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The Ragnarok Era #7
The Shadows of Svartalfheim
Norse mythology retold - The Aesir
Shadows Deepen …
After centuries bound in Alfheim, Odin escapes, only to find himself trapped in the fathomless darkness of Svartalfheim. His only ally is a woman who no longer trusts him.
And while the king is missing, the world hurtles toward Ragnarok. If Hermod cannot find and retrieve Odin, Midgard faces annihilation on all sides.
Buy it now to enter a dark world of Norse mythology!
For even more dark Norse adventure, don't miss the tie-in series the Runeblade Saga:
* Days of Endless Night
* Days of Bloody Thrones
* Days of Frozen Hearts
* Days of Fading Dreams
* Days of Broken Oaths
Shadows Deepen …
After centuries bound in Alfheim, Odin escapes, only to find himself trapped in the fathomless darkness of Svartalfheim. His only ally is a woman who no longer trusts him.
And while the king is missing, the world hurtles toward Ragnarok. If Hermod cannot find and retrieve Odin, Midgard faces annihilation on all sides.
Buy it now to enter a dark world of Norse mythology!
For even more dark Norse adventure, don't miss the tie-in series the Runeblade Saga:
* Days of Endless Night
* Days of Bloody Thrones
* Days of Frozen Hearts
* Days of Fading Dreams
* Days of Broken Oaths
326 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 13, 2018
22 people are currently reading
123 people want to read
About the author
Matt Larkin
99 books174 followersAlong with his wife and daughter, Matt lives as a digital nomad, traveling the world while researching for his novels. He reads approximately a bazillion books a year, loves video games, and relaxes by binge watching Netflix with his wife.
Matt writes retellings of mythology as dark, gritty fantasy. His passions of myths, philosophy, and history inform his series. He strives to combine gut-wrenching action with thought-provoking ideas and culturally resonant stories.
As a child, Matt read The Lord of the Rings with his parents. This sparked a lifelong obsession with fantasy and started him on a path of discovering the roots of fantasy through mythology. In exploration of these ideas, the Eschaton Cycle was born—a universe of dark fantasy where all myths and legends play out.
Matt writes retellings of mythology as dark, gritty fantasy. His passions of myths, philosophy, and history inform his series. He strives to combine gut-wrenching action with thought-provoking ideas and culturally resonant stories.
As a child, Matt read The Lord of the Rings with his parents. This sparked a lifelong obsession with fantasy and started him on a path of discovering the roots of fantasy through mythology. In exploration of these ideas, the Eschaton Cycle was born—a universe of dark fantasy where all myths and legends play out.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
September 12, 2021
My favourite of the series so far. I really dig the author’s take on Norse Mythology. And so begins Ragnarök…
January 12, 2021
Non stop adventure
The entire time I could not put it down. Endless battles, close call escapes, twists, hidden histories revealed, etc. Can't wait to start the next saga.
The entire time I could not put it down. Endless battles, close call escapes, twists, hidden histories revealed, etc. Can't wait to start the next saga.
August 3, 2018
I received an ARC of this novel from the author. The review was optional.
The author continues his deep and satisfying retelling of Norse mythology with his latest in the Gods of the Ragnarok Era.
Odin escapes his prison in Alfheim, only to enter a potentially worse one. But his physical prisons pale in comparison to the torture his mind inflicts upon him. Odin has long believed he was in control, pulling the strands of the web of urd to achieve his goal of avoiding Ragnarok. But is he actually in control, or is something else using him as a tool to meet their own ends?
Freyja aims to rescue Odin, despite her conflicting feelings about him, and is joined by Hermod, Odin's protege, in the attempt. Both also have other reasons for not visiting Svartalfheim, and risk all entering.
Hodr and Baldr's hatred of each other comes to a head. Hodr, Loki's son, has suffered much at the hands of others and has long been despised by Baldr, the handsome son of Thor who has taken on the mantle of Midgard's saviour in Odin's lengthy absence.
I've always loved mythology, even as a kid. But mythology is dark, even the kiddified versions of my youth. Shadows of Svartalfheim reflects this, and takes it to a more adult level. The gods are mortals struggling to be immortals as Midgard deteriorates into a warzone. These are not your white-robed, RADA trained Hollywood gods. These are gritty and real, suffering from the same issues you and I face (if we lived in Migard). This is a must read, as the series gets better as it teeters into the Eschaton.
The author continues his deep and satisfying retelling of Norse mythology with his latest in the Gods of the Ragnarok Era.
Odin escapes his prison in Alfheim, only to enter a potentially worse one. But his physical prisons pale in comparison to the torture his mind inflicts upon him. Odin has long believed he was in control, pulling the strands of the web of urd to achieve his goal of avoiding Ragnarok. But is he actually in control, or is something else using him as a tool to meet their own ends?
Freyja aims to rescue Odin, despite her conflicting feelings about him, and is joined by Hermod, Odin's protege, in the attempt. Both also have other reasons for not visiting Svartalfheim, and risk all entering.
Hodr and Baldr's hatred of each other comes to a head. Hodr, Loki's son, has suffered much at the hands of others and has long been despised by Baldr, the handsome son of Thor who has taken on the mantle of Midgard's saviour in Odin's lengthy absence.
I've always loved mythology, even as a kid. But mythology is dark, even the kiddified versions of my youth. Shadows of Svartalfheim reflects this, and takes it to a more adult level. The gods are mortals struggling to be immortals as Midgard deteriorates into a warzone. These are not your white-robed, RADA trained Hollywood gods. These are gritty and real, suffering from the same issues you and I face (if we lived in Migard). This is a must read, as the series gets better as it teeters into the Eschaton.
August 11, 2018
DARKEST BEFORE DAWN!!!
Talk about heating things up. This is yet another awesome tale. If you're looking for an action packed, nailbiting, spine tingling read. Congrats my friends you've found it. Matt goes all out and doesn't pull his punches. The characters are well developed and believable. Their personalities are unique with qualities and traits that balance out perfectly. The scenes are vividly detailed and descriptive it paints a fantastic backdrop that really makes the storyline pop. All the twists and turns and suspense filled, danger dogging their every step. Man, talk about talent. Matt did an incredible job bringing this read to life flawlessly. Great job Matt, thanks for sharing this awesome read with us.
Talk about heating things up. This is yet another awesome tale. If you're looking for an action packed, nailbiting, spine tingling read. Congrats my friends you've found it. Matt goes all out and doesn't pull his punches. The characters are well developed and believable. Their personalities are unique with qualities and traits that balance out perfectly. The scenes are vividly detailed and descriptive it paints a fantastic backdrop that really makes the storyline pop. All the twists and turns and suspense filled, danger dogging their every step. Man, talk about talent. Matt did an incredible job bringing this read to life flawlessly. Great job Matt, thanks for sharing this awesome read with us.
August 12, 2018
"I like talking to you, predictions of doom notwithstanding."
This quote kind of sums up my feelings about this book.
I mean, with a title like this - and it being the 7th book in a series about pretty much the end of the world - you honestly can't expect light and fluffy reading. And even if doom & gloom is not my favorite genre, I felt myself drawn in.
The biggest surprise for me was how often I caught myself rooting for Hödr - now, how did *that* happen? After the events in The Well of Mimir, I didn't have much sympathy for him, vaettr-possessed or not. (NB: Not that all the rooting was going to help much, I know...)
And now that Odin and Loki, despite their best efforts to delay it, have managed to bring Ragnarok about... I am curious to see how the story continues.
This quote kind of sums up my feelings about this book.
I mean, with a title like this - and it being the 7th book in a series about pretty much the end of the world - you honestly can't expect light and fluffy reading. And even if doom & gloom is not my favorite genre, I felt myself drawn in.
The biggest surprise for me was how often I caught myself rooting for Hödr - now, how did *that* happen? After the events in The Well of Mimir, I didn't have much sympathy for him, vaettr-possessed or not. (NB: Not that all the rooting was going to help much, I know...)
And now that Odin and Loki, despite their best efforts to delay it, have managed to bring Ragnarok about... I am curious to see how the story continues.
August 25, 2018
Great Story but a very uncomfortable read
You can probably guess from the title that this was a darker story than the previous ones. If you're at all familiar with the Norse mythology these are based on, you'll have some idea of what is going to happen before you get there and, if you're like me, you'll be hoping something will happen to change it.
Larkin's characters feel like real people. They make mistakes just like anybody else - even the ones who, supposedly, can see the future and know what is coming. Unfortunately, everything they try to do to stop it, only seems to bring the end closer.
Can't recommend this series enough. It's absolutely brilliant
You can probably guess from the title that this was a darker story than the previous ones. If you're at all familiar with the Norse mythology these are based on, you'll have some idea of what is going to happen before you get there and, if you're like me, you'll be hoping something will happen to change it.
Larkin's characters feel like real people. They make mistakes just like anybody else - even the ones who, supposedly, can see the future and know what is coming. Unfortunately, everything they try to do to stop it, only seems to bring the end closer.
Can't recommend this series enough. It's absolutely brilliant
November 11, 2021
Darkness rises.
Odin finally escapes from Alfheim with his former friend Idunn, the goddess who made him immortal. But he finds himself trapped in the world of dark elves. Their wanton cruelty makes this book tough but compelling reading. With the help of Freyja and Hermod, Odin escapes back to the mortal realm only to find his son Baldr dead at the hands of Hodr. And with his death, Ragnarok begins!
Odin finally escapes from Alfheim with his former friend Idunn, the goddess who made him immortal. But he finds himself trapped in the world of dark elves. Their wanton cruelty makes this book tough but compelling reading. With the help of Freyja and Hermod, Odin escapes back to the mortal realm only to find his son Baldr dead at the hands of Hodr. And with his death, Ragnarok begins!
June 6, 2024
I feel that the previous books often either built up the inevitable or showed events unfold that allowed everything to fall into place and make sense looking back. This changed in this book, where the author decides to throw multiple wrenches in the work that not only add to the plot and grief of the characters, but while also showing the story march on to what feels like an inevitable bad ending.
November 13, 2022
wow
Oh my goodness this was an amazing read . We have now returned to the excellent fast paced story of earlier books in the series with so much going on that I’m so glad I decided to continue reading. Can not wait to continue as Ragnorak is finally beginning and the world is doomed is there any hope of Odin saving them? On to the next to find out….
Oh my goodness this was an amazing read . We have now returned to the excellent fast paced story of earlier books in the series with so much going on that I’m so glad I decided to continue reading. Can not wait to continue as Ragnorak is finally beginning and the world is doomed is there any hope of Odin saving them? On to the next to find out….
December 8, 2024
That was one hell of a build up to a short, but effective conclusion to the beginning of the end. Yes, I realize what a mouthful that was, but it was accurate. Matt takes great liberties with the lore and it pays off. Only 2 more books to go.
August 30, 2018
What an opportunity to be able to continue reading this series. Book 7 was just fantastic. Once I was introduced to this superb author, I was hooked A fast paced , cant put down type of book.
April 28, 2022
Odin's plot is too much if what he's been through before told in a different way. The past few chapters, though.. OMG
August 28, 2023
Dark story, quite interesting. If only any of these idjits took a bit of responsibility!
February 6, 2024
Holy fucking shit balls, why is no one talking about this series?! I’ve been speeding through these books so fast I’ve not had time to write reviews for them but DAMN they’re fucking fire
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews