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The Valhalla Saga #2
Blood Will Follow
Ulfar Thormodsson and Audun Arngrimsson have won the battle for Stenvik, although at huge cost, for they have suffered much worse than heartbreak. They have lost the very thing that made them human: their mortality.
While Ulfar heads home, looking for the place where he thinks he will be safe, Audun runs south. But both men are about to discover that they can not run away from themselves.
King Olav might have been defeated outside the walls of Stenvik, but now Valgard leads him north, in search of the source of the Vikings’ power.
All the while there are those who watch and wait, biding their time, for there are secrets yet to be discovered…
While Ulfar heads home, looking for the place where he thinks he will be safe, Audun runs south. But both men are about to discover that they can not run away from themselves.
King Olav might have been defeated outside the walls of Stenvik, but now Valgard leads him north, in search of the source of the Vikings’ power.
All the while there are those who watch and wait, biding their time, for there are secrets yet to be discovered…
308 pages, Hardcover
First published May 29, 2014
15 people are currently reading
636 people want to read
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May 27, 2024Well. Lots to say about this one.
The first thing to note is that it's a very well written book, in as much as the words are fitted together well, there are arresting lines: "the silence spread like blood on a stone", and there's great description along with believable and entertaining dialogue. You get a real sense of the hostility of the Scandanvian landscape, sometimes miserable, sometimes beautiful, of the northern cold, and of the difficulty in living/traveling in such places. Also of the rough life in the towns and villages of the region in the late 900s.
It's also a rather brutal, bloody book with bucket-loads of bad language and mean deeds! Much more so (if memory serves) than book 1, Swords of Good Men. Although the actual head count is significantly lower (book 1 was one huge battle) and there is far less action. I enjoyed it more than the first book (my mother less than). Though it's worth noting that I didn't enjoy it more *because* of the increased grimness.
In the first book the point of view through which the story was told hopped around between one set of eyes and the next at a frenetic pace, leading to a cinematic view of many scenes. In this book a more traditional approach is adopted and we get more time to acclimatize to each character. The first book was a bold experiment in this regard - I enjoyed the approach in the second more.
The secondary characters are a strength of the book. Kristjansson has an almost GRRM-like ability to breathe life into minor characters in just a few lines.
I enjoyed reading the book. Let's 'put a pin in that'. I was also confused about what was happening on the grand scale, and sometimes locally, a lot of the time.
Firstly this was because I didn't remember enough from book 1 and there are a lot of characters with a lot going on. A pre-story summary would have been helpful. On finishing I discovered at the back of the book a list of characters with a brief description/explanation of each. I wish I'd spotted that at the start (they should put this stuff up front IMOHO). Even so, I would also have appreciated a list of the carry-over characters and what they were busy doing.
Secondly this confusion was because ... I don't know ... me stupid? I've looked at the other reviews and almost nobody mentions confusion. But here it is. There are two main characters, both magically 'cursed' and they wander off from the battle/siege of Stenvick(sp?) and after that I'm never entirely clear where they are headed or why. Additionally both these men (and several other characters) are visited by Odin and Loki both in and out of disguise and given 'gifts'. I was confused about the motivations of the Gods and the nature of one of the gifts. This will sound bad: much of the book felt like aimless wandering around. *However* it was well written and entertaining aimless wandering around and I suspect if I'd been more on the ball I would have caught the aim of it (as other readers seem to have). Additionally plotsters (readers wholly concerned with plot) have leveled exactly the same accusation/observation about some of my work. Books in which the characters are a significant focus can be (and are in this case) very readable in their 'wandering around' because what's of importance is the character's experiences and how they impact them, not how this particular journey/encounter serves to advance the plot.
So to conclude: Kristjansson writes very well and his wordsmithing is in high gear here. The book has much to recommend it and I'm looking forward to book 3, Path of the Gods. I would love to read a wiki that explains what exactly happened though :)
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..
