Sunday 27 March 2011

Review: Wolfsangel - M.D Lachlan

The Viking King Athun leads his men on a raid against an Anglo-Saxon village. Men and women are killed indiscriminately but Athun demands that no child be touched. He is acting on prophecy. A prophecy that tells him that the Saxons have stolen a child from the Gods. If Athun, in turn, takes the child and raises him as an heir, the child will lead his people to glory. But Athun discovers not one child, but twin baby boys. Ensuring that his faithful warriors, witness to what has happened, die during the raid Athun takes the children and their mother home, back to the witches who live on the troll wall. And he places his destiny in their hands.

And so begins a stunning multi-volume fantasy epic that will take a werewolf from his beginnings as the heir to a brutal viking king, down through the ages. It is a journey that will see him hunt for his lost love through centuries and lives, and see the endless battle between the wolf, Odin and Loki - the eternal trickster - spill over into countless bloody conflicts from our history, and over into our lives.

My thoughts:
I heard some buzz about this book and got intrigued, Vikings, magic and werewolves, that sure caught my attention. It isn't the easiest book to describe; it is a strange book, like a dream or a tale told long ago by the people living in the North. There Lachlan succeeded, I did feel the Norse Sagas over this story.

The book is dark and brutal. It tells the story of two boys, Vale who grows up not wanting to fight, and falling for a farmgirl. He is to become the Big Bad Wolf that can bring down a God. But in the beginning he is nice, and righteous. He does not want to look up to the Gods of War and instead he looks to Loki the trickster who laughs at the Gods. Even when he is plummeting into darkness I like him, and when I say dark, I mean pitch-black, crazy and lost. His brother is raised by Berserks and then by Wolfmen, he is also a Wolf. A bit crazy, also lost, and seems to be the violent one. This is a tale in which you do not know what will happen.

The magic in this one is true to its origin, runes, witches, and people nearing drowning for a glimpse of the future. It's magic that is real, but at the same time you just do not know, perhaps it is all  a coincidence?

The book itself is about growing up, finding yourself, doing the right thing, and in the end, being a mere plaything for gods, or should we say the destroyer of them. Because at the end of time Ragnarök will come, the last battle where Odin is killed by the Fenris wolf. And in this book we meet the Fenris wolf, Odin, and Loki who fathered the wolf. But this book does not end the way you think it will, because there is a second book, though at the same time there is an end. Why? Well you will just have to read to find out.

Conclusion:
It was a good book, and if you like adventure, vikings, magic, and fighting then this is the book for you. It is fantasy dipped in reality, a strange dream and a time when Gods were real and present. A time where a new religion started to emerge in the North. And it's the story of the werewolf. It is the Norse sagas told with modern language, and with a totally new spin to things.

Rating;
I actually have no idea how to rate this book. Because it was just so different. He sure has a way of words. So to the point, a good book

Cover:
cool

Info:
Series: Craw Trilogy 1
Genre: Historical Fantasy
Pages: 464
Publisher: Gollancz
Published: March 17th 2011
Source: For review

33 comments:

  1. No idea how to rate it?!

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  2. Vikings, magic and werewolves - what a fascinating combination! I need to expand my reading tastes, so I might try this book some day.

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  3. I don't think I ever read anything about Vikings. Magic does sounds great but I know when it comes not to know how to rate a book. ;p

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  4. I haven't read that many books based on Norse legends in quite awhile. While it sounds very interesting, it also sounds like a lot to digest/ think about.

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  5. I am quite intrigued by Vikings now after reading West of the Moon by Katherine Langrish. It is like a whole new genre has been opened up to me.

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  6. Vikings and werewolves - interesting combination! No idea how to rate it? Now I'm just curious!

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  7. Sounds very interesting! I think I'll give it a try.

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  8. I might be tempted as well but I am a bit surprised you couldn't rate it. Was it bad or good? Close your eyes and answer within a second. ;)

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  9. Chris
    Everyone is hanged up on that, I just mean it was so tricky cos it was good, but was it in the end my sort of book..

    Misha
    It was certainly a cool combo, and yay for Vikings

    Darlyn
    It's hard to rate sometimes, some are just tricky. And never read anything about vikings, then it is about time

    Jennifer
    I wouldn't say that, I mean yes a lot going on, but at the same time not..now I am confusing myself, lol.

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  10. Vivienne
    I kind of figured you would be ;) I once read the best Viking book, the language just flowed like poetry. But dunno if it has been translated to English

    Elysium
    It was good, it was confusing, not sure I liked the end, but still good :)

    Host
    Go and have a look at it :D

    Ana
    Oh you ;)
    What I mean in the end was that I enjoyed the book cos of the story. But at the same time it was perhaps not the book for me. But just cos a book is perhaps not my cuppa, it still can be really good and I can enjoy it.
    Wow, ok totally going around in circles here..
    Answer: Good!

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  11. I"m loving this concept! Vikings and wolves!!

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  12. This sounds like one my son and a few boys I know would enjoy.

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  13. I like fantasy and sounds like I might like this one too.

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  14. Oh this sounds interesting. I love those legends and if there is a new twist. Btw... where is the evil laugh about not telling us what happened. That was evil... I should know. ;)

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  15. I actually bought this book last year but I haven't read it yet. Loved reading your review, it made me want to move the book up in my TBR pile.

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  16. I have to add that as a Scandinavian the Norse Mythology part really sold the book to me :) I've always been interested in the old Gods like Odin, Tor, Loke, Balder etc.

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  17. This sounds really good! I like Vikings and werewolves!

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  18. This cover looks really good, and I like the description.
    Thanks for the reveiw.

    Brandi from Blkosiner’s Book Blog

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  19. Nice review, but I know this is not the thing for me.

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  20. Carrie
    Doesn't it just sound so cool :)

    Staci
    I would be sure it would be the book for them

    Jenny
    It was a nice mix of reality and fantasy

    Melissa
    Oh now! I forgot to insert evil laugh, but be calm, I laughed when I wrote it ;)

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  21. Ladybug
    Not to mention that it takes place in Norway the whole story ;) perhaps even in your parts.
    I always liked the old gods, loved the stories too. And since my origin surely is like 99% Swedish and 1%German then yeah, my gods, lol

    LadyQ
    What is there not to like ;)

    Brandi
    It was an interesting book for sure, and good cover

    Auriian
    Not the book for everyone no..

    JujU
    Glad you think so :)

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  22. Vikings and werewolves does sound like an interesting combination, but sounds a little dark for me.

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  23. This sounds like a good read. I like that its different, a change from the norm. Nice review!

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  24. You know I had thought of this book before. Thanks for the review. It sounds like one I might want to try some time. :)

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  25. Now I want to read it even more. I'm flattered on behalf of Norway that someone want's the action in their novel to take place in our little country ;)

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  26. Excellent sumation in your conclusion. I've had my eye on this for a while. I'll definitely be trying it out sometime soon.

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  27. Carol
    I can't argue there, cos it was very dark

    Naida
    Change is good, and I sure like to mix it up

    Melissa
    You do have your eye on all the new fantasy books ;) So keep keeping it in mind

    Ladybug
    And he also wrote about the Saami, and then about some evil Danes that came murdering ;)
    Oh and I think he might have made a dis about Swedes and Finns, guess that is me then

    Mishel
    Thank you :) I am glad someone liked that

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  28. hmmmm sounds interesting, but not for me =/

    Thanks for the review hon!

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  29. Well, this is interesting...One I would give a chance too, not knowing the out come

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  30. Larissa
    Was it the crazy vikings? ;=)

    Liz
    I sure had no idea what would happen in this one

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  31. Great review! I'm also so glad to see I'm not the only one who has trouble deciding how to rate some books! :-) The question is, is this a book you would keep on your book shelf and reread more than once?

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  32. Deanna
    Oh no, you can't ask me to go like that. You should see how few books are on my reread shelf, during my lifetime only a few have made it there. So that is not a rating scale for me. But then there are those books I still do not wanna part with, so it's one of those ;)

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