Scan barcode
kblincoln's review against another edition
5.0
The Lost Sun
(The United States of Asgard #1)
by Tessa Gratton
This book kept getting recommended to me..and it took me a long time to read it. Sigh. My excuse is that it was the stupid cover's fault! It looked like a hastily thrown-together book about travel adventures and silly young love.
So...it is a book about travel adventures and young love...but much, much deeper and angstier than the cover portrays (it deserves a better cover).
The United States of Asgard reimagines a modern world with "interweave" and cars and a federal gov't much like our current one-- the only difference being the Norse gods Odin, Freya, Loki, and Thor, etc. walk amongst us.
There are caravans of Lokifollowers called Lokiskin, and there are berserkers who are warriors/militia.
We begin the story with Soren, the son of a famous berserker who went crazy in a mall and slaughtered some innocents. We find him now at a boarding school trying desperately to suppress his fever/fire/rage.
A girl who is tells the future convinces him to go on a quest for Baldur the Beautiful, and most of the story is their road trip quest.
But that description doesn't do this richly imagined and almost lyrical story justice at all. Soren and the girl are magic/god-touched, and that brings with it pain and beauty.
And I could never resist a hero who must constantly be careful of his thoughts and actions because of inner rage that might rise up and destroy everything (like a deliciously dangerous repressed Mr. Darcy).
The re-imagining of the modern world with Norse gods and the danger of hill/mountain trolls is so much fun. And the descriptions of the holmgangs (small one-on-one battles to decide disputes) is fun as well.
But really what makes this 5 star for me is the beautiful relationships of Soren's found family: all are broken, all are beautiful.
I already bought the second book in the series. Lovely writing, fun re-imagining, deliciously repressed and angsty characters who experience real consequences for their actions and choices.
(The United States of Asgard #1)
by Tessa Gratton
This book kept getting recommended to me..and it took me a long time to read it. Sigh. My excuse is that it was the stupid cover's fault! It looked like a hastily thrown-together book about travel adventures and silly young love.
So...it is a book about travel adventures and young love...but much, much deeper and angstier than the cover portrays (it deserves a better cover).
The United States of Asgard reimagines a modern world with "interweave" and cars and a federal gov't much like our current one-- the only difference being the Norse gods Odin, Freya, Loki, and Thor, etc. walk amongst us.
There are caravans of Lokifollowers called Lokiskin, and there are berserkers who are warriors/militia.
We begin the story with Soren, the son of a famous berserker who went crazy in a mall and slaughtered some innocents. We find him now at a boarding school trying desperately to suppress his fever/fire/rage.
A girl who is tells the future convinces him to go on a quest for Baldur the Beautiful, and most of the story is their road trip quest.
But that description doesn't do this richly imagined and almost lyrical story justice at all. Soren and the girl are magic/god-touched, and that brings with it pain and beauty.
And I could never resist a hero who must constantly be careful of his thoughts and actions because of inner rage that might rise up and destroy everything (like a deliciously dangerous repressed Mr. Darcy).
The re-imagining of the modern world with Norse gods and the danger of hill/mountain trolls is so much fun. And the descriptions of the holmgangs (small one-on-one battles to decide disputes) is fun as well.
But really what makes this 5 star for me is the beautiful relationships of Soren's found family: all are broken, all are beautiful.
I already bought the second book in the series. Lovely writing, fun re-imagining, deliciously repressed and angsty characters who experience real consequences for their actions and choices.
anniedelsignore's review against another edition
Ughhhh another DNF. I'd tried starting this book multiple times and this time, I actually got about 70 or so pages in before quitting. For as interested as I am in the concept, I just can't get into it.
awall14's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-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? It's complicated
2.75
msseviereads's review against another edition
4.0
I listened to the audiobook version of this.
This was a book I had to pay attention to! No multi-tasking while listening to this one. The world building was subtle and wonderful. I loved all the little touches -- like elf-kisses instead of goosebumps.
Soren Bearskin is a berserker who doesn't want to be controlled by his beserking nature. Astrid Glynn is the daughter of a famous seether and a seether herself.
Their adventure together begins when Baldur, the sun god, and son of Odin disappears. Astrid convinces Soren that they should go find him.
The second half of this book is action-packed and I was sad when it ended. I'm already waiting for the next book to be published!
