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Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Sword of the White Horse
A Celtic warrior defending her people from Viking raiders infiltrates an ancient sect to save her homeland, in this gripping original saga set in the world of Assassin's Creed ® Valhalla
Mercia, 878. Witch-warrior Niamh discovers a new order called the Hidden Ones is seeking to establish a foothold in Lunden. Her land is already scarred by Viking raiders, bloody wars, and clashing cultures. Determined to protect what remains of her homeland, she infiltrates this new group to discover whether they stand with her… or against her. Yet when Niamh learns the Hidden Ones have stolen an artifact sacred to her people, her own loyalties are challenged. Casting aside newfound alliances and friendships, Niamh soon discovers that betrayal comes with a heavy price and it will take everything in her power – her gods willing – to survive.
Mercia, 878. Witch-warrior Niamh discovers a new order called the Hidden Ones is seeking to establish a foothold in Lunden. Her land is already scarred by Viking raiders, bloody wars, and clashing cultures. Determined to protect what remains of her homeland, she infiltrates this new group to discover whether they stand with her… or against her. Yet when Niamh learns the Hidden Ones have stolen an artifact sacred to her people, her own loyalties are challenged. Casting aside newfound alliances and friendships, Niamh soon discovers that betrayal comes with a heavy price and it will take everything in her power – her gods willing – to survive.
320 pages, Paperback
Published April 26, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
January 30, 2023
Assassins Creed: Valhalla: Sword Of The White Horse By Elsa Sjunneson, is s media tie-in novel based on Ubisoft’s Assassin Creed video game franchise.
Set in 878 AD, The story follows Niamh a celtic warrior witch from the secret order called The Women of the Mist as she tracks down the sword of Excalibur, which has been stolen from Stonehenge by the Viking Eivor. Niamh infiltrates a secret group known as the Hidden Ones on her mission and discovers a secret war in Mercia and the rival fractions all seek to take control of Excalibur. Niamh must decide whether she should return the sword to her people or her new allies.
The world of Assassin's Creed Valhalla is already incredibly rich and the addition of Niamh and the Ladies of the Lake made Viking England so much more enjoyable. I loved the connections between the game (with appearances from the characters of Valhalla and Ravensthorpe) and watching characters interact in another medium. It was enjoyable to explore the world of the Assassins vs Templars from an outsider's perspective in an era that was so turbulent already. Niamh and her relationship with her religion was a huge part of this story and I loved the way she learned to move past the understandable ideas of the new people coming to England.
Despite the inclusion of several characters from the game, the book primarily focuses on a brand new character, Niamh. Author Elsa Sjunneson does a great job at putting the reader into Niamh's head throughout the book, and she quickly becomes a very complex and conflicted character. Her people mean everything to her, her position as a warrior witch is one she holds with pride. She takes care in her duties, and is willing to put her life on the line. However, as the book progresses she begins to gain a different outlook on things, thanks in part to the relationships she begins to form with those she'd have once considered her enemies. She starts to wonder if there could be more peaceful solutions, if she and her people could change their relationships with the outside world going forward. These thoughts put her in opposition to what she's been ordered to do, and over the course of the book we see how this all weighs on her as she tries to find the perfect solution.
Niamh was enjoyable to spend time with, and I found her to be a character that had a lot more to her than first appeared. Initially set up as a hardened warrior, we see that she has a deep caring to her. She will go out of her way to help oppressed people, especially women. She tried to use her skills to help and heal where she can. And despite her occupation, there are several times where she avoids killing, even though that'd be her best solution. I'd have liked to have spent more time with the character, to really get to see more of her in more complex situations, as I felt she was a character that could go on to be a very interesting figure; especially with how the book ends.
The novel also manages to fit a lot of interesting locations in too, and sees Niamh traveling all over 9th century Great Britain. From London, to Hadrians Wall, to Ravensthorpe, and even White Horse Hill, our heroine spends a great deal of her time going from place to place in order to complete her mission. This does in some way make me think of the Assassin's Creed games, and how you have to travel all over the map, going from your home base to mission locations and back again over and over; and it was kind of neat that the author managed to get this gaming feel into the novel. While also capturing some great world building on Niamh’s journey throughout 9th century Britain.
All in all, Whether you're a fan of the game looking to experience more of the ever expanding Assassin's Creed universe, or a complete newcomer who was attracted by how the story sounded, this is a book that anyone can pick up and enjoy. It's got some great characters, some wonderful world building, and some tense action sequences that are sure to keep folks entertained. Here's hoping we get more from Niamh and her story in the future.
Set in 878 AD, The story follows Niamh a celtic warrior witch from the secret order called The Women of the Mist as she tracks down the sword of Excalibur, which has been stolen from Stonehenge by the Viking Eivor. Niamh infiltrates a secret group known as the Hidden Ones on her mission and discovers a secret war in Mercia and the rival fractions all seek to take control of Excalibur. Niamh must decide whether she should return the sword to her people or her new allies.
The world of Assassin's Creed Valhalla is already incredibly rich and the addition of Niamh and the Ladies of the Lake made Viking England so much more enjoyable. I loved the connections between the game (with appearances from the characters of Valhalla and Ravensthorpe) and watching characters interact in another medium. It was enjoyable to explore the world of the Assassins vs Templars from an outsider's perspective in an era that was so turbulent already. Niamh and her relationship with her religion was a huge part of this story and I loved the way she learned to move past the understandable ideas of the new people coming to England.
Despite the inclusion of several characters from the game, the book primarily focuses on a brand new character, Niamh. Author Elsa Sjunneson does a great job at putting the reader into Niamh's head throughout the book, and she quickly becomes a very complex and conflicted character. Her people mean everything to her, her position as a warrior witch is one she holds with pride. She takes care in her duties, and is willing to put her life on the line. However, as the book progresses she begins to gain a different outlook on things, thanks in part to the relationships she begins to form with those she'd have once considered her enemies. She starts to wonder if there could be more peaceful solutions, if she and her people could change their relationships with the outside world going forward. These thoughts put her in opposition to what she's been ordered to do, and over the course of the book we see how this all weighs on her as she tries to find the perfect solution.
Niamh was enjoyable to spend time with, and I found her to be a character that had a lot more to her than first appeared. Initially set up as a hardened warrior, we see that she has a deep caring to her. She will go out of her way to help oppressed people, especially women. She tried to use her skills to help and heal where she can. And despite her occupation, there are several times where she avoids killing, even though that'd be her best solution. I'd have liked to have spent more time with the character, to really get to see more of her in more complex situations, as I felt she was a character that could go on to be a very interesting figure; especially with how the book ends.
The novel also manages to fit a lot of interesting locations in too, and sees Niamh traveling all over 9th century Great Britain. From London, to Hadrians Wall, to Ravensthorpe, and even White Horse Hill, our heroine spends a great deal of her time going from place to place in order to complete her mission. This does in some way make me think of the Assassin's Creed games, and how you have to travel all over the map, going from your home base to mission locations and back again over and over; and it was kind of neat that the author managed to get this gaming feel into the novel. While also capturing some great world building on Niamh’s journey throughout 9th century Britain.
All in all, Whether you're a fan of the game looking to experience more of the ever expanding Assassin's Creed universe, or a complete newcomer who was attracted by how the story sounded, this is a book that anyone can pick up and enjoy. It's got some great characters, some wonderful world building, and some tense action sequences that are sure to keep folks entertained. Here's hoping we get more from Niamh and her story in the future.
February 27, 2022
Okay … it is not like this is a bad story; just that it is difficult to actually identify anything specific that I like about it outside of the genre itself. It is a fairly short novel, so there is not much room for character development and it shows. The main characters are extremely flat and hard to connect to as they mechanically march through the adventure. Even the world building, which relies heavily on Arthurian tropes, was not very interesting (not to mention apparently so small the travel from Caledonia to Mercia felt like a standard work commute on the beltway … with the main character popping into Avalon (the hidden realm of the Women of the Mist) to report every time she left London to go adventuring. I suppose that I should have anticipated that a story built on top of a game would read like a game? Dialog was stilted and character interaction seems awkward at best.
The setup was interesting … An organization called the Hidden Ones was desperate enough to try and recruit local talent into their fight against the Descendants of the [Round] Table (Mordred’s kin) and the Order of Ancient (an apparent secret society of Christians hell bent on destroying the wholesome pagans of Scotland). We have a few encounters with pagan Picts around Hadrian’s Wall (along with some home sock Romans); however, most of the conflict centers around the struggle of the pagan faithful to freely worship their own deities the way that always have as the Christianity makes headway into the local mindset. This trope has been done before … and generally done better. Here everything was so black and white it just wasn’t interesting (bod guys bad … good guys good … what more is there). I actually enjoy some ambiguity here where I can connect to the motivation of both sides.
The characters … we have Niamh … a witch/warrior sent on a spy mission to see if her people (the Women of the Mist) might find an ally in the struggle to protect the simple people of the Isles from the evil Christians. She infiltrates the Hidden Ones, who send her on a mission that goes poorly … earning the privilege on becoming an initiate of the their order. Unfortunately … she discovers a secret for which force her to choose where her loyalties lie … and apparently being an initiate of the Hidden Ones doesn’t require any promises so I guess the choice should have been obvious … at any rate … Niamh alters between not being worthy of anything to being so hot headed that she felt the need to take on unbelievable odds like a bull in a china shop (absolutely no finesse here at all … but this is a game right). The story here just felt forced and mechanical ... very little seems normal or natural.
I was given this free advance review copy (ARC) ebook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
#AssassinsCreedValhallaSwordoftheWhiteHorse #NetGalley.
The setup was interesting … An organization called the Hidden Ones was desperate enough to try and recruit local talent into their fight against the Descendants of the [Round] Table (Mordred’s kin) and the Order of Ancient (an apparent secret society of Christians hell bent on destroying the wholesome pagans of Scotland). We have a few encounters with pagan Picts around Hadrian’s Wall (along with some home sock Romans); however, most of the conflict centers around the struggle of the pagan faithful to freely worship their own deities the way that always have as the Christianity makes headway into the local mindset. This trope has been done before … and generally done better. Here everything was so black and white it just wasn’t interesting (bod guys bad … good guys good … what more is there). I actually enjoy some ambiguity here where I can connect to the motivation of both sides.
The characters … we have Niamh … a witch/warrior sent on a spy mission to see if her people (the Women of the Mist) might find an ally in the struggle to protect the simple people of the Isles from the evil Christians. She infiltrates the Hidden Ones, who send her on a mission that goes poorly … earning the privilege on becoming an initiate of the their order. Unfortunately … she discovers a secret for which force her to choose where her loyalties lie … and apparently being an initiate of the Hidden Ones doesn’t require any promises so I guess the choice should have been obvious … at any rate … Niamh alters between not being worthy of anything to being so hot headed that she felt the need to take on unbelievable odds like a bull in a china shop (absolutely no finesse here at all … but this is a game right). The story here just felt forced and mechanical ... very little seems normal or natural.
I was given this free advance review copy (ARC) ebook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
#AssassinsCreedValhallaSwordoftheWhiteHorse #NetGalley.
February 17, 2022
Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Sword of the White Horse follows Niamh, a witch-warrior, follower of the Lady of the Mists, in a fantasy version of historical Great Britain. She enters into the Hidden Ones as a secret mission to the Lady, but soon finds herself enmeshed in a fairly complex war between religion, race and of course the constant enemy throughout the Assassin's Creed, the Ancient ones. As someone who is Welsh and quite interested in Celtic lore, I always enjoy exploration of the Arthurian themes and legends. Excalibur is the main quest objective with plenty of history and lore behind it.
If you think describing a plot point as a quest objective is a bit weird... you might not realize that this, like all the books in the Assassin's Creed series, is to accompany the video game. I would highly recommend it to people who play the games, but it might not make the same connection with you if you're not a fan of the video game series. There are lots of hidden references and nods to the video game, from jumping off buildings into haystacks to hide, hiding corpses, stealth missions, and overall it has a very authentic video game feel of completing missions, occasionally getting side quests, and coming up against bosses who are harder than usual. As a gamer, I love reading this series of books and smiling at the Easter eggs, whilst also enjoying a simple fantasy tale of mysticism, loyalty and of course, good vs evil. Our main character is a strong female lead and that's excellent to see.
If you go into this with no knowledge of the video game, you may find some of the motivations or actions of our main characters a little odd, and also have no knowledge of the complex universe and backstory, but I still think it would be an enjoyable read.
As a fan of both the game and book franchise I'm giving Sword of the White Horse 4 stars.
If you think describing a plot point as a quest objective is a bit weird... you might not realize that this, like all the books in the Assassin's Creed series, is to accompany the video game. I would highly recommend it to people who play the games, but it might not make the same connection with you if you're not a fan of the video game series. There are lots of hidden references and nods to the video game, from jumping off buildings into haystacks to hide, hiding corpses, stealth missions, and overall it has a very authentic video game feel of completing missions, occasionally getting side quests, and coming up against bosses who are harder than usual. As a gamer, I love reading this series of books and smiling at the Easter eggs, whilst also enjoying a simple fantasy tale of mysticism, loyalty and of course, good vs evil. Our main character is a strong female lead and that's excellent to see.
If you go into this with no knowledge of the video game, you may find some of the motivations or actions of our main characters a little odd, and also have no knowledge of the complex universe and backstory, but I still think it would be an enjoyable read.
As a fan of both the game and book franchise I'm giving Sword of the White Horse 4 stars.
September 5, 2024
It was ok. If you played the game it will probably work for you, but otherwise pretty meh.
April 30, 2023
The more I think about this book, the more upset about it I get. Which is really annoying, because I was kind of looking forward to this. Telling a story set in the time of "AC: Valhalla" from the point of view of a person of actual Celtic heritage, and dealing with Excalibur (which is just in the game, as a thing you can get but of no significance to the characters), is a great idea, because it gets a different perspective, and one that is honest about the fact that the Vikings are invading.
And I liked that! The game has your character, Eivor, raiding monasteries, overthrowing kingdoms, and installing puppet kings, but still tries to insist that you're the good guy. The lead in this book, Niamh, makes it clear that the people of Britain don't view the Danes as peaceful immigrants but as invaders. AND there's the point made that Eivor's claiming Excalibur was actually kind of wrong, because it's an object that has no value to her or her culture. She just grabbed it because it was shiny and cool, the kind of thing colonizers do.
So why did this book make me mad upon reflection? Because the main character, Niamh, is a "Celtic pagan," in a way that's incredibly inaccurate. Not only that she's Caledonian, from Argyll, and it's presented as an area that's still pagan--it wasn't. That part of Scotland was the first to be Christianinzed, I know this because I studied the history when I studied abroad in Scotland. Saint Columba! Iona! These were things!
But the game has pagans in places that would have been Christian so fine, whatevs. What makes it inexcusable is that Niamh's religion is not based on Scottish or Irish beliefs or mythology. No, it's pretty much all copied and pasted from "Mists of Avalon." As in, at Glastonbury there's the Isle of Avalon, led by a high priestess who has her agents carry out tasks. Niamh references Celtic gods and mythological figures--mostly the Morrigan, but also Ceridwen, Cernunnos, and Epona, despite those latter two being from the continent rather than the British Isles.
And yeah, "Assassin's Creed" sometimes plays fast and loose with history. Nowhere is that more obvious than "Assassin's Creed: Valhalla." But this? Actually grafting in another book's made-up mythology into AC historical fiction? Passing it off as historical, or your own take on history? It's darn near inexcusable. It's friggin' weird because this is apparently an award-winning author, who is also an activist, and yet her contribution to the AC canon is crossover fanfic with "Mists of Avalon"? If you like "Mists of Avalon" that's fine, but acting like it makes any sense being put in "Assassin's Creed" is really, really, REALLY dumb.
Not only did the author not do the homework, she read loosely-based historical fiction and acted like it was homework.
No! Bad author!
And I liked that! The game has your character, Eivor, raiding monasteries, overthrowing kingdoms, and installing puppet kings, but still tries to insist that you're the good guy. The lead in this book, Niamh, makes it clear that the people of Britain don't view the Danes as peaceful immigrants but as invaders. AND there's the point made that Eivor's claiming Excalibur was actually kind of wrong, because it's an object that has no value to her or her culture. She just grabbed it because it was shiny and cool, the kind of thing colonizers do.
So why did this book make me mad upon reflection? Because the main character, Niamh, is a "Celtic pagan," in a way that's incredibly inaccurate. Not only that she's Caledonian, from Argyll, and it's presented as an area that's still pagan--it wasn't. That part of Scotland was the first to be Christianinzed, I know this because I studied the history when I studied abroad in Scotland. Saint Columba! Iona! These were things!
But the game has pagans in places that would have been Christian so fine, whatevs. What makes it inexcusable is that Niamh's religion is not based on Scottish or Irish beliefs or mythology. No, it's pretty much all copied and pasted from "Mists of Avalon." As in, at Glastonbury there's the Isle of Avalon, led by a high priestess who has her agents carry out tasks. Niamh references Celtic gods and mythological figures--mostly the Morrigan, but also Ceridwen, Cernunnos, and Epona, despite those latter two being from the continent rather than the British Isles.
And yeah, "Assassin's Creed" sometimes plays fast and loose with history. Nowhere is that more obvious than "Assassin's Creed: Valhalla." But this? Actually grafting in another book's made-up mythology into AC historical fiction? Passing it off as historical, or your own take on history? It's darn near inexcusable. It's friggin' weird because this is apparently an award-winning author, who is also an activist, and yet her contribution to the AC canon is crossover fanfic with "Mists of Avalon"? If you like "Mists of Avalon" that's fine, but acting like it makes any sense being put in "Assassin's Creed" is really, really, REALLY dumb.
Not only did the author not do the homework, she read loosely-based historical fiction and acted like it was homework.
No! Bad author!
April 7, 2022
Some spoilers ahead, though I shall try to keep them abstract to minimise impact.
The rating on this one is admittedly a bit subjective: Rank it higher if you're a fan of the Assassin's Creed games and would likely find a recreation of the game's storytelling and integration of mechanics - including what is effectively a narrated tutorial sequence - to be of interest. Because that is what is this book, even among such tie-in titles - a recreation of an experience as you would find it in the games. For anyone who has felt that AC Valhalla proper didn't lean into Templars and Assassins (apologies, the Order of Ancients and the Hidden Ones) enough, Sword of the White Horse may deliver more of what you desire, if still somewhat indirectly. Instead we have the Women of the Mist, and the Descendants of the Round Table. Each is something of a counterpart to the existing factions, but treatment of those lot as outsiders exercising their influence on other parties is actually somewhat refreshing, to my eye. With the book not able to full develop the ideas therein given the limited length available to it, if there was any prospect of a sequel, I'd happily see it all fleshed out further. Combined with the adaptation of the game experience to text, with decided focus on stealth elements the game itself isn't always so consistent on - and the consequences for enacting them poorly - and Sword of the White House feels like a framework for an unrealised DLC, or a spinoff that you'd have on a handheld console if those still existed.
The most notable weaknesses of the book are faults that likely few among its audience will actually realise, being comparably minute details of historicity. Particularly in the early chapters of the book, Sjunneson seeks to construct a world that once resembles the game it is adapting, while also seeding assumed bits of historical reality, or historical literature, to better paint the canvas. Yet insisting upon Mercia as a synonym for all of England is a strange choice, particularly as aiding Halfdan Ragnarsson in his subjugation of Northumbria - in whose territory Hadrian's Wall, which Niamh crosses repeatedly, lies - makes up much of the latter half of AC Valhalla proper. Key to Niamh's introduction to the Hidden Ones is her papering over the mismatch of her name versus that of the woman she's replacing - one Nimue - with the fact the names are close enough to pretend it's a mispronunciation. This itself requires a particular interpretation of their pronunciation to work, even beyond Nimue being a rendering to exist out of Thomas Malory, not in the 9th century, assuming this isn't even simply rooted in how the names are spelled. If Niamh is truly of Argyll, then Iona Abbey has been in her neck of the woods for centuries; the Christianisation of Scotland is generally accepted to be firmly entrenched by the time of the story - something even the game concedes on, despite its visual coding of the Picts - yet Christianity is treated as still 'coming north'.
But then, general audiences will better recognise the name Nimue - much as it's a small easter egg in ultimate context - far more readily than they will Nynyve or any other of the myriad names for the Lady of the Lake in medieval literature. Few are going to stop what they're reading to double check the orientation of the Uffington White Horse's head, relative to the City of London. So while these quibbles of technicality exist, I doubt they will do too much to detract for most. On the other hand, it may convince some of Neo-Pagan terminology and worldviews as being extant far further back than they actually were. An ever present double-edged sword with Assassin's Creed (or a hidden blade, as such) is that it is celebrated for its 'historical accuracy', even as it courts many an anachronism or fabrication, and even before accounting for the fantasy plot of its lore; why should this book be any different in that regard? The duality is perhaps best encapsulated in the arrival to Glastonbury Tor: where the historical reality of the body of water that once sat at the Tor's base - the draining and reclamation of the Somerset Levels yet to truly take place - is set against its treatment as the home of this story's version of Avalon, maintained and run by an order of women as in line with legend. To assume the story's depiction of just about anything either wholly baseless, or entirely correct, is to miss something in the mix.
In that regard, the book is perhaps a perfect companion to the game, which more than most entries in Assassin's Creed carries that same sensibility. Like the game as well, the book leaves on much on the table, though where Valhalla is simply spread thin in spite of its sheer size, one may be left feeling the story that was to be told here didn't have the space in which to fully flesh itself out. Even things that stand now as anachronisms or curiosities for the sake of atmosphere could easily be explored to find how they might be grounded in the late 9th century - stretching my 'handheld spinoff' metaphor of earlier, this version of the story is one where the player focuses purely on the main quest, rather than any side quests like who the 'Roman' at Hadrian's Wall might be. What we have is quite functional, and for the sheer vibe and feel of the story, I do rather wish for more of it despite my pedantry, as mentioned previously. For anyone who isn't an existing fan of the franchise at least, treat it as mostly a historical fantasy AU, and you shouldn't go too far awry. For those who are, I highly encourage imagining the potential cutscenes and gameplay in one's head; one can grasp best grasp the intent that way.
The rating on this one is admittedly a bit subjective: Rank it higher if you're a fan of the Assassin's Creed games and would likely find a recreation of the game's storytelling and integration of mechanics - including what is effectively a narrated tutorial sequence - to be of interest. Because that is what is this book, even among such tie-in titles - a recreation of an experience as you would find it in the games. For anyone who has felt that AC Valhalla proper didn't lean into Templars and Assassins (apologies, the Order of Ancients and the Hidden Ones) enough, Sword of the White Horse may deliver more of what you desire, if still somewhat indirectly. Instead we have the Women of the Mist, and the Descendants of the Round Table. Each is something of a counterpart to the existing factions, but treatment of those lot as outsiders exercising their influence on other parties is actually somewhat refreshing, to my eye. With the book not able to full develop the ideas therein given the limited length available to it, if there was any prospect of a sequel, I'd happily see it all fleshed out further. Combined with the adaptation of the game experience to text, with decided focus on stealth elements the game itself isn't always so consistent on - and the consequences for enacting them poorly - and Sword of the White House feels like a framework for an unrealised DLC, or a spinoff that you'd have on a handheld console if those still existed.
The most notable weaknesses of the book are faults that likely few among its audience will actually realise, being comparably minute details of historicity. Particularly in the early chapters of the book, Sjunneson seeks to construct a world that once resembles the game it is adapting, while also seeding assumed bits of historical reality, or historical literature, to better paint the canvas. Yet insisting upon Mercia as a synonym for all of England is a strange choice, particularly as aiding Halfdan Ragnarsson in his subjugation of Northumbria - in whose territory Hadrian's Wall, which Niamh crosses repeatedly, lies - makes up much of the latter half of AC Valhalla proper. Key to Niamh's introduction to the Hidden Ones is her papering over the mismatch of her name versus that of the woman she's replacing - one Nimue - with the fact the names are close enough to pretend it's a mispronunciation. This itself requires a particular interpretation of their pronunciation to work, even beyond Nimue being a rendering to exist out of Thomas Malory, not in the 9th century, assuming this isn't even simply rooted in how the names are spelled. If Niamh is truly of Argyll, then Iona Abbey has been in her neck of the woods for centuries; the Christianisation of Scotland is generally accepted to be firmly entrenched by the time of the story - something even the game concedes on, despite its visual coding of the Picts - yet Christianity is treated as still 'coming north'.
But then, general audiences will better recognise the name Nimue - much as it's a small easter egg in ultimate context - far more readily than they will Nynyve or any other of the myriad names for the Lady of the Lake in medieval literature. Few are going to stop what they're reading to double check the orientation of the Uffington White Horse's head, relative to the City of London. So while these quibbles of technicality exist, I doubt they will do too much to detract for most. On the other hand, it may convince some of Neo-Pagan terminology and worldviews as being extant far further back than they actually were. An ever present double-edged sword with Assassin's Creed (or a hidden blade, as such) is that it is celebrated for its 'historical accuracy', even as it courts many an anachronism or fabrication, and even before accounting for the fantasy plot of its lore; why should this book be any different in that regard? The duality is perhaps best encapsulated in the arrival to Glastonbury Tor: where the historical reality of the body of water that once sat at the Tor's base - the draining and reclamation of the Somerset Levels yet to truly take place - is set against its treatment as the home of this story's version of Avalon, maintained and run by an order of women as in line with legend. To assume the story's depiction of just about anything either wholly baseless, or entirely correct, is to miss something in the mix.
In that regard, the book is perhaps a perfect companion to the game, which more than most entries in Assassin's Creed carries that same sensibility. Like the game as well, the book leaves on much on the table, though where Valhalla is simply spread thin in spite of its sheer size, one may be left feeling the story that was to be told here didn't have the space in which to fully flesh itself out. Even things that stand now as anachronisms or curiosities for the sake of atmosphere could easily be explored to find how they might be grounded in the late 9th century - stretching my 'handheld spinoff' metaphor of earlier, this version of the story is one where the player focuses purely on the main quest, rather than any side quests like who the 'Roman' at Hadrian's Wall might be. What we have is quite functional, and for the sheer vibe and feel of the story, I do rather wish for more of it despite my pedantry, as mentioned previously. For anyone who isn't an existing fan of the franchise at least, treat it as mostly a historical fantasy AU, and you shouldn't go too far awry. For those who are, I highly encourage imagining the potential cutscenes and gameplay in one's head; one can grasp best grasp the intent that way.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 7, 2022
Eine Hexenkriegerin versucht ihr Land zu retten
In diesem Buch stehen nicht die Wikinger im Mittelpunkt, sondern die Frauen vom See. Von Avalon aus wollen sie die Veränderungen in ihrem Land aufhalten. Sie schicken Niamh, eine Kriegerin ihrer Gemeinschaft, aus, um sich bei den „Verborgenen“ einzuschleusen und herauszufinden, was sie auf der Insel planen. Als sie jedoch erfährt, dass diese ein Artefakt besitzen, das ihrer Gemeinschaft gehört, muss sie ihre ursprünglichen Pläne über Bord werfen. Es geht jetzt nur noch um die Rettung der mächtigen Waffe.
Mercia, 878. Die Frauen müssen miterleben wie sie immer mehr die Kontrolle über ihre Insel verlieren. Hexen werden von der Kirche gejagt, die alte Religion verbannt und neue Herren machen sich im Land breit. Nun sind auch noch „die Verborgenen“ aufgetaucht und scheinen ihre ganz eigenen Ziele zu verfolgen. Als sich die Gelegenheit bietet, sich in diese Gruppierung einzuschleusen, wird die Hexenkriegerin Niamh ausgesandt, um mehr über sie zu erfahren. Es gelingt ihr neue Freunde zu finden, Allianzen zu bilden und neue Kampfstile gegen einen gemeinsamen Feind zu erlernen. Doch dann erfährt sie von einem Artefakt, das nicht in andere Hände gehört, und sie muss alles hinter sich lassen, um es zu retten.
Niamh ist eine tolle, starke Frau, Priesterin und Kämpferin, mit der man gerne Abenteuer durchlebt. Mit ihr bekommt man eine neue Sicht auf die damalige Zeit und den Kampf der Assassine gegen die Kirche. Der Autorin gelingt es dabei hervorragend alte Mythen in ihre Geschichte einzuweben und gleichzeitig Charaktere aus der Valhalla-Spielewelt mit einzuflechten. Eivor darf natürlich nicht fehlen, wobei sie diesmal eine kleine, aber umso wichtigere Nebenrolle spielt.
Als angehende Assassine muss sie sich erst den Respekt ihrer Ausbilder erarbeiten, findet neue Freunde und Verbündete und kann beweisen, dass sie geeignet ist, den Kampf gegen gemeinsame Feinde aufzunehmen. Damit war ihr Auftrag fast erfüllt und sie hätte zurückkehren können, bis jedoch ein lang vermisster Gegenstand erwähnt wird, der für die Herrin vom See unverzichtbar ist. Sie muss ihre eigenen Wurzeln in den Vordergrund rücken und sich gegen ihre neuen Freunde stellen, auch wenn dieser Versuch kaum Erfolgschancen hat.
Es gibt reichlich Assassin’s Creed Momente, man erfährt viel über die damaligen Ziele der Gemeinschaft und erlebt mit, wie die Verborgenen langsam wachsen. Eine kleine, aber feine Gruppe bildet sich in Lunden und nimmt den Kampf gegen diejenigen auf, die schon viel mehr auf der Insel verwurzelt sind.
Es ist ein völlig anderes Assassin‘s Creed Buch, das mir trotzdem hervorragend gefallen hat. Ich mag die Geschichte aus der Sicht der Hexenkriegerin aus Avalon, sowie die Vermischung mit alten Sagen. Die Charaktere passen in die Zeit. Die Situationen sind stimmig, spannend und gefahrvoll und Beschreibungen und Schreibstil sind hervorragend.
Das Hörbuch wird gelesen von Marylu Poolman. Ihre angenehme Stimme ließ mich perfekt in die Handlung abtauchen. Die Stimme passt zur Protagonistin und die anderen Charaktere sind ebenfalls wiedererkennbar.
Eine Empfehlung für alle Fans der Buchserie und jeden Fantasyfan, der Hexenkriegerinnen und alte englische Sagen liebt. Das Buch funktioniert auch ohne Assassin’s Creed Vorkenntnisse hervorragend und die Geschichte rund um das Artefakt ist sicher auch für Fans der Erzählungen über die Herrin vom See lesenswert.
In diesem Buch stehen nicht die Wikinger im Mittelpunkt, sondern die Frauen vom See. Von Avalon aus wollen sie die Veränderungen in ihrem Land aufhalten. Sie schicken Niamh, eine Kriegerin ihrer Gemeinschaft, aus, um sich bei den „Verborgenen“ einzuschleusen und herauszufinden, was sie auf der Insel planen. Als sie jedoch erfährt, dass diese ein Artefakt besitzen, das ihrer Gemeinschaft gehört, muss sie ihre ursprünglichen Pläne über Bord werfen. Es geht jetzt nur noch um die Rettung der mächtigen Waffe.
Mercia, 878. Die Frauen müssen miterleben wie sie immer mehr die Kontrolle über ihre Insel verlieren. Hexen werden von der Kirche gejagt, die alte Religion verbannt und neue Herren machen sich im Land breit. Nun sind auch noch „die Verborgenen“ aufgetaucht und scheinen ihre ganz eigenen Ziele zu verfolgen. Als sich die Gelegenheit bietet, sich in diese Gruppierung einzuschleusen, wird die Hexenkriegerin Niamh ausgesandt, um mehr über sie zu erfahren. Es gelingt ihr neue Freunde zu finden, Allianzen zu bilden und neue Kampfstile gegen einen gemeinsamen Feind zu erlernen. Doch dann erfährt sie von einem Artefakt, das nicht in andere Hände gehört, und sie muss alles hinter sich lassen, um es zu retten.
Niamh ist eine tolle, starke Frau, Priesterin und Kämpferin, mit der man gerne Abenteuer durchlebt. Mit ihr bekommt man eine neue Sicht auf die damalige Zeit und den Kampf der Assassine gegen die Kirche. Der Autorin gelingt es dabei hervorragend alte Mythen in ihre Geschichte einzuweben und gleichzeitig Charaktere aus der Valhalla-Spielewelt mit einzuflechten. Eivor darf natürlich nicht fehlen, wobei sie diesmal eine kleine, aber umso wichtigere Nebenrolle spielt.
Als angehende Assassine muss sie sich erst den Respekt ihrer Ausbilder erarbeiten, findet neue Freunde und Verbündete und kann beweisen, dass sie geeignet ist, den Kampf gegen gemeinsame Feinde aufzunehmen. Damit war ihr Auftrag fast erfüllt und sie hätte zurückkehren können, bis jedoch ein lang vermisster Gegenstand erwähnt wird, der für die Herrin vom See unverzichtbar ist. Sie muss ihre eigenen Wurzeln in den Vordergrund rücken und sich gegen ihre neuen Freunde stellen, auch wenn dieser Versuch kaum Erfolgschancen hat.
Es gibt reichlich Assassin’s Creed Momente, man erfährt viel über die damaligen Ziele der Gemeinschaft und erlebt mit, wie die Verborgenen langsam wachsen. Eine kleine, aber feine Gruppe bildet sich in Lunden und nimmt den Kampf gegen diejenigen auf, die schon viel mehr auf der Insel verwurzelt sind.
Es ist ein völlig anderes Assassin‘s Creed Buch, das mir trotzdem hervorragend gefallen hat. Ich mag die Geschichte aus der Sicht der Hexenkriegerin aus Avalon, sowie die Vermischung mit alten Sagen. Die Charaktere passen in die Zeit. Die Situationen sind stimmig, spannend und gefahrvoll und Beschreibungen und Schreibstil sind hervorragend.
Das Hörbuch wird gelesen von Marylu Poolman. Ihre angenehme Stimme ließ mich perfekt in die Handlung abtauchen. Die Stimme passt zur Protagonistin und die anderen Charaktere sind ebenfalls wiedererkennbar.
Eine Empfehlung für alle Fans der Buchserie und jeden Fantasyfan, der Hexenkriegerinnen und alte englische Sagen liebt. Das Buch funktioniert auch ohne Assassin’s Creed Vorkenntnisse hervorragend und die Geschichte rund um das Artefakt ist sicher auch für Fans der Erzählungen über die Herrin vom See lesenswert.
April 29, 2022
I've yet to play Assassin's Creed Valhalla, but as someone who's enjoyed many of the games in the series and has always liked Viking history and Norse mythology it's a game that I'm looking forward to sitting down to play at some point in the future. As such, when it was announced that a tie-in novel was being released I was eager to read it, hoping that it would encourage me to finally play the game.
Set some time after the events of the game, Sword of the White Horse follows Niamh, a warrior witch of the Women of the Mist, a secret order that operates out of the hidden isle of Avalon. Following the events of the game, one of their sacred artefacts, the sword Excalibur, was taken from beneath Stonehenge by the Viking shield-maiden Eivor. When a secret group called the Hidden Ones sends out word that they're looking for a skilled warrior to join their cause the Lady of Avalon sends Niamh to pretend to be this warrior and infiltrate their organisation.
Upon arriving in Lunden, Niamh is met by two members of the order, the mistrustful Marcella, and the kind Hytham. Working together with Hytham, Niamh is deemed to be worthy of becoming a temporary member of the group, and begins to perform missions with them. Through working with them Niamh learns more than she ever thought she would, discovering that there's a secret war going on in Mercia, one that sees rival factions fighting to gain power, and that Excalibur is an item that all sides seek to possess. However, when Niamh finally discovers who has the sword, she must decide if she can really turn on her new allies, even if she is sworn to return the artefact to her people.
As someone who hasn't yet played the game I was a little worried that there would be times reading this book that I'd get a little lost, or that my lack of knowledge would leave me having to google for background information. Other than one scene in which I felt there was a lack of information (Niamh got filled in on the rival faction but the reader didn't get this info) I never felt too lost. It quickly became apparent who each group was in the grand scheme of things. I even discovered after finishing the book when doing a little background reading that several characters other than Eivor appeared in the game too. For someone like myself, coming in with no information, this all read fine and didn't change my enjoyment; but I can imagine that for those who have played the game this would have been a great surprise.
Despite the inclusion of several characters from the game, the book focuses on a brand new character, Niamh. Elsa Sjunneson does a great job at putting the reader into Niamh's head throughout the book, and she quickly becomes a very complex and conflicted character. Her people mean everything to her, her position as a warrior witch is one she holds with pride. She takes care in her duties, and is willing to put her life on the line. However, as the book progresses she begins to gain a different outlook on things, thanks in part to the relationships she begins to form with those she'd have once considered her enemies. She starts to wonder if there could be more peaceful solutions, if she and her people could change their relationships with the outside world going forward. These thoughts put her in opposition to what she's been ordered to do, and over the course of the book we see how this all weighs on her as she tries to find the perfect solution.
Niamh was enjoyable to spend time with, and I found her to be a character that had a lot more to her than first appeared. Initially set up as a hardened warrior, we see that she has a deep caring to her. She will go out of her way to help oppressed people, especially women. She tried to use her skills to help and heal where she can. And despite her occupation, there are several times where she avoids killing, even though that'd be her best solution. I'd have liked to have spent more time with the character, to really get to see more of her in more complex situations, as I felt she was a character that could go on to be a very interesting figure; especially with how the book ends.
The novel also manages to fit a lot of interesting locations in too, and sees Niamh travelling all over Great Britain. From London, to Hadrians Wall, to Ravensthorpe, and even White Horse Hill, our hero spends a great deal of her time going from place to place in order to complete her mission. This does in some way make me think of the Assassin's Creed games, and how you have to travel all over the map, going from your home base to mission locations and back again over and over; and it was kind of neat that the author managed to get this gaming feel into the novel.
Whether you're a fan of the game looking to experience more of the ever expanding Assassin's Creed universe, or a complete newcomer who was attracted by how the story sounded, this is a book that anyone can pick up and enjoy. It's got some great characters, some wonderful world building, and some tense action sequences that are sure to keep folks entertained. Here's hoping we get more from Niamh and her story in the future.
Set some time after the events of the game, Sword of the White Horse follows Niamh, a warrior witch of the Women of the Mist, a secret order that operates out of the hidden isle of Avalon. Following the events of the game, one of their sacred artefacts, the sword Excalibur, was taken from beneath Stonehenge by the Viking shield-maiden Eivor. When a secret group called the Hidden Ones sends out word that they're looking for a skilled warrior to join their cause the Lady of Avalon sends Niamh to pretend to be this warrior and infiltrate their organisation.
Upon arriving in Lunden, Niamh is met by two members of the order, the mistrustful Marcella, and the kind Hytham. Working together with Hytham, Niamh is deemed to be worthy of becoming a temporary member of the group, and begins to perform missions with them. Through working with them Niamh learns more than she ever thought she would, discovering that there's a secret war going on in Mercia, one that sees rival factions fighting to gain power, and that Excalibur is an item that all sides seek to possess. However, when Niamh finally discovers who has the sword, she must decide if she can really turn on her new allies, even if she is sworn to return the artefact to her people.
As someone who hasn't yet played the game I was a little worried that there would be times reading this book that I'd get a little lost, or that my lack of knowledge would leave me having to google for background information. Other than one scene in which I felt there was a lack of information (Niamh got filled in on the rival faction but the reader didn't get this info) I never felt too lost. It quickly became apparent who each group was in the grand scheme of things. I even discovered after finishing the book when doing a little background reading that several characters other than Eivor appeared in the game too. For someone like myself, coming in with no information, this all read fine and didn't change my enjoyment; but I can imagine that for those who have played the game this would have been a great surprise.
Despite the inclusion of several characters from the game, the book focuses on a brand new character, Niamh. Elsa Sjunneson does a great job at putting the reader into Niamh's head throughout the book, and she quickly becomes a very complex and conflicted character. Her people mean everything to her, her position as a warrior witch is one she holds with pride. She takes care in her duties, and is willing to put her life on the line. However, as the book progresses she begins to gain a different outlook on things, thanks in part to the relationships she begins to form with those she'd have once considered her enemies. She starts to wonder if there could be more peaceful solutions, if she and her people could change their relationships with the outside world going forward. These thoughts put her in opposition to what she's been ordered to do, and over the course of the book we see how this all weighs on her as she tries to find the perfect solution.
Niamh was enjoyable to spend time with, and I found her to be a character that had a lot more to her than first appeared. Initially set up as a hardened warrior, we see that she has a deep caring to her. She will go out of her way to help oppressed people, especially women. She tried to use her skills to help and heal where she can. And despite her occupation, there are several times where she avoids killing, even though that'd be her best solution. I'd have liked to have spent more time with the character, to really get to see more of her in more complex situations, as I felt she was a character that could go on to be a very interesting figure; especially with how the book ends.
The novel also manages to fit a lot of interesting locations in too, and sees Niamh travelling all over Great Britain. From London, to Hadrians Wall, to Ravensthorpe, and even White Horse Hill, our hero spends a great deal of her time going from place to place in order to complete her mission. This does in some way make me think of the Assassin's Creed games, and how you have to travel all over the map, going from your home base to mission locations and back again over and over; and it was kind of neat that the author managed to get this gaming feel into the novel.
Whether you're a fan of the game looking to experience more of the ever expanding Assassin's Creed universe, or a complete newcomer who was attracted by how the story sounded, this is a book that anyone can pick up and enjoy. It's got some great characters, some wonderful world building, and some tense action sequences that are sure to keep folks entertained. Here's hoping we get more from Niamh and her story in the future.
December 30, 2022
I have been provided with an advance copy of the new Assassins Creed book Sword of the White Horse by the amazing Elsa Sjunneson , published by Aconyte Books, so here is the honest review I promised in exchange for the book.
So here is an important disclaimer which is always important to put out there first. I have a casual work contact with Asmodee to demonstrate board games for them in stores and at conventions. Asmodee being the parent company of Aconyte the publisher.
I am going to try my best to not let that cloud my judgement in this review, but I accept that subconsciously it might.
I also think I may have met Elsa at the Dublin WorldCon, but I met a lot of people that week and my memory is still addled by the curse of brain damage!
So let’s crack on with a review then!
What is Assassin Creed
Assassins Creed is an adventure game franchise published by Ubisoft (One of my Edge of Empire Co-hosts used to work there as well I should probably mention), and depicts a millennia-old conflict between the Assassins, who fight to preserve free will, and the Templars who desire to bring around peace by controlling people.
The games take place throughout various historical periods, the original 2007 game being set in the era of the 3rd Crusades, and the latest game Assassins Creed Valhalla, set in the Viking Invasion of Britain, and that is the setting of this book.
The Story
This game is set after the events of the main Assassins Creed Valhalla game, and before any of the DLC in 878.
Niamh, a witch-warrior of Avalon and her clan, the Women of the Mist finds herself given a mission by The Lady, the leader of Avalon, to respond to a letter sent by The Hidden Ones, and infiltrate the organisation to find out what their plan is.
Travelling from Argyll beyond Hadrian’s Wall to the city of Lunden in Mercia, she finds herself drawn into the conflict between the Hidden Ones and the Order of the Ancients, as she works to uncover the threat the latter poses to the people of her faith, and the Women of the Mist.
Challenged in her preconceptions, she has to put aside prejudice to work with Northmen, Romans and those from further afield, as she seeks to find an ancient relic, which if acquired by the Order of Ancients, could lead the islands into darkness.
Conclusion
I have yet to play Assassins Creed Valhalla, but the stuff I do know fit in quite well with the book, and it was rather enjoyable.
I devoured it, in two sittings, finding myself unable to put it down until I was literally too sleepy to concentrate.
I was kinda hoping for a bit more of her learning the trade of the Hidden Ones, and ascending the ranks to become an Assassin, but the story didn’t need it, if anything, I would have loved this book to be twice as long.
A lot of excellent world building and the sights, sounds and smells of Mercia felt so real, its a very descriptive story.
There was a lot of great stuff that forced Niamh to overcome prejudices, especially towards Christians and Northmen, as she found herself working to save and work with people from those backgrounds, whilst keeping her true motives hidden, despite knowing the two groups should be natural allies.
I was really excited by this book, and was looking forward to it, but I really wish it was longer.
My only real criticism, is that character development felt, shallow, which I think was a compromise between fitting so much story in and keeping its length down. But I could never really get a good grasp on Niamhs character, was she a planner or did she go by the seat of her pants, cause she kinda never seemed to fit into either, and I struggled to understand her personality.
Also it did feel like the novelisation of a game, with distances and time being a bit wishy washy, but that’s just nitpicking.
I am giving it 4 out of 5 stars, which feels stingy for how much I enjoyed it, but I really think the faults it did have, really could have been resolved with more pages.
So here is an important disclaimer which is always important to put out there first. I have a casual work contact with Asmodee to demonstrate board games for them in stores and at conventions. Asmodee being the parent company of Aconyte the publisher.
I am going to try my best to not let that cloud my judgement in this review, but I accept that subconsciously it might.
I also think I may have met Elsa at the Dublin WorldCon, but I met a lot of people that week and my memory is still addled by the curse of brain damage!
So let’s crack on with a review then!
What is Assassin Creed
Assassins Creed is an adventure game franchise published by Ubisoft (One of my Edge of Empire Co-hosts used to work there as well I should probably mention), and depicts a millennia-old conflict between the Assassins, who fight to preserve free will, and the Templars who desire to bring around peace by controlling people.
The games take place throughout various historical periods, the original 2007 game being set in the era of the 3rd Crusades, and the latest game Assassins Creed Valhalla, set in the Viking Invasion of Britain, and that is the setting of this book.
The Story
This game is set after the events of the main Assassins Creed Valhalla game, and before any of the DLC in 878.
Niamh, a witch-warrior of Avalon and her clan, the Women of the Mist finds herself given a mission by The Lady, the leader of Avalon, to respond to a letter sent by The Hidden Ones, and infiltrate the organisation to find out what their plan is.
Travelling from Argyll beyond Hadrian’s Wall to the city of Lunden in Mercia, she finds herself drawn into the conflict between the Hidden Ones and the Order of the Ancients, as she works to uncover the threat the latter poses to the people of her faith, and the Women of the Mist.
Challenged in her preconceptions, she has to put aside prejudice to work with Northmen, Romans and those from further afield, as she seeks to find an ancient relic, which if acquired by the Order of Ancients, could lead the islands into darkness.
Conclusion
I have yet to play Assassins Creed Valhalla, but the stuff I do know fit in quite well with the book, and it was rather enjoyable.
I devoured it, in two sittings, finding myself unable to put it down until I was literally too sleepy to concentrate.
I was kinda hoping for a bit more of her learning the trade of the Hidden Ones, and ascending the ranks to become an Assassin, but the story didn’t need it, if anything, I would have loved this book to be twice as long.
A lot of excellent world building and the sights, sounds and smells of Mercia felt so real, its a very descriptive story.
There was a lot of great stuff that forced Niamh to overcome prejudices, especially towards Christians and Northmen, as she found herself working to save and work with people from those backgrounds, whilst keeping her true motives hidden, despite knowing the two groups should be natural allies.
I was really excited by this book, and was looking forward to it, but I really wish it was longer.
My only real criticism, is that character development felt, shallow, which I think was a compromise between fitting so much story in and keeping its length down. But I could never really get a good grasp on Niamhs character, was she a planner or did she go by the seat of her pants, cause she kinda never seemed to fit into either, and I struggled to understand her personality.
Also it did feel like the novelisation of a game, with distances and time being a bit wishy washy, but that’s just nitpicking.
I am giving it 4 out of 5 stars, which feels stingy for how much I enjoyed it, but I really think the faults it did have, really could have been resolved with more pages.
June 14, 2023
THE PLOT:
I loved the plot!
It was quick paced, a wonderful mix of classic Assassin's Creed with Arthurania mythology.
This takes place around the time of the Wrath of the Druids DLC, so Eivor is now firmly in place as the new Jarl of Raventhorpe and Hytham is busy helping rebuild the Hidden Ones power in England.
It has a lot of female characters supporting each other, female characters that have varied personalities and aren't treated one-dimensionally.
It has a decent discussion about trauma and prejudice and how the two can become linked. It also deals a lot with the Norse colonization of England and how both the Norse and Christianity are attempting to destroy the local religion and traditions.
There is some implied SA, but it's in the background of Marcella's character, and it's not in-depth in any way, so just a head's up.
I really enjoyed learning more about the witch-warriors and the Women of Avalon. Very interesting group that I hope future AC content talks about more.
I love the main character, Niamh of Argyll. I want a game with her so bad. She's interesting, full of love for her people, the land and their traditions. She's clever, stubborn and tough, but also very aware of her own trauma, prejudices and is willing to own up to her mistakes. Over the course of the book we get to watch her grow and learn to trust others outside of her own people; such as Valka and Hytham. Anyways, I love her and desperately want more content with her.
THE CHARACTERS:
Hytham as always is wonderful. In this book he's definitely a little more subdued at first, still dealing with the ramifications of his injury and is now learning how to fight while permanently disabled (still unsure what his actual injury is? It seems to be something to do with his back that affects his lungs). He is still hurting by Basim's "death" and is now channeling his former mentor by trying to be more open and trusting of those around him. His sarcasm and temper still jumps out in moments and I love it every time.
Valka features heavily in this book and I love seeing how close she is with Hytham. They're obviously very close friends and she plays a pivotal role in repairing the relationship between Hytham and Niamh in the end of the book. Her and Niamh and some great conversations about their different cultures, their abilities as seer/witch and the repercussions of the Norse's colonization of England and surrounding lands.
Marcella is a character I love to hate. Deeply hurt and running from her past, she's the current leader of the Hidden One's bureau in London. I'm not going to say too much about her because of spoilers, but in a nutshell; she's a butch but I want to know more about her. I hope she eventually grows as a person and becomes a better leader who learns to looks past her prejudices like Niamh learned to.
Eivor does feature briefly in this, but more as an antagonist. If you're someone dealing with main character syndrome from playing AC Valhalla, you probably won't like this book, since it calls out the hypocrisy of Eivor helping to try and colonize England and trying to kill Niamh when Niamh steals back a relic that belongs to her people, that Eivor previously stole from it's resting place.
Anyway, I definitely enjoyed this book and recommend it!
I loved the plot!
It was quick paced, a wonderful mix of classic Assassin's Creed with Arthurania mythology.
This takes place around the time of the Wrath of the Druids DLC, so Eivor is now firmly in place as the new Jarl of Raventhorpe and Hytham is busy helping rebuild the Hidden Ones power in England.
It has a lot of female characters supporting each other, female characters that have varied personalities and aren't treated one-dimensionally.
It has a decent discussion about trauma and prejudice and how the two can become linked. It also deals a lot with the Norse colonization of England and how both the Norse and Christianity are attempting to destroy the local religion and traditions.
There is some implied SA, but it's in the background of Marcella's character, and it's not in-depth in any way, so just a head's up.
I really enjoyed learning more about the witch-warriors and the Women of Avalon. Very interesting group that I hope future AC content talks about more.
I love the main character, Niamh of Argyll. I want a game with her so bad. She's interesting, full of love for her people, the land and their traditions. She's clever, stubborn and tough, but also very aware of her own trauma, prejudices and is willing to own up to her mistakes. Over the course of the book we get to watch her grow and learn to trust others outside of her own people; such as Valka and Hytham. Anyways, I love her and desperately want more content with her.
THE CHARACTERS:
Hytham as always is wonderful. In this book he's definitely a little more subdued at first, still dealing with the ramifications of his injury and is now learning how to fight while permanently disabled (still unsure what his actual injury is? It seems to be something to do with his back that affects his lungs). He is still hurting by Basim's "death" and is now channeling his former mentor by trying to be more open and trusting of those around him. His sarcasm and temper still jumps out in moments and I love it every time.
Valka features heavily in this book and I love seeing how close she is with Hytham. They're obviously very close friends and she plays a pivotal role in repairing the relationship between Hytham and Niamh in the end of the book. Her and Niamh and some great conversations about their different cultures, their abilities as seer/witch and the repercussions of the Norse's colonization of England and surrounding lands.
Marcella is a character I love to hate. Deeply hurt and running from her past, she's the current leader of the Hidden One's bureau in London. I'm not going to say too much about her because of spoilers, but in a nutshell; she's a butch but I want to know more about her. I hope she eventually grows as a person and becomes a better leader who learns to looks past her prejudices like Niamh learned to.
Eivor does feature briefly in this, but more as an antagonist. If you're someone dealing with main character syndrome from playing AC Valhalla, you probably won't like this book, since it calls out the hypocrisy of Eivor helping to try and colonize England and trying to kill Niamh when Niamh steals back a relic that belongs to her people, that Eivor previously stole from it's resting place.
Anyway, I definitely enjoyed this book and recommend it!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 8, 2022
[N.B : Reçu comme service presse via le partenariat avec 404 Editions]
Et bien, que d'aventures et de révélations dans ce tome. Avant de donner mon avis, je tiens à souligner que le personnage d'Eivor est féminin dans ce tome, et apparemment le personnage est canon, comme dans les romans et comics Star Wars avec la différence des univers canon et légende. Donc, le personnage féminin d'Eivor est celui que l'on retrouve dans ce tome.
Nous nous retrouvons donc en Mercie au 9ème siècle, avec quelques personnages principaux : Niamh, la Dame, Hytham, Valka (une danoise), Marcella, une Assassin venant de Rome ainsi qu'Eivor, mentionné quelques fois ici et là. Valka connaît assez bien Eivor. Niamh travaille pour la Dame car elle doit enquêter autant sur Ceux qu'on ne voit pas ainsi que l'Ordre des Anciens. En tous les cas, on voit que Marcella se méfie beaucoup de Niamh, malgré qu'Hytham lui témoigne assez rapidement sa confiance.
L'histoire est assez prenante, très prenante même car tout tourne autour d'une relique, Excalibur, que détenait le roi Arthur mais ce dernier était en quelque sorte « contrôlé » et « conseillé » par ceux de l'Ordre des Anciens et certaines personnes chrétiennes fortes influentes ne souhaitaient pas qu'Arthur brandisse et utilise son épée à tout va. Du coup, les Descendants de la Table Ronde et l'Ordre travaillent ensemble et cela représente une énorme menace. Au fur et à mesure de l'histoire, on comprend les difficultés de Niamh, ses choix et sa loyauté autant envers celle d'Hytham qu'envers la Dame et son devoir. C'est une mage-guerrière à la base, et son rôle est de protéger son village et de prendre soin de ses habitants.
J'avoue qu'Excalibur a bien des attraits, au vu des pouvoirs que l'épée détient et de ce qu'il est raconté dans l'ouvrage. En tous les cas, chaque détail compte dans l'histoire car on peut en retrouver d'autres plus tard dans l'histoire qui ont un lien avec le détail découvert un peu plutôt. On voit vraiment qu'au début, Niamh hésite à trahir la Dame et Hytham, puis, malgré qu'elle reste à 90% honnête avec Hytham, elle doit néanmoins cacher et mentir sur certains éléments car ces derniers se méfient des Femmes de la Brume, « l'ordre » dont Nimah appartient parce qu'ils se demandent s'ils doivent les voir comme des ennemis ou des alliées. En tous les cas, Marcella est quelqu'un que j'ai du mal à cerner et que je trouve assez étrange.
Bref, en conclusion, une histoire vraiment passionnante, avec un dénouement vraiment intéressant et un peu surprenant, qui ne laissera aucun des personnages indifférents et avec une décision lourde de conséquences.
Et bien, que d'aventures et de révélations dans ce tome. Avant de donner mon avis, je tiens à souligner que le personnage d'Eivor est féminin dans ce tome, et apparemment le personnage est canon, comme dans les romans et comics Star Wars avec la différence des univers canon et légende. Donc, le personnage féminin d'Eivor est celui que l'on retrouve dans ce tome.
Nous nous retrouvons donc en Mercie au 9ème siècle, avec quelques personnages principaux : Niamh, la Dame, Hytham, Valka (une danoise), Marcella, une Assassin venant de Rome ainsi qu'Eivor, mentionné quelques fois ici et là. Valka connaît assez bien Eivor. Niamh travaille pour la Dame car elle doit enquêter autant sur Ceux qu'on ne voit pas ainsi que l'Ordre des Anciens. En tous les cas, on voit que Marcella se méfie beaucoup de Niamh, malgré qu'Hytham lui témoigne assez rapidement sa confiance.
L'histoire est assez prenante, très prenante même car tout tourne autour d'une relique, Excalibur, que détenait le roi Arthur mais ce dernier était en quelque sorte « contrôlé » et « conseillé » par ceux de l'Ordre des Anciens et certaines personnes chrétiennes fortes influentes ne souhaitaient pas qu'Arthur brandisse et utilise son épée à tout va. Du coup, les Descendants de la Table Ronde et l'Ordre travaillent ensemble et cela représente une énorme menace. Au fur et à mesure de l'histoire, on comprend les difficultés de Niamh, ses choix et sa loyauté autant envers celle d'Hytham qu'envers la Dame et son devoir. C'est une mage-guerrière à la base, et son rôle est de protéger son village et de prendre soin de ses habitants.
J'avoue qu'Excalibur a bien des attraits, au vu des pouvoirs que l'épée détient et de ce qu'il est raconté dans l'ouvrage. En tous les cas, chaque détail compte dans l'histoire car on peut en retrouver d'autres plus tard dans l'histoire qui ont un lien avec le détail découvert un peu plutôt. On voit vraiment qu'au début, Niamh hésite à trahir la Dame et Hytham, puis, malgré qu'elle reste à 90% honnête avec Hytham, elle doit néanmoins cacher et mentir sur certains éléments car ces derniers se méfient des Femmes de la Brume, « l'ordre » dont Nimah appartient parce qu'ils se demandent s'ils doivent les voir comme des ennemis ou des alliées. En tous les cas, Marcella est quelqu'un que j'ai du mal à cerner et que je trouve assez étrange.
Bref, en conclusion, une histoire vraiment passionnante, avec un dénouement vraiment intéressant et un peu surprenant, qui ne laissera aucun des personnages indifférents et avec une décision lourde de conséquences.
March 24, 2024
The performance of the audiobook is great; Moira Quirk does an exemplary job, bringing to life the characters of the book, especially those whose voices had already been established in other media.
The story, really the meat of the book, is just.... okay. As far as Assassin's Creed stories go, the one weaved by Elsa Sjunneson is one of the better ones in recent years. Sadly the book doesn't really take much advantage of the setting. Certain characters seem a bit inconsistent, and the conflict just.... resolves itself suddenly, while simultaneously leaving various plot threads not followed upon.
Following on that, the antagonist factions in the story are a bunch of faceless nobodies. We learn little of them, and they have basically little to no presence in the story. I would not blame you if you forgot which of the two wholly separate, yet vaguely cooperative with each other, faceless evil secret organisation was which. Certainly, if I didn't bring with me the baggage of knowing about the setting, and instantly recognising which one would later go on to become the Templars by name, I would be hard pressed to keep them straight. We basically meet nobody from either organisation, and most if not all of the scenes dealing with them could be excised from the book without any real change to the main conflict.
Mind, the main conflict is compelling on its own, if a bit awkwardly written. The protagonist is tasked by her own secretive mostly faceless organisation to infiltrate the Hidden Ones, who will later in the setting become the brotherhood of Assassins, in order to ascertain what their intentions in her order's ancestral lands are and to find the "magical" Excalibur. The main conflict of the story is about the protagonist gaining the trust of the leader of the Hidden Ones, who she begins to appreciate as a friend, and how she becomes conflicted between her oaths to her people and her growing friendship with the Hidden Ones.
Sadly, it all kinda lands flat. Most of the conflict could easily be resolved if Niamh simply talked to other characters and in the end that's basically what happens after some travails. The story just kinda fizzles out at the end. The action and moment to moment tension works, and the protagonist is likeable enough, but it feels like it isn't enough to carry the book. Still, the book is short and there's worse things you could read (or listen to!) within this franchise.
The story, really the meat of the book, is just.... okay. As far as Assassin's Creed stories go, the one weaved by Elsa Sjunneson is one of the better ones in recent years. Sadly the book doesn't really take much advantage of the setting. Certain characters seem a bit inconsistent, and the conflict just.... resolves itself suddenly, while simultaneously leaving various plot threads not followed upon.
Following on that, the antagonist factions in the story are a bunch of faceless nobodies. We learn little of them, and they have basically little to no presence in the story. I would not blame you if you forgot which of the two wholly separate, yet vaguely cooperative with each other, faceless evil secret organisation was which. Certainly, if I didn't bring with me the baggage of knowing about the setting, and instantly recognising which one would later go on to become the Templars by name, I would be hard pressed to keep them straight. We basically meet nobody from either organisation, and most if not all of the scenes dealing with them could be excised from the book without any real change to the main conflict.
Mind, the main conflict is compelling on its own, if a bit awkwardly written. The protagonist is tasked by her own secretive mostly faceless organisation to infiltrate the Hidden Ones, who will later in the setting become the brotherhood of Assassins, in order to ascertain what their intentions in her order's ancestral lands are and to find the "magical" Excalibur. The main conflict of the story is about the protagonist gaining the trust of the leader of the Hidden Ones, who she begins to appreciate as a friend, and how she becomes conflicted between her oaths to her people and her growing friendship with the Hidden Ones.
Sadly, it all kinda lands flat. Most of the conflict could easily be resolved if Niamh simply talked to other characters and in the end that's basically what happens after some travails. The story just kinda fizzles out at the end. The action and moment to moment tension works, and the protagonist is likeable enough, but it feels like it isn't enough to carry the book. Still, the book is short and there's worse things you could read (or listen to!) within this franchise.
March 7, 2023
To me, a truly enjoyable read - especially given that the world of Assassin's Creed has become one of my favourite escapist landscapes and one which I always want to explore more. This read has done exactly that - took me to a place where everything is permitted and nothing is impossible, if you know what I mean. The book kept me great company on solo travels across Norway and I will cherish it with a dose of nostalgia for years to come. The novel, being a game tie-in, is probably best read by those who have played AC: Valhalla and enjoyed it, or at least are aware of how the world 'works' in Assassin's Creed games as it does of course refer to characters and events that happened in-game and might leave a non initiated reader with a lot of questions.
Whenever reading these game tie-ins I always keep in mind how big of a challenge it is for authors to write stories in an already established world, with characters that us players have come to know and enjoy and also who were originally created by someone else. To interpret the already existing lore and weave in new plot lines and characters in a way that satisfies the reader who is usually quite invested in the AC games seems an intimidating task! I think the author did a great job at introducing us to Niamh and an entirely new organisation in the context of the games, that I could totally see becoming a DLC or even something enmeshed in the main plot as for it relation to the game - Eivor on a mission with Women of The Mist? Sign me on! It has also inspired me to look out for more literature in Arthurian setting that seems to be the inspiration for the author and to add some more books that expand on these legends to my 2023 reading list!
In the context of Assassin's Creed, I always saw a great potential in the character of Hytham and felt the game missed some good opportunities for interesting plot having him mostly stashed away behind the scenes. To see how an assassin acolyte deals with loss of his physical health but continues his work in other ways to eventually become instrumental to the Hidden Ones, all the while dealing with the loss of his mentor and the betrayal, oh how I would like to see more of that! It is why I especially welcomed reading this book as it satisfied some of this hunger, despite the books plot not being centred on him specifically.
It's a fun read and I will very gladly read more from the author if she releases books in similar style, as I'd like to she what she could do if she could have free reign on the world building.
Whenever reading these game tie-ins I always keep in mind how big of a challenge it is for authors to write stories in an already established world, with characters that us players have come to know and enjoy and also who were originally created by someone else. To interpret the already existing lore and weave in new plot lines and characters in a way that satisfies the reader who is usually quite invested in the AC games seems an intimidating task! I think the author did a great job at introducing us to Niamh and an entirely new organisation in the context of the games, that I could totally see becoming a DLC or even something enmeshed in the main plot as for it relation to the game - Eivor on a mission with Women of The Mist? Sign me on! It has also inspired me to look out for more literature in Arthurian setting that seems to be the inspiration for the author and to add some more books that expand on these legends to my 2023 reading list!
In the context of Assassin's Creed, I always saw a great potential in the character of Hytham and felt the game missed some good opportunities for interesting plot having him mostly stashed away behind the scenes. To see how an assassin acolyte deals with loss of his physical health but continues his work in other ways to eventually become instrumental to the Hidden Ones, all the while dealing with the loss of his mentor and the betrayal, oh how I would like to see more of that! It is why I especially welcomed reading this book as it satisfied some of this hunger, despite the books plot not being centred on him specifically.
It's a fun read and I will very gladly read more from the author if she releases books in similar style, as I'd like to she what she could do if she could have free reign on the world building.
March 1, 2022
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Sword of the White Horse is the newest installment to the Assassin’s Creed novels by Aconyte and the second installment based on the Valhalla game.
The story follows a Celtic warrior defending her people from Vikings raiders infiltrates an ancient sect to save her homeland. In Mercia, 878 witch-warrior Niamh discovers a new order called the Hidden Ones is trying to establish itself in Lunden. The land is already scarred by bloody wars, Viking raiders and clashing cultures. Determined to protect what remains of her homeland, she infiltrates this new group to discover whether they stand with her or against her. But, when Niamh learns the Hidden Ones have stolen an artifact scared to her people, Niamh’s own loyalties are challenged. Casting aside newfound alliances and friendships, she soon discovers that betrayal comes with a heavy price and it will take everything in her power if her gods are willing to survive.
I want to start by saying I was worried I would be biased, I’ve been an Assassin’s Creed fan since the first game but Valhalla is one of my favourites. Norse and Celtic history and mythology have been my passions for a long time so I was excited for this one and thankfully I was not disappointed. Sjunneson does wonders to weave history and mythology together with the world of AC to create a story that is truly her own. Not to mention bonus points for the Arthurian legend links as well!
The novel captures the twisting and turning plot of Assassin’s Creed of trying to work out which sect and organization is truly able to be trusted. The characters are all believable and I enjoyed seeing Niamh struggle morally with the choices she makes and how she processes these. My favourite character, however was not Niamh but I do have a soft spot for Vikings after all.
A wonderful installment in the Valhalla canon and one that captures the setting, characters, tension and suspense perfectly. I think any AC fan will enjoy this but also fans of Norse and Celtic based fiction and mythology. And people who enjoy strong female characters I know I most certainly loved it and cannot wait for more.
Once again thank you for Aconyte and Netgalley for allowing me to review an ARC of this novel for a fair and honest review.
The story follows a Celtic warrior defending her people from Vikings raiders infiltrates an ancient sect to save her homeland. In Mercia, 878 witch-warrior Niamh discovers a new order called the Hidden Ones is trying to establish itself in Lunden. The land is already scarred by bloody wars, Viking raiders and clashing cultures. Determined to protect what remains of her homeland, she infiltrates this new group to discover whether they stand with her or against her. But, when Niamh learns the Hidden Ones have stolen an artifact scared to her people, Niamh’s own loyalties are challenged. Casting aside newfound alliances and friendships, she soon discovers that betrayal comes with a heavy price and it will take everything in her power if her gods are willing to survive.
I want to start by saying I was worried I would be biased, I’ve been an Assassin’s Creed fan since the first game but Valhalla is one of my favourites. Norse and Celtic history and mythology have been my passions for a long time so I was excited for this one and thankfully I was not disappointed. Sjunneson does wonders to weave history and mythology together with the world of AC to create a story that is truly her own. Not to mention bonus points for the Arthurian legend links as well!
The novel captures the twisting and turning plot of Assassin’s Creed of trying to work out which sect and organization is truly able to be trusted. The characters are all believable and I enjoyed seeing Niamh struggle morally with the choices she makes and how she processes these. My favourite character, however was not Niamh but I do have a soft spot for Vikings after all.
A wonderful installment in the Valhalla canon and one that captures the setting, characters, tension and suspense perfectly. I think any AC fan will enjoy this but also fans of Norse and Celtic based fiction and mythology. And people who enjoy strong female characters I know I most certainly loved it and cannot wait for more.
Once again thank you for Aconyte and Netgalley for allowing me to review an ARC of this novel for a fair and honest review.
May 22, 2022
The caveat: Yes, you have to be a fan of the video game series or at least played Assassin's Creed: Valhalla to remotely relate to some of the characters mentioned in this book. However, there is a new main character: Niamh, which is who the book follows mostly. You might be able to get away with watching some story videos on YouTube to get an idea of the supporting cast. Mainly: Valka and Hytham.
Even without having a cursory knowledge of the series, there is a unique plot to keep you interested. Because this makes it stand on its own is why I gave it 4 stars. It's very hard for books based on other mediums to do this.
All-in-all, the plot is what is typical of this series as well: Magical artifacts, secret organizations vying for control, and lots of sword fighting mixed with cunning. However, the reason it's not a 'perfect' book or series is its relationship to those worlds. The only real insight you get is through brief interactions Niamh has with them. It would've been a much better read if the reader was able to get a glimpse at what makes the games so appealing, specifically what makes Excalibur a magical artifact and why Eivor has it in the first place. After all, we know this could entice the average reader to jump into the games, especially with masterful storytelling.
Even without having a cursory knowledge of the series, there is a unique plot to keep you interested. Because this makes it stand on its own is why I gave it 4 stars. It's very hard for books based on other mediums to do this.
All-in-all, the plot is what is typical of this series as well: Magical artifacts, secret organizations vying for control, and lots of sword fighting mixed with cunning. However, the reason it's not a 'perfect' book or series is its relationship to those worlds. The only real insight you get is through brief interactions Niamh has with them. It would've been a much better read if the reader was able to get a glimpse at what makes the games so appealing, specifically what makes Excalibur a magical artifact and why Eivor has it in the first place. After all, we know this could entice the average reader to jump into the games, especially with masterful storytelling.
January 28, 2023
First of all: If you played the games, this book will be kind of a disappointment to you. It is not nearly as good as it could’ve been.
Niamh as the main character was really boring and flat. She felt like as if she didn’t have a personality.
The other characters, Hytham, Valka, etc. seem to be the same. The fact I played the games at least reduced the missing personality traits as I already knew how the characters were like and what they believed in.
The book itself had quiet a good story, even though I was very disappointed with the pacing and short introduction of the brotherhood. The book focused more on story telling than on anything else. You got a little background information on the major groups of the book, but no detail except for the ladies of the mist (or what it is called in english since I read it in german.)
What made the book worth 3 stars was the story line and the closeness to the games. I remember finding Excalibur in the games and using it and I played Eivor as a woman. Her character was similar to the character that I played and so were Valka and Hytham. Hytham was maybe a little too happy and smily, but I was pleased with it because I liked him so much in the game.
If you can overlook the flat character of Niamh and focus more on the story itself, the book is okay to read, but I wouldn’t read it again.
Niamh as the main character was really boring and flat. She felt like as if she didn’t have a personality.
The other characters, Hytham, Valka, etc. seem to be the same. The fact I played the games at least reduced the missing personality traits as I already knew how the characters were like and what they believed in.
The book itself had quiet a good story, even though I was very disappointed with the pacing and short introduction of the brotherhood. The book focused more on story telling than on anything else. You got a little background information on the major groups of the book, but no detail except for the ladies of the mist (or what it is called in english since I read it in german.)
What made the book worth 3 stars was the story line and the closeness to the games. I remember finding Excalibur in the games and using it and I played Eivor as a woman. Her character was similar to the character that I played and so were Valka and Hytham. Hytham was maybe a little too happy and smily, but I was pleased with it because I liked him so much in the game.
If you can overlook the flat character of Niamh and focus more on the story itself, the book is okay to read, but I wouldn’t read it again.
March 29, 2025
We are in Mercia (now England) in 878 A.D. Niamh, a witch-warrior of the Women of the Mist, infiltrates the hidden sect of the Hidden Ones to ascertain whether their intentions are friendly or not. When she discovers that the Hidden Ones are in possession of Excalibur, the sword-symbol belonging to the Women of the Mist, Niamh must find a way to retrieve it without creating a new enemy.
A simple and short story that takes place in the Assassin's Creed universe and has many elements of it. Game lovers will especially love it as it contains everything that made us love Assassin's Creed. Secret organizations, assassinations, hidden blades, and ancient powerful weapons that must not fall into the wrong hands. In the story we meet characters from the game (for those who have played it). It's timed after the events of the game. It doesn't have that much of a Viking element to it, as the story focuses almost exclusively on secret societies and their activities. It doesn't have as many references to the culture and civilization of the time as I would like, so I don't think a reader who has no connection to the game will enjoy it to the fullest.
It could be a nice expansion mission in the Assassin's Creed: Valhalla game.
A simple and short story that takes place in the Assassin's Creed universe and has many elements of it. Game lovers will especially love it as it contains everything that made us love Assassin's Creed. Secret organizations, assassinations, hidden blades, and ancient powerful weapons that must not fall into the wrong hands. In the story we meet characters from the game (for those who have played it). It's timed after the events of the game. It doesn't have that much of a Viking element to it, as the story focuses almost exclusively on secret societies and their activities. It doesn't have as many references to the culture and civilization of the time as I would like, so I don't think a reader who has no connection to the game will enjoy it to the fullest.
It could be a nice expansion mission in the Assassin's Creed: Valhalla game.
May 5, 2022
A must-read for all fans of Assassin's Creed Valhalla and/or adventures set in Viking Britain. The events of this story directly follow those of the game Assassin's Creed Valhalla, but knowledge of the game isn't necessary for enjoyment of this story, which is rich in Viking and Norse Mythology and Arthurian legend, as well as taking us on a journey from Caledonia to Mercia via landmarks such as Hadrian's Wall and White Horse Hill. The story follows Niamh a celtic warrior witch from Women of the Mist as she tracks down the sword of Excalibur, which has been stolen from Stonehenge by the Viking Eivor. Niamh infiltrates a secret group known as the Hidden Ones on her mission and discovers a secret war in Mercia and the rival fractions all seek to take control of Excalibur. Niamh must decide whether she should return the sword to her people or her new allies. This stunning adventure will have you captivated with vivid characterisation and immense world building. How wonderful to have a strong, fierce female at its core. #assassinscreedvalhallaswordofthewhitehorse #elsasjunneson #netgalley
October 30, 2022
This was a really good read. I couldn't believe how fast the action started. I just loved the pace of this book. It definitely made for one exciting and thrilling story. The book continues with its wonderful fast pace unil the end. This book was a fantastic page turning novel that had me engrossed from the very start. I tried so hard to read it in one sitting but I couldn't stay awake so I just woke up early to finish it. This book was extremely well wrote and the author created such a wonderful sense of atmosphere and tension. The characters were easy to love and developed well throughout the story. This book was so close to 5 stars that I actually awarded it 4.5 stars 🌟 this book took me on a brilliant roller coaster ride that was packed full of action and was so interesting. I really recommend this book if you love assassin Creed or fantasy books that are packed full of action and will keep you on the edge of your seat.
So much praise goes out to the author and publishers for creating this wonderful and exciting story that I just couldn't put down. I will certainly be looking out for more assassin Creed books and mire from this brilliant author.
So much praise goes out to the author and publishers for creating this wonderful and exciting story that I just couldn't put down. I will certainly be looking out for more assassin Creed books and mire from this brilliant author.
April 10, 2022
Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for the digital ARC, it has not affected my honest review.
Release date: April 26th 2022
As a huge Assassin's Creed fan I was delighted to get early access to this book and it didn't disappoint. The world of Assassin's Creed Valhalla is already incredibly rich and the addition of Niamh and the Ladies of the Lake made Viking England so much more enjoyable. I loved the connections between the game (with appearances from the characters of Valhalla and Ravensthorpe) and watching characters interact in another medium. It was enjoyable to explore the world of the assassins from an outsider's perspective in an era that was so turbulent already. Niamh and her relationship with her religion was a huge part of this story and I loved the way she learned to move past the understandable ideas of the new people coming to England. This was an enjoyable tie in to the game and moved very quickly, though I found that there was a lot of information given at once which slowed the flow of the story at times.
Release date: April 26th 2022
As a huge Assassin's Creed fan I was delighted to get early access to this book and it didn't disappoint. The world of Assassin's Creed Valhalla is already incredibly rich and the addition of Niamh and the Ladies of the Lake made Viking England so much more enjoyable. I loved the connections between the game (with appearances from the characters of Valhalla and Ravensthorpe) and watching characters interact in another medium. It was enjoyable to explore the world of the assassins from an outsider's perspective in an era that was so turbulent already. Niamh and her relationship with her religion was a huge part of this story and I loved the way she learned to move past the understandable ideas of the new people coming to England. This was an enjoyable tie in to the game and moved very quickly, though I found that there was a lot of information given at once which slowed the flow of the story at times.
January 25, 2025
This story takes place during AC: Valhalla and Eivor appears as a side character. There’s a quest in Valhalla where Eivor obtains Excalibur and this book is centered around the main character Niamh (whose people are in charge of protecting Excalibur) trying to get the sword back and clashing with the Assassins and Hidden Ones (Templars) at the same time.
I will admit I was a bit confused at first, because the book kind of jumps into the story with little to no explanation (though things are explained later). I also thought the book started a little slow but then once it got going it was really exciting and enjoyable. It was a little strange to read an AC book where the main character wasn’t an Assassin though!
The audiobook reader was good, but she kept pronouncing “Eivor” as “EeeeVor” (sounds like Eeyore) rather than how the name is pronounced in the game (which is AaaayVor).
If you’re a fan of AC: Valhalla, you will probably like this book.
I will admit I was a bit confused at first, because the book kind of jumps into the story with little to no explanation (though things are explained later). I also thought the book started a little slow but then once it got going it was really exciting and enjoyable. It was a little strange to read an AC book where the main character wasn’t an Assassin though!
The audiobook reader was good, but she kept pronouncing “Eivor” as “EeeeVor” (sounds like Eeyore) rather than how the name is pronounced in the game (which is AaaayVor).
If you’re a fan of AC: Valhalla, you will probably like this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 14, 2026
A strong 3 stars but can't quite reach 4 stars. The book is alright if you like A.Creed, A.Creed Valhalla and the Arthurian legends if not it's just okay. Eventually by the book it's almost good but for once I really felt like reading a teenager aimed book, the writing felt so simple, so repetitive as if the author thought the readers had very little attention span. The author kept hammering plot points and recapping what was going on. Niamh is also not a very strong protagonist everyone around felt more interesting than her. Still this book can be enjoyable and adds to the massive saga and storytelling of A.C Valhalla. And Eivor and Niamh never confront each other. This book has an alright setting but too generic and limited execution.
(Side note I recommend A.C Valhalla Geirmund's Saga book a much better read than this one)
(Side note I recommend A.C Valhalla Geirmund's Saga book a much better read than this one)
August 21, 2022
3.5 Sterne
Danke an den Verlag und Netgalley für das digitale Leseexemplar!
Ich habe bisher (noch) keins der Assassin's Creed Spiele gespielt, aber zu dem Cover konnte ich einfach nicht nein sagen! Außerdem interessiert mich die keltische Mythologie sehr und ich war sehr gespannt auf das Buch.
Das Schwert des weißen Pferdes entführt uns auf die britischen Inseln, und ich konnte mir die Landschaften richtig gut vorstellen. Die Artussage ist in diesem Buch ein Stück weit lebending geworden, und die sogenannten Frauen des Nebels, zu denen auch unser Hauptcharakter Niamh gehört, fand ich sehr interessant. Das Setting und die Mythologie dahinter hat mir einfach richtig gut gefallen!
Leider wurde ich aber mit dem Schreibstil nicht so ganz warm. Das Buch ist nicht schlecht geschrieben, aber es ist auch überhaupt nichts Besonderes daran. Der Stil ist recht einfach und schlicht, und ich konnte außerdem Niamh manchmal nicht ganz nachvollziehen. Ein paar Seiten mehr hätten hier nicht geschadet, um die Charaktere und ihr Abenteuer noch besser auszuarbeiten.
Trotzdem hat mir das Buch insgesamt gefallen. Es ist nichts, was mir besoners lange im Kopf bleiben wird, trotzdem würde ich es als gute Unterhaltung für Fans des Genres empfehlen.
Danke an den Verlag und Netgalley für das digitale Leseexemplar!
Ich habe bisher (noch) keins der Assassin's Creed Spiele gespielt, aber zu dem Cover konnte ich einfach nicht nein sagen! Außerdem interessiert mich die keltische Mythologie sehr und ich war sehr gespannt auf das Buch.
Das Schwert des weißen Pferdes entführt uns auf die britischen Inseln, und ich konnte mir die Landschaften richtig gut vorstellen. Die Artussage ist in diesem Buch ein Stück weit lebending geworden, und die sogenannten Frauen des Nebels, zu denen auch unser Hauptcharakter Niamh gehört, fand ich sehr interessant. Das Setting und die Mythologie dahinter hat mir einfach richtig gut gefallen!
Leider wurde ich aber mit dem Schreibstil nicht so ganz warm. Das Buch ist nicht schlecht geschrieben, aber es ist auch überhaupt nichts Besonderes daran. Der Stil ist recht einfach und schlicht, und ich konnte außerdem Niamh manchmal nicht ganz nachvollziehen. Ein paar Seiten mehr hätten hier nicht geschadet, um die Charaktere und ihr Abenteuer noch besser auszuarbeiten.
Trotzdem hat mir das Buch insgesamt gefallen. Es ist nichts, was mir besoners lange im Kopf bleiben wird, trotzdem würde ich es als gute Unterhaltung für Fans des Genres empfehlen.
June 12, 2023
I didn’t realise this story is based in the world of The Mists of Avalon, King Arthur, and Excalibur. This is set sometime after those legends and is about a single witch warrior on a mission to restore an ancient artefact to her people. There is no romance at all, and while it’s mostly just an engaging adventure story, I did appreciate the critique of Christian colonisation. I wouldn’t have found this if it hadn’t been for the ‘A Novel Alliance 2023 Reading Challenge’, as I discovered this author while searching for a book by a deaf author (Sjunneson is deafblind). It’s always great when a challenge helps you discover a new author. I’ll definitely read more in future…
August 30, 2024
I liked the mixture of cultures and religions. It was interesting to learn more about how England was (nearly) like back then. I really enjoyed the inclusion of the myths of Avalon and felt like it fit right into the universe of Assassin's Creed.
Niamh is a good protagonist, in my opinion. Following her thoughts and how she struggled with aligning her mission with the ones of the Hidden Ones was great to read and made her all the more intriguing.
Overall I thought the plot was engaging. I never got bored. This also felt like it fit right into the Assassin's Creed universe while also working as a standalone book.
Niamh is a good protagonist, in my opinion. Following her thoughts and how she struggled with aligning her mission with the ones of the Hidden Ones was great to read and made her all the more intriguing.
Overall I thought the plot was engaging. I never got bored. This also felt like it fit right into the Assassin's Creed universe while also working as a standalone book.
April 5, 2022
*Thank you Netgalley for providing me e - ARC of this book*
Well I love Assassin's Creed books and games. This one I liked a lot, but not loved. Our protagonist was one of the Celtic Witch - warriors from Avalon what was really interesting.
The storyline was compelling, however sometimes I was a bit sceptical about the actions of Niamh and her fight skills. I enjoyed my time during the reading of this book though.
Solid 3 stars for me :) definitely recommending
#Marvel #MarvelEnt #Aconytebooks #review
Well I love Assassin's Creed books and games. This one I liked a lot, but not loved. Our protagonist was one of the Celtic Witch - warriors from Avalon what was really interesting.
The storyline was compelling, however sometimes I was a bit sceptical about the actions of Niamh and her fight skills. I enjoyed my time during the reading of this book though.
Solid 3 stars for me :) definitely recommending
#Marvel #MarvelEnt #Aconytebooks #review
July 21, 2023
Bland and inoffensive is what I’d describe this book as.
The characters don’t really grow very much. The main character feels functionally the same as she did at the start just with the lesson of “not all strange people want to kill you.” I feel like most of the plot could have been resolved a hell of a lot sooner if people (mainly the main character) just communicated. Like she admits very early on that these people are more ally than enemy yet she still doesn’t bother revealing crucial things until they have been given a reason to not trust a word she says.
The characters don’t really grow very much. The main character feels functionally the same as she did at the start just with the lesson of “not all strange people want to kill you.” I feel like most of the plot could have been resolved a hell of a lot sooner if people (mainly the main character) just communicated. Like she admits very early on that these people are more ally than enemy yet she still doesn’t bother revealing crucial things until they have been given a reason to not trust a word she says.
March 24, 2022
I always love novelizations and novel continuations of video games and I’m a big fan of the Assassin’s Creed franchise. While I did enjoy this, I was a little confused at times and there didn’t seem to be much of AC mythos other than the obvious Templars/Assassins factions of the time. Overall very enjoyable on its own and a nice addition to AC novels.
Thank you to NetGalley and Aconyte Books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley and Aconyte Books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 24, 2022
I always love novelizations and novel continuations of video games and I’m a big fan of the Assassin’s Creed franchise. While I did enjoy this, I was a little confused at times and there didn’t seem to be much of AC mythos other than the obvious Templars/Assassins factions of the time. Overall very enjoyable on its own and a nice addition to AC novels.
Thank you to NetGalley and Aconyte Books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley and Aconyte Books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 24, 2022
I love the Assassins Creed franchise from the game to the books, and in my opinion Valhalla is one of the best they have developed, so I was so excited to get to read this book and it didnt disappoint me. It was well written with a compelling storyline and well developed characters. Full of vivid descriptions and rich imagery all interwoven with culture, history and mythology/folklore.
I couldn't put it down I really liked it.
I couldn't put it down I really liked it.
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