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The Valkyrie
Ex nihilo nihil fit: From nothing, nothing comes.
Enter the world of Edda-Earth, in which Rome never fell, science and magic coexist, all the gods are real . . . and war is coming
Everyone must serve. Everyone must sacrifice.
The god-born: Sigrun Caetia, valkyrie of Tyr, born in Nova Germania, across the sea
The summoner: Trennus Matrugena, son of a petty king, native of Caledonia
The archmage: Kanmi Eshmunazar, a former wharf-rat of Tyre, Carthage
The godslayer: Adam ben Maor, special forces, of Judea
The prophetess: Sophia, Pythia of Delphi
The truthsayer: Minori Sasaki, scientist and sorcerer, native of Hokkaido
And the man who brings them together in Rome's service: Propraetor Antonius Valerius Livorus.
Together, they pursue a great mystery: Some believe that the world is about to end. Certainly, prophecy indicates so. Some of the gods are making provisions for that day, including reviving the long-prohibited custom of human sacrifice.
How do they stop this, and how deep does the mystery go? Why does a dying man taunt Livorus, asking him if he knows where his gods are? And why does prophecy suggest that Sigrun will be the sole survivor of Ragnarok?
This is alternate history that goes beyond merely filing the serial numbers off world events. A wholly-re-imagined world awaits, blending fantasy, science-fiction, history, and other genres at will.
_______________
"More than a mere adventure, the story succeeds in tapping into deeper ideas of religious tolerance and pluralism. Though some may find themselves lost in the vast sea of gods, rituals, violence, and beliefs, readers excited by a tour of this highly imaginative world will thoroughly enjoy the ride." --Kirkus Reviews
https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-re...
Enter the world of Edda-Earth, in which Rome never fell, science and magic coexist, all the gods are real . . . and war is coming
Everyone must serve. Everyone must sacrifice.
The god-born: Sigrun Caetia, valkyrie of Tyr, born in Nova Germania, across the sea
The summoner: Trennus Matrugena, son of a petty king, native of Caledonia
The archmage: Kanmi Eshmunazar, a former wharf-rat of Tyre, Carthage
The godslayer: Adam ben Maor, special forces, of Judea
The prophetess: Sophia, Pythia of Delphi
The truthsayer: Minori Sasaki, scientist and sorcerer, native of Hokkaido
And the man who brings them together in Rome's service: Propraetor Antonius Valerius Livorus.
Together, they pursue a great mystery: Some believe that the world is about to end. Certainly, prophecy indicates so. Some of the gods are making provisions for that day, including reviving the long-prohibited custom of human sacrifice.
How do they stop this, and how deep does the mystery go? Why does a dying man taunt Livorus, asking him if he knows where his gods are? And why does prophecy suggest that Sigrun will be the sole survivor of Ragnarok?
This is alternate history that goes beyond merely filing the serial numbers off world events. A wholly-re-imagined world awaits, blending fantasy, science-fiction, history, and other genres at will.
_______________
"More than a mere adventure, the story succeeds in tapping into deeper ideas of religious tolerance and pluralism. Though some may find themselves lost in the vast sea of gods, rituals, violence, and beliefs, readers excited by a tour of this highly imaginative world will thoroughly enjoy the ride." --Kirkus Reviews
https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-re...
824 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 13, 2014
12 people are currently reading
186 people want to read
About the author
Deborah L. Davitt
85 books38 followersDeborah L. Davitt was born at an Army hospital in Washington state, but spent the first twenty-two years of her life in Reno, Nevada.
She graduated first in her class from the University of Nevada, Reno, in 1997, and took her BA in English Literature with a strong focus on medieval and Renaissance literature. In 1999, she received an MA in English from Penn State.
Since then, she has taught composition, rhetoric, and technical writing, and created technical documentation on topics ranging from nuclear submarines to NASA’s return to flight to computer hardware and software.
Her poetry has garnered her Pushcart and Rhysling nominations, and has appeared in over twenty journals; her short fiction has earned a finalist showing for the Jim Baen Adventure Fantasy Award (2018) and has appeared in InterGalactic Medicine Show, Compelling Science Fiction, Galaxy’s Edge, and Pseudopod.
Her critically-acclaimed Edda-Earth novels are available through Amazon. She's also known for the well-received, 3.5 million word fanfic called Spirit of Redemption that exposed her to a global audience.
In 2019, her first full-length poetry collection, The Gates of Never, will be available from Finishing Line Press.
She currently lives in Houston, Texas, with her husband and son.
She graduated first in her class from the University of Nevada, Reno, in 1997, and took her BA in English Literature with a strong focus on medieval and Renaissance literature. In 1999, she received an MA in English from Penn State.
Since then, she has taught composition, rhetoric, and technical writing, and created technical documentation on topics ranging from nuclear submarines to NASA’s return to flight to computer hardware and software.
Her poetry has garnered her Pushcart and Rhysling nominations, and has appeared in over twenty journals; her short fiction has earned a finalist showing for the Jim Baen Adventure Fantasy Award (2018) and has appeared in InterGalactic Medicine Show, Compelling Science Fiction, Galaxy’s Edge, and Pseudopod.
Her critically-acclaimed Edda-Earth novels are available through Amazon. She's also known for the well-received, 3.5 million word fanfic called Spirit of Redemption that exposed her to a global audience.
In 2019, her first full-length poetry collection, The Gates of Never, will be available from Finishing Line Press.
She currently lives in Houston, Texas, with her husband and son.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
December 9, 2014
I'm proud of it, and the rest of the trilogy, which is forthcoming. The ending is already written, and set in stone. And while there are plenty of twists and turns, everything should be well foreshadowed. People who like ferreting out the secrets of a mystery should have it figured out before the end; people who like to experience the journey as they go along should have their questions answered at the end. Here's hoping everyone else enjoys reading it, as much as I enjoyed writing it. :)
May 21, 2018
What if the Roman Empire had never collapsed, and ancient gods and spirits had power? The world would be a completely different place, and in The Valkyrie you have exactly that setting. The time is the early 20th century, the place is all over the world, depending on where the characters are sent during the missions of their leader, a Propraetor with direct access to the Roman Emperor.
The story is told from the different main characters’ point of view, which is quite interesting, as it reveals a lot about each character and also adds to variety. Besides, the scenes where the main characters are still in the process of finding out more about each other are actually among my favourites. There is a lot of friendly banter and guessing going on among them, and the reader learns new details in an entertaining way due to this.
The Valkyrie is not my favourite book, although I can see why many might like it. There are passages when the plot reads like being on an espionage or on a military mission, and this, combined with characters whose powers and abilities are far above that of ordinary people, surely is exciting for many. Personally, I thought it was too much, and too exaggerated. I guess it is nice that there is an alternative reality described, and at first I liked that as well, but after a while these descriptions simply became too much. For me, they often distracted from the main plot, and occasionally I thought they filled up pages without advancing the story at all (fans might find exactly this kind of information extremely interesting, though). The same applies to the foreshadowing. At first it was nice to see that there seemed to be more ahead, and you could guess what might be meant. Later on in the book, I thought this was overdone, and Sophia, the character who does all the foreshadowing, is like an omniscient narrator who cannot keep her mouth shut in time. Clues were too obvious and sometimes maybe even heavy handed.
If you look for character development, then this is maybe not really your book, as the characters remain simple and flat. Sure, the characters do change over time, they get to know each other better, and later on they even have families. But primarily it felt like this development is about power. The characters face some kind of major problem, solve it, and in the process gain power, which is maybe not a surprise, because Valkyrie is full of magic and supernatural occurrences.
Romantic relationships seem to be exclusively between men and women, which I found odd (and boring), even more so in the context of a kind of Roman and Hellenistic culture, where e.g. especially male homosexual relationships were far more accepted than they have been for most of western cultures’ modern times.
There are the parts in the book that I like, and all in all Deborah L. Davitt’s style of writing makes it easy to let you read on, but I also had several issues with The Valkyrie. Some of the means Davitt employed to make the story more readable and interesting were rather overused, and what was maybe even used in a well-planned way at first felt more like an annoyance later on. 3 out of 5 stars.
The story is told from the different main characters’ point of view, which is quite interesting, as it reveals a lot about each character and also adds to variety. Besides, the scenes where the main characters are still in the process of finding out more about each other are actually among my favourites. There is a lot of friendly banter and guessing going on among them, and the reader learns new details in an entertaining way due to this.
The Valkyrie is not my favourite book, although I can see why many might like it. There are passages when the plot reads like being on an espionage or on a military mission, and this, combined with characters whose powers and abilities are far above that of ordinary people, surely is exciting for many. Personally, I thought it was too much, and too exaggerated. I guess it is nice that there is an alternative reality described, and at first I liked that as well, but after a while these descriptions simply became too much. For me, they often distracted from the main plot, and occasionally I thought they filled up pages without advancing the story at all (fans might find exactly this kind of information extremely interesting, though). The same applies to the foreshadowing. At first it was nice to see that there seemed to be more ahead, and you could guess what might be meant. Later on in the book, I thought this was overdone, and Sophia, the character who does all the foreshadowing, is like an omniscient narrator who cannot keep her mouth shut in time. Clues were too obvious and sometimes maybe even heavy handed.
If you look for character development, then this is maybe not really your book, as the characters remain simple and flat. Sure, the characters do change over time, they get to know each other better, and later on they even have families. But primarily it felt like this development is about power. The characters face some kind of major problem, solve it, and in the process gain power, which is maybe not a surprise, because Valkyrie is full of magic and supernatural occurrences.
Romantic relationships seem to be exclusively between men and women, which I found odd (and boring), even more so in the context of a kind of Roman and Hellenistic culture, where e.g. especially male homosexual relationships were far more accepted than they have been for most of western cultures’ modern times.
There are the parts in the book that I like, and all in all Deborah L. Davitt’s style of writing makes it easy to let you read on, but I also had several issues with The Valkyrie. Some of the means Davitt employed to make the story more readable and interesting were rather overused, and what was maybe even used in a well-planned way at first felt more like an annoyance later on. 3 out of 5 stars.
January 17, 2015
I found The Valkyrie to be a fantastic read, and it kept me entertained - and immersed - on a variety of levels. I typically write thoughts and opinions in a hierarchical format, so writing this review is difficult for me because multiple aspects of the book were equally fantastic. So I'm just going to dive into this in no particular order.
I'm a huge fan of world-building, be it futuristic sci-fi in the form of Hamilton's The Night's Dawn Trilogy or pure fantasy such as Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire, and Davitt not only succeeds in creating a hugely convincing and living world, but she creates one, through her alternate-world approach, that feels eerily like the one we all call home. The characters, meanwhile, feel real and fully-developed, possessing flaws, quirks, and the sparks of life. They become people to you, ones that matter, and not just characters in the book you're reading. This sort of attention to detail carries through the entire novel - the magic systems (SYSTEMS, because she created FOUR sources of magical power that are all believable, detailed, and coexist in the same world), the politics, the conspiracies, the plot, all of it - resulting in a story that, if you're a critical analyst like me, is simply a relief to read.
Not that it's an easy read, mind you. The Valkyrie will make a comforting thump if it is ever produced as a hardcopy. But it is a rewarding read, and you will enjoy the hell out of every page of it. As I already observed, there's politics, intrigue, a complex and detailed plot, and disturbing foreshadowing of things to come. The author isn't afraid to tackle difficult questions or to challenge the reader's own notions, with the Saga of Edda-Earth providing a medium through which to discuss philosophy and the purpose of religion. If you don't like thinking, then Edda-Earth probably isn't for you. Davitt takes her time describing the world and developing the story, letting both evolve in their own time, without rushing them. The result is a tale that starts perhaps a bit slowly but builds momentum at a frightful rate, and by the time you realize how engrossed you are in it, it'll be too late.
And did I mention that it's the first book of a TRILOGY? As a stand-alone novel, The Valkyrie is a wonderful gem. As merely the opening act of a larger story, it leaves you dying to read the rest of what will surely be a sprawling epic. I don't trust myself to say more than this, because otherwise I'm going to start spewing spoilers with abandon. Buy The Valkyrie, read it, and you'll know exactly what I mean.
I'm a huge fan of world-building, be it futuristic sci-fi in the form of Hamilton's The Night's Dawn Trilogy or pure fantasy such as Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire, and Davitt not only succeeds in creating a hugely convincing and living world, but she creates one, through her alternate-world approach, that feels eerily like the one we all call home. The characters, meanwhile, feel real and fully-developed, possessing flaws, quirks, and the sparks of life. They become people to you, ones that matter, and not just characters in the book you're reading. This sort of attention to detail carries through the entire novel - the magic systems (SYSTEMS, because she created FOUR sources of magical power that are all believable, detailed, and coexist in the same world), the politics, the conspiracies, the plot, all of it - resulting in a story that, if you're a critical analyst like me, is simply a relief to read.
Not that it's an easy read, mind you. The Valkyrie will make a comforting thump if it is ever produced as a hardcopy. But it is a rewarding read, and you will enjoy the hell out of every page of it. As I already observed, there's politics, intrigue, a complex and detailed plot, and disturbing foreshadowing of things to come. The author isn't afraid to tackle difficult questions or to challenge the reader's own notions, with the Saga of Edda-Earth providing a medium through which to discuss philosophy and the purpose of religion. If you don't like thinking, then Edda-Earth probably isn't for you. Davitt takes her time describing the world and developing the story, letting both evolve in their own time, without rushing them. The result is a tale that starts perhaps a bit slowly but builds momentum at a frightful rate, and by the time you realize how engrossed you are in it, it'll be too late.
And did I mention that it's the first book of a TRILOGY? As a stand-alone novel, The Valkyrie is a wonderful gem. As merely the opening act of a larger story, it leaves you dying to read the rest of what will surely be a sprawling epic. I don't trust myself to say more than this, because otherwise I'm going to start spewing spoilers with abandon. Buy The Valkyrie, read it, and you'll know exactly what I mean.
