Anna Stephens is back with a new Asgard novel, full to the brim with magic, action, and adventure. We are back following Lady Sif and the Valkyrie Brunnhilde as the head to Earth in search of the mysterious magic that is causing Brunnhilde nightmares. Arriving in Elizabethan England, the two warrior women must attempt to blend in and uncover what the Dark Elves are up to. The Asgardian warriors are not the only ones interested in this dark magic though. Hela, Queen of Hel has also arrived on Midgard, determined to take the magic for herself – Hela and the Asgardians are old enemies, but will they be able to team up in order to stop the Dark Elves from opening a portal between realms and waging war in Midgard?

As I mentioned in my review of The Serpent and the Dead, I know very little about the Marvel universe besides having watched the movies. I really enjoyed reading The Serpent and the Dead and was intrigued to see where things would go in this new novel. Much like the previous book this can be read without prior knowledge of the world and is a standalone story. I really enjoyed being back with Lady Sif and Brunnhilde, they are brilliant, fearless warrior women and it was so fun seeing them attempt to blend into the rules and trappings of Elizabethan England. The story also contains chapters from Hela’s point of view which I absolutely loved. She is dark, ruthless and determined to get what she wants – at any cost. I really enjoyed the relationship between her and William as it showed Hela might not be so heartless after all.

The story is quick-paced and I raced through it in just a few days. There are plenty of action-packed moments and Stephens does a brilliant job of writing dynamic battle sequences. This was a compelling adventure tale and if you’re a fan of Anna Stephens or the Marvel Universe, this is definitely a book worth checking out.

The Marvel Thor comics fit really well into two pretty distinct settings, the world of Norse mythology from which it was inspired (including that time period), and modern day. Whether it's exploring the wilds of Midgard during the 700's, or visiting New York City to help the Avengers beat up some costumed villains, the folks from Asgard feel right at home. But we don't often get to see them really explore other time periods. They manage to fit into stories set in modern times well thanks to their fish-out-of-water type approach, but would the same work in other eras? Queen of Deception gives it a try as a trio of Asgardian women visit Elizabethan England to track down a mysterious artefact.

The story begins on Earth, in the city of London. John Dee, the fabled court astrologer for Queen Elizabeth, is approached by a mysterious hooded figure who wishes to sell him what they claim is a mystical gem and a magical book that are supposed to work together. Dee buys the items, and when he uses them together his body is flooded with magic, and his mind transports to another place where he believes he's talking to angels.

However, far across the nine realms, the effects of Dee's magics are being felt. Hela, the Queen of Hel, and Goddess of Death, feels the magic stirring in Midgard, and wants it for herself. She sets off to go and claim it for her own, but when she arrives she's shocked when the magic begins to drain her own abilities, reducing her powers. On Asgard, the valkyrie Brunnhilde is having horrid dreams that leave her feeling drained. The nightmares are getting worse, and she's finding it impossible to get any rest. When investigated by Odin and Friga, they feel that magic is at play; magic originating on Midgard. Odin sends Brunnhilde to Midgard to find out what's causing this, sending the warrior Lady Sif along with her to help. Much like Hela, once they arrive on Midgard Bunnhilde's powers are effected in strange ways. Now the two groups must find a way to infiltrate Dee's estate and steal the artefacts before the other does, or before something even worse happens with the ever building magic.

Those who pick up this book hoping for a lot of action may end up getting a bit of a surprise, as Queen of Deception actually ends up feeling much more like a mystery novel than you'd expect. Part of this is down to Anna Stephens depowering some of the characters at various points throughout the story. Which is absolutely a good choice. If that wasn't done the book would be a hell of a lot shorter as Hela would be able to walk in, kill everyone, and leave. As it is, the characters are forced to play it smart, rather than just plowing through any obstacle in their way.

Brunnhilde and Sif kind of get off the easiest in this regards, firstly because only one of them really suffers any ill effects, and secondly, because they have each other to lean on. The book establishes that the two of them have a relationship already, and once they're together they very quickly fall into a comfortable rapport that makes it clear they're friends. The upshot of this is that when things start to go wrong, or when Brunnhilde starts to unravel a bit she's got someone there for her. Hela, on the other hand doesn't really have this.

Hela definitely gets things the tougher out of the three. Being a figure who's used to be obeyed, to being the most respected and powerful in any room, her coming to England in the 1600's, without much of her magic, is a huge shock for her. It forces her to think smart, to use strategy and deception, and in some ways ends up humanising her a lot more. Part of this is down to the sidekick that Stephens gives her. Recruiting a human lad to take her around London and do her bidding, she ends up actually starting to like the kid, showing a side of her that I can't really remember seeing before. I was slightly disappointed that her companion didn't ask to go with her come the end of the book, as it felt like his growing adoration and worship of her might have been building to that, but the hint at the end of who he actually was more than made up for it, and made ma laugh out loud a little.

Queen of Deception has a lot of fun with the format, and gives the three characters that fans will be familiar with new challenges and situations in which to play. They manage to slot really well into the new setting, and it's a nice middle-ground between being completely alien stand-outs like they are in modern times, and managing to fit in well as they do in the Viking era. They kind of know what the world is like, but are alien enough that they keep doing things to stand out, or keep butting up against the way Elizabethan England works.

This is a really enjoyable read that feels different to the other entries in the series, yet keeps a lot of what makes those stories great.

I was given a copy to review via Netgalley and Aconyte Books. My reviews are always honest and all opinions are my own. #QueenofDeception #MarvelLegendsOfAsgard #MarvelEnt #Marvel #AconyteBooks #BookReview

It should be on surprise since my MA was on Renaissance English Literary Studies that when I learnt that Queen of Deception would feature my second favourite marvel Villainess, Hela, in Elizabethan England my inner fangirl nearly exploded with joy. I am glad to say that Anna Stephens did not disappoint in delivering an action packed, fun filled, romp through one of my favourite periods of history with added sword and sorcery to boot. Not to mention everyone’s favourite astrologer and alchemist John Dee (maybe that is just me) and I was sold.

Queen of Deception sees Hela attracted to Midgard after a burst of magic is released. The Queen of Death coverts power to help her ultimate goal of conquering the nine realms and this new blast of magic could be just what she seeks. Set to find and secure this source Hela is mortified to find herself in Elizabethan England in search of the tantalising power. As fate would have it Brunnhilde and Sif are also sent to Midgard from Asgard to investigate the source of power and neither have love for the Queen of the Dead. As if this could not get worse for the people of Midgard and Asgard the Dark Elves see Earth as the first battle in the war of the realms. Forced to team up lest the enemy win the trio must try to put differences aside but how much trust can be put in someone who rules Hel? The fate of the realms rests in the balance but only time will tell.

So we already know I was pretty sure I would love this but I wasn’t prepared for how much. As soon as I saw my favourite astronomer and alchemist John Dee was also taking centre stage and a street savvy young boy called Will (I am not 100% sure but you can guess who I wanted that to be!) I was utterly in love. Add to this the return of the powerful duo Sif and Brunnhilde and I don’t know how it could go wrong.

The characters are all fleshed out and brought to life beautifully by Stephens who manages to make well know characters from history and fiction her own. I adore the banter and sassiness that we get between Sif, Brunnhilde and later Hela. It was, to me, reminiscent of a sort of fantasy buddy cop relationship and I adored every minute of it. On top of this we have the supporting historical characters that are given voice and brought to life through the pages. Coupled with these wonderful characters is the brilliant setting which Stephens sprinkles with facts from the period. Of course there is the added fantasy elements but it was almost like you were transported back in time due to the perfect writing and setting.

Another wonderful feature was the pacing of the novel. You could never doubt this was an action packed fantasy novel. Even when there weren’t battles to be had you were still gripped by the writing and pacing. The Serpent and The Dove was the first ARC I received on Netgalley and I have to say that The Queen of Deception is a worthy follow on from that fantastic novel. I only hope we get more works by Stephens in the Aconyte line up soon.
About Marvel Entertainment

Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world’s most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of more than 8,000 characters featured in a variety of media for over eighty years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in entertainment, licensing, publishing, games, and digital media.

For more information visit marvel.com. © 2023 MARVEL

Hela and Valkyrie are great characters in the MCU and the comic-verse. It is why I requested this novel in the first place. Thanks to Aconyte Books to approve my request over on NetGalley for an honest review of <b> Queen of Deception </b>.

Queen of Deception is a good and easy read for anyone interested in Marvel and the Elizabethan era.

With two powerful magical artifacts on Midgard Hela is attracted to find out what is happening and what these items are. At the same time, Valkyrie and Sif set out for the same task, and to stop the artifacts from affecting the valkyrie.

The characters are snarky and funny in their own way, which keeps the dynamic and the plot going. Anna Stephens also sprinkles in interesting little facts about the Elizabethan time, which are well-researched but superficial so as to not disturb the flow of the narrative.

There are a few scenes that could use a few more descriptions and explanations, but in general, the plot is well thought out. There is good momentum and the characters and relationships all work!

I definitely recommend reading into Queen of Deception! Give it a short, especially if you are a fan of Marvel and are looking for a good female-driven story!

#Marvel #MarvelEnt #Aconytebooks #review

About Marvel Entertainment

Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world’s most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of more than 8,000 characters featured in a variety of media for over eighty years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in entertainment, licensing, publishing, games, and digital media.

For more information visit marvel.com. © 2022 MARVEL

"A Marvel Legends of Asgard Novel" + Anna Stephens = pure gold. Who said I was bad at maths?! "Queen of Deception" was an absolute joy to read. I loved the characters, adored the writing, and the plot was gripping. I didn't want to put it down and, once I'd finished, I wanted to start all over again. I truly hope there will be many more books in this series, and I definitely won't be complaining if Anna Stephens writes them!

My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley. This review was written voluntarily and is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion.

About Marvel Entertainment

Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world’s most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of more than 8,000 characters featured in a variety of media for over eighty years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in entertainment, licensing, publishing, games, and digital media.

For more information visit marvel[dot]com. © 2023 MARVEL

The latest in Aconyte’s Legend of Asgard series is another instalment by Anna Stephens.
In Queen of Deception, Anna Stephens continues the adventures of the Valkyrie Brunnhilde and the Lady Sif as they attempt to discover the source of the strange dreams that are affecting Brunnhilde.
However, to do that they must find the source of the magic that is not only causing Brunnhilde problems, but has also brought Hela, the Queen of Hel to Midgard to steal the power for herself.
I cannot tell you how much I am enjoying this series, and yet again Anna Stephens adds to these wonderful stories with her take on Brunnhilde and the Lady Sif.
The story brings in a cast of characters drawn from history such as John Dee, Francis Walsingham, Queen Bess and even a well-known playwright makes a surprising cameo, albeit disguised as a much younger version of himself and a bit of a cheeky chappie.
As usual, Anna Stephens writes a rip-roaring tale that is full of action, derring do and tons of badassery that just captures your imagination.
I am always surprised by Anna Stephens’ versatility as a writer, and it is great to see her having so much fun with these characters. She manages to keep the story light and entertaining, but also manages to have a little swipe at the morals and attitudes of both the day and today, especially about what a woman can and cannot do.
Much like Richard Lee Byers in his Heimdell tales set in the same universe, Anna Stephens has managed to make the characters Brunnhilde and Lady Sif her own and while they are fun and light, they also manage to kick arse, always besting those around them and showing the blokes around that the female of the species is just as deadly and that to underestimate them is folly.
However, I think Anna Stephens has made a bit of a rod for own back in this tale because now I want some more of the Goddess of Hel. She was such a fantastic character in this book, and I really enjoyed her interactions with the young Will as he wins over and we see an almost maternal side emerging from her as the story progresses. Not only that, but she is also a bit of a snarky git that endeared me to her.
It was also a bit refreshing to get out of Asgard for a bit with the backdrop of Elizabethan England. It provides plenty of comic interludes with well-done fish out water moments that always make me laugh if done well. Not only that the historical setting of the book provided a richness to the story as Anna Stephens captures London, warts and all, whilst also interlacing it with science fictiony type elements that sat well.
Queen of Deception is another fun filled addition to the Legends of Asgard series that just races along at full pelt taking you along with it. Give it a go coz these books are just one Hel of a good time.

About Marvel Entertainment

Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world's most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of more than 8,000 characters featured in a variety of media for over eighty years. Marvel uses its character franchises in entertainment, licensing, publishing, games, and digital media.

For more information visit marvel.com. © 2022 MARVEL

Queen of Deception sees Queen Elizabeth I's chief magical advisor come into possession of two magical items, a book and a gem, which should allow mysteries to be unlocked. The moment he uses the items for the first time, it is sensed by Hela (Queen of Hel), who travels to Earth to find its source and finds her magical powers constrained as a result. Similarly, its use is detected on Asgard and Sif and Brunnhilde are dispatched to check it out.
There then follows some slightly clumsy attempts to find and steal the magical items in a slightly drawn-out caper with little action to speak of. This felt more like an attempt to explore these characters without Thor or Odin stealing the show. While it was interesting to consider these characters in a historical setting, the kryptonite-like effects on powers and abilities left them slightly empty as characters ("give them a bow and arrow, they're basically Hawkeye" to misquote from Deadpool 2).
I rated this book as 4 stars, mainly for the premise and the reasonable pacing of the story, despite the slight failings in the overall plot and the work needed to make the premise plausible.

This is a solid book. The time travel and magic aspects were well done, I enjoyed being in the point of view of every character and they felt authentic. If this had no Marvel Characters and was a book written without the Marvel License I would recommend this book to casual readers. Well done I enjoyed it.

Thanks Aconyte Books and Anna Stephens for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

It was complex to delve into this book because I didn't know many of the characters that were mentioned (which I had to look up on the internet who they were) and from what I saw it was connected to a series of books that I didn't read but still, I liked it.

Reading anything from Marvel that wasn't in comic format was pretty weird, but once I got into reading it was most interesting. It was different, and when I was looking for the characters I didn't know on the internet I realized that the Marvel universe is clearly much bigger than what we can see in the movies (I haven't read many comics yet, sorry!)

A light read, with short chapters that make reading enjoyable and also very dynamic. I was very interested to see another type of story around the Marvel characters that I already know (and also the unknown ones).


About Marvel Entertainment

Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world's most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of more than 8,000 characters featured in a variety of media for over eighty years. Marvel uses its character franchises in entertainment, licensing, publishing, games, and digital media.

For more information visit marvel.com. © 2022 MARVEL

I enjoyed Hela's characterization, seeing her take no crap attitude during the Elizabethan era was a treat. But I found that I lost interest and had a hard time staying focused anytime Hela was not in the focus of what was happening.

Queen of Deception by Anna Stephens will be released on February 7, 2023. Aconyte Books provided an early galley for review.

This is the latest in the Marvel Legends of Asgard novel series. It is also the second one from that series that Stephens, a fantasy writing veteran, has penned. Once again, she is pairing Lady Sif and Brunnhilde for an adventure - a pairing I find very entertaining.

I immediately enjoyed the conflicting of cultures - Elizabethan and Asgardian. Both were quickly yet richly fleshed out, making the collision of worlds even more so satisfying. And, in doing so, it firmly sets this tale up as an untold tale from the Asgardian past - an open ground for storytelling.

I liked, as well, the competition between two factions, each unaware fully to the goals of the other. That kept the tension high as the story moves along. The relationship between Hel and William was also very amusing. All in all, a fun fantasy romp.



About Marvel Entertainment

Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world’s most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of more than 8,000 characters featured in a variety of media for over eighty years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in entertainment, licensing, publishing, games, and digital media.

For more information visit marvel.com. © 2022 MARVEL

This was a great read. If you are a fan of marvel, I believe you will love Queen of Deception. Would definitely read more books like this

Thank you, Netgalley, for providing me with an E-arc for review!!!

I really enjoyed this!! Hela is so fun to read POVs from & watching her just wreak havoc in Elizabethan England with some Valkyries was absolutely divine. It was a tad slow at times, and I honestly wished for more Hela POVs, but otherwise, I really loved this! I loved how it lumped together both Marvel and accurate Mythology representations of Hela, Thor/Loki/Odin, etc., and I would definitely read more marvel novels about evil/morally grey women exhibiting questionable behavior. That being said, I am manifesting a Scarlet Witch novel.

A fantastic read that was engaging right from the start and blended the marvel world with mythology perfectly. I couldn't put it down

As someone who loves Thor, this was a great novel to add to the overall franchise. It felt like it tied into the overall story nicely.

Just the absolute best story. It had me captivated from the beginning with the Asgard mythology and abundance od action. I really enjoyed reading this book and I would recommend it! Everything I like to read about and more. Such a great story I will read again and again. A keeper!!

From the very beginning this book had me. Hela's hubris is surprisingly quite endearing to witness, and her having to finesse her way through Elizabethan England was an unexpected treat. Compound that with the legendary Asgardians Lady Sif and Brunnhilde, teaming up to save Midgard with the wit and charm they're known for; and you have a recipe for a phenomenal addition to the literary multiverse. Anna Stephens managed to stay true to the spirit of the characters, while also allowing the story to unfold in such a way that it is almost poetry. This book took off in ways that I didn't anticipate, but nevertheless enjoyed thoroughly. Filled with a lot of snark, and even more female badassery, I would 10/10 highly recommend.

**This is an honest review provided for an advanced reader's copy of this book. All opinions are mine.
About Marvel Entertainment

Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world’s most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of more than 8,000 characters featured in a variety of media for over eighty years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in entertainment, licensing, publishing, games, and digital media.

For more information visit marvel.com. © 2022 MARVEL

This was another great book in the Marvel Legends of Asgard, I really enjoyed how well this was written and enjoyed that this book had three of my favorite Asgardian women in it. The cover was beautifully done and really does a great job in conveying the story inside. I enjoyed the plot of the book a lot and did a great job in being the Elizabethan England, it was great to have a Marvel story set there. The characters felt like the Marvel characters that I knew and enjoyed reading this. Anna Stephens does a great job in the Marvel novels and her writing is what I hoped for.

"She’d felt the enormous blast of magic earlier, and unless she missed her guess, she’d say that one or both of them had made physical contact with the stone, for the speed and intensity with which the magic and power had built and radiated outwards, sending an echo through the building site upriver from Hela’s location, had been far greater than when she herself had cast magic in its presence."