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jay_the_hippie's review against another edition
3.0
I can't decide between 3 and 4 stars. The book has so much going for it. I learned a lot of history, the story itself is really good, the characters have some depth, but I just can't give it 4 stars. Parts of the telling just dragged and sometimes I felt like the author had a great line for character A to say but character A wasn't present, so character B said it even though it really didn't fit in his or her mouth. Some of the surprise twists were obvious by the time they were revealed, but that might be in part because of how slowly I read this book. Lots of time to think.
Okay, what I've written makes it sound gloomy, but this was a really good book. Building on Norse history but focusing on the real complex situation and weaving in a lot of fantastical creatures and magic made for a great tale. My kids really enjoyed this book and we all laughed a lot during parts of it. In fact, we've already started the next book in the series. It's a really good book... with just a few flaws.
Okay, what I've written makes it sound gloomy, but this was a really good book. Building on Norse history but focusing on the real complex situation and weaving in a lot of fantastical creatures and magic made for a great tale. My kids really enjoyed this book and we all laughed a lot during parts of it. In fact, we've already started the next book in the series. It's a really good book... with just a few flaws.
tess38's review against another edition
4.0
this book was a present. it's a hard cover with a different picture. it's a good book. i wasn't aware it was meant for younger audiences until i had started reading it. it's quite entertaining. the thought of trolls and magic can take your mind anywhere you allow it to go! it's a great escape! my favorite thing about the book is the way it teaches you to pronounce some of the words. it's norse mythology and icelandic vocabulary makes it an interesting learning experience
apinkghost's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
larssmith's review against another edition
4.0
A bit of a slow burn. I thought it was more 3 star but it hit its groove about 40% of the way through. This reminds me of Lloyd Alexander’s Chronicles of Prydain — but with a Norse/Saxon flair instead of Welsh. Clearly well researched and written with love for the history.
kpsrocks's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
toggle_fow's review against another edition
4.0
This book read like it was half historical fiction, half fairy tale.
The Vikings, village life, their plunder, and stories about their gods and myths all had the flavor of reality. The characters Jack meets and comes to care about, and the issues he deals with caused by their divergent cultures, religions, and ideals have the flavor of something real and sometimes brutal. Then the odd jotun trolls, the Life Force, the dragons, and other things are woven in with the kind of capricious flavor of fairy tales. It was a very interesting read.
The Vikings, village life, their plunder, and stories about their gods and myths all had the flavor of reality. The characters Jack meets and comes to care about, and the issues he deals with caused by their divergent cultures, religions, and ideals have the flavor of something real and sometimes brutal. Then the odd jotun trolls, the Life Force, the dragons, and other things are woven in with the kind of capricious flavor of fairy tales. It was a very interesting read.
marlanareads's review against another edition
4.0
The Sea of Trolls took me by surprise.
I expected far less excitement and adventure from the quiet start of the novel, but it quickly picks up and we are off on an adventure across the sea.
The characters are three dimensional, the stakes are real, and the writing is mesmerizing.
It's not an epic, but what it does it does very well. I would highly recommend.
I expected far less excitement and adventure from the quiet start of the novel, but it quickly picks up and we are off on an adventure across the sea.
The characters are three dimensional, the stakes are real, and the writing is mesmerizing.
It's not an epic, but what it does it does very well. I would highly recommend.
coffeewing's review against another edition
4.0
I never read any skandinavian legends before, and this book is proved to be a very good start. It has everything from Jotun (trolls), Ygdrassil (Tree of live), Beowulf, and of course Beserkers (viking mighty soldiers).
defygravity_88's review against another edition
4.0
A pretty good book that dragged on in some places, it was really hard to get into the story it took me more than a couple of chapters to get into the book. Once the story took off it was entertaining and unpredictable some points of the story definitely dragged on more than necessary but a good book overall with a good storyline. I enjoyed the characters and the roots of mythology that it pulled its basis from. I Don't recommend this book if you like books that take off right from the start and pull you in, this one has highs and lows. This story builds gradually and drags a bit at times.
lisa_nog's review against another edition
4.0
This was like Ursula Le Guin's Tales of Earthsea mixed with Bernard Cornwell's Saxon Stories. That's high praise coming from me. Really neat little story about a boy who is apprenticed to a bard/skald and goes on adventures into the land of the trolls.
I'd been looking for The Ear, The Eye, and The Arm by Nancy Farmer on ebook for a while now when I ran across this and decided to read instead. Glad I did!
I'd been looking for The Ear, The Eye, and The Arm by Nancy Farmer on ebook for a while now when I ran across this and decided to read instead. Glad I did!