Book One of the Skjaldborg Saga felt more like Chapter One to me. It is a simple six-part novella telling of the invasion of a Viking village, the escape of a survivor and her eventual revenge in battle. It takes half an hour to read and there is little here that I haven't seen dwelled on in greater depth in other Viking fiction, and here with scant reference to the gods or the Viking worldview the narrative is completely stripped down. Its rare that I think I can get something more emotionally deep from a videogame, but this book is the equivalent of an early quest in Assassin's Creed Valhalla, and the writing there felt more involved. A fun little diversion, but not much more.

Firstly, just be aware that this is a very short novella (63 pages on Kindle). I was able to read it in about 30 minutes.

This is a story about a young Viking woman who goes on a journey after her village is raided. She meets a Celtic woman on her way, and they both find a place in a new village. It's a pretty simplistic story, and it reads more like a Norse Saga than it does a typical novel. While, this does give it a legend-like feeling, it does make a bit hard to connect with the characters.

The book being so short as well really condense the time of the story. It does feel like everything happens very quickly and with very little time passage.

If you are looking for a quick, refreshing read to get out of a slump, it's a nice option.

Review: This was more like a short story rather than a novella. Historical Fiction that follows a couple of raider victims from villages that make a living .....raiding others. OH THE INJUSTICE!!! And so goes the revenge themed action.

Only three stars available for novellas but it gets full marks.

I received this ARC for an honest review.

3/3

The Fjords on Fire is so perfect! I rated this book 5 stars because it's that good! I recommend everyone to read this book as fast as they can because it's really good and the characters are fantastic and the story is fantastic.

The Fjords on Fire is a short, fast paced story about a Viking named Freydis. After her village is destroyed in a raid, she must travel to a nearby town in search of training and help. Freydis is full of emotions, we see her full of rage, hope, and tenderness throughout the story. The Fjords on Fire was a great start to the series and I'm hoping we see more of Freydis in the future. I enjoyed the writing style and the plot. The battle scenes were great, but the dialog felt lacking. I wouldn't have minded if this was a full length novel.
It's definitely worth the read!

My thanks to the Author publisher's and NetGalley for providing me with a Kindle version of this book to read and honestly review.
This is a very entertaining novella, well written with quality characters throughout, a coming of age tale as our heroine learns to become a fighter. Engaging and entertaining from first to last page, with a real sense of time and place. Clever descriptive intelligent storytelling.
I look forward to more to come.
Completely recommended.

The Fjords on Fire was a quick, enjoyable read. The writing style and fast plot were to be expected of a Norse saga novella. I think the rushed plot was this novella's biggest weakness, but again, that's to be expected. Freydis was an interesting character, and I can't wait to follow her growth in future installments. The environmental storytelling, characters, and conflicts (bloody battles) were riveting to read, but I'm biased towards Norse stuff. As I read this before delving into a read of The Shadow of the Gods by Gwynne, this story came at the perfect time.

The cliffhanger and the potential of a much more expanded world leaves me excited for the next installment. Also, the cover is absolutely gorgeous.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bjørn Bonde for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Fjords on Fire kicks off the Skjaldborg Sagas with a powerful blend of raw emotion and epic adventure. Freydis Bonde’s journey from a Viking farmer to a transformative heroine is both moving and thrilling. The book masterfully captures the harsh beauty of the Viking north and the personal growth of its characters. I enjoyed this read for its rich historical detail and the compelling way it immerses you in Freydis’s world, making each chapter an unforgettable experience.

Get ready to be swept away by The Fjords on Fire! 🌋🛡️ This viking adventure is packed with intense emotions, epic battles, and fierce personal growth. This book will grab you by the heartstrings and won't let go! If you're into breathtaking Nordic landscapes and strong, relatable heroines, this saga is a must-read. I’m already itching for the next installment—this tale is too good to miss! 🚀📚

I received a copy from netgalley to give a fair review.

This is a story about a small town girl living in a lonely world...Our main character is a young girl named Freydis who is just an average girl from a small vikingr town facing the kind of loss one may expect from this age in history.

In some ways it reminds me of Kingdome Come Deliverence, we are shown a character in this setting who doesn't have a whole lot of experience, starting off doing just chores and showing interest in the expected areas for a person of her status. It's not a bad story by any means, but I don't think it is a story that can be told in so few pages.

It's a very short story, at about 64 pages on kindle and it shows in the writing, things are rushed, dialogue is exposition heavy and can feel a bit wooden. The author makes a strong attempt to get the story told in the time frame, I am unsure if this is related to a specific word count or page limit but it is a valiant effort. I think all of the negatives I could say about the book is related to this, I think if the story had the time to breath, take things slowly and really explore the world, the surroundings etc, this could be a really fun book.

Overall, good effort from a self published author, the ebook was well put together and didn't have a whole bunch of spelling errors. If you like stories set within the norse setting and you want to follow a strong female character you may want to check this one out.