Interesting story. Series looks to be interesting as well. Hopefully the other books continue to do a good job and don’t disappoint.

This is Book Two in the Legends of Orkney series.

Sam Baron is imprisoned by the Volgrim Witches and their leader Catriona. Sam is half (Norse) god, half witch but his powers are just starting to be revealed to him and he is concerned that he can not control the powers and he may destroy what is important to him. The Volgrim Witches control him and they are using him in their attempt to destroy Orkney. Sam will need the help of his friends, Keely, Howie, and Leo to save Orkney from the witches - and himself.

All-father Odin has given each of them an assignment and if they can each complete their mission, Orkney just may have a chance.

I had not read the first book in this series, but when I saw that this had strong ties to Norse mythology I was very excited. Interest in the Norse myths has grown significantly in the past few years thanks to a number of popular authors and books. I've long been a fan of the Nordic stories, in large part because of my own heritage, so I'm always pleased to see new books working with these classic stories.

The book is targeted toward a teen reading audience ... the same audience of Percy Jackson,or the current Harry Potter readers ... which is great. But early on I was distracted by the maturity or immaturity - of the characters.
<blockquote>"What are you doing back here?" he said, planting his hands on his hips as he glared at Mavery.
"None of your beeswax, Theo."
"Who's your friend?" He switched his glare to Keely.
...
"I came to help my friend, Sam," she explained.
"Well I hope he dies," the boy snapped. "He ruined everything."</blockquote>
I understand that this is a story about teens/preteens for teens/preteens and the author wants the reader to be able to identify with the characters, but this felt as though the author was writing down to the reader, rather than elevating the reader. One character tells another, "The king don't like it when you're late."

This infantile behavior comes to ahead a bit later on when Howie comes in contact with an annoying creature, so the behavior here is intentional - though no less annoying because of it:

But two could play at that game, and if there was one thing Howie was good at, it was being annoying.
<blockquote>"You're a jerk," he said.
"You're a jerk," it mimicked, sitting up.
"No, you are."
"No, you are."
"I said it first."
"I said it second, and two is bigger than one." It held up two spindly fingers.</blockquote>
Howie doesn't come across particularly well so it shouldn't have been a surprise when he later says, "Evil quests, you say? So the blade is, like, enchanted?" But I was.

Although I know it's not a 'fair' statement, I had the impression that this was a self-published book. What that typically means is that it needed a stronger editing hand. There's enough here that makes this an intriguing story, but it doesn't come through as well as it could.

Looking for a good book? <em>Kalifus Rising</em> by Alana Adams is the second book in the Legends of Orkney series and shows some promise but treats the characters as a bit too immature.

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

Let me start out by noting that this is book 2 of the Legends of Orkney series. I was confused when I started it so I purchased the first one before I read this. The story follows Sam Baron's three best friends, Keely, Leo, and Howie, as they take on different quests to find what they need to help Sam and stop a war. This story is fast paced, high adventure, and full of action. I am a huge fan now and want more!! READ THIS SERIES!!!!

Rating: 4 out of 5

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ACR of Kalifus Rising.


I love this book. I'm a huge sucker for mythology, it's why I love Percy Jackson so much. This is the only book I've read based on Norse mythology and I have to say I'm hooked.


I should probably start with The Red Sun. I loved the idea behind it but this book didn't really enthrall me. This one is more of a 3 out of 5. I'm a big sucker for romance. It's one of the top things that I love about a book, but there wasn't any romance at all in this book!


I love the characters though. You have the main protagonist, Sam Baron. He stands up to the bullies and is friends with the outcasts. He's basically you're average protagonist and even though it's typical I love it. He does have one thing going for him though. He has a humongous temper, he gets blackout angry.


Then you have Howie, the kid that gets picked on. Howie is super sweet and has a huge heart. He's Sam's best friend and they always stick up for one another.


Then there's Keely. I love Keely. She's a book work and super smart. not only does she help Sam through the whole son of Odin thing but she has her own demons from her past haunting her. She's not just a sideline character, she has her own story as well, and it's something I love about her.


And last but not least, Leo. The Umatilla warrior. He's brave and loyal and defends his friends no matter the danger.


I felt like this book was a lot like Percy Jackson but wasn't exactly the same and I really enjoyed that.


Now Kalifus Rising... was fantastic! We meet new people like Theo and yes the author added Loki to the mix.


The characters really branched out from the first book. They all got there own quests and they all go there separate directions. Now the books aren't just about Sam, the other three are just as important, they have all been elevated to the same status as Sam.


Leo, Howie and Keely are all brought back to Orkney where they are deemed Odin's chosen one's.


Howie is Protector of Orkney. Everyone finds this hilarious and unbelievable because he's the scrawny kid who couldn't hurt a fly if he tried. Howie does grow up in the book though. You get to see him gain new skills and maturity without loosing his sense of humor, which I love.


Keely is The Seeker. Her quest is to find a moon pearl... in dangerous, harsh wintery weather. She's forced to deal with the demons of her past, and her new hair is amazing I might add. Did I mention she has magic now... Moving on!


Leo is The Sacrifice. he also seems to be the only one that doesn't like the role he's been put in. If it was me I would love to be the Sacrifice... just kidding... it sounds terrifying. But who better to face a terrifying task then the brave Umatilla warrior.


What I really love about this book is that Sam gets captured by the Witches and is unable to fend off their magic and his own dark magic pooling inside him. We actually get to have a bad protagonist for once! I love how the author portrayed his struggle to fight the dark and how she made the choice for him to give in. Most of the time they fight the darkness successfully but here we get to witness an author going against the status quo.


I love this book series and highly recommend it! Can't wait for the next book!