The first thing to note is that it's a very well written book, in as much as the words are fitted together well, there are arresting lines: "the silence spread like blood on a stone", and there's great description along with believable and entertaining dialogue. You get a real sense of the hostility of the Scandanvian landscape, sometimes miserable, sometimes beautiful, of the northern cold, and of the difficulty in living/traveling in such places. Also of the rough life in the towns and villages of the region in the late 900s.
It's also a rather brutal, bloody book with bucket-loads of bad language and mean deeds! Much more so (if memory serves) than book 1, Swords of Good Men. Although the actual head count is significantly lower (book 1 was one huge battle) and there is far less action. I enjoyed it more than the first book (my mother less than). Though it's worth noting that I didn't enjoy it more *because* of the increased grimness.
In the first book the point of view through which the story was told hopped around between one set of eyes and the next at a frenetic pace, leading to a cinematic view of many scenes. In this book a more traditional approach is adopted and we get more time to acclimatize to each character. The first book was a bold experiment in this regard - I enjoyed the approach in the second more.
The secondary characters are a strength of the book. Kristjansson has an almost GRRM-like ability to breathe life into minor characters in just a few lines.
I enjoyed reading the book. Let's 'put a pin in that'. I was also confused about what was happening on the grand scale, and sometimes locally, a lot of the time.
Firstly this was because I didn't remember enough from book 1 and there are a lot of characters with a lot going on. A pre-story summary would have been helpful. On finishing I discovered at the back of the book a list of characters with a brief description/explanation of each. I wish I'd spotted that at the start (they should put this stuff up front IMOHO). Even so, I would also have appreciated a list of the carry-over characters and what they were busy doing.
Secondly this confusion was because ... I don't know ... me stupid? I've looked at the other reviews and almost nobody mentions confusion. But here it is. There are two main characters, both magically 'cursed' and they wander off from the battle/siege of Stenvick(sp?) and after that I'm never entirely clear where they are headed or why. Additionally both these men (and several other characters) are visited by Odin and Loki both in and out of disguise and given 'gifts'. I was confused about the motivations of the Gods and the nature of one of the gifts. This will sound bad: much of the book felt like aimless wandering around. *However* it was well written and entertaining aimless wandering around and I suspect if I'd been more on the ball I would have caught the aim of it (as other readers seem to have). Additionally plotsters (readers wholly concerned with plot) have leveled exactly the same accusation/observation about some of my work. Books in which the characters are a significant focus can be (and are in this case) very readable in their 'wandering around' because what's of importance is the character's experiences and how they impact them, not how this particular journey/encounter serves to advance the plot.
So to conclude: Kristjansson writes very well and his wordsmithing is in high gear here. The book has much to recommend it and I'm looking forward to book 3, Path of the Gods. I would love to read a wiki that explains what exactly happened though :)
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Join my 3-emails-a-year newsletter #prizes
..
March 19, 2021
I really liked Blood Will Follow and enjoyed it more than Swords of Good Men. Fans of Abercrombie and Cornwell will find much to enjoy but Kristjanssons take on Fantasy is slightly offbeat and with some nice touches of dark humour. At times, it reminded me of an indie Western as directed by Peter Fonda say. The main characters of Ulfar & Audan really shine in this 📖 and continue to entertain. To be fair,all the characterisations continue to be well done . So, if you fancy a Fantasy series that's a little bit different ,I can thoroughly recommend you give The Valhalla Saga a try. 3.75 🌟
October 27, 2016
A very typical middle book for a trilogy...... the big battle has been fought in the first & now the major players go their separate ways on individual “quests”, meet other players on their adventures & then all start to converge again come the end of the book for the final part of the trilogy...... it does what it says on the tin & with me ripping through it in 2 days it’s a decent enough romp / adventure for all followers of Vikings with a good smattering of Norse mythology & fantasy readers alike.
The base of the story without giving much away is that the Norse world is at the apex of change from the old gods to the new White Christ with conflict throughout the region as chieftains / kings align themselves. Odin & Loki are part of the story as well as mages/healers & berserkers/immortals.
A solid 3.5 stars rounded upto 4 & looking forward to the final part.
The base of the story without giving much away is that the Norse world is at the apex of change from the old gods to the new White Christ with conflict throughout the region as chieftains / kings align themselves. Odin & Loki are part of the story as well as mages/healers & berserkers/immortals.
A solid 3.5 stars rounded upto 4 & looking forward to the final part.
June 11, 2014
I do love when the second book is better than the first. Now what made it so? I am always so bad with that, cos honestly it was everything that helped. It seemed to flow better, better written, better story, hey the book was better. And since book 1 was already good, the better :) I am way to used too a series going downwards instead.
Right so the big bad happened, Ulfar and Audun are now immortal. That is something I like about this book. Yes there is magic, yes the Gods walk the earth. And it feels real. Because then Christianity came and swept away all that. But now it feels like the olden days sure were deadly and magical.
The story is a sort of road trip. Ulfar goes back to Sweden and wonders about why he can't die, why did the evil woman curse them? While Audun tries to flee to the south. But men like them can't run away. Something, someone is after them.
While in Norway that bastard Valgard is all cozy with King Olav (arghhh Valgard!). Valgard is also after the power of old. So I am sensing a big showdown maybe in the next book, or not.
Great story. These two men meeting strangers and trying to find themselves and what they will do next. And darkness gathering in Norway. So hard you know, cos Valgard is bad and should not get any power. But then I do not like King Olav either cos you do not force people to find faith.
A less bloody book than book 1 as that one was all anticipation before the siege of Stenvik. Here we get more of everything else. An interesting book that I could not put down. And I do wonder where their journey will take them next.
Right so the big bad happened, Ulfar and Audun are now immortal. That is something I like about this book. Yes there is magic, yes the Gods walk the earth. And it feels real. Because then Christianity came and swept away all that. But now it feels like the olden days sure were deadly and magical.
The story is a sort of road trip. Ulfar goes back to Sweden and wonders about why he can't die, why did the evil woman curse them? While Audun tries to flee to the south. But men like them can't run away. Something, someone is after them.
While in Norway that bastard Valgard is all cozy with King Olav (arghhh Valgard!). Valgard is also after the power of old. So I am sensing a big showdown maybe in the next book, or not.
Great story. These two men meeting strangers and trying to find themselves and what they will do next. And darkness gathering in Norway. So hard you know, cos Valgard is bad and should not get any power. But then I do not like King Olav either cos you do not force people to find faith.
A less bloody book than book 1 as that one was all anticipation before the siege of Stenvik. Here we get more of everything else. An interesting book that I could not put down. And I do wonder where their journey will take them next.
March 20, 2016
AD 996. Ulfar Thormodsson and Audun Amgrimsson barely escaped the tumultuous, climactic battle at Stenvik at the end of ‘Swords of Good Men’ with their lives.
Well, one of them did anyway.
I’m not giving it away! It’s there at the end of the previous book and it’s here on P1. “Audun had died on that wall.” So if you’d picked up the book in a bookshop, you’d have got it before you paid over your heard-earned. So there.
Norwegian King Olav has brought Christ’s message of peace and love to Stenvik - on the point of a sword and the pain of death. However, not all he converts seem to want to stay converted. The old gods still have some powers left, it would seem. The older gods still hold sway away from the march of the new God and confined to the shadows and the margins, they prove to still be strong and are gathering themselves, their strength and those who still believe.
'Swords of Good Men’ was pretty much all centred in and around the town of Stenvik. Intense, concentrated and claustrophobic. This one folds out, spreads out. After the start, which picks up from the point Swords left off, the story splits pretty much in three and we follow Ulfar as he travels back to his home, to try and find safety in the old ways. Ulfar, is clever, quick-witted - maybe too much for his own good. Audun, is big, strong, slower through confusion about the situation he finds himself in and tries to cope with his fate and his anger. Then there’s King Olav. He’s a thug, a bully, a real bastard hiding behind a new religion he is able to interpret enough to let him go what he wants. He really doesn’t give a fuck, but manages to realise the fight isn’t over yet. Odin and (I think) Loki put in an appearance, but nothing that hasn’t been alluded to as dreams in other books I’ve read that haven’t needed to be labelled as ‘Fantasy.’ A sixth sixth sense… makes me feel that maybe it’s only the dead Audun and Ulfar who can see them. See what I did there?
I was, as I’ve said elsewhere, surprised after reading the first book in Snorri’s ‘Valhalla’ series, ‘Swords of Good Men,’ to find out that it was a ‘Fantasy’ series. For me and especially the way I read this, the fantasy elements play a small, mostly background part. I felt underway, that if this should be filed under ‘Fantasy,’ then so should Robert Low’s last Viking adventure, ‘Crowbone.’ Just because people believed in magic at the time, doesn’t mean there was magic. “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic” as Arthur C. Clarke once said. There’s less fantasy and more honest-to-goodness, clear Viking story-telling here, than Robert ’No modern novelist knows more about the Vikings’ Low, that’s beyond discussion or argument. I have read a bit of this sort of fantasy in my time. I’d liken it to a toned-down, less ‘pulpy’ Robert E. Howard (look him up), the ‘Conan of Cimmeria’ book (number 2?) in particular. Also reminded me of the first couple of ‘Mythago Wood’(s) (before they lost touch with reality and went totally bollocks), but never goes as far out in dreamland, as Robert Jordan’s ‘Wheel of Time’ ended up in. And a lot more concise than the late Mr Jordan, which is a blessing in itself.
‘Blood Will Follow’ is perhaps not as wham!, bam!, in your face intense as ’Swords of Good Men,’ though it’s certainly more than just a transitional novel - moving the story from the start, to set up book three. The feeling of dread creeping behind you from ’Swords,’ is lessened, but that’s possibly and maybe inevitable, due to us now being familiar with the (remaining) characters and environment. The action is short, sharp, sporadic, but still visceral, bloody and intense. It is all turned down a little, there’s certainly less of it generally, but it is subtler for it in other ways and there’s plenty to be thinking on. The story is always clear and readable, but not everything is presented to you on a plate. There’s still some figuring-out to be done. And it’s not Fantasy.
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Well, one of them did anyway.
I’m not giving it away! It’s there at the end of the previous book and it’s here on P1. “Audun had died on that wall.” So if you’d picked up the book in a bookshop, you’d have got it before you paid over your heard-earned. So there.
Norwegian King Olav has brought Christ’s message of peace and love to Stenvik - on the point of a sword and the pain of death. However, not all he converts seem to want to stay converted. The old gods still have some powers left, it would seem. The older gods still hold sway away from the march of the new God and confined to the shadows and the margins, they prove to still be strong and are gathering themselves, their strength and those who still believe.
'Swords of Good Men’ was pretty much all centred in and around the town of Stenvik. Intense, concentrated and claustrophobic. This one folds out, spreads out. After the start, which picks up from the point Swords left off, the story splits pretty much in three and we follow Ulfar as he travels back to his home, to try and find safety in the old ways. Ulfar, is clever, quick-witted - maybe too much for his own good. Audun, is big, strong, slower through confusion about the situation he finds himself in and tries to cope with his fate and his anger. Then there’s King Olav. He’s a thug, a bully, a real bastard hiding behind a new religion he is able to interpret enough to let him go what he wants. He really doesn’t give a fuck, but manages to realise the fight isn’t over yet. Odin and (I think) Loki put in an appearance, but nothing that hasn’t been alluded to as dreams in other books I’ve read that haven’t needed to be labelled as ‘Fantasy.’ A sixth sixth sense… makