This is a solid start to a new Norse-inspired epic fantasy. The writing was good and the characters were fairly developed.
I really liked our main character Solveig and her shield maiden Arn. The battle scenes were vivid and engaging. I found this book to be an enjoyable fantasy filled with plenty of adventure and lore. I enjoyed the relationship between Sol and her shieldmaiden who helps her on their journey. Although some parts were a little repetitive, overall so fun, I cant wait to read more!!

I never really thought about it until I listened to Neil Gaiman's Norse Mythology, but there is something rather inescapable about the corpus of Norse mythology. And that is, compared to the Greek, or Egyptian canons of mythology by comparison, we don't have a lot of it. The Greek sources are stuffed full of characters, legends, variations on the tale (something I really appreciated when I listened to Stephen Fry's trilogy on Greek mythology). But Norse mythology is definitely impoverished. In fact, the basic stories you've seen even alluded to in Marvel movies and comics are a substantial fraction of the entire whole.

So we come to the matter of Lilith Saintcrow's A Flame in the North, the real subject of this piece. This book does reflect a Norse world but more, as I will get to in a bit. It's a Midgard that is, based on the evidence and hints throughout the text especially in the early going, a lot like Dark Ages¹ Scandinavia before the Viking raids. There are lots of small polities scattered across the landscape, some of them in occasional squabbling with each other. There is trade, commerce, civilization in the south. There are stories down south of black-robed monks and a "nailed God" whose worship is being preached, very different from the pantheon these folks worship and give prayer to.

But this is no historical fiction.

I think I wanted to enjoy this book more than I did. The premise was good, I love vikings and badass fmc but this just fell kinda flat? It was long and drawn out. Overall I would probably recommend this to a friend but only if I gave them a warning first.

A Flame in the North was an enjoyable fantasy story, strongly inspired by Norse mythology and the work of J.R.R. Tolkien. It is this latter inspiration, though, that also caused the most issues for me. While I found the story of the volva and her shield maiden original and intriguing, the high fantasy elements that come into the plot as Solveig and Arnieor venture northwards become too derivative of The Lord of the Rings. The Black Lands, its shadow lord, and the liches are almost direct calques for Mordor, Sauron, and the Nazgul. The orukhar differ in appearance from the orcs of LOTR, but not in function or feel. And the Elder approximate Tolkien's Eldar (elves). Both come from undying lands in the west, both have a particular affinity for music, both are "starborn." Even Tolkien's goddess Varda is invoked. I think there was thought to use Tolkien's Norse inspirations to create an original fantasy world, but too much of Tolkien's own inventions were carried over with that idea. More Tolkien lurks in many other details: Grond the battle ram, the Lich/Nazgul blade that leaves a shard behind turning its victim into one of them, the lich city of Caer Morgulis vs. the Nazgul city of Minas Morgul. I wanted to enjoy the original elements of this story more, but as pages went by I found myself instead looking for the next Tolkien reference.

Add on a narrator that could not decide whether it was limited or omniscient, operating in the present or looking back from the future, and I had a hard time tracking what exactly the plot was. What had or had not happened yet. Why is Solvieg able to tell us about sagas and deaths of characters in the story, but cannot explain what is happening to her in narration? It was a confusing and discomforting narrative ploy.

This review is very critical, but I have to end it by saying I want to know what happens next. I am curious how Solveig is supposed to use seidr to defeat the enemy (although, again, the weapon intended here can be calqued to the Silmarils of Tolkien). But I think these similarities to Tolkien should have been more thoroughly removed or altered in favor of Saintcrow's original content. There is real promise in the magic system and politics Saintcrow developed, but they are lost under the constant shadow of LOTR.

3.5 Stars
This is a solid start to a new Norse-inspired epic fantasy. The writing was good and characters were fairly developed.

I liked the worldbuilding we got but it felt underdeveloped. If I'm reading Norse fiction, I want rich, in depth descriptions.

This was a good first novel but it very much felt like a start. I like forward to the next novel to see how the story develops.

Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

I am looking forward to book 2 in this series. I did feel like the world building was a bit confusing and I had a hard time keeping up with the book for the first bit but I did feel that changed towards the middle to end.

A Flame in the North is absolutely beautifully written. Saintcrow's prose is strong, bold, and to-the-point; even the more lyrically written scenes were not scenes I got lost or spun around in because of the way it was written. The characters felt so extremely alive and leapt off the page, which made me empathize with them with every setback and root for them at every turn. While the vast world building was a little bit daunting, it was masterfully executed and easy to imagine! I cannot wait to read book 2!

Thank you to Orbit Books and NetGalley for providing an ARC!

The beginning of an epic trilogy, A Flame in the North, introduces Solveig and her shieldmaiden, Arn. Sol was born with powerful magic that is rare. Small in stature she was given Arn to protect her. Loyal Arn is always watchful for threats to Solveig. Sol's brother commits a rash act that opens a door for a Northern tribe to claim Solveig as payment.

Sol and Arn must travel north and what they find disturbs them. Things they thought were only myth are very real and very dangerous. Is Solveig power enough that with her friends she can protect her tribe and home?

Superb storytelling and characters that are gritty and real, you will be drawn in immediately and not be able to put this book down.

Thanks Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

I had a hard time getting through this one. The flow and voice of the narrator had me rereading sections to understand what was going on. The concept was great but not the writing style for me.

Saintcrow masterfully weaves a tale of magic, myth, and the enduring struggle between light and darkness.

At its core, this book is a story of empowerment and resilience. It celebrates the indomitable spirit of Solveig as she confronts her fears and embraces her destiny. With its vivid imagery, dynamic storytelling, and a dash of magic, this book is sure to captivate fantasy enthusiasts and adventure seekers alike. This is a captivating tale that transports readers to a world of ancient legends and mythical wonders. With its memorable characters and gripping plot twists, it leaves a lasting impression and invites readers to embark on an unforgettable journey through the realms of imagination.

Would definitely recommend!

A captivating Norse-inspired fantasy where ancient myths intertwine with unforeseen destinies. Our FMC Solveig is an elemental witch with the power to summon fire, along with her loyal shieldmaiden embarks on a perilous journey, navigating through a world haunted by old fears and hidden agendas.

Saintcrow's distinctive writing style immerses readers in a richly imagined world where every village's ritual fire serves as a reminder of past struggles. As Solveig grapples with newfound responsibilities and uncovers the truth about the Black Land, the narrative unfolds with gripping action scenes and unconventional combat tactics.

Classic fantasy tropes like the reluctant hero, mythical creatures, and a looming evil are expertly woven into the story, adding depth and suspense. Despite slower pacing initially, Saintcrow's storytelling keeps readers engaged with its blend of familiar tropes and unexpected twists.

Though I enjoyed the story, A Flame in the North is weighed down by dense writing, slow pacing, and a dull plot. The majority of this book is spent traveling from point A to point B. This wouldn't usually bother me but the dense, repetitive writing made it a difficult reading experience. The monotony of the travel is emphasized by extremely brief action scenes that are resolved way too easily. The main characters are flat and passive up until the last third of the story. A Flame in the North serves mostly as set up for the sequel which makes the book itself rather underwhelming.

DNF at 25%. This is a Viking fantasy with an interesting premise but the writing did not work for me. The writing is heavy is hard to get through, but also repetitive. The world and the magic is interesting and you can tell it was well thought out, but it is not explained at all. This isn’t even my first Viking/Norse fantasy and I was quite lost when it came to the main characters references to her world. The characters had the opportunity to save this for me, but unfortunately I found the main character boring and we didn’t get enough of her shieldmaiden in my opinion. On top of that, the plot is a super slow burn. The whole thing together was dragging too much to keep my attention. I really hope this story finds its audience, but it’s just not me.

Thank you Orbit and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy.

Overall this was a good story, I was not a fan of the writing style, but that is just a personal preference and not against the author! It was just hard for me to get into. I could definitely see other readers who are into high epic fantasy that would enjoy it! The book had great world building and was very descriptive.

It took me a bit to get into this book. The writing was a bit heavy handed, and I had to put it down often because I got burnt out on it. That being said, the story way good and the characters well formed.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to review this book. All opinions are my own.

Ever had a trip, you weren't 100% on board with go just a bit sideways on you? For Solveig there are some signs pretty early on. Wrapped "A Flame in the North" by Lilith Saintcrow the other day and I am excited for the sequel in July.

Solveig has a problem. That being she is weregild, sort of hostage/guest, because her brother killed someone during a ritual. Her father's guests insisted she come North with the for a year and a day. Might be because of her seidhr has fire that they hope could be used against the dark forces creeping south that folks don't know about. Or know exist still. With her shieldmaiden, Arneior, they embark of a journey into myth trying to keep their feet as they encounter horrors and wonders.

Reasons to read:
-Norse inspired story
-Warriors who have wits as sharp as their blades
-Using the rules to your advantage in social situations
-Hosts not fully explaining the situation and it biting them in the ass
-Foreshadowing of fates for people we won't see again

Cons:
-Big spider monster late in the book that moves uncomfortably fast

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Pub Date: February 13, 2024

2.75 stars. Ooof this was hard to get through. I was so excited for a Norse and Lord of the Rings inspired story but there were way too many parallels to LotR for me and the writing was also very reminiscent of Tolkien's - which is fine if you like that writing style, I would recommend the book for you in that case, but I find it dry and hard to get through.

I love viking fantasies, and I was so excited to pick this one up! The writing felt a bit dense for me, and I had a difficult time really getting into it. I DNF'd for now, but I might come back to it later on. Thank you for the digital ARC!

At times I liked this book but at other times , it was hard to get through. The writing was really heavy handed, and the pacing was slow.
Overall, a very interesting premise. It’s going to be a long wait for the next book of the series.

Lilith Saintcrow starts an excellent high fantasy tale in a world of Norse customs.Solveig is the first born with full human magic in a generation. When her brother accidently kills a member of a delegation from the Far North, Solvig, and her shield maiden, Arneior are promised to the Northerners for a year and a day. What Solveig doesn’t know is that A Flame in the North (hard from Orbit), the ancient evil from the far north, thought defeated, is rising again. The northerners are led by a member of the elder race (elf), and the rest are werewolves. They travel north by magical path that speeds their journey and in the North are attacked by monstrous agents of the Dark Power. Solveig uses her meager powers to help where she can, but as they find refuge in cities soon under attack, it seems that survival is in question. These are not Hobbits but young women lost from the safety of their homes, and there is no magical ring to destroy the evil. The next book will tell the tale of how the evil is defeated and I can’t wait.