Vikings. That's it. That's the review. Need I say more?

In all seriousness, this book was really good! I’m a big fan of Norse and Viking mythology so this was right up my alley and I felt like the author just hit the nail on the head with this one! I'm excited to see where the Runestone Saga goes!

Received an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and its publisher <3

Could not finish unfortunately. I just couldn't get in to it and continue reading so I had to quit. I think I will try again as the premise sounds so interesting to me. I think the quote, "Right person, wrong time" fits this book the most for me. The author Cinda Williams Chima was my FAVORITE author in high school so I want to give this book another try sometime soon.

Was not a compelling read. A little too Percy Jackson with a familiar trope. My students would probably not pick this one up.

I’m always excited to read new mythology-based stories, so I was very optimistic going into the book. Certainly not all aspects disappointed—there was clearly a lot of research and worldbuilding that went into this book, and that absolutely shone through. However, the plot and pacing were messy enough that I couldn’t really appreciate that aspect of it fully. I started out invested, but soon found myself losing interest in the characters and the story, finishing it out of a desire to be done rather than any real interest in finding out what happened. I fully believe that this series could improve with the second book, but I likely won’t be picking it up. I’d recommend it if you’re interested in a new take on Norse mythology and Ragnarok, but I’d probably suggest most other readers should skip it. I’m giving this 3 stars.

As someone who is Norwegian and who LOVES Viking lore and culture, I really enjoyed this book. It was full of action and depth, and wasn’t light and fluffy. It had grit and was very enjoyable. I definitely want to go back and read her other books now.

I am familiar with Chima's previous works which are somewhat popular in my library. I was expecting this to be a good read, and it was decent, but fell short of my expectations. However, it is still a book I would recommend to YA readers interested in this sort of fantasy and mythology genre.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this eARC and the opportunity to read and review this title. All opinions are my own.

The problem with being an ancient god, even a Norse one, is that people stop believing in you are your power.
It is a thousand years after Ragnarok and the magic that the gods once wielded is dying out. Reggin is a young woman with some power but she is enslaved to Asger, a powerful fire demon being. Her life is rough and she fights just to survive. Eirik Halvorsen hasn't had things much easier. When his parents died, he and his sister were left in the care of their step-father - an angry, abusive man who now wants to take control of the Halvorsen land. But Eirik fights this, even going to court. In the settlement, he now will have one year to set sail and find a lost land. If he fails his stepfather gets the property.

Eirik will meet Reggin on his journey and help her to escape her enslavement and she will head to a land that might still have magic left in it. Is there any magic that will help Eirik maintain control of the family farm?

I am definitely a sucker for anything with the Nordic mythology in it so it's pretty clear why I was attracted to this book. Author Cinda Williams Chima is unfamiliar to me, but it appears she has a number of epic-style fantasy series' so I was definitely looking forward to a strong book. The title, The Children of Ragnarok, is really great, suggesting youngsters as the next generation - the starting over after the end of everything. Even the description as provided by the publisher suggests as much.

But I didn't feel that's what we were getting.

Our story centers around three youth - the very human Eirik, his sister (or 'systir' as Chima writes it) Liv, and the thrall-with-magic-abilities Reggin. The problem with an epic fantasy is that you need either a really epic quest/journey or strong characters that you really want to root for. Hopefully both.

Here, our characters are a bit too on the mundane side. Reggin has the more interesting backstory and abilities but Eirik is more relatable but his story is a bit common. And the quest ...? We don't really get that until quite late in the book. Eirik's task, which would seem to be our quest, is a bit undefined and the stakes don't really seem that high.

I struggled to stay interested and didn't find the connection to being the children of Ragnarok. Is there more to come in the next book? I hope so.

Looking for a good book? Children of Ragnarok by Cinda Williams Chima is an epic Nordic fantasy that doesn't quite have that epic-ness we're hoping for.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Children of Ragnarok is a YA Viking story full of action, Norse mythology, and hidden corruption. Not a fluffy tale; it is full of heartache, pain, and a brewing war. The book has a solid premise, and as with first books in new worlds, you need to settle in and get the lay of the land. It would help if you had the facts before getting to the story's meat. We have a young man sentenced for murdering his stepfather, and his slave is on the run trying to find answers. We don't get very much into the magic system in this first book, but we do skim the surface a bit. Cinda writes stories that remind me of the fantasy novels of yesterday with substance, plot, and character that remain true to the story she wants to tell. I recommend this young adult novel to the older teen crowd as it is a bloody Viking story.

Normally Norse mythology is the basis for some of my favorite stories. Unfortunately the mythology and the way that the author used it turned out to be the best part.
This is the first Cinda Williams Chima book that I have ever read in which the characters felt flat and like they were just standing in.
Of course I'll keep going in the series though and hope that I fall in love with at least one character.

Children of Ragnarok follows the devastating effects of Ragnarok with intrigue and villains who seek to take the place of gods.

Filled with Norse Mythology, the age of Ragnarok has come and gone, yet Reggin and Eiric seem to have been blessed by the gods in ways that make others hunger for more magic and power.

Storytelling
Children of Ragnarok was definitely interesting. However, what was really interesting here was the language.

Chima captured the Viking culture and terms very well, giving the story a stronger atmosphere. At times I did feel transported to that period. The setting, the scene structure. It all worked together very well.

However, given the story’s premise, I felt it moved too slowly. Chima works hard here to build up the world, the history, and the mythology that readers may or may not be familiar with.

There is certainly a lot of tension in the plot, but it does not rise quickly enough, and some scenes seem a little redundant as well. Only because the reader is aware of certain circumstances, some characters may not be. Just the way it was written did not offer some smooth transitions, partly due to the characterizations.

Characterization
I liked the characters, Liv, most notably despite her not having a POV in Children of Ragnarok.

Reggin was great, too, until she got to the Grove.

Before appearing before the Grove, Reggin had a fire within her that made her stand out. Even at the risk of her own life, she stood her ground. Although her need to have a home in the Grove explains her character’s return to obedience, it, unfortunately, goes a step further.

It is as though Reggin is an entirely different character. Her fire is just sniffed out. She is eager to solve the mysteries before her. Still, her fear of being banished from the Grove and sent back to the Archipelago is the driving force. Her fire does return to her, but not until closer to the end of the book.

Then there is Eiric. He has the personality of a doormat. I loved his sense of honor and loyalty to his family and his need to protect. Still, his character was lackluster, and it carried over in the tone of his dialogue. I wanted more from him and hope I get more from him in the second novel. At the very least, I would like to see some character growth.

Final Thoughts
Children of Ragnarok was an engaging, albeit slow, read. There was some attractive world-building and history, but I wanted a quicker pace and more character development. However, I am hooked enough to want answers from a sequel.

Children of Ragnarok is a powerfully written fantasy series starter by Cinda Williams Chima. Released 8th Nov 2022 by HarperCollins on their Balzer + Bray imprint, it's 536 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. Paperback format due out 4th quarter 2023 from the same publisher. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

This is a solid brick of a book. Despite being marketed as a YA book on a children's allied imprint, it's surprisingly brutal and unflinching throughout. There is pervasive moderate violence, and while it's definitely not egregious, it is quite stark in many places.

The Norse mythological and mystical tales provide a solid historical framework for the story which is the story's beating heart. It's very very well written and even in the parts which are scary and distressing are fascinating and immersive at the same time.

Four stars. Probably too scary for younger/more sensitive readers. Some mature themes, death of a parent, vulnerable kids, domestic abuse and murder. Public library acquisition recommended, school library acquisition after carefully considered curation.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Thank you to NetGalley for sending me an eGalley of this book.

Perfect for fans of HM Long.

Norse lands in a post-Ragnarok world where the old gods are dead. Enslaved by a fire demon from Muspelheim, young woman is able to summon the old magic to raise the dead. A brother and adopted sister set off on an adventure to an impossible land in search of answers. This is a sweeping start to what will be a series of epic proportions. I can’t wait for the next one.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for the ARC. This YA Norse mythology book was full of magic and intrigue. The author did a great job of world building and tapestry. Definitely recommend.

This is an intricately crafted introduction to a rich and complex world. The characters were well-developed with distinct voices and motivations. The author used some vocabulary that seemed like transliterated Norwegian for everyday terms. It was probably intended to help set the tone, but the effect was more grating than immersive. Overall, an excellent choice for teens willing to invest in a complex fantasy world.

When Eiric Halvorsen, a sixteen year old, and his half-sister, Liv, are wrongly convicted of the death of their stepfather, they stand to lose their family farm. Reggin Eiklund is a spellsinger who can cast runes, yet she is indentured to a fire demon and wants to escape. When Eiric and Reggin’s paths cross, they discover a convoluted plot that has been hidden from the public. What will happen as they uncover more and more information?

Overall, I enjoyed this book. It did take me awhile to get through it as it is quite a long book and I had trouble picking it up sometimes, but as the story got more interesting I raced through the last third of the book. The plot was interesting and the characters were unique, and the touch of Norse mythology was engaging. I do think it could have been a bit shorter, and I found the use of the nordic words like “systir” and “fadir” didn’t flow great in a book written completely in English. This was a fun middle grade/YA adventure book.

Thanks to HCC Frenzy and NetGalley for the gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review. #Ad

*thank you Penguin Randomhouse for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*

Cinda Williams China offers a Viking inspired historical fantasy following Reggin, enslaved to a powerful being Asger, while holding power herself. Forced to perform both musically and in the healing arts for cash, Reggin is just trying to survive.

Eiric Halvorsen lives in a small coasting town on his family farm with an abusive stepfather and his mother and sister. When things go awry, Eiric is forced to defend his life and his farm in court. Leading to an agreement to sail searching for a lost island, perhaps these two stories converge on an even more interesting path.

I enjoyed the Viking lore that was included in this story, and I feel like throughout the rest of the series, we will see more how the lore truly is involved in our characters' lives. This book felt very much like a first set up for a large series. I found the main characters interesting and I enjoyed seeing the magic that is portrayed in this story.

However, I felt like some characters' reasoning for their behavior lacked enough explanation. I didn't buy some of the character development or that paths they end up taking. I also found the ending very jarring. While I understand the point of a cliffhanger, it felt like this story ended in the middle of a scene. Of course, this was an ARC copy so perhaps some changes were made in the final printing but it was extremely off putting when I finished the last chapter, and not in the way that makes me itch to pick up the sequel. I'm not sure I will be continuing this series.

Cinda can do no wrong. This YA Norse mythology book was full of magic, mystery, and many deals. I felt Liv, Eiric, and Reggin were interesting and well rounded, showing both strengths and flaws, and clearly each broken in their own ways. The world-building was slow but deliberate, as I think it will stretch over many books. I'd suggest reading slowly to really capture the small pieces that are important, but you won't realize until later on (and you'll flip back through in order to re-read passage). 4 stars!

This novel is based upon Norse mythology, and uses some authentic Icelandic terminology, and some apparently inauthentic but Icelandic-sounding terminology, which can make it a little hard to read in the beginning. Because of that, it took me a few chapters to get fully into the story - but once I did, it was wonderful. This is, primarily, the story of three interconnected lives: Liv and her brother Eiric, and Reggin, a girl Eiric meets by chance. By fate more than chance, perhaps, as their lives all lead them to the same place: New Jotunheim, a settlement created to safely house the magically-gifted of the post-Raknarok world. But something is horribly wrong in New Jotunheim - something that each of these three will have a part in discovering.

This book is an entertaining and engrossing read; my only real issue with it is that, like far too many books today, it ends in the middle. I have no problem with a cliffhanger, but as the first book in the series, it appears unfinished, ending less on a cliffhanger and more in the middle of the story. I look forward to reading the rest, but this level of incompleteness detracts from the book, and caused me to rate it 4 stars rather than 5.

This book unfortunately wasn’t for me. I didn’t feel a connection to the characters Eiric, Liv, or Sten.

Thank you Netgalley and Blazer + Bray for an e-ARC copy of Runestone. It took me a long while to get into the book. This story has a dual point of view. The setting is after Ragnarok, in New Jotunheim. Each chapter switches between two characters. Eiric from Sundgard, and Reggin who specializes in Runestones. I liked the story – don’t get me wrong, but for some reason, I couldn’t immerse myself in the book. I believe it’s because of the dual point of view. It threw me off at first but then I got used to it. I appealed more to Eiric’s point of view and his story than Reggin’s. They have a connection to each other and their storylines intersect at some point, but I kept thinking it wouldn’t have been so bad to separate the two characters and make their stories in individual books. The language used in the book was great though. Certain words were spelled the way Norse people would say the word. The language wasn’t overwhelming, it was a perfect amount for the reader to catch on to. The reader could have a vision of how the characters sound. Overall, I don’t think I’ll read part 2. But I would recommend this book to others who like Norse themes.
This review will be posted on Goodreads and Amazon on 1/23/23.