November 14, 2014
The Valkyrie (The Saga of Edda-Earth Book 1) is a long, epic fantasy, suitable for readers who like their stories sweeping, their protagonists believable and compelling, and their fantasy worlds well-detailed and intricate. It's based on two historical concepts: what if Rome never fell, and what if magic was a real part of human experience?
Against such a backdrop is, predictably, the specter of war - and also within such a scenario dance a cast of characters who represent interplays between magic and science: Trennus, the son of a king; valkyrie Sigrun, scientist/magician Minori; and a cast of military, spiritual and political figures steeped in the aura of ancient Rome - but with a difference.
Be forewarned: this is no light, easy read. It takes a few chapters to fully absorb a cast of characters with different names and purposes, and a setting that is at once quite different from our world yet replete with similarities, right down to the blue jeans.
Readers who look for sweeping sagas embracing political, historical and social change will welcome Davitt's approach to creating a more complex set of scenarios than the usual fantasy story offers. Think 'Tolkien' when placing her works into a similar category; because her attention to details of place, time, and the politics behind confrontations is just as well-wrought.
The Valkyrie is world-building at its highest level: as such, its readers shouldn't be ones looking for a light fantasy adventure, but those who root out the few Tolkien-like epics in the fantasy genre, there to live amongst gods, monsters, and brave adventurers who traverse a dangerous world with purpose, courage, and visions of creation, recreation, and change.
Against such a backdrop is, predictably, the specter of war - and also within such a scenario dance a cast of characters who represent interplays between magic and science: Trennus, the son of a king; valkyrie Sigrun, scientist/magician Minori; and a cast of military, spiritual and political figures steeped in the aura of ancient Rome - but with a difference.
Be forewarned: this is no light, easy read. It takes a few chapters to fully absorb a cast of characters with different names and purposes, and a setting that is at once quite different from our world yet replete with similarities, right down to the blue jeans.
Readers who look for sweeping sagas embracing political, historical and social change will welcome Davitt's approach to creating a more complex set of scenarios than the usual fantasy story offers. Think 'Tolkien' when placing her works into a similar category; because her attention to details of place, time, and the politics behind confrontations is just as well-wrought.
The Valkyrie is world-building at its highest level: as such, its readers shouldn't be ones looking for a light fantasy adventure, but those who root out the few Tolkien-like epics in the fantasy genre, there to live amongst gods, monsters, and brave adventurers who traverse a dangerous world with purpose, courage, and visions of creation, recreation, and change.
January 19, 2015
As a connoisseur of epic fantasy I cannot recommend this book highly enough. I have never encountered another book quite like it. A fantasy based on historical fiction spun forward into a modern context. This book is strikingly detailed and I enjoyed it as much for the vivid, three dimensional characters and the gripping and well executed climactic sequences as I did for unwinding the places where Edda Earth departs from our actual history and seeing where and why this world took the turns that it did. The system of magic and mysticism is solidly developed. Finally Deborah Davitt approaches history and culture with a respect you don't often see in fiction. Cultures are layered and affect different people differently, historic events are portrayed with depth and usually don't depend on one single moving factor to create significant change. This is a work that is both intellectually honest and profoundly creative.
June 5, 2016
I was in a bit of a slump and looking for something to read when a friend recommended this book/series.
I couldn't be happier that I took his advice. I've enjoyed this book (and now into the second) so much. The story, the lore, the characters, the length of the book... it all makes me happy.
The way the world is woven into a fantasy, history, mythology mash-up just worked for me. The personalities of the various characters and their lives have enough resonance with 'the real world' to connect me to them.
I typically read through books and various series quite quickly. Having longer books (that don't feel long) means I get to enjoy the stories that much more.
If you're reading this and trying to make a decision to check this book and series out, I'll apologize for not doing it any justice in this review, but I'll also implore you to check it out.
I couldn't be happier that I took his advice. I've enjoyed this book (and now into the second) so much. The story, the lore, the characters, the length of the book... it all makes me happy.
The way the world is woven into a fantasy, history, mythology mash-up just worked for me. The personalities of the various characters and their lives have enough resonance with 'the real world' to connect me to them.
I typically read through books and various series quite quickly. Having longer books (that don't feel long) means I get to enjoy the stories that much more.
If you're reading this and trying to make a decision to check this book and series out, I'll apologize for not doing it any justice in this review, but I'll also implore you to check it out.
March 1, 2015
I've read both the Spirit of Truth and Spirit of Redemption probably a dozen times each, so I was quite excited to see a published novel by the same author.
I've read it over the last couple of days, and thoroughly enjoyed myself. As some of the other reviewers have stated, while the book is lengthy, it's broken up into mini-arcs if you you need a break. Though, I'm not sure I could have stopped reading except for work and sleep if I tried - the world building was fantastic, pacing great, and the characters wonderful. I'm glad that it's part of a planned trilogy, since I'd love to spend just as much time with these characters as I spent with Dara, Eli, Rinus, Kallixta, Zhasa, Dempsey, and Rellus.
I've read it over the last couple of days, and thoroughly enjoyed myself. As some of the other reviewers have stated, while the book is lengthy, it's broken up into mini-arcs if you you need a break. Though, I'm not sure I could have stopped reading except for work and sleep if I tried - the world building was fantastic, pacing great, and the characters wonderful. I'm glad that it's part of a planned trilogy, since I'd love to spend just as much time with these characters as I spent with Dara, Eli, Rinus, Kallixta, Zhasa, Dempsey, and Rellus.
June 17, 2015
[Note: This review covers the first two books of the series - the stories flow together so well, and my comments for each are essentially the same, so it didn't make sense to make two separate reviews. There are no spoilers for either book in this review.]
Let me get straight to the point - the first two volumes of "The Saga of Edda-Earth" contain some of the best epic fantasy fiction - Norse based or otherwise - I've read since Marion Zimmer-Bradley's "The Mists of Avalon," a book that has been at the top of my favorites list for many years. (At the time of this review, the remainder of the series has not yet been released.)
Like "Mists," the first two books of "Edda-Earth" dive deeply into its world's political and religious landscape during a time of change. Edda-Earth is an alternate reality in which Rome never fell. Most of the world is under Rome's banner, though the amount of control Rome exerts over the different nations varies. Some retain almost full autonomy, while others are almost fully controlled by Rome. Each nation, however, maintains its own culture, though there are prohibitions on human sacrifice and proselytizing.
The story takes place in times roughly analogous to our own, in which technology and magic exist side-by-side. Author Deborah Davitt has constructed an extensive and detailed alternate world and history for the Saga. The technology used in most of the Empire is fairly similar to our own, though there doesn't seem to be much of an emphasis on computers and some of the firearms are a bit more primitive. As for magic, there are three distinct schools - ley magic, powered by quantum strings; sorcery, which makes use of physics and the mage's will; and spirit summoning - as well as people who have inherent abilities from the divine spark of being godborn or god-touched, or who have been granted certain abilities through the use of tools like magical tattoos. I really like the way Davitt has tied science and magic together, while still allowing for some magic to be of a more wonderous nature.
Since nations retain their indigenous culture and beliefs, religion in Edda-Earth is quite diverse. The strength of any given pantheon derives largely from how many followers it has, and people who have chosen a faith - whether it was a deliberate decision or because they simply followed the faith of their culture - they essentially fade from the awareness of all other gods. Some gods have little to no direct interaction with their followers, relying on faith alone, while others choose to make their presence more tangible.
As the story opens, Propraetor Livorus - a man generally considered to be the right hand of Cesar and who is often sent to deal with delicate diplomatic situations - is being sent to a small nation in the middle of what we know as the U.S., in response to the apparent kidnapping of a young girl who they believe is to be used as a human sacrifice. Accompanying Livorus on the mission are his lictors - kind of a combination body-guard and advisory council. Foremost among his lictors is Sigrun Caesia, a godborn granddaughter of the Norse god Tyr, and the Valkyrie of the first book's title. Adam ben Maor, who is frequently the lictors commanding officer, is a Judean warrior who is quite skilled in the use of weapons. Kanmi Eshmunazar is a ascerbic but brilliant Carthaginian sorcerer, and Trennus Matrugena, is a ley-mage and spirit summoner from Gaul whose size and prowess often belie his gentle spirit. There are others who come and go or work alongside the lictors, but these are our main heroes.
The story follows them as they discover rumors that the practice of human sacrifice is being restarted in other areas as well, and as they explore the deeper mysteries of what is behind this change and the impact it's having on the world. Add in a couple of natural disasters and some long-simmering tension threatening to become open war, and Livorus' crew has their hands full. As with any story, there are a few plot points that will feel a bit familiar or even predictable, but I found myself far more often surprised or shocked by the turn of events and the changes in the characters that resulted.
Part of what makes this series so incredible is the extensive level of character development that Davitt provides. Unlike many epic tales - where we follow the characters primarily for the duration of the perilous journey they must undertake to save the world - here we stay with the characters for an extended number of years and see them not only as they handle their various missions, but also during the times when they are able to remain home. We get to know them as they deal with the full gamut of family issues, from difficult relatives, to falling in love and building their own families, and learn who they are when they have the chance to just be themselves. Rather than slowing down the pacing, however, this additional perspective gives "Edda-Earth" an added richness and the deeper understanding of the characters provides a boost to the tension when they are in danger.
Both "The Valkyrie" and "The Goddess Denied" are long books - each coming in at around 600 pages, so they do require a bit of an investment of your time, but I certainly found it to be well worth it, and I'm excited to see what Davitt has in store for our heroes next!
Let me get straight to the point - the first two volumes of "The Saga of Edda-Earth" contain some of the best epic fantasy fiction - Norse based or otherwise - I've read since Marion Zimmer-Bradley's "The Mists of Avalon," a book that has been at the top of my favorites list for many years. (At the time of this review, the remainder of the series has not yet been released.)
Like "Mists," the first two books of "Edda-Earth" dive deeply into its world's political and religious landscape during a time of change. Edda-Earth is an alternate reality in which Rome never fell. Most of the world is under Rome's banner, though the amount of control Rome exerts over the different nations varies. Some retain almost full autonomy, while others are almost fully controlled by Rome. Each nation, however, maintains its own culture, though there are prohibitions on human sacrifice and proselytizing.
The story takes place in times roughly analogous to our own, in which technology and magic exist side-by-side. Author Deborah Davitt has constructed an extensive and detailed alternate world and history for the Saga. The technology used in most of the Empire is fairly similar to our own, though there doesn't seem to be much of an emphasis on computers and some of the firearms are a bit more primitive. As for magic, there are three distinct schools - ley magic, powered by quantum strings; sorcery, which makes use of physics and the mage's will; and spirit summoning - as well as people who have inherent abilities from the divine spark of being godborn or god-touched, or who have been granted certain abilities through the use of tools like magical tattoos. I really like the way Davitt has tied science and magic together, while still allowing for some magic to be of a more wonderous nature.
Since nations retain their indigenous culture and beliefs, religion in Edda-Earth is quite diverse. The strength of any given pantheon derives largely from how many followers it has, and people who have chosen a faith - whether it was a deliberate decision or because they simply followed the faith of their culture - they essentially fade from the awareness of all other gods. Some gods have little to no direct interaction with their followers, relying on faith alone, while others choose to make their presence more tangible.
As the story opens, Propraetor Livorus - a man generally considered to be the right hand of Cesar and who is often sent to deal with delicate diplomatic situations - is being sent to a small nation in the middle of what we know as the U.S., in response to the apparent kidnapping of a young girl who they believe is to be used as a human sacrifice. Accompanying Livorus on the mission are his lictors - kind of a combination body-guard and advisory council. Foremost among his lictors is Sigrun Caesia, a godborn granddaughter of the Norse god Tyr, and the Valkyrie of the first book's title. Adam ben Maor, who is frequently the lictors commanding officer, is a Judean warrior who is quite skilled in the use of weapons. Kanmi Eshmunazar is a ascerbic but brilliant Carthaginian sorcerer, and Trennus Matrugena, is a ley-mage and spirit summoner from Gaul whose size and prowess often belie his gentle spirit. There are others who come and go or work alongside the lictors, but these are our main heroes.
The story follows them as they discover rumors that the practice of human sacrifice is being restarted in other areas as well, and as they explore the deeper mysteries of what is behind this change and the impact it's having on the world. Add in a couple of natural disasters and some long-simmering tension threatening to become open war, and Livorus' crew has their hands full. As with any story, there are a few plot points that will feel a bit familiar or even predictable, but I found myself far more often surprised or shocked by the turn of events and the changes in the characters that resulted.
Part of what makes this series so incredible is the extensive level of character development that Davitt provides. Unlike many epic tales - where we follow the characters primarily for the duration of the perilous journey they must undertake to save the world - here we stay with the characters for an extended number of years and see them not only as they handle their various missions, but also during the times when they are able to remain home. We get to know them as they deal with the full gamut of family issues, from difficult relatives, to falling in love and building their own families, and learn who they are when they have the chance to just be themselves. Rather than slowing down the pacing, however, this additional perspective gives "Edda-Earth" an added richness and the deeper understanding of the characters provides a boost to the tension when they are in danger.
Both "The Valkyrie" and "The Goddess Denied" are long books - each coming in at around 600 pages, so they do require a bit of an investment of your time, but I certainly found it to be well worth it, and I'm excited to see what Davitt has in store for our heroes next!
June 15, 2015
The Valkyrie by Deborah L. Davitt is a fantasy that will keep you turning the pages. It’s the first book in the Saga of Edda-Earth. It’s a retelling of history and brings us up to date with the Roman Empire still in control. It is a very interesting look at how the world would have been if Rome had never fallen with detailed accounts of all the major events in history since the beginning of time. The Valkyrie is full of interesting and different characters with different stories and different roles contributing to the story. There is a little bit of everything for everyone within the pages. I loved how the characters interacted and how the story played out thus far. I liked the romances within the story and I enjoyed the action as well. I found it to be very intense and engrossing. I can’t wait to continue reading the Saga of Edda-Earth. This is the first book I have read by this author and I plan to read the rest of the books in this series and would be interested in reading any other books she writes. I would recommend The Valkyrie to anyone who enjoys reading epic fantasies and is looking for a unique book to read.
December 8, 2014
Wow, i finished reading this yesterday and i was really impressed. It was a great fun to read. It is a long story with great characters and and really interesting world that makes sense.
Its a mix of fantasy and alternative history. Each chapter starts with an article/piece over the world or the history. The more you learn the more interesting it gets.
If you like history and fantasy or only fantasy books buy this. It has great characters, great combat scenes and an interesting magic and technology system.
It was definitely the best book i read in this year. So go ahead and get it :-). I wish more people would see and read it so that i can get it for my bookshelf too.
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This is a copy of my amazon review
Its a mix of fantasy and alternative history. Each chapter starts with an article/piece over the world or the history. The more you learn the more interesting it gets.
If you like history and fantasy or only fantasy books buy this. It has great characters, great combat scenes and an interesting magic and technology system.
It was definitely the best book i read in this year. So go ahead and get it :-). I wish more people would see and read it so that i can get it for my bookshelf too.
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This is a copy of my amazon review
December 8, 2014
I really enjoyed this book. I have always toyed with the idea of a utopian world where Rome never fell and this book had that and more. Some really interesting interactions between magic and technology gave me some ideas for my D and D games. There were a few moments where the author seemed like even more of a Roman Fanperson than I am and I had to scratch my head. I also had a bit of a hard time remembering that the story was set in 1910. I think the pacing was perfect and I was definitely left wanting more. I can't wait for the next book in the series.
October 1, 2015
This came highly recommended. I was pleasantly surprised in some ways and disappointed in others.
The Valkyrie showcases Davitt's, quite frankly, fantastic world-building skills. Her extrapolation on this alternative history and society is very well-thought out and clearly well researched.
I couldn't help but be invested in the universe, but there were a number of things that kept continuously annoying me.
While the world itself is gripping and the writing is great in itself, sometimes the truth of certain character's views on complex issues would be taken for granted or overly pointed in their bias.
For example, revenge rape as being an apt punishment, even in the case of a serial rapist? That's just disgusting. None of the characters seem to see anything that would be even slightly wrong with this and other gratuitously violent punishments that are more caught up in "poetic justice" than actually dissuading the crime or considering whether or not the criminal is actually innocent. Is the reader supposed to accept that the justice system is utterly peerless in lack of corruption? In this and many other things, for such a thoroughly crafted universe, oddly naive...and romanticized.
This definitely isn't intentional, but every character in the main cast seems to give off a bit of a "special snowflake" vibe. Every character has a great deal to overcome in terms of both physical and emotional strife, but at the end, one still gets the impression that the characters will never encounter any circumstances that will permanently affect them in a negative way, much less kill them, which utterly destroys any sense of dramatic tension or urgency, as you know the main cast with no injuries that they can't completely recovery from at the end anyways.
The only things that seem to change about the cast are increases to their powers. It'd be like if every single time Spider-Man experienced conflict, like Uncle Ben dying, he just got bit with another radioactive spider again and again to get even more powers. After a certain point you really have to suspend your disbelief. It even gets to the point where a spirit in the main cast, who can "read souls", sees mostly every other person in the book universe as a "gray soul" who lack strong personalities, except for, of course, our main cast. At that point it just seems...self-indulgent.
I was also disappointed by the lack of LGBT characters in this novel, to the point of seeming nonexistent. I don't think it would have been difficult to implement to at least demonstrate some diversity in the universe. Gay people are, after all, not significantly different from people who are not gay aside from their sexuality. One would not have needed to conform to a stereotype or write a caricature. It would have been nice to see at least one character with a different sexuality. The character's sexuality would not have even needed to be a main plot point. It's better if their sexuality is an afterthought or its portrayal is blase, since it makes them actually three-dimensional, fleshed out characters rather than being completely defined by their sexuality.
The Valkyrie showcases Davitt's, quite frankly, fantastic world-building skills. Her extrapolation on this alternative history and society is very well-thought out and clearly well researched.
I couldn't help but be invested in the universe, but there were a number of things that kept continuously annoying me.
While the world itself is gripping and the writing is great in itself, sometimes the truth of certain character's views on complex issues would be taken for granted or overly pointed in their bias.
For example, revenge rape as being an apt punishment, even in the case of a serial rapist? That's just disgusting. None of the characters seem to see anything that would be even slightly wrong with this and other gratuitously violent punishments that are more caught up in "poetic justice" than actually dissuading the crime or considering whether or not the criminal is actually innocent. Is the reader supposed to accept that the justice system is utterly peerless in lack of corruption? In this and many other things, for such a thoroughly crafted universe, oddly naive...and romanticized.
