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The Dreadbound Ode Trilogy
Embark on a voyage that will take you from the stars above to realms below. In this epic tale of black magic, alien gods, and impossible choices, no one is safe and nothing is sacred.
When Brohr is arrested for a bizarre murder, he must flee to the hinterlands in search of the terrible truth. Only with the forbidden magic of the Skalds can he unearth the true culprit and face his accusers.
As the skies rain hell, Brohr must face disturbing family secrets, and join a desperate rebellion against his people’s brutal oppressors.
But in the shadows, an alien god plots a rebellion of its own…and it has chosen Brohr as a pawn in its deadly game.
Can Brohr master the dark magic raging inside himself, or will it consume him, and turn him against the very people he has sworn to save?
The Dreadbound Ode is a tale ripe with apocalyptic omens, Norse-inspired worldbuilding, eldritch space travel, and gritty characters struggling against all odds to survive the chaos of the end times.
When Brohr is arrested for a bizarre murder, he must flee to the hinterlands in search of the terrible truth. Only with the forbidden magic of the Skalds can he unearth the true culprit and face his accusers.
As the skies rain hell, Brohr must face disturbing family secrets, and join a desperate rebellion against his people’s brutal oppressors.
But in the shadows, an alien god plots a rebellion of its own…and it has chosen Brohr as a pawn in its deadly game.
Can Brohr master the dark magic raging inside himself, or will it consume him, and turn him against the very people he has sworn to save?
The Dreadbound Ode is a tale ripe with apocalyptic omens, Norse-inspired worldbuilding, eldritch space travel, and gritty characters struggling against all odds to survive the chaos of the end times.
Audible Audio
Published July 9, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
July 3, 2025
Pretty darn good.
June 26, 2025
I really enjoyed this trilogy. It's sort of like a slightly more mature "realistic" take of a decaying space opera that, you know, is Medieval and full of demonic magic. Okay, maybe realistic is the wrong word but I really love the strong characterization and focus on the society itself versus combat and monsters.
July 16, 2025
A wonderful world to explore! It's a powerful, thoughtful, visceral ride!
Jordan's use of symbolism shows his vast and integrative knowledge of world religions, myths, and mystical traditions.
He takes that knowledge of symbolism, the kind that haunts our collective hindbrain even though it is esoteric for most cultures now, and brings it out in a way where you might just be constantly drawing paralells with human mythos for years to come.
It's brilliance is in how he so throughly understands the myth and symbolism of mankind as a whole, that this isn't glib, but intuitive. This allows the symbolism to gently be drawn through his world into ours. It's never garish, always elegant and refined.
It's a world that could very well be ours, but very much is not. Magical traditions blend with science..as if when humans first discovered science, that is where we stayed, seeing technology as the magic and alchemy it truly is. I have heard people use steampunk in reference, but never firmly, and to me it's more alchemist punk. Part of the reniassance, part of the dark ages. That little cusp where if the cards would have fallen differently for our relaity, we could be.
The Gods have not quite disappeared on the horizon, and aspects of great civilizations from our past can be seen in the modern culture.
It's the mark of a great fantasy and sci fi writer to me, ro create a world that is almost more our world than the one we are in. A wonderful escape and a heart felt journey, with haunting and beautiful symbolism.
A darker ride than Pratchett or Tolkein, but one they would have enjoyed. A timeless yet fresh and modern take on it's genres.
Jordan's use of symbolism shows his vast and integrative knowledge of world religions, myths, and mystical traditions.
He takes that knowledge of symbolism, the kind that haunts our collective hindbrain even though it is esoteric for most cultures now, and brings it out in a way where you might just be constantly drawing paralells with human mythos for years to come.
It's brilliance is in how he so throughly understands the myth and symbolism of mankind as a whole, that this isn't glib, but intuitive. This allows the symbolism to gently be drawn through his world into ours. It's never garish, always elegant and refined.
It's a world that could very well be ours, but very much is not. Magical traditions blend with science..as if when humans first discovered science, that is where we stayed, seeing technology as the magic and alchemy it truly is. I have heard people use steampunk in reference, but never firmly, and to me it's more alchemist punk. Part of the reniassance, part of the dark ages. That little cusp where if the cards would have fallen differently for our relaity, we could be.
The Gods have not quite disappeared on the horizon, and aspects of great civilizations from our past can be seen in the modern culture.
It's the mark of a great fantasy and sci fi writer to me, ro create a world that is almost more our world than the one we are in. A wonderful escape and a heart felt journey, with haunting and beautiful symbolism.
A darker ride than Pratchett or Tolkein, but one they would have enjoyed. A timeless yet fresh and modern take on it's genres.
January 19, 2026
The story is told in three parts. In the first, our three protagonists all live in the same small village on a conquered world. As the story progresses, they leave this world and try to find safety elsewhere. However, the old gods are coming back and the three find themselves in the middle of the ultimate battle between “good” and “evil”. There is magic in this universe, alongside technology; with the latter often relying on the former to function.
This series was considerably darker than my usual choices. The imagery was often bleak, brutal, and gruesome. The characters were mostly rather unlikeable and often made poor and/or selfish choices. Brohr and Lyssa, at least, seemed fundamentally to want to do the right thing, though often circumstances made that difficult. Henrik’s focus throughout was on what was best for Henrik, though this did not always result in happy outcomes for him. I think that this lack of likeability is a feature of the genre, and it does not detract from the enjoyment of the story.
Overall, I was really engrossed in the story and found it both interesting and unpredictable. I would recommend the trilogy to readers who enjoy complex characters and motivations, and can handle darker themes.
I received the audiobook of this trilogy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily. The narration was excellent overall, though the speaking voices were a little inconsistent.
This series was considerably darker than my usual choices. The imagery was often bleak, brutal, and gruesome. The characters were mostly rather unlikeable and often made poor and/or selfish choices. Brohr and Lyssa, at least, seemed fundamentally to want to do the right thing, though often circumstances made that difficult. Henrik’s focus throughout was on what was best for Henrik, though this did not always result in happy outcomes for him. I think that this lack of likeability is a feature of the genre, and it does not detract from the enjoyment of the story.
Overall, I was really engrossed in the story and found it both interesting and unpredictable. I would recommend the trilogy to readers who enjoy complex characters and motivations, and can handle darker themes.
I received the audiobook of this trilogy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily. The narration was excellent overall, though the speaking voices were a little inconsistent.
July 15, 2025
An absolute gem of a trilogy.
July 18, 2025
I ABSOLUTELY LOVED this trilogy - definitely a must-read for grimdark fans.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews