of good vs evil when nothing is so clear-cut. These myths parallel the present-day story, where things are not a simple good vs evil fight. Plus, Sigmund, Lain, and their friends bring a modern sensibility and more liberal attitude to how they handle things. The Norse mythology is more complex than what you'd get from the Marvel comics (the book comes with a handy glossary to navigate some of the names and words). Flipping between glossary and story with an e-book is not that easy, but it is almost necessary to follow the Norse words and names that are heavily used. It was a little overwhelming at first, but it adds a lot to the feeling of connection to the Norse myths and the sense of complexity in the myths.
The geeks-turned-heroes get to experience how adventuring is different from role-playing games, and their experience is narrated in an entertaining, ongoing commentary. The snarky humor and pop culture references are plentiful. It's not all fun, and Franklin balances between the fun and serious moments. Sigmund grows as a character, though he will not ever amount to an action hero, it is his sweet and caring side that makes a difference. He is still reeling from the climactic fight in Liesmith and suffering nightmares even several months later, and it makes him more easier to relate to, more of a typical person's response to unusual situations. Though he and Lain spend most of the story apart, Franklin does show some progression in the few months time between book 1 and 2, and it's sweet how both worry about each other while they are apart. Though there is a huge inequality (power, finance, experience/age), Lain lets Sigmund set the pace, and Sigmund will speak out when he thinks Lain is in the wrong. Book 2 was a little easier to follow Lain and Sigmund's alter egos/identity issues (revealed in book 1), though it was a little strange at time when they converse and argue with their other selves.
I read this title as an ARC from Netgalley.
July 28, 2015
3.5 stars
Stormbringer is the second book in Alis Franklin's Wyrd series, following the excellent Liesmith, which I purchased just so that I could read the series in order. I loved Liesmith; not only was it a great urban fantasy, based on Norse mythology (which is fresher than the ubiquitous Greco-Roman pantheon), but it rang multiple bells for those concerned about diversity in publishing: female author; one principal character who is queer and a person of color (Sigmund); another principal character whose sexual identity is fluid, to say the least (Lain); multiple secondary characters who are strong women (including two reincarnated Valkyries and a couple of dead, but still quite active, goddesses).
While Stormbringer is equally diverse, it is not as engaging as Liesmith. To some degree, this is to be expected; it is difficult for an author to sustain the excitement a reader feels when encountering a new world for the first time. Stormbringer's issue is broader than that, however. Liesmith was set primarily in the real world, where the gods walk among unsuspecting humans; that Lain was on Sigmund's turf, so to speak, gave authenticity to their relationship and equal weight to both characters. In contrast, most of Stormbringer is set in the world of the gods, with numerous extended flashbacks to Loki and Sigyn's life together before their reincarnation in Lain and Sigmund. This moves the reader fully into the realm of mythology, distancing us from both the action and the characters; in essence, Sigmund's only role in Stormbringer is to serve as a vessel for Sigyn's spirit. Tellingly, Franklin includes a nine-page-long glossary of Norse names and words at the end of Stormbringer, when the reader required no such assistance with Liesmith.
Given the comparative unfamiliarity of Norse mythology, I don't fault Franklin for giving us a fair amount of back story; in fact, at times I would really have appreciated a family tree, as I kept confusing Baldr and Thor. Now that she has done so, however, I hope she will return Sigmund and Lain to their central place in future volumes of the Wyrd.
I received a free copy of Stormbringer through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Stormbringer is the second book in Alis Franklin's Wyrd series, following the excellent Liesmith, which I purchased just so that I could read the series in order. I loved Liesmith; not only was it a great urban fantasy, based on Norse mythology (which is fresher than the ubiquitous Greco-Roman pantheon), but it rang multiple bells for those concerned about diversity in publishing: female author; one principal character who is queer and a person of color (Sigmund); another principal character whose sexual identity is fluid, to say the least (Lain); multiple secondary characters who are strong women (including two reincarnated Valkyries and a couple of dead, but still quite active, goddesses).
While Stormbringer is equally diverse, it is not as engaging as Liesmith. To some degree, this is to be expected; it is difficult for an author to sustain the excitement a reader feels when encountering a new world for the first time. Stormbringer's issue is broader than that, however. Liesmith was set primarily in the real world, where the gods walk among unsuspecting humans; that Lain was on Sigmund's turf, so to speak, gave authenticity to their relationship and equal weight to both characters. In contrast, most of Stormbringer is set in the world of the gods, with numerous extended flashbacks to Loki and Sigyn's life together before their reincarnation in Lain and Sigmund. This moves the reader fully into the realm of mythology, distancing us from both the action and the characters; in essence, Sigmund's only role in Stormbringer is to serve as a vessel for Sigyn's spirit. Tellingly, Franklin includes a nine-page-long glossary of Norse names and words at the end of Stormbringer, when the reader required no such assistance with Liesmith.