This definitely isn't intentional, but every character in the main cast seems to give off a bit of a "special snowflake" vibe. Every character has a great deal to overcome in terms of both physical and emotional strife, but at the end, one still gets the impression that the characters will never encounter any circumstances that will permanently affect them in a negative way, much less kill them, which utterly destroys any sense of dramatic tension or urgency, as you know the main cast with no injuries that they can't completely recovery from at the end anyways.
The only things that seem to change about the cast are increases to their powers. It'd be like if every single time Spider-Man experienced conflict, like Uncle Ben dying, he just got bit with another radioactive spider again and again to get even more powers. After a certain point you really have to suspend your disbelief. It even gets to the point where a spirit in the main cast, who can "read souls", sees mostly every other person in the book universe as a "gray soul" who lack strong personalities, except for, of course, our main cast. At that point it just seems...self-indulgent.
I was also disappointed by the lack of LGBT characters in this novel, to the point of seeming nonexistent. I don't think it would have been difficult to implement to at least demonstrate some diversity in the universe. Gay people are, after all, not significantly different from people who are not gay aside from their sexuality. One would not have needed to conform to a stereotype or write a caricature. It would have been nice to see at least one character with a different sexuality. The character's sexuality would not have even needed to be a main plot point. It's better if their sexuality is an afterthought or its portrayal is blase, since it makes them actually three-dimensional, fleshed out characters rather than being completely defined by their sexuality.
April 15, 2018
Not that much else to say than: Really well written, pretty much an entirely different yet similar world (the amount of information, research and imagination this must have taken is pretty impressive) and a very solid and interesting cast of characters.
For real though, read it if alternate History is your thing. I have read a good amount of books, a lot of which had good world building, but this takes it to an whole other level (with a few thousand pages for the books combined this means something).
This is more like (and probably was) three books combined into one. But beware, the books get progressively darker and heavy as they go on, but the story is very compelling. This seems to be a trilogy (with a possible 4th book?) and has an ending (of sorts, but not bad).
A very warm Thank You to the author for providing us with such an amazing series.
For real though, read it if alternate History is your thing. I have read a good amount of books, a lot of which had good world building, but this takes it to an whole other level (with a few thousand pages for the books combined this means something).
This is more like (and probably was) three books combined into one. But beware, the books get progressively darker and heavy as they go on, but the story is very compelling. This seems to be a trilogy (with a possible 4th book?) and has an ending (of sorts, but not bad).
A very warm Thank You to the author for providing us with such an amazing series.
February 28, 2016
Wow! I don't think I've been this excited about a new fantasy series since reading "Kushiel's Dart"! "The Valkyrie" is a rich, dense, and complex story about an alternate world in which magic exists and Rome never fell. There is a large cast of characters from all parts of the empire--Rome, Judea, Britannia, the Americas (which have a different name), Carthage, and so on. The main action revolves around the bodyguards of a high-level Roman functionary charged with investigating and dealing with sensitive issues. The point of view moves from character to character as they find themselves investigating a series of bizarre human sacrifices in the Americas, which turn out to have much bigger implications than a mere rebellion against Rome...
The world is presented in great detail, with each section begun with an excerpt from a textbook, for example, and all the characters speaking their own languages. There are also detailed descriptions of the different forms of technology and magic, with discussions of things like the pros and cons of ley power versus electricity and ornithopters versus fixed-wing aircraft. For readers looking for a quick read this may be a little too much detail, but for those looking for a fully-realized and complex world in which to immerse themselves, the level of detail is incredibly satisfying. The characters are also complex human beings, even when they're not entirely human, and their attempts to build or hold together their families are just as compelling as the investigation and action sequences. Lovers of high fantasy should enjoy this book tremendously, and fans of sci-fi may find enough technology and physics to enthrall them as well.
The world is presented in great detail, with each section begun with an excerpt from a textbook, for example, and all the characters speaking their own languages. There are also detailed descriptions of the different forms of technology and magic, with discussions of things like the pros and cons of ley power versus electricity and ornithopters versus fixed-wing aircraft. For readers looking for a quick read this may be a little too much detail, but for those looking for a fully-realized and complex world in which to immerse themselves, the level of detail is incredibly satisfying. The characters are also complex human beings, even when they're not entirely human, and their attempts to build or hold together their families are just as compelling as the investigation and action sequences. Lovers of high fantasy should enjoy this book tremendously, and fans of sci-fi may find enough technology and physics to enthrall them as well.
October 5, 2015
I enjoyed the alternate timeline of Caesar living and what he did with his life and how it changed the world at large.
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