This was a book I had to pay attention to! No multi-tasking while listening to this one. The world building was subtle and wonderful. I loved all the little touches -- like elf-kisses instead of goosebumps.
Soren Bearskin is a berserker who doesn't want to be controlled by his beserking nature. Astrid Glynn is the daughter of a famous seether and a seether herself.
Their adventure together begins when Baldur, the sun god, and son of Odin disappears. Astrid convinces Soren that they should go find him.
The second half of this book is action-packed and I was sad when it ended. I'm already waiting for the next book to be published!
missprint_'s review against another edition
5.0
"My mom used to say that in the United States of Asgard, you can feel the moments when the threads of destiny knot together, to push you or pull you or crush you. But only if you're paying attention."
Soren Bearskin has been avoiding his destiny for years. He can feel the berserker fever burning in his blood but he refuses to give into the rage; to let himself become what his father was before him. People fear him and what being a berserker actually means.
Astrid Glynn is everything Soren is not: wild, free and completely award of who and what she is--a seethkona dedicated to the goddess Freya, a girl who can travel beyond death to retrieve answers to the questions of others even though she cannot find answers for herself about her missing mother.
Baldur the Beautiful is the most popular god in the country; his resurrection each year marked by a festive celebration and a live television broadcast. He returns to the United States of Asgard every year just in time for summer.
When Baldur instead disappears, the country is thrown into chaos as citizens fear the worst.
Astrid has dreamt of Baldur and knows where to find him. With Soren's help. Together the two set off on a road trip to find the lost god and bring him home. But in finding Baldur, Soren and Astrid may have to give up everything they've come to hold dear in The Lost Sun (2013) by Tessa Gratton.
The Lost Sun is the first book in Gratton's Songs of New Asgard/United States of Asgard series and it is awesome. As the series title suggests, this book is part fantasy, part alternate history as Gratton imagines a world where the United States are imbued with Norse traditions and mythology as well as populated by the Norse gods themselves.
What could have been a confusing or alienating world instead becomes immediately fascinating and evocative in Gratton's hands. (Readers of her short stories in The Curiosities may also recognize a few passing references to a female berserker mentioned in that anthology.)
It's hard to know exactly what to say about The Lost Sun because it has so much going for it. Soren is a likeable, convincing narrator. Astrid is essentially one of the best female characters around. Having these two characters together in one book makes for an electric story that is as beautiful as it is thrilling. Gratton seamlessly builds a world of gods, magic and modern life around her characters as readers are introduced to this compelling world with an utterly original story imbued with old mythology.
The Lost Sun is, at its core, a intricate story of love and friendship. Soren and Astrid do a lot of different things throughout the plot but those threads are never far from the core. Sacrifices are made, surprises are revealed, but through it all there is a very strong meditation on what really being love (or loving) a person means.
Good books draw readers into the world of the story. Great books keep readers thinking after that story is finished. The Lost Sun is a great book.
Possible Pairings: Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken, Graceling by Kristin Cashore, Vessel by Sarah Beth Durst, The Curiosities by Tessa Gratton, Maggie Stiefvater and Brenna Yovanoff, Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers, The Outlaws of Sherwood by Robin McKinley, Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce, Song of the Sparrow by Lisa Ann Sandell, The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab, The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner
____
Sound good? Find it on Amazon: The Lost Sun
Soren Bearskin has been avoiding his destiny for years. He can feel the berserker fever burning in his blood but he refuses to give into the rage; to let himself become what his father was before him. People fear him and what being a berserker actually means.
Astrid Glynn is everything Soren is not: wild, free and completely award of who and what she is--a seethkona dedicated to the goddess Freya, a girl who can travel beyond death to retrieve answers to the questions of others even though she cannot find answers for herself about her missing mother.
Baldur the Beautiful is the most popular god in the country; his resurrection each year marked by a festive celebration and a live television broadcast. He returns to the United States of Asgard every year just in time for summer.
When Baldur instead disappears, the country is thrown into chaos as citizens fear the worst.
Astrid has dreamt of Baldur and knows where to find him. With Soren's help. Together the two set off on a road trip to find the lost god and bring him home. But in finding Baldur, Soren and Astrid may have to give up everything they've come to hold dear in The Lost Sun (2013) by Tessa Gratton.
The Lost Sun is the first book in Gratton's Songs of New Asgard/United States of Asgard series and it is awesome. As the series title suggests, this book is part fantasy, part alternate history as Gratton imagines a world where the United States are imbued with Norse traditions and mythology as well as populated by the Norse gods themselves.
What could have been a confusing or alienating world instead becomes immediately fascinating and evocative in Gratton's hands. (Readers of her short stories in The Curiosities may also recognize a few passing references to a female berserker mentioned in that anthology.)
It's hard to know exactly what to say about The Lost Sun because it has so much going for it. Soren is a likeable, convincing narrator. Astrid is essentially one of the best female characters around. Having these two characters together in one book makes for an electric story that is as beautiful as it is thrilling. Gratton seamlessly builds a world of gods, magic and modern life around her characters as readers are introduced to this compelling world with an utterly original story imbued with old mythology.
The Lost Sun is, at its core, a intricate story of love and friendship. Soren and Astrid do a lot of different things throughout the plot but those threads are never far from the core. Sacrifices are made, surprises are revealed, but through it all there is a very strong meditation on what really being love (or loving) a person means.
Good books draw readers into the world of the story. Great books keep readers thinking after that story is finished. The Lost Sun is a great book.
Possible Pairings: Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken, Graceling by Kristin Cashore, Vessel by Sarah Beth Durst, The Curiosities by Tessa Gratton, Maggie Stiefvater and Brenna Yovanoff, Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers, The Outlaws of Sherwood by Robin McKinley, Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce, Song of the Sparrow by Lisa Ann Sandell, The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab, The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner
____
Sound good? Find it on Amazon: The Lost Sun
lisagoe's review against another edition
4.0
Alternate history ya novel where the United States is populated by the Asgardian pantheon. Solid teen angst road adventure fantasy, though I would have liked a little more of the background filled in on the why and how of the alternate history. The author assumes less knowledge of the Norse gods than most people who watch comic book movies could be legitimately expected to have, that is I felt underestimated and yet there were some bigger questions like why everyone spoke English and when the States were founded that could have been filled in more completely. I liked the style: it reminded me of Megan Whelan Turner because it approached the characters as real people and yet took the idea of storytelling seriously.
ruthailuj's review against another edition
4.0
This book does not have a dystopian or a dysfunctional government (a miracle) and it's not the future in which we have destroyed ourselves or the earth (what a relief). It is the U.S. as it would be if the Vikings and their Norse pantheon were its founding fathers. The gods are real and even participate in holidays and such.
One of the things I liked about this book is that it isn't just about Thor or Loki, but rather the lesser-known god Baldur. Baldur disappears and Odin offers a boon to whoever can find him. Of course there are a couple of teenagers who happen to be destined to be our unlikely heroes. They set out to recover the beloved Baldur the Beautiful and to claim their prize.
I really like what Tessa Gratton has done with the Norse mythology here. This is good read I highly recommend. With a cast of interesting characters and a unexpected twist at the end.
One of the things I liked about this book is that it isn't just about Thor or Loki, but rather the lesser-known god Baldur. Baldur disappears and Odin offers a boon to whoever can find him. Of course there are a couple of teenagers who happen to be destined to be our unlikely heroes. They set out to recover the beloved Baldur the Beautiful and to claim their prize.
I really like what Tessa Gratton has done with the Norse mythology here. This is good read I highly recommend. With a cast of interesting characters and a unexpected twist at the end.
ruthailuj's review against another edition
5.0
This book does not have a dystopian or a dysfunctional government (a miracle) and it's not the future in which we have destroyed ourselves or the earth (what a relief). It is the U.S. as it would be if the Vikings and their Norse pantheon were its founding fathers. The gods are real and even participate in holidays and such.
One of the things I liked about this book is that it isn't just about Thor or Loki, but rather the lesser-known god Baldur. Baldur disappears and Odin offers a boon to whoever can find him. Of course there are a couple of teenagers who happen to be destined to be our unlikely heroes. They set out to recover the beloved Baldur the Beautiful and to claim their prize.
One of the things I liked about this book is that it isn't just about Thor or Loki, but rather the lesser-known god Baldur. Baldur disappears and Odin offers a boon to whoever can find him. Of course there are a couple of teenagers who happen to be destined to be our unlikely heroes. They set out to recover the beloved Baldur the Beautiful and to claim their prize.
lisaluvsliterature's review against another edition
5.0
More a 4.5, than a 5, but because it was so different, I'm rounding up!!