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mikepalumbo's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
premium_huhn's review against another edition
3.0
Als Baby wird Skafloc, der Sohn eines heidnischen Fürsten und einer christlichen Frau, von Elfen entführt. An seiner statt wird der Wechselbalg Valgard zurückgelassen. Ihrer beider Schicksal ist eng verbunden und sie finden sich auf unterschiedliche Weise zwischen den Fronten verschiedener Wesenheiten, Götter und Kriegsparteien wieder in einem gewaltigen Kampf nicht nur um die Vorherrschaft im Elfenreich.
Ich bin hin- und hergerissen, ob ich das Buch nun mochte oder nicht. Dieser ganze Hintergrund mit den nordischen Göttern liegt mir gar nicht und entsprechend nervte mich auch dieser an nordische Sagas und Skalden angelehnte Erzählstil. Einige Szenen sind richtig langweilig und am Ende wirkt die Handlung ziemlich gerafft. Ich möchte auch bitte nie wieder so ein nerviges Elfengedicht nach dem Motto: "Oh, ich stehe auf einem Schiff und es stürmt und regnet" lesen müssen, danke.
Auf der anderen Seiten gab es einige richtig starke Szenen: Der Messertanz der Elfen, begleitet von Skaflocs Gesang, in den zugleich politische Intrigen eingearbeitet werden ... großartig und sowas von spannend! Der Teil von Freyas Erzählung, in dem sie ihren Prinzipien treu bleibt und eine schwere Entscheidung zugunsten ihres werdenden Kindes trifft. Allgemein die Anderartigkeit der Elfen, die am Ende den Menschen doch nicht so fremd sind, wie sie selbst es gern hätten.
Alles in allem jetzt nichts, was ich unbedingt nochmal lesen müsste, aber es hatte seine Momente. Hab mir sagen lassen, dass andere Romane des Autors lesenswerter sind. Vielleicht probiere ich es irgendwann nochmal mit Anderson. :)
Ich bin hin- und hergerissen, ob ich das Buch nun mochte oder nicht. Dieser ganze Hintergrund mit den nordischen Göttern liegt mir gar nicht und entsprechend nervte mich auch dieser an nordische Sagas und Skalden angelehnte Erzählstil. Einige Szenen sind richtig langweilig und am Ende wirkt die Handlung ziemlich gerafft. Ich möchte auch bitte nie wieder so ein nerviges Elfengedicht nach dem Motto: "Oh, ich stehe auf einem Schiff und es stürmt und regnet" lesen müssen, danke.
Auf der anderen Seiten gab es einige richtig starke Szenen: Der Messertanz der Elfen, begleitet von Skaflocs Gesang, in den zugleich politische Intrigen eingearbeitet werden ... großartig und sowas von spannend! Der Teil von Freyas Erzählung, in dem sie ihren Prinzipien treu bleibt und eine schwere Entscheidung zugunsten ihres werdenden Kindes trifft. Allgemein die Anderartigkeit der Elfen, die am Ende den Menschen doch nicht so fremd sind, wie sie selbst es gern hätten.
Alles in allem jetzt nichts, was ich unbedingt nochmal lesen müsste, aber es hatte seine Momente. Hab mir sagen lassen, dass andere Romane des Autors lesenswerter sind. Vielleicht probiere ich es irgendwann nochmal mit Anderson. :)
sofijakryz's review against another edition
4.0
This one has been on my list for a while. A long, long while.
For a reason.
Issued in 1954, "The Broken Sword" came out in the same year as "The Lord of Rings". I had heard for quite some time about the similarities between the two and was wondering how extensive were they. After all, one has become something everyone will have read at some point in their lives and the other - more of a niche thing. Something you kind of have to know about if you're really interested in fantasy. But like really, hardcore interested.
Why?
There are some similarities between "The Broken Sword" and "LOTR", indeed. And there will be more on that. For now, in general, these two are very separate stories. Although they evidently share common influences. But there may be more than that. After all, "The Hobbit" came out, what, when - in 1937? And I will return to that in just a moment.
But first things first.
I am not sure what is generally considered the origin of "dark fantasy". The names that spring to mind are, evidently, Cook or Martin. But Anderson did the dark things before them. Following the tradition of Volsungs. And then other myths. While Tolkien was the good guy.
Changelings are a common trend in myths, at least in European ones? In Lithuania, we have them, although they are generally benign. Or too underdeveloped to be stories from hell. In our stories you simply have fairie-like creatures replacing human kids. But not much happens afterwards except for a few modern fantasy interpretations.
But changelings are exactly what Anderson kicks off his dark story with. The broken sword is just an extra, a plot device. But one, to a mild irritation, discovers this only later in the story. The Volsungs have way more importance than the sword here. And the concept of stolen identity. Which I kind of approve, except for I wish that Anderson would have developed that just a little bit more other than using that as a motivation for blind revenge. Which drives the plot and echoes legends but wants something more here.
And there is some kind of broad-human motiff in there as well - revenge for a horrible deed that then sparks off further cycles of revenge that work well for no one. You know - get revenge for free but gather the doom of centuries as 2 in 1 deal.
So just to be consistent - the story is set (kind of) in the islands of the today's Great Britain. In the days of the Vikings and/or possibly Normans attacking the lands. Somewhere between the Romans, King Arthur and William the Conqueror. And this is kind of important because Anderson stubbornly refers to the lands as England. This is where the viking Orm arrives from Juttland (Denmark, basically) and, by doing some exceptionally evil deeds, sets the doom for himself, his wife to be and their offspring by killing some people and letting a certain witch slip by alive.
Then, after the best of mythological traditions, the witch adresses a local elf-king/earl/whatever and the changeling thing occurs. Not fully with logic of modern or post-modern stories but that of myths and legends. Or just Anderson needing to twist the plot one way or another. Which I have some disgruntlement about, but on that - later.
So because of a changeling thing, you have a human growing up in elf-land and be an elf in all except for heart and thinking. And then you have a changeling and stolen identity thing which would be oh so beautiful if not for the way how it is implemented. Had that stolen identity of half elf-half troll substituted as a human being been more than a plot device, this would have been so much more. But then Anderson decided he needs to fit into less than 250 pages and the reader has to put up with some things not fully developed so others would be and the story would go somewhere.
Add in a few plot-required co-incidences and then you get the Volsungs for the most of the plot. Or something else. Won't share the details because that would spoil the story and Volksungs being so much of this story, you don't want to do that.
In a nutshell, because of reasons, you get the war between the changelings. Involving elves and trolls. And a twisted, but beautiful love story. And worldbuilding set combining the most powerful of European myths - Scandinavian and Celtic. With some glimpses from Greek or other stories. But the latter being very minor.
Although I have to say a word or two on the plot - mostly it being a combo of great European sagas, whatever the origin and that being a bit too evident and characters doing things sometimes just because they have to do them for the sake of the plot and not being covered enough or comin up a bit too deus ex machina sometimes for the reader not to notice, that being the major and quite essential criticism to this story, I quite like other things.
Like worldbuilding and the language.
The world is built very beautifully for so short a book.
One thing I was impressed with is how much research Anderson must have done for this story. I read his other works, e.g. "The Merman's Children" but they are but a shadow of this story (there are some common themes, some developed more in "The Merman's Children", in fact, despite "The Broken Sword" being more beautiful overall). After all, "The Broken Sword" combines so many references to the Old Norse stories. Not only Odin and Loki Asgard stories but also giants, the aforementioned Volsungs and others. Then there are Celtic elements in it. And they are so, so beautiful. Had you read Irish or Scottish fairy tails of Finn and his lads, humans stolen by fairies, kelps and whatsoever, you know what I mean. Plus, Edward Grieg on paper. Goethe's Erlkoenig, FFS! With a faun or so from other mythologies. And all so beautifully blended - from stealing humans to different races distinguished by their tolerance or lack thereof of iron. The ability of characters to turn into animals. To shift from Christian perspective to completely heathen, pagan, ancient Scandinavian. God, so organic, so beautiful!
Not much of dragons, though, despite the obvious influences on "TES: Skyrim". Starting with names (try Orm the Strong in the context of other Nord names, lol), following with physical, winter-overwhelmed environment and goblins being falmer-like creatures. Or some elves, based in Scotland or its islands physically reminding the dark elves and green-skilled trolls - the orcs, ice giants; "cave-riddled coasts".
And then the overlaps with LOTR. I can totally see why people see them:
- there is a Dvalin there (there you go - "The Hobbit");
- elves, especially Leea, laugh in silvery voices;
- there is a strict race hierarchy, albeit somewhat different than that of Tolkien and more based on Norse or Celtic tales;
- there are trolls that are very much like Tolkien's orcs (goblins are separate; and Anderson's trolls are more intellingent);
- there is a white elven-witch that looks much like Galadriel except for being more slutty and evil;
- there are Elven songs (more than in LOTR, in fact);
- there are tall ships and battles (although unlike those of Tolkien);
- there is powerful elven magic (greater than that of Tolkien, TBF);
- there is a quest for a treacherous divine-level item, when an item is only but supporting the plot;
- fair maidens of elven or human folk;
- the beauty of language, etc.
- evident inspiration of Old Norse sagas, myths and legends.
Then, possible influences or shared roots with influences on Sapkowski's Witcher saga and CDPR's fanfic of W3:
- "the drowned towers of Ys" (compare with the lost/drowned city of Ys)
- Tir-nam-Og (compare with Tir-na-Lia)
- the Sidhe (compare to Aen Seidhe)
- a vial of elixir that makes one look as if dead (compare to W3 "Towerful of Mice" quest)
- The Wild Hunt (common pan-European myth)
A literal Easter egg hunt.
But other than that...
Very different stories, like I said.
For one thing, plot differences aside, there is more respect to non-human races in "The Broken Sword" compared to "LOTR" at least (to goblins in particular,) although I would have liked that to be reflected more than in words, for dwarves, especially. Here they play no major role.
What I liked about "The Broken Sword", though, was wintery fairy tale based on the Norse and Celtic blend. And it being so graphic, written so beautifully and poetically. The language being perfect (and therefore being another similarity with Tolkien).
Just try this:
"A bitter wind whirled dead leaves through the air like ghosts hurrying down hell-road, and its shrill whine gnawed at Valgard's nerves."
"She shambled into the hall, gaunt, wrinkled, bent over from the centuries of crouching in the darkness. Out of her hollow skull-face the eyes stared, empty save for little ghosts of madness swimming far behind them."
"The night was still and cold, so cold that breathing was pain, and their breaths steamed out of the shadowed ravine in which they hid and up to glimmer in the moonlight like ghosts escaping the lips of dying men."
"The night deepened and the wind rose to a gale, driving armies of dead leaves before it."
"Down into the dungeons she went, swiftly, soundlessly, a dim white ghost in the dank gloom."
Anderson evidently liked ghosts as metaphors or images in any situations. And that's lovely - they are so beautiful. And only a tiny fraction of his descriptions. They alone deserve 7 stars out of 5.
But then. Those deus ex machina moments. Sticking very strictly to saga-like plot despite modern interpretations and refering to real countries, was something that did not work for me. The latter because it broke the immersion. England associates too much with tea and oat biscuits for it to be a home for fairies. Ireland is better, but still.
Unless for very specific story types, I want to keep distinction between the canon myth world and the human Earth. Unless there is a very good reason to blend it.
I understand what Anderson attempted here, but it worked better for me in "The Merman's Children". Just like Christianity pushing out pagan/mythical beliefs.
And I did not like him changing the pace for the last third of the story. The finale felt a bit rushed and happening because it had to happen.