Given the comparative unfamiliarity of Norse mythology, I don't fault Franklin for giving us a fair amount of back story; in fact, at times I would really have appreciated a family tree, as I kept confusing Baldr and Thor. Now that she has done so, however, I hope she will return Sigmund and Lain to their central place in future volumes of the Wyrd.
I received a free copy of Stormbringer through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
January 2, 2016
4.5 stars
It's been a while since I've read a well-executed fantasy where romance plays the second fiddle. Forgot how satisfying it can be.
I was worried at first, because, from the summary, it didn't sound like Lain and Sig story anymore. And indeed, they spend a lot of time apart, and there are new characters taking up the stage from time to time. But, contrary to the dreaded 'second book of a trilogy' syndrome, what they do on their own is actually interesting enough that you're sympathizing and cheering them on, not counting down pages till reunion. More importantly, they get their development, romantic and otherwise, and resolution. It was so well-done, I was really surprised that there will be a book 3 - the story felt complete enough. There is room for growth, though, so yay for book three!
For those who was lost in Liesmith because of Norse mythology, I felt like Alis Franklin got better at explaining what's what to the uninitiated. Even better, somehow it never comes across as an infodump. The end of Liesmith: Book 1 of The Wyrd was hard to decipher, but I hadn't had any troubles here, even with lots of Norse spellings (loved those, actually). To get you some perspective, I am a bit familiar with Norse myths - never read Elder Edda and such, but Marvel movies weren't my main source of info, either, and that was enough.
The book wasn't completely niggle-free, though. Geeking-out and political agenda felt, at times, heavy-handed, and we still never learned just what/who the hell is Lain's car. But my main source of frustration were batteries. Batteries in phones and tablets that could hold their charge for days on end, despite taking lots of pictures, filming hours of video, powering up flashlights, etc., etc. Whyyy? Home co-ome? Dang, I hate such fails in common logic.
Thank god, here the rest of the story was interesting enough that I was able to give it a rest and enjoy.
Now here's hoping book 3 really is coming out in April.
It's been a while since I've read a well-executed fantasy where romance plays the second fiddle. Forgot how satisfying it can be.
I was worried at first, because, from the summary, it didn't sound like Lain and Sig story anymore. And indeed, they spend a lot of time apart, and there are new characters taking up the stage from time to time. But, contrary to the dreaded 'second book of a trilogy' syndrome, what they do on their own is actually interesting enough that you're sympathizing and cheering them on, not counting down pages till reunion. More importantly, they get their development, romantic and otherwise, and resolution. It was so well-done, I was really surprised that there will be a book 3 - the story felt complete enough. There is room for growth, though, so yay for book three!
For those who was lost in Liesmith because of Norse mythology, I felt like Alis Franklin got better at explaining what's what to the uninitiated. Even better, somehow it never comes across as an infodump. The end of Liesmith: Book 1 of The Wyrd was hard to decipher, but I hadn't had any troubles here, even with lots of Norse spellings (loved those, actually). To get you some perspective, I am a bit familiar with Norse myths - never read Elder Edda and such, but Marvel movies weren't my main source of info, either, and that was enough.
The book wasn't completely niggle-free, though. Geeking-out and political agenda felt, at times, heavy-handed, and we still never learned just what/who the hell is Lain's car. But my main source of frustration were batteries. Batteries in phones and tablets that could hold their charge for days on end, despite taking lots of pictures, filming hours of video, powering up flashlights, etc., etc. Whyyy? Home co-ome? Dang, I hate such fails in common logic.
Thank god, here the rest of the story was interesting enough that I was able to give it a rest and enjoy.
Now here's hoping book 3 really is coming out in April.
February 23, 2017
Loved it.
Loved it loved it loved it.
I so often feel like sequels never live up to the first book, but this one did. It gave me everything I wanted and more.
Loved it loved it loved it.
I so often feel like sequels never live up to the first book, but this one did. It gave me everything I wanted and more.
December 8, 2016
Liked this a lot, but there were some weird snags.
First, that opening. It reads like a "last time on As The Wyrd Turns" kinda thing, but it doesn't feel like it lines up with the ending of Liesmith? Also, I feel like there were some things glossed over in that timeskip-- Sigmund is moving in with Lain? After two months? Nothing more about what his Dad thinks about Lain, who he recently hit upside the horns with a pan? Nothing more about Sigmund and his Dad's little family drama re: Sigmund's mum? You could totally sell me on that, but I didn't get any explanation.
Anyway, and then we get into the main plot, which I thought was quite solid. Really enjoyed Lain's "in a hard spot, pursue all possible options because something's going to pan out eventually" approach. Felt very real and very /OH LAIN/. The twist from the last book got some good play, with some nice identity crisis stuff for Lain, while Sigmund's settling into sharing some brain space with Sigyn quite well.
I liked the main plot but there was a bunch of stuff that I either wanted more about or I wanted to play into the plot more. For example, I spend most of the book convinced Prudr (I am not trying those characters rn) and Valdis were going to end up together? Em's whole social justice-y background was alluded to in the first book, but I felt like her approach to the dead's protest rally was still a little out of left field. I got very excited about the gender fluidity/identity stuff, but would have liked to see more.
I did love all the stuff with Hel and the dishonoured dead tho. Would read Wayne and Em's adventures in friendship with Hel so fast.
Also, Sigmund banging Lain for the first time when Lain's in his fluffy dinosaur bird form was great. You know that kid romanced Garrus every time.
First, that opening. It reads like a "last time on As The Wyrd Turns" kinda thing, but it doesn't feel like it lines up with the ending of Liesmith? Also, I feel like there were some things glossed over in that timeskip-- Sigmund is moving in with Lain? After two months? Nothing more about what his Dad thinks about Lain, who he recently hit upside the horns with a pan? Nothing more about Sigmund and his Dad's little family drama re: Sigmund's mum? You could totally sell me on that, but I didn't get any explanation.
Anyway, and then we get into the main plot, which I thought was quite solid. Really enjoyed Lain's "in a hard spot, pursue all possible options because something's going to pan out eventually" approach. Felt very real and very /OH LAIN/. The twist from the last book got some good play, with some nice identity crisis stuff for Lain, while Sigmund's settling into sharing some brain space with Sigyn quite well.
I liked the main plot but there was a bunch of stuff that I either wanted more about or I wanted to play into the plot more. For example, I spend most of the book convinced Prudr (I am not trying those characters rn) and Valdis were going to end up together? Em's whole social justice-y background was alluded to in the first book, but I felt like her approach to the dead's protest rally was still a little out of left field. I got very excited about the gender fluidity/identity stuff, but would have liked to see more.
I did love all the stuff with Hel and the dishonoured dead tho. Would read Wayne and Em's adventures in friendship with Hel so fast.
Also, Sigmund banging Lain for the first time when Lain's in his fluffy dinosaur bird form was great. You know that kid romanced Garrus every time.
August 16, 2015
Originally received this book on Netgalley for review.
So, I love Alis Franklin that's common knowledge . . . at least to me, and I'd like to think Alis Franklin as well. Liesmith: Book 1 of The Wyrd was amazing. Brown chubby queer boys doing awesome stuff has always appealed to me, so obviously since Stormbringer is much of the same, I love it as well.
I love the distinct narrative voices for the characters. I love Lain throwing the f-word about everywhere and I like the third person through which we get to see Sigmund. I also liked that they basically went on totally different adventures but will mostly the same goal. The mixture of Old Norse stuff and modern things are always fun to read. Having heavy metal concerts outside the walls of Ásgarðr was wickedly awesome, honestly.
It was great to see the world of the Old Norse religion. It gave something new to the story as we got to meet lots of jötunn and dvergar. Now, I've never really known much about Norse mythology and I've never been too inclined to look it up, but the Wyrdverse series is awesome and the general intensity of Old Norse stuff in it is kind of amazing to me. Some people might be put off by having tons of foreign words and ideas in their novels, but I love it because it feels nature coming from Lain.
So now I'm here waiting patiently for Bad Meme. Or maybe not so patiently because I'm really excited about it.
So, I love Alis Franklin that's common knowledge . . . at least to me, and I'd like to think Alis Franklin as well. Liesmith: Book 1 of The Wyrd was amazing. Brown chubby queer boys doing awesome stuff has always appealed to me, so obviously since Stormbringer is much of the same, I love it as well.
I love the distinct narrative voices for the characters. I love Lain throwing the f-word about everywhere and I like the third person through which we get to see Sigmund. I also liked that they basically went on totally different adventures but will mostly the same goal. The mixture of Old Norse stuff and modern things are always fun to read. Having heavy metal concerts outside the walls of Ásgarðr was wickedly awesome, honestly.
It was great to see the world of the Old Norse religion. It gave something new to the story as we got to meet lots of jötunn and dvergar. Now, I've never really known much about Norse mythology and I've never been too inclined to look it up, but the Wyrdverse series is awesome and the general intensity of Old Norse stuff in it is kind of amazing to me. Some people might be put off by having tons of foreign words and ideas in their novels, but I love it because it feels nature coming from Lain.
So now I'm here waiting patiently for Bad Meme. Or maybe not so patiently because I'm really excited about it.
June 23, 2019
Excellent!
I started this series this morning. I couldn't put it down! If there is another book that would be awesome, but if not, this was tied up really well.
I started this series this morning. I couldn't put it down! If there is another book that would be awesome, but if not, this was tied up really well.
July 26, 2015
disclaimer – i received a copy of this book via hydra in exchange for an honest review.
book two of alis franklin‘s wyrd series finds sigmund and lain separated and dealing with another ragnarok. sigmund’s gamer friends play a much larger role in this book and while that’s a welcome change the separation of sigmund and lain make the book less enjoyable. franklin’s writing is still good, and she once again shows an incredible mastery of norse language, customs, and, gods. unfortunately, part of what makes the story so compelling is the relationship the two main characters have to work so hard to maintain and that is missing in this addition to the series. stormbringer is heavy on the norse language, but franklin provides a glossary which is very helpful.
three out of five stars
book two of alis franklin‘s wyrd series finds sigmund and lain separated and dealing with another ragnarok. sigmund’s gamer friends play a much larger role in this book and while that’s a welcome change the separation of sigmund and lain make the book less enjoyable. franklin’s writing is still good, and she once again shows an incredible mastery of norse language, customs, and, gods. unfortunately, part of what makes the story so compelling is the relationship the two main characters have to work so hard to maintain and that is missing in this addition to the series. stormbringer is heavy on the norse language, but franklin provides a glossary which is very helpful.
three out of five stars
April 1, 2017
Review written for Love Bytes Reviews.
Coming back with the second book in The Wyrd Series, things pick up fairly close to where they left off in the first book, Liesmith, as Lain is preparing to return to Asgard in order to tie up some loose ends before coming back home to his boyfriend, Sigmund. Things will never be that easy when it comes to the God of Lies, however, and after the dust cleared after bringing about Ragnarok, things are worse than ever in the other realm. Death threats, unanticipated quests, backstabbing and plots within plots are only some of the things Lain will have to endure if he plans to make it back home alive but he isn’t called Silvertongue for nothing and the God of Lies has always been more than he seemed.
Alis Franklin is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors; she has such a way with words that I’m fairly certain she could re-write the dictionary and have it end up on the New York Times Best Sellers List.
Coming back with the second book in The Wyrd Series, things pick up fairly close to where they left off in the first book, Liesmith, as Lain is preparing to return to Asgard in order to tie up some loose ends before coming back home to his boyfriend, Sigmund. Things will never be that easy when it comes to the God of Lies, however, and after the dust cleared after bringing about Ragnarok, things are worse than ever in the other realm. Death threats, unanticipated quests, backstabbing and plots within plots are only some of the things Lain will have to endure if he plans to make it back home alive but he isn’t called Silvertongue for nothing and the God of Lies has always been more than he seemed.
Alis Franklin is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors; she has such a way with words that I’m fairly certain she could re-write the dictionary and have it end up on the New York Times Best Sellers List.
May 29, 2015
Second volume of Norse gods fantasy series
This is the second in the series and I made the mistake of asking to review it, having forgotten that I hadn’t enjoyed the first one much!
However I did enjoy this novel more: it’s less confusing and more engaging.
It’s a tale of the Norse Gods after Ragnarok and the conflicts that emerge. This is mixed with 21st century references since several characters from Pandemonium, Australia find themselves dragged into the conflict.
There is a glossary to explain all the Norse terms but, as I read this in the kindle edition, it was not convenient to keep looking so I didn’t bother: the story remained sufficiently clear.
The style did not always appeal as the first-person narration, when it occurs, is in spoken language rather than written. This does not work for me.
Quite entertaining but, if there’s a third book, I’ll resist the temptation!
This is the second in the series and I made the mistake of asking to review it, having forgotten that I hadn’t enjoyed the first one much!
However I did enjoy this novel more: it’s less confusing and more engaging.
It’s a tale of the Norse Gods after Ragnarok and the conflicts that emerge. This is mixed with 21st century references since several characters from Pandemonium, Australia find themselves dragged into the conflict.
There is a glossary to explain all the Norse terms but, as I read this in the kindle edition, it was not convenient to keep looking so I didn’t bother: the story remained sufficiently clear.
The style did not always appeal as the first-person narration, when it occurs, is in spoken language rather than written. This does not work for me.
Quite entertaining but, if there’s a third book, I’ll resist the temptation!
March 23, 2016
This book had consequences from the first book. I really enjoyed the clash of modern world vs post-Ragnorak Norse mythology. There were a lot of "minor" god characters, and some interesting secrets that flowed throughout the book. I'm still somewhat confused about Lain's identity, but I think everyone is.
I'm hoping the third book will spend more time in the modern world - this story is at its best when the gods are clashing with modernity, rather than the mortals dealing with the god's reality.
It's definitely worth following this series.
The one thing that kept me from 5 starring the book was a sex scene which hit a squick for me. It verged on bestiality/furry sex, which is Not My Kink.
I'm hoping the third book will spend more time in the modern world - this story is at its best when the gods are clashing with modernity, rather than the mortals dealing with the god's reality.
It's definitely worth following this series.
The one thing that kept me from 5 starring the book was a sex scene which hit a squick for me. It verged on bestiality/furry sex, which is Not My Kink.
October 1, 2024
This could use some better editing to neaten and tighten, but I enjoyed the story. The move to Asgard with all its players was interesting and kept me engaged well enough that I didn't even mind that Lain and Sig were apart for almost 80% of the book. However, I had some confusion with the whole Lain is Loki is Baldr stuff and there were bits here and there that no amount of rereading could make clear. If you don't know Norse mythology, be prepared to refer to the glossary or Google frequently. (And btw, is there some reason words in the text can't be linked directly to their entry in the glossary? Would make things a whole lot easier.)
I'm not sure where things would go from here, but I love the blend of the modern and the mythical so I hope there will be more.
I'm not sure where things would go from here, but I love the blend of the modern and the mythical so I hope there will be more.
May 7, 2015
The second episode is better than the first. A wildly imaginative story with more than enough strange and eerie creatures to make your blood run cold. Lain, Sigmund, Em and Wayne join the forces of the dead, led by Hel, in a visit to Asgard that couldn't possibly go right. There are new creatures to contend with and an adventure that traverses the tree of life, the forest of the juntan, the underground land of the dverger, and a massive underground sea. This narrative was less confusing than the first, However, there is a detailed glossary for the reader to understand the many strange terms. After a slow start it quickly becomes a page turner.
Read
January 3, 2016I am a judge for the 2015 Aurealis Awards. This review is my personal opinion and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of any judging panel, the judging coordinator or the Aurealis Awards management team. To be safe, I won't be recording my thoughts (if I choose to) here until after the Aurealis Awards are over.
July 4, 2016
Maybe one day I'll write a proper review for this book, but as for now: I'm so often disappointed by endings not living up to the build-up these days, but this one? This one was brilliant. (And obviously not exactly predictable, either.)
August 18, 2015
I liked it, not as much as book one but nevertheless it is a great book. My personal wish was more about the Sigmund-Lain-Story but it was more about the north sagas. Like book one I like this newe version of the old stories. Hope ther will be a new book soon.
December 28, 2015
Fewer horror elements this time around, but digs more deeply into the themes of equality. The sense of humour remains strong and Australians will get an especial kick out of some of the jokes. Highly recommended.
December 3, 2015
An interesting read
For a full review, please go to http://www.examiner.com/review/stormb... or http://areviewerdarkly.blogspot.com/2... and follow me on Twitter @josenher
For a full review, please go to http://www.examiner.com/review/stormb... or http://areviewerdarkly.blogspot.com/2... and follow me on Twitter @josenher
August 4, 2016
Comes to a reasonable conclusion (I'm not sure if the author intends to continue the series?). I liked it well enough, but definitely found it hard to follow in places. And Loki (whatever) and the kid have, like, no chemistry.
August 31, 2015
Really, truly amazing.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews