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The Orkney Cycle: The Shattering Sea
USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR
IN IRON AGE ORKNEY, TWO RACES STAND ON THE BRINK OF WAR. The finfolk have summoned an Azawan, a creature of nightmare, and the Orkadi are powerless to stop it. Talorc, whose family were slain by the demon, and Runa, Princess of the Orkadi, set out to destroy the Azawan. The secrets they uncover will change their world forever – if they live long enough to share them…
Wolf Brother meets Percy Jackson in The Shattering Sea , a stunning young adult fantasy adventure set in Prehistoric Scotland. Fast-paced, full of twists and rooted in Celtic mythology, Daniel Allison's debut novel has drawn comparisons to Alan Garner, Michelle Paver, David Almond and Neil Gaiman. Daniel Allison is a USA Today bestselling author and oral storyteller from Scotland. He is the author of Scottish Myths & Legends , Finn & The Fianna and The Shattering Sea . Daniel’s House of Legends podcast has been downloaded over 100,000 times, while his Roundhouse Storytelling School provides a unique online training platform for emerging storytellers throughout the world. His fiendishly addictive fiction is rooted in ancient Scottish stories of selkies, kelpies and witchcraft, and is adored by adults and children alike.
Authors are A tremendous read… no end of dramas, surprises & reversals of fortune… a rattling good plot… wonderful stuff Fay Sampson, Guardian Children’s Book Award-Nominated Author A born storyteller weaves Scottish island myths into a driving narrative of survival Ian Stephen, Saltire Award-Nominated Author A thrilling tale that twists and turns as you eagerly turn the pages. It breathes new life into the creatures of Orkney’s folklore for a new generation of readers. Tom Muir, Author of Orkney Folk Tales Extraordinary... my daughter is a big fan of Chronicles of Ancient Darkness and this is right up there Mara Menzies, Award-Winning Author of Blood & Gold
I loved The Shattering Sea and devoured it in a single sitting. Urgent drama and ancient magic combine to make a wonderful story on the framework of an old, well-loved folk tale. Daniel Allison has the storyteller's gift of linking compelling narrative with lively, poetic prose. An exciting debut.
Peter Snow, Author of The Shifty Lad
Readers are Absolutely incredible. Has you gripped with hooked talons from the first page! ★★★★★ Reader Review Up there with my favourite fantasy adventures ★★★★★ Reader Review One of the best books I have ever read ★★★★★ Reader Review I simply could not put this book down ★★★★★ Reader Review Spellbinding… a fast-paced plot with twists you don't see coming, in the fantastical yet believable setting of Iron Age Orkney, beautifully and breathtakingly brought to life
★★★★★ Reader Review
This is one I will read again and again
★★★★★ Reader Review
DOWNLOAD OR SAMPLE THE SHATTERING SEA NOW
IN IRON AGE ORKNEY, TWO RACES STAND ON THE BRINK OF WAR. The finfolk have summoned an Azawan, a creature of nightmare, and the Orkadi are powerless to stop it. Talorc, whose family were slain by the demon, and Runa, Princess of the Orkadi, set out to destroy the Azawan. The secrets they uncover will change their world forever – if they live long enough to share them…
Wolf Brother meets Percy Jackson in The Shattering Sea , a stunning young adult fantasy adventure set in Prehistoric Scotland. Fast-paced, full of twists and rooted in Celtic mythology, Daniel Allison's debut novel has drawn comparisons to Alan Garner, Michelle Paver, David Almond and Neil Gaiman. Daniel Allison is a USA Today bestselling author and oral storyteller from Scotland. He is the author of Scottish Myths & Legends , Finn & The Fianna and The Shattering Sea . Daniel’s House of Legends podcast has been downloaded over 100,000 times, while his Roundhouse Storytelling School provides a unique online training platform for emerging storytellers throughout the world. His fiendishly addictive fiction is rooted in ancient Scottish stories of selkies, kelpies and witchcraft, and is adored by adults and children alike.
Authors are A tremendous read… no end of dramas, surprises & reversals of fortune… a rattling good plot… wonderful stuff Fay Sampson, Guardian Children’s Book Award-Nominated Author A born storyteller weaves Scottish island myths into a driving narrative of survival Ian Stephen, Saltire Award-Nominated Author A thrilling tale that twists and turns as you eagerly turn the pages. It breathes new life into the creatures of Orkney’s folklore for a new generation of readers. Tom Muir, Author of Orkney Folk Tales Extraordinary... my daughter is a big fan of Chronicles of Ancient Darkness and this is right up there Mara Menzies, Award-Winning Author of Blood & Gold
I loved The Shattering Sea and devoured it in a single sitting. Urgent drama and ancient magic combine to make a wonderful story on the framework of an old, well-loved folk tale. Daniel Allison has the storyteller's gift of linking compelling narrative with lively, poetic prose. An exciting debut.
Peter Snow, Author of The Shifty Lad
Readers are Absolutely incredible. Has you gripped with hooked talons from the first page! ★★★★★ Reader Review Up there with my favourite fantasy adventures ★★★★★ Reader Review One of the best books I have ever read ★★★★★ Reader Review I simply could not put this book down ★★★★★ Reader Review Spellbinding… a fast-paced plot with twists you don't see coming, in the fantastical yet believable setting of Iron Age Orkney, beautifully and breathtakingly brought to life
★★★★★ Reader Review
This is one I will read again and again
★★★★★ Reader Review
DOWNLOAD OR SAMPLE THE SHATTERING SEA NOW
304 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2019
About the author
Daniel Allison
10 books43 followersDaniel Allison is a USA Today bestselling author and oral storyteller from Scotland.
He hosts the House of Legends Podcast and is the author of Irish Mythology: The Children of Danu, Irish Mythology: Fionn & The Fianna, Scottish Myths & Legends Vol. I & II, and the mythic fantasy series The Orkney Cycle. His writing has been optioned for film and television production.
Daniel’s Myth Singers: Celtic Storytelling Apprenticeship provides a unique course of learning for beginning storytellers throughout the world. He leads mythic immersion retreats in the Scottish Highlands and lives in Scotland and Thailand.
He hosts the House of Legends Podcast and is the author of Irish Mythology: The Children of Danu, Irish Mythology: Fionn & The Fianna, Scottish Myths & Legends Vol. I & II, and the mythic fantasy series The Orkney Cycle. His writing has been optioned for film and television production.
Daniel’s Myth Singers: Celtic Storytelling Apprenticeship provides a unique course of learning for beginning storytellers throughout the world. He leads mythic immersion retreats in the Scottish Highlands and lives in Scotland and Thailand.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
August 1, 2021
What an awesome adventure.
You will find yourself unable to put this book down.
Page turn just keep on keeping on.
Highly entertaining magical adventures
Highly recommended guys.
Get it on 😁
You will find yourself unable to put this book down.
Page turn just keep on keeping on.
Highly entertaining magical adventures
Highly recommended guys.
Get it on 😁
October 19, 2023
This is such an exciting adventure! It took me a while to get really invested in the story, but once I was in, I was IN. I stayed up till midnight to read the last few chapters knowing I wouldn't have a chance to the following day.
Something I especially appreciated was the sense of place the story has. I haven't been to Orkney, but I soon felt at home in the setting; I believed the world the author brought to life.
The characters didn't immediately reach out and grab me, but they steadily grew on me as the story went on. I look forward to watching them continue to grow, especially after everything they've been through so far.
Folklore is the pulse of this story, and it was presented in a way I appreciated and enjoyed. As a side note to those who might want to know beforehand, speying (what would commonly be called witchcraft, of a sort) and mind reading/control/possession play a major role in the story; however, here they are more natural gifts than deals with the devil. That being said, there were some aspects of them that I was not comfortable with, but overall I appreciated the more nuanced treatment they received, as I believe that some things many people are quick to label "occult" or "demonic" really aren't. The way in which psychic powers are intertwined and flow with the natural world in this story really is beautiful.
I'm excited for the next book in the series!
Something I especially appreciated was the sense of place the story has. I haven't been to Orkney, but I soon felt at home in the setting; I believed the world the author brought to life.
The characters didn't immediately reach out and grab me, but they steadily grew on me as the story went on. I look forward to watching them continue to grow, especially after everything they've been through so far.
Folklore is the pulse of this story, and it was presented in a way I appreciated and enjoyed. As a side note to those who might want to know beforehand, speying (what would commonly be called witchcraft, of a sort) and mind reading/control/possession play a major role in the story; however, here they are more natural gifts than deals with the devil. That being said, there were some aspects of them that I was not comfortable with, but overall I appreciated the more nuanced treatment they received, as I believe that some things many people are quick to label "occult" or "demonic" really aren't. The way in which psychic powers are intertwined and flow with the natural world in this story really is beautiful.
I'm excited for the next book in the series!
March 28, 2020
Very exciting, magical, thrilling, gripping and enchanting. Highly recommended! Can't wait for the sequel.
September 21, 2025
This book is a historical fantasy retelling of the Scottish story of Asipattle and the Muckle Maester Stoor Worm, set in Iron Age Orkney. I read this book after reading the author's two Scottish Myths & Legends collections (the first of which includes the story of Asipattle) as well as Robert Hutton's Pagan Brittain, and I'm so glad I did. The references to Orkadi life and to the folk stories told by Talorc's grunna were so beautifully woven throughout the book. It's not easy to find books set in pre-Christian Europe, and I appreciated the level of research that went into this one.
This book was a beautiful imagining of what Orcadian religious practices might have looked like, including making offerings to the Sea Mother, speying to learn from the wisdom of ancestors, "diving" to spiritually connect with other beings, and much more. I also appreciated how the book addressed ethical concerns, such as the Sea Mother's role in blessing or cursing individuals. Perhaps most of all, I enjoyed the way the sea itself was described as the vast container for all life and possibility and how it impacted the beliefs and actions of the characters. As a reader of Ursula Le Guin, I felt like this book had a lot in common with her stories and the questions that she was concerned with.
This book was a beautiful imagining of what Orcadian religious practices might have looked like, including making offerings to the Sea Mother, speying to learn from the wisdom of ancestors, "diving" to spiritually connect with other beings, and much more. I also appreciated how the book addressed ethical concerns, such as the Sea Mother's role in blessing or cursing individuals. Perhaps most of all, I enjoyed the way the sea itself was described as the vast container for all life and possibility and how it impacted the beliefs and actions of the characters. As a reader of Ursula Le Guin, I felt like this book had a lot in common with her stories and the questions that she was concerned with.
January 16, 2023
Stumbled upon this gem while listening to Allison's podcast. What a storyteller. Every new creature, word or character compelled me to Google to see what they were based on.
The Shattering Sea is a wonderfully told children's story that's just as good for grown-ups, and you'll find yourself unable to put it down. The characters are wonderfully written and have substance, I particularly enjoyed the refreshing disdain Talorc had for his family even after the early events take place. Young people step up to fill the roles the grown-ups have yet to, and along the way, discover what the roles actually entail. I devoured this book, and I think everyone should read it. It's a beautiful change of pace.
The Shattering Sea is a wonderfully told children's story that's just as good for grown-ups, and you'll find yourself unable to put it down. The characters are wonderfully written and have substance, I particularly enjoyed the refreshing disdain Talorc had for his family even after the early events take place. Young people step up to fill the roles the grown-ups have yet to, and along the way, discover what the roles actually entail. I devoured this book, and I think everyone should read it. It's a beautiful change of pace.
April 30, 2022
A wonderful blend of folklore and nature
This is a wonderful blend of folklore and nature. The book is filled with rich imagery of the sea and the screech of gulls and a people whose lives were once bound to the seasons. The landscape of Orkney and it's surrounding seascape give life to a retelling of the ancient tale of the stoorworm. This is a time before the Vikings arrived, when the ancient peoples inhabited brochs. The remnants of Orkney's Neolithic past (the ancestor circles) are the backdrop to this unusual retelling of a old tale with spey-wives, selkies, trows and fin-men added to the mix
This is a wonderful blend of folklore and nature. The book is filled with rich imagery of the sea and the screech of gulls and a people whose lives were once bound to the seasons. The landscape of Orkney and it's surrounding seascape give life to a retelling of the ancient tale of the stoorworm. This is a time before the Vikings arrived, when the ancient peoples inhabited brochs. The remnants of Orkney's Neolithic past (the ancestor circles) are the backdrop to this unusual retelling of a old tale with spey-wives, selkies, trows and fin-men added to the mix
March 30, 2021
A real find for lovers of fantasy and Celtic lore. Daniel Allison's background as an oral storyteller and a lover of legends definitely comes to the fore in this book. The writing is lush and descriptive. The world-building is skilled. The characters are vivid. Silkies, trowies, terrifying sea creatures and more are interwoven in this compelling tale.
March 3, 2025
I didn't think I'd like this book when I first started reading it and very nearly deleted it from my kindle after realising it was a fairy tale. However, I persevered and I'm so glad I did. I was riveted to the very end and couldn't put it down. The excitement when Talorc realised his gift was amazing and this just kept growing as the book neared the end
.
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April 8, 2021
Started out fantastic, but then the writing waned. Great for the age range, but I only had one complaint, that the level of mystery and intrigue was a little simplistic. LOTS of telling and not so much showing after a while. Some more highlights on the characters would be good.
December 29, 2023
The Orkney Cycle, The Shattering Sea
Wow. Love this book, read in one sitting, great extended adventures of Orkney tales. Well written, page turner. I just love the style that Daniel writes in.
If you like myths & Legends you'll love this.
Wow. Love this book, read in one sitting, great extended adventures of Orkney tales. Well written, page turner. I just love the style that Daniel writes in.
If you like myths & Legends you'll love this.
January 25, 2022
Such an amazing tale and so well written. I look forward to the other instalments in this series.
July 2, 2026
An enjoyable tale
The author has built a complex world and magic systems, while retaining the flavor of Celtic folklore. Fast paced and colorful!
The author has built a complex world and magic systems, while retaining the flavor of Celtic folklore. Fast paced and colorful!
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews