Title: Young Vikings and the Quest for Asgard
Author: J. Scott Hardin, Susan A. Hardin
Publisher: AuthorHouse
ISBN: 9781641337632
Pages: 214
Genre: Historical Fiction
Reviewed by: Lily Amanda
Hollywood Book Reviews
Young Vikings and the Quest for Asgard is a punchy and cleverly written historical fantasy novel by J. Scott Hardin and Susan A. Hardin. Slow-burning and beguiling, the plot follows three siblings, Jotur, who was turning seventeen, Yves who was fourteen, and Tredge, aged nine and the youngest of the three. They lived with their mother and father, Sigvard, a strong Norman Viking who had a legacy going back centuries. Svalbard, located in the North Sea, the region they called home, had not always been so peaceful but the wars of their elders had all but faded, and they enjoyed living in a time of peace. The sagas of heroes and mythical legends had now become stories often told at bedtime.
However, when a vicious raid of trolls engulfs Svalbard, leaving them orphaned, the three young Vikings find little reason to stay in Svalbard which now lay abandoned and demolished, and the few that survived had left. Together with Ultor, an elder, they embark on a journey to find Bifrost, the great rainbow bridge which would connect them to Asgard, a location associated with the gods, and a source of hope for them. Asgard would be a long journey for such young Vikings, and even if they could find it, the act was seen by many as a defiance to the gods. Can the three Vikings and Ultor overcome the overwhelming obstacles which lay ahead and ultimately find solace and the answers they seek?
These two authors have created a fresh and modern retelling of the Noose legacy in a rollicking historical tale. It is steered by excellent research on the period and brings the Viking world to life vividly and dramatically. Set in a large, lush, and inclusive world, the plot provides readers with a diverse range of characters resulting in a thrilling fascinating epic rich in detail and one that does not paddle in horned helmets and extreme depredation. Also, the book’s lilting language and unstinting vision make it a mind-expanding must-read.
Young Vikings and the Quest for Asgard by J. Scott Hardin and Susan A. Hardin provides an intriguing dive into a conglomerate world filled with suspense, mystery, adventure, and folklore elements fans of this genre will find to be a fanciful delight.