Another brilliant foray into a new fantasy world and I loved every minute of it! The cast of characters is so diverse and the world building is beautiful! This book is a brilliant extension of Ragnarok and Norse mythology and I feel like all ages could enjoy it!

After Ragnarok, the war between the gods, and chaos, the human realm of the Midlands has become a desperate place. Magic has mostly disappeared, and the land has become infertile. Eiric Halvorsen's family farm is one of the few prosperous farms left. But his violent stepfadir's family tries to take his farm away from him and his half-systir Liv, accusing Eiric of murdering his modir and stepfadir and accusing Liv of using dangerous magic. A powerful jarl is the only thing preventing his family's destruction, but only if Eiric will lead a mission to find the fabled Temple at the Grove and the home of the last practitioners of magic, the powerful wyrdspinners. Reggin Eiklund is also on a path to the Temple. Reggin spent her life traveling from town to town, performing music and spells for the benefit of her fire demon master. When the wyrdspinners from the Temple offer her the chance to return with them to be trained in magic, she jumps at the chance to be free of her master. But even at the Temple paradise, evil lurks under the surface, and centuries-old grudges are eager to fuel another war. I love Cinda Williams Chima's Seven Realms and Shattered Realms series, so I was so excited to pick this book up! Like all of her books, the fantasy world is expertly crafted, and I loved the use of Nordic lore throughout the world and the magic system. The plot reads like an epic, with the characters meeting at the beginning but quickly finding their own adventures and gaining separate knowledge about the brewing war. The characters were all so engaging, and I loved how they had to learn to trust themselves and their inner voice and learned to stop only listening to the influences of those around them. It was an excellent book, and I cannot wait for the rest of the series!

My husband and I love Norse mythology, and I’ve been looking for a series that might introduce our children to it. I think I’ve found it with this novel. It’s an excellent read, and I’m looking forward to reading the next in the series.

This is a translated version of my original review from Goodreads (Spanish)

Score: 3.6 Stars.

2022 has been the year in which I've read several authors that were in my Top of Mind TBR. writers that I have wanted to read for years and that I had not dedicated the time to yet. From Cinda Williams Chima I have on my TBR List the the "seven kingdoms" and the "shattered kingdoms", fantasy sagas that have traveled all over the world thanks to their multiple translations.

This is why, when I saw the opportunity to read the ARC of "Children of Ragnarok", I didn't hesitate twice. Thanks to Balzer + Bray and HarperCollins for sending me this ARC in exchange for the review you will read below.

Children of Ragnarok is the beginning of a new saga written by Cinda Williams Chima. On this occasion, the story is based on Norse mythology and tells us about two stepbrothers, Eiric and Liv, who are involved in the murder of a person (I will not say who it is, to avoid spoilers) and as a consequence they end up embarking to a magical island in search of a woman whom they believed was kidnapped.

Of course, the story is much more complex than this. Children of Ragnarok is a fantasy novel in which magic plays a fundamental role. Also, being based on Norse mythology, we will witness beings and creatures such as elementals, mentions of ancient gods, and ancient sorcerers with dark pasts.

Something that has always caught my attention about Norse mythology is the runes, as they are mystical elements with immeasurable power. In this novel, Cinda Williams Chima uses them as part of the magic system of this world, and I thought it was phenomenal.

I must also highlight the descriptions of the locations in the novel. Both the village where Eiric's family farm is located, and the sanctuary island where the sorcerers live, felt very vivid, and it was very easy to feel like you were part of the story.

Also, Chima is perfect at creating tension in her scenes. One of my favorites is Eiric's trial, where the reader has no idea what is going to happen, as there are so many factors at play that the outcome is completely unexpected. As a reader, I appreciate these surprises that allow me to enjoy the development of the book much more.

As for the characters, I would have liked to have a little more context about the past of some of them. I feel like several secondary and third level characters had a very passing role. I appreciate the secrecy that existed between the characters on the island, because by following Reggin (who knew very little), readers allow themselves to gradually discover the truth hidden in this magical place.

The ending left me wanting more, because although one of the arcs of the plot was closed, I was expectant of how the story would continue, especially for the characters of the Archipelago. I will be waiting for the publication of the second book!

I think this is a perfect book for those who are interested in stories based on Norse culture and Vikings. This novel encompasses its important aspects and gives us an entertaining story, perfect to read in these last months of the year. Now, if you are interested in practicing English with this book, I think it is suitable to read it if you have a medium-advanced level, because in addition to the fantasy terminology, you will also find a couple of Nordic words that can confuse you while reading it. Although of course, there is nothing that an online search cannot solve.

Thank you to #NetGalley, Cinda Chima, and the publisher of the book in exchange for an honest review.

The human realm of the Midlands has become a dangerous place to be because of the great war between the gods and the forces of chaos. Not everyone there has had good luck. Only teenage Eiric has felt lucky. He has his family and his modir's farm. His luck doesn't last long though when he is accused of murdering his modir and stepfadir. What is Eiric to do?

I wanted to put more in my description of the book but I was worried I would give too much away. I loved this book and it kept me on the edge of my seat! It was adventurous and a fun read. I plan on purchasing a copy for my classroom and hope my students will love it as much as I did.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me review this book. I enjoyed reading about the Viking mythology. This started good but I felt like it dragged in parts. It did pickup towards the end and I think this will be a good series.

4 stars.

As someone unfamiliar with Viking lore/Norse mythology, this felt like a fresh twist on Greek mythology stories. This book took a little while to get going, but then it moved well and I read the last 3/5 of it in just a day. Clearly, this is set up to be a series (not uncommon for YA), but that left the ending a bit dissatisfying with far too many loose ends.

The dual protagonists in Eiric and Reggin gave unique viewpoints to the story, and it's nice to see each with such obvious strengths and flaws to make them more relatable. Their parallel stories are clearly meant to intersect, but the extent of it remains vague. Each parent in the story having a murky past is a fun element; it's part of growing up to learn what your parents kept (or protected) you from...but in this case it adds more twists and intrigue.

While this is a story/series that I'll return to, I'm hesitant about it's recommended audience. It's a long book with some pretty heavy scenes and topics, so it might be more fitting for advanced middle school readers.

I'll tell my students about: blood/gore/violence, parent death, child death, alcohol, witchcraft, mental health issues, LGBTQIAP+,

**Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for the free ARC prior to publication. All opinions expressed are my own.**

Rating: 4/5
I received an eARC for my honest review

First off I love books that are based on folklore/mythology, but any books about Vikings you can count me in to read those books. I thought this book was really fun, exciting, filled with a lot of adventures and of course rune magic!

This book was a little confusing for me at the beginning but after a few pages into it I could see the plot develop and I couldn’t put the book down. It could have been that this book has 2 POVs so it took me a minute to see what the author was doing but really please do not let this stop you from picking this great fantasy book. I did enjoy the 2 MCs a lot, Reggin and Elric. I really enjoyed to see Reggins journey to find out who, what and why she is the way she is and to find her place in the world. Elric is just the worlds sweetest Viking but do not let that make you think he will not do what is necessary. I really couldn’t connect to much with the other characters but with the main ones I could.

Since this is the first book of a saga you really get to see this book is more of character development and building up of the plot, which by the way I really love. At times I did think that the pace was too slow or too fast but most of the time it was just the perfect pace. I loved/hated the cliffhanger and the ending but honestly, the only reason I hated it was because I have to wait until the next book comes out to see what will happen next.

The world building was amazing. I loved how the author really brought the Viking lifestyle to life. The author's way with words, you could see what life after Ragnarok was like all due to the world building and research that this author did. I have not read any other books from this author but I will now. I thought this book was completely engaging and compelling for all ages who love fantasy.

This book is filled with mystery, fantasy, action, epic battles, twists and turns and finding oneself.

I want to thank NetGalley and HarperCollins Children’s books for allowing me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Cinda Williams Chima does it again! Weaving her usual enchanting tapestry of YA fantasy story with her deeply researched knowledge on Norse Mythology, Chima has crafted a truly new installation to what will hopefully be a saga. For fans of her, guilty as charged!, this novel demonstrates that her ability to weave a relatable story, despite the mystical circumstances, demonstrates her mastery of story building and understanding of her audience. From the harsh upbringing of two of the main characters to an unexpected journey with a third main character, Chima acknowledges that friends can be found in the roughest places and answers to dire questions are not always easily answered, this story keeps the reader engaged from start to finish.

If you are a fan of YA fantasy or a young person yourself, I recommend you add this to your growing library.

I originally requested an arc of "Runestone Saga: Children of Ragnarok* for 2 reasons: the absolutely GORGEOUS cover art, and although I wasn't sure there was any connection to the movie, one of my favorite movies of all time is Thor: Ragnarok. So, when I saw "Ragnarok" in the title, I slammed the request button like it was going out of style.

I. LOVED. THIS. BOOK. It's rare for me to give a book 5 stars, but I gave this book 5 stars without ANY hesitation. because this book earned every single one. I had never heard of this author before, but the way they write is beautiful. Each page had me captivated and I hung onto every word from beginning to end. The imagery and world-building was chef's kiss.

I do not want to spoil anything for anyone so I will just say that this is one of a handful of books this year that kept me thoroughly entertained from the first page to the very last one. I cannot wait for the rest of the series! I am already planning a re-read and will absolutely be picking up the hard copy version of this for my home library as soon as it is available. This book is a work of art - inside and out. 5 stars!!!

Children of Ragnarok is a fascinating new fantasy based on Norse mythology, something I know very little about but find so interesting! These characters were brilliant and the different plots wove together cleverly towards the end of the book.

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Drawing on ancient Norse mythology, Cinda Williams Chima's new book is a refreshing take on the genre. The strong female characters are portrayed with nuance and depth and the story has lots of twists to keep the reader engaged. I am eager for the sequel!

Eiric has had a fairly good life on his modir’s farm. He must work hard to keep everything going, but he must also try and stay out of his stepfadir’s way. When Eiric is put on trial for killing his stepfadir, he knows that there isn’t going to be a good outcome since the jury is made up of his stepfadir’s family. Reggin is a performer who is controlled by a fire demon. She wants to get away and when two wyrdspinners offer to train her, she thinks it is an offer she can’t refuse. These two stories alternate throughout the book and readers will willingly anticipate when they will converge.

Children of Ragnarok is the first book in the Runestone Saga series. This series is different than many of Chima’s other series because it takes place during the time of the Vikings, but as a person who enjoys books and TV shows about this time period, I willingly jumped into this one. There is a lot of world-building and character development, but the time spent on these pages adds so much to the story that readers won’t be bothered by it. I enjoyed the start of this new series and can’t wait for the next book to be published.

4/5 stars — loved the complexities of the world, the characters, the imagery, ugh all of it was so cool and different! The only part that I had issue with was some alliance stuff that happens towards the end and how slow it was, but the speed I knew needed to be the way that it was for world building. Full review on my Instagram, @maeflowerreads

I love this author, as many of us do. I was excited to see that she was writing something new, and mythology-based which I love. But I really struggled to connect with this book. I don’t think it’s bad, by any means, but I think that readership is going to be split down the middle on this one.

Although the magic and adventure have their moments of excitement, for the most part I found the story to be really slow, causing me to lose interest several times. Which is a sad statement to have to make because the scale of this fantasy is truly epic.

But perhaps that is part of its downfall, with so much time spent on world-building, and even still I failed to fully grasp much of it fully. It is quite long for a first installment, especially with a dragging plot. I feel that there were many places it could have been condensed to tighten up the pacing and keep readers engaged.

The characters weren’t much of a saving grace for me in this one either. Although their paths are nicely woven together, I felt no spark of connection to any of them. Even though they are well fleshed out, I just didn’t find myself rooting for them like I wanted to be.

After stewing on these thoughts for days, my biggest point of contention with this story is that it’s a difficult one to pin down exactly what its intentions are. It is marketed as young adult, which makes sense with the ages of the characters, but the rest of it felt very adult high-fantasy to me.

The density of the lore is a little overwhelming at times, especially for someone not competently familiar with it. This made it difficult to stay fully immersed in the world, and I imagine that many of its intended readers might feel the same.

The tone and style of the writing and its themes also didn’t feel very young adult fantasy to me, which I think will be something a lot of readers will love. But at the same time, I think a lot of readers will feel a disconnect between their expectations and the reality of the story.

For me, it was just ok, I found myself wanting to get into it and trying to care more than I actually did. Regardless of my less than glowing own personal experience with this story, I do think that the right audience will like it. If you like books with dense lore, complex mythology, slow-build plot, historical vibes, and more adult high-fantasy in nature, then this might be the perfect one for you.

The Seven Realms series remains one of my all time favorites, so I was eager to snap up this new series and be swept away once again. This one is based on Norse mythology, which was another win for me. I am happy to say that I was not disappointed either. This is a stunning book with awesome characters, marvelous world building and an exciting plot.

I love all of the characters we have met so far, even the evil ones. Although I feel as if we have only scratched the surface of these characters, because they have so much to them and so many layers. Especially with Eiric, I feel that there is so much more to him than meets the eye. Liv also has a lot going for her. I love that she doesn’t take crap from anyone, and can give it right back and then some. She is fierce and brave and can take care of herself in this world. Reginn is also fierce when she needs to be, and has an acerbic tongue. I enjoyed watching her skills grow and her character change as she became more confident in her skills. I also kind of like the fire demon, Asger, even though he treated Reginn badly, he could be sort of a good guy under the right circumstances, although it still has to be of benefit to him.

The setting is wonderfully described, both New Jontuheim and the Archipelago, although I do hope a map appears in the final production. The magical system with the runes and everyone at the temple having a special skill is well thought out and explained without it being an info dump. The pacing is solid, although there is a bit of a slow start. There is lots of action and a little bit of romance as well. I really enjoyed the plot as well there are lots of layers and not everything is as it seems. The story is told from both Eiric’s and Reginn’s points of view through alternating chapters. They meet briefly at the beginning and again at the end, but spend most of the story apart. I loved how the Norse mythology is woven into the story.

Overall this is a fantasy that has a lot going on, wonderful characters that you will like and can root for. A plot that is exciting and includes lots of mythology and a very interesting magical system. This is one that I highly recommend you put on your TBR list.

I've been a fan of Cinda Williams Chima for a while now and am glad I was able to read this new book by them. I loved the use of Norse mythology, it was working so perfect together. The characters were what I wanted and am glad to go on this journey with them.

"Gustav nodded gloomily, as if his appetite had been ruined for the feast ahead. “Eiric Halvorsen, you stand accused of murdering your stepfadir, Sten Knudsen, and your modir, Sylvi Eiricsen, in an effort to claim the farm at Sundgard for yourself.” Liv came to her feet, eyes blazing. “That is an unforgivable lie,” she said. “We had nothing to do with Modir’s death.”

This had that charm and wit that I expect from Cinda Williams Chima but mixed with Norse lore. Although not pulling from original mythos, I truly felt that Chima brought something new and fresh to this lore and these myths. Percy Jackson kids will devour this one.

The first book of the Runestone Saga, Children of Ragnarok, begins in the human realm of the Midlands. Following the great war of the gods, Ragnarok, the world is now dangerous and lacks the magic it once held. While many have suffered, sixteen -year-old Elric Halvorsen is lucky in the fact that his family has managed to maintain most of their fortunes. Unfortunately, not all will stay safe for long. When his mother and stepfather are murdered, Elric finds himself and his half-sister under the suspicion of murdering their parents. Liv is also accused of possessing magic. Under the command of a powerful Jarl, Elric is given the choice to pay the blood price himself, or lead a mission to a fabled temple to find the last known practioners of sorcery.

With mystery, intrigue, and the frightening possibility of another war, the Runestone Saga is just getting started. For those fascinated by Norse mythology or Vikings, this YA book is interesting and uses a lot of familiar language to world build.

A good series starter, if a bit slow paced. The norse mythology interwoven is very interesting but the story itself was a bit slow for me. Some parts of the book really seemed to drag and I found myself skimming the page, then again the first episode is never the best of the series! I look forward to future titles.