He also sometimes stuck to the myth canon too strongly. E.g. I know where from the belief of fairie not having souls came, but from the way Anderson described fairie, I did not believe it.
I was expecting more!
I also wanted more character development. Even knowing the 200-something page-limit.
But nevertheless, this story inspired me to return to mythology and folk stories. And other inspiration upstream. Something I've been wooing for a while but did not dare to get immersed into it fully.
Thanks to Anderson, I will be soon returning back to the old gods and other creatures.
So yes, this is a perfect Easter egg hunt with an accompanying story. And beautifully written despite the plot or character issues. Ghosty imagery and language alone makes it worth to read. Not to mention it being a beautiful intro into Old Norse or Celtic sagas and tales.
Recommend despite the issues.
For a reason.
Issued in 1954, "The Broken Sword" came out in the same year as "The Lord of Rings". I had heard for quite some time about the similarities between the two and was wondering how extensive were they. After all, one has become something everyone will have read at some point in their lives and the other - more of a niche thing. Something you kind of have to know about if you're really interested in fantasy. But like really, hardcore interested.
Why?
There are some similarities between "The Broken Sword" and "LOTR", indeed. And there will be more on that. For now, in general, these two are very separate stories. Although they evidently share common influences. But there may be more than that. After all, "The Hobbit" came out, what, when - in 1937? And I will return to that in just a moment.
But first things first.
I am not sure what is generally considered the origin of "dark fantasy". The names that spring to mind are, evidently, Cook or Martin. But Anderson did the dark things before them. Following the tradition of Volsungs. And then other myths. While Tolkien was the good guy.
Changelings are a common trend in myths, at least in European ones? In Lithuania, we have them, although they are generally benign. Or too underdeveloped to be stories from hell. In our stories you simply have fairie-like creatures replacing human kids. But not much happens afterwards except for a few modern fantasy interpretations.
But changelings are exactly what Anderson kicks off his dark story with. The broken sword is just an extra, a plot device. But one, to a mild irritation, discovers this only later in the story. The Volsungs have way more importance than the sword here. And the concept of stolen identity. Which I kind of approve, except for I wish that Anderson would have developed that just a little bit more other than using that as a motivation for blind revenge. Which drives the plot and echoes legends but wants something more here.
And there is some kind of broad-human motiff in there as well - revenge for a horrible deed that then sparks off further cycles of revenge that work well for no one. You know - get revenge for free but gather the doom of centuries as 2 in 1 deal.
So just to be consistent - the story is set (kind of) in the islands of the today's Great Britain. In the days of the Vikings and/or possibly Normans attacking the lands. Somewhere between the Romans, King Arthur and William the Conqueror. And this is kind of important because Anderson stubbornly refers to the lands as England. This is where the viking Orm arrives from Juttland (Denmark, basically) and, by doing some exceptionally evil deeds, sets the doom for himself, his wife to be and their offspring by killing some people and letting a certain witch slip by alive.
Then, after the best of mythological traditions, the witch adresses a local elf-king/earl/whatever and the changeling thing occurs. Not fully with logic of modern or post-modern stories but that of myths and legends. Or just Anderson needing to twist the plot one way or another. Which I have some disgruntlement about, but on that - later.
So because of a changeling thing, you have a human growing up in elf-land and be an elf in all except for heart and thinking. And then you have a changeling and stolen identity thing which would be oh so beautiful if not for the way how it is implemented. Had that stolen identity of half elf-half troll substituted as a human being been more than a plot device, this would have been so much more. But then Anderson decided he needs to fit into less than 250 pages and the reader has to put up with some things not fully developed so others would be and the story would go somewhere.
Add in a few plot-required co-incidences and then you get the Volsungs for the most of the plot. Or something else. Won't share the details because that would spoil the story and Volksungs being so much of this story, you don't want to do that.
In a nutshell, because of reasons, you get the war between the changelings. Involving elves and trolls. And a twisted, but beautiful love story. And worldbuilding set combining the most powerful of European myths - Scandinavian and Celtic. With some glimpses from Greek or other stories. But the latter being very minor.
Although I have to say a word or two on the plot - mostly it being a combo of great European sagas, whatever the origin and that being a bit too evident and characters doing things sometimes just because they have to do them for the sake of the plot and not being covered enough or comin up a bit too deus ex machina sometimes for the reader not to notice, that being the major and quite essential criticism to this story, I quite like other things.
Like worldbuilding and the language.
The world is built very beautifully for so short a book.
One thing I was impressed with is how much research Anderson must have done for this story. I read his other works, e.g. "The Merman's Children" but they are but a shadow of this story (there are some common themes, some developed more in "The Merman's Children", in fact, despite "The Broken Sword" being more beautiful overall). After all, "The Broken Sword" combines so many references to the Old Norse stories. Not only Odin and Loki Asgard stories but also giants, the aforementioned Volsungs and others. Then there are Celtic elements in it. And they are so, so beautiful. Had you read Irish or Scottish fairy tails of Finn and his lads, humans stolen by fairies, kelps and whatsoever, you know what I mean. Plus, Edward Grieg on paper. Goethe's Erlkoenig, FFS! With a faun or so from other mythologies. And all so beautifully blended - from stealing humans to different races distinguished by their tolerance or lack thereof of iron. The ability of characters to turn into animals. To shift from Christian perspective to completely heathen, pagan, ancient Scandinavian. God, so organic, so beautiful!
Not much of dragons, though, despite the obvious influences on "TES: Skyrim". Starting with names (try Orm the Strong in the context of other Nord names, lol), following with physical, winter-overwhelmed environment and goblins being falmer-like creatures. Or some elves, based in Scotland or its islands physically reminding the dark elves and green-skilled trolls - the orcs, ice giants; "cave-riddled coasts".
And then the overlaps with LOTR. I can totally see why people see them:
- there is a Dvalin there (there you go - "The Hobbit");
- elves, especially Leea, laugh in silvery voices;
- there is a strict race hierarchy, albeit somewhat different than that of Tolkien and more based on Norse or Celtic tales;
- there are trolls that are very much like Tolkien's orcs (goblins are separate; and Anderson's trolls are more intellingent);
- there is a white elven-witch that looks much like Galadriel except for being more slutty and evil;
- there are Elven songs (more than in LOTR, in fact);
- there are tall ships and battles (although unlike those of Tolkien);
- there is powerful elven magic (greater than that of Tolkien, TBF);
- there is a quest for a treacherous divine-level item, when an item is only but supporting the plot;
- fair maidens of elven or human folk;
- the beauty of language, etc.
- evident inspiration of Old Norse sagas, myths and legends.
Then, possible influences or shared roots with influences on Sapkowski's Witcher saga and CDPR's fanfic of W3:
- "the drowned towers of Ys" (compare with the lost/drowned city of Ys)
- Tir-nam-Og (compare with Tir-na-Lia)
- the Sidhe (compare to Aen Seidhe)
- a vial of elixir that makes one look as if dead (compare to W3 "Towerful of Mice" quest)
- The Wild Hunt (common pan-European myth)
A literal Easter egg hunt.
But other than that...
Very different stories, like I said.
For one thing, plot differences aside, there is more respect to non-human races in "The Broken Sword" compared to "LOTR" at least (to goblins in particular,) although I would have liked that to be reflected more than in words, for dwarves, especially. Here they play no major role.
What I liked about "The Broken Sword", though, was wintery fairy tale based on the Norse and Celtic blend. And it being so graphic, written so beautifully and poetically. The language being perfect (and therefore being another similarity with Tolkien).
Just try this:
"A bitter wind whirled dead leaves through the air like ghosts hurrying down hell-road, and its shrill whine gnawed at Valgard's nerves."
"She shambled into the hall, gaunt, wrinkled, bent over from the centuries of crouching in the darkness. Out of her hollow skull-face the eyes stared, empty save for little ghosts of madness swimming far behind them."
"The night was still and cold, so cold that breathing was pain, and their breaths steamed out of the shadowed ravine in which they hid and up to glimmer in the moonlight like ghosts escaping the lips of dying men."
"The night deepened and the wind rose to a gale, driving armies of dead leaves before it."
"Down into the dungeons she went, swiftly, soundlessly, a dim white ghost in the dank gloom."
Anderson evidently liked ghosts as metaphors or images in any situations. And that's lovely - they are so beautiful. And only a tiny fraction of his descriptions. They alone deserve 7 stars out of 5.
But then. Those deus ex machina moments. Sticking very strictly to saga-like plot despite modern interpretations and refering to real countries, was something that did not work for me. The latter because it broke the immersion. England associates too much with tea and oat biscuits for it to be a home for fairies. Ireland is better, but still.
Unless for very specific story types, I want to keep distinction between the canon myth world and the human Earth. Unless there is a very good reason to blend it.
I understand what Anderson attempted here, but it worked better for me in "The Merman's Children". Just like Christianity pushing out pagan/mythical beliefs.
And I did not like him changing the pace for the last third of the story. The finale felt a bit rushed and happening because it had to happen.
He also sometimes stuck to the myth canon too strongly. E.g. I know where from the belief of fairie not having souls came, but from the way Anderson described fairie, I did not believe it.
I was expecting more!
I also wanted more character development. Even knowing the 200-something page-limit.
But nevertheless, this story inspired me to return to mythology and folk stories. And other inspiration upstream. Something I've been wooing for a while but did not dare to get immersed into it fully.
Thanks to Anderson, I will be soon returning back to the old gods and other creatures.
So yes, this is a perfect Easter egg hunt with an accompanying story. And beautifully written despite the plot or character issues. Ghosty imagery and language alone makes it worth to read. Not to mention it being a beautiful intro into Old Norse or Celtic sagas and tales.
Recommend despite the issues.
bqrivers's review
5.0
I was taken by the lyrical quality of the prose, more poetic than the poems. The words seemed to lift me up and away!
The prologue actually could be considered a condensed version of the story without any of the emotion. I advise it be read is an afterward!
The prologue actually could be considered a condensed version of the story without any of the emotion. I advise it be read is an afterward!
dantastic's review
3.0
Imric the Elf Earl steals a human baby and leaves a changeling, Valgard, in his place. Little does he know the changeling will start the worst war the elves have ever seen. But what of Skafloc, the child that was taken, and the broken sword given to him as a baby by the Aesir?
I originally picked this up because Michael Moorcock frequently cites it as an influence on his Elric saga. Upon reading it, I can see what he means. The Broken Sword has a lot of the epic feel of the Elric saga, complete with a huge war at the end, a sword with a mind of its own, and some tragedy.
The characters were interesting but not developed all that well. You knew from the beginning that Valgard would turn out bad and Skafloc would have to put him down at some point. While a lot of the story was predictable, the ending was a surprise.
One aspect of the book that I really liked was Anderson's elven culture, much more like Moorcock's Melniboneans than Tolkien's elves. The elves are almost amoral and don't just act like humans with pointy ears. They're more like the beautiful yet cruel faeries of some tales.
Anderson draws from Norse myth, as well as Irish and English stories, to craft his saga. He manages an epic feel that many writers don't achieve in several phone-book sized volumes. The two major campaigns both had an end of the world kind of feel to them. I'd say that while this isn't the best fantasy I've ever read, it's a must read for fantasy fans due to the influence it's had on the books that have come afterward.
I originally picked this up because Michael Moorcock frequently cites it as an influence on his Elric saga. Upon reading it, I can see what he means. The Broken Sword has a lot of the epic feel of the Elric saga, complete with a huge war at the end, a sword with a mind of its own, and some tragedy.
The characters were interesting but not developed all that well. You knew from the beginning that Valgard would turn out bad and Skafloc would have to put him down at some point. While a lot of the story was predictable, the ending was a surprise.
One aspect of the book that I really liked was Anderson's elven culture, much more like Moorcock's Melniboneans than Tolkien's elves. The elves are almost amoral and don't just act like humans with pointy ears. They're more like the beautiful yet cruel faeries of some tales.
Anderson draws from Norse myth, as well as Irish and English stories, to craft his saga. He manages an epic feel that many writers don't achieve in several phone-book sized volumes. The two major campaigns both had an end of the world kind of feel to them. I'd say that while this isn't the best fantasy I've ever read, it's a must read for fantasy fans due to the influence it's had on the books that have come afterward.
claire_loves_books's review
1.0
I didn't enjoy this- it felt like a real effort to continue reading, I kept putting it down and having to force myself to pick it back up. I eventually gave up just over a third of the way through.
emtees's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This is probably my favorite book of the year, as well as the last. The Broken Sword takes Norse mythology and crafts an original story that feels like it could be one of the ancient sagas, but filtered through an approach to character and relationships that blends ancient and modern elements. It has all the power of both mythology and classic fantasy, but in its handling of the characters, especially the women, it feels more modern than Tolkien or other writers of the period.
The story follows two men: Skafloc, a Viking’s son stolen from his Christian mother before his baptism and raised by the elves, and Valgard, the half elf/half troll changeling left behind to replace him. While Skafloc is raised to be a great warrior among the elves, and gifted by the Norse gods with the Broken Sword, a mysterious and possibly evil weapon that is said to have the potential to save the world if it can be reforged, Valgard grows up in the world of humans, tormented by a rage and thirst for violence he and those around him cannot understand. When he finally learns the truth of his birth, he turns his violence on the family who raised him, which brings us to our third protagonist: Freda, biological sister to Skafloc and raised alongside Valgard, and an unexpectedly great character in her own right. Freda becomes Valgard’s prisoner, only to be rescued by Skafloc - but while Freda revels in the freedom of the elves, becoming a shieldmaiden who fights at Skafloc’s side, she is still a Christian and bound to human morality, and eventually the clash between the two worlds becomes too much for she and either of her brothers to handle.
The world of the Broken Sword does something that a lot of fantasy set in the real world tries but few succeed at: it takes place within historical “reality,” with the premise that all the myths and legends of the world are true and that the ebb and flow of human belief is echoed in the supernatural world. The story takes place in the 9th century, when the Norse gods still hold strong but most of the other pagan figures, from the Sidhe of Ireland to a Greek faun who wanders his way west after his own traditions fail, are fading into something more like legends in the face of Christianity. Both the Christian and pagan powers in this world are unmistakably real, and the clash between them is not one of truth but of faith. Men are weak compared to the elves, trolls and other supernatural creatures, unaware of most of what goes on in the world around them, but there is a sense that despite all the great battles the supernatural creatures fight, they are ultimately destined to lose and fade because of the beliefs of men.
The story feels very much like a Norse saga, with incredible battle scenes and feats of strength. The characters are all driven by powerful emotions and by destiny, and the gods play with the fate of lesser beings as if on a chessboard. But the characters also feel very human. Skafloc and Freda in particular come across as very believable and relatable and their tragedy is the emotional heart of the story. But even the non-human creatures have a depth and reality to them. In particular, the trolls, the evil enemies of the elves, have much more depth to them than Tolkien’s orcs and their successors. One of the most poignant scenes in the book features a troll king confronted by his daughter, driven mad after centuries imprisoned by the elves.
The story ends without every thread wrapped up. Supposedly this is because Anderson was leaving the possibility of a sequel open, but while I would have liked to read that, I kind of liked that the impression is that the story will go on beyond the battle that ends the book. It adds to the feeling that this story is part of the larger mythology of a world that no longer exists.
The story follows two men: Skafloc, a Viking’s son stolen from his Christian mother before his baptism and raised by the elves, and Valgard, the half elf/half troll changeling left behind to replace him. While Skafloc is raised to be a great warrior among the elves, and gifted by the Norse gods with the Broken Sword, a mysterious and possibly evil weapon that is said to have the potential to save the world if it can be reforged, Valgard grows up in the world of humans, tormented by a rage and thirst for violence he and those around him cannot understand. When he finally learns the truth of his birth, he turns his violence on the family who raised him, which brings us to our third protagonist: Freda, biological sister to Skafloc and raised alongside Valgard, and an unexpectedly great character in her own right. Freda becomes Valgard’s prisoner, only to be rescued by Skafloc - but while Freda revels in the freedom of the elves, becoming a shieldmaiden who fights at Skafloc’s side, she is still a Christian and bound to human morality, and eventually the clash between the two worlds becomes too much for she and either of her brothers to handle.
The world of the Broken Sword does something that a lot of fantasy set in the real world tries but few succeed at: it takes place within historical “reality,” with the premise that all the myths and legends of the world are true and that the ebb and flow of human belief is echoed in the supernatural world. The story takes place in the 9th century, when the Norse gods still hold strong but most of the other pagan figures, from the Sidhe of Ireland to a Greek faun who wanders his way west after his own traditions fail, are fading into something more like legends in the face of Christianity. Both the Christian and pagan powers in this world are unmistakably real, and the clash between them is not one of truth but of faith. Men are weak compared to the elves, trolls and other supernatural creatures, unaware of most of what goes on in the world around them, but there is a sense that despite all the great battles the supernatural creatures fight, they are ultimately destined to lose and fade because of the beliefs of men.
The story feels very much like a Norse saga, with incredible battle scenes and feats of strength. The characters are all driven by powerful emotions and by destiny, and the gods play with the fate of lesser beings as if on a chessboard. But the characters also feel very human. Skafloc and Freda in particular come across as very believable and relatable and their tragedy is the emotional heart of the story. But even the non-human creatures have a depth and reality to them. In particular, the trolls, the evil enemies of the elves, have much more depth to them than Tolkien’s orcs and their successors. One of the most poignant scenes in the book features a troll king confronted by his daughter, driven mad after centuries imprisoned by the elves.
The story ends without every thread wrapped up. Supposedly this is because Anderson was leaving the possibility of a sequel open, but while I would have liked to read that, I kind of liked that the impression is that the story will go on beyond the battle that ends the book. It adds to the feeling that this story is part of the larger mythology of a world that no longer exists.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Incest
Moderate: Rape
A major plotline involves incest, though the characters are unaware that they are related when they begin a relationship. A non-detailed rape scene takes place early in the book, and later on a main character engages in a relationship with dubious consent. There is a lot of fantasy violence.jhouses's review against another edition
4.0
Al principio no me gustó: un aire a fantasía antigua, un fiero vikingo, un elfo que sustituye a su heredero, un bucólico relato de su juventud entre los elfos...
Pero poco a poco la historia de oscurece, se tiñe de tragedia griega con venganzas, fratricidios, brujas, demonios, incesto y una guerra cruel entre elfos y trolls. Dioses nórdicos e irlandeses, gigantes del hielo y una espada mágica maldita terminan por atrapar al lector con una prosa deliberadamente arcaica y sonora. Algo dificil de leer pero definitivamente una gran novela fantástica mucho más adulta y oscura que la tradicional épica de Tolkien.
Pero poco a poco la historia de oscurece, se tiñe de tragedia griega con venganzas, fratricidios, brujas, demonios, incesto y una guerra cruel entre elfos y trolls. Dioses nórdicos e irlandeses, gigantes del hielo y una espada mágica maldita terminan por atrapar al lector con una prosa deliberadamente arcaica y sonora. Algo dificil de leer pero definitivamente una gran novela fantástica mucho más adulta y oscura que la tradicional épica de Tolkien.