Reviews with content warning for War - All the Horses of Iceland

The blurred line between history and magic made this fun and enchanting. Probably not for the average reader but for history and folktales nerds, this is really cool. Felt like a story you'd hear over a wooden bowl of stew in front of a crackling fire with your hearth companions (or heorþgeneatas if you're fancy).
There are some statements of anti-albinism, audism, and ageism expressed by characters in this. To me, it's meant to express the ableism of the harsh period where disability and age are seen as a burden on communities but heads up.

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jaan's review

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adventurous lighthearted reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Loved this book! I am a huge fan of stories like these, which are simply stories and nothing more. Ibn Fadlan and the Land of Darkness: Arab Travellers in the Far North (Penguin Classics) is a great historical resource to pair with this, especially the first half. I really enjoyed watching people from his travels come to life in this novella. A short, edible book.

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bookmaddie's review

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adventurous informative mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

i LOVE this cover. really interesting folklore/alternative history!
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This novella reads like an old primary account of a mystical happening that I'd stumble upon in school. The myth that Tolmie has created in these pages detailed and imaginative, yet deeply researched. In the author's note, Tolmie references multiples stories that served as inspiration—I'm almost curious to read translations of them, myself.

The story is about a young man who travels from Iceland to the mainland of Europe searching for his next adventure. He joins a trading party that eventually winds up as guests of a great ruler who is haunted by the ghost of his wife. What comes is a journey across countless borders and through awe-inspiring landscapes, where magic runs amok.

This is a delightful little story, a perfect quick read for when you want something imaginative yet rooted deeply in history.

Thanks to Tordotcom and Netgalley for providing me with an advanced digital copy.

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rorikae's review against another edition

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reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? N/A
Loveable characters? N/A
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

3.5

'All the Horses of Iceland' is a lightly speculative novella that tells a created legend of how horses came to Iceland.
The story centers on a Norse trader who leaves Iceland and travels on the Silk Road, ultimately acquiring horses that he will bring back to Iceland. In particular, there is one white mare that is special from all of the rest of the horses and that he takes a particular liking to. During these travels there are some small hiccups in their journey, including ghosts and war.
I'm conflicted on how I feel about this novella. It feels much more like a legend that is being told to you and has only the barest speculative elements. I was hoping for some more fantasy and whimsy where this is much more a straightforward telling of a legend. It's a legend created by the author, Sarah Tolmie. I think if you go into this story knowing that it reads exactly like a legend as opposed to a novella then you will have a greater chance of liking it. I was hoping for a bit more narrative and fantastical elements, which is why I didn't find it particularly satisfying. I think this story would have really benefited from multiple perspectives, especially the perspective of the white mare. I think that could have elevated the story greatly and made it much more engaging.
There is a frame narrative to this story that is just barely hinted at that I wish was incorporated more into the story. It would have added much more depth to learn about the person telling the story, why they were telling it, and to whom but we only get a few snippets of this and it makes it feel underdeveloped.
I will be interested in what Sarah Tolmie writes in the future though I will likely wait until I can read some reviews before deciding if I want to read it myself.

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kjulie's review against another edition

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reflective slow-paced

Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

This is a poetic story about an Icelandic trader travelling through Europe and Western Asia in the early ninth century. His primary objective is to buy horses to bring back to Iceland, but this isn’t a story about trade. It’s also not a story about travel. I think the best description would be to call it a magical history. It’s beautiful and subtle, suggesting depth and tradition. There was, however, a bit of a learning curve while reading, specifically in regards to the names of peoples and places. Sarah Tolmie is a scholar, and it shows; she has provided readers with language that doesn’t immediately draw upon preconceived stereotypes or “historical” narratives. I found myself looking up certain place names in order to orient myself as I read, but it didn’t draw me out of the lyrical writing, and it made the reading experience even more rich.

Thank you to Tor Forge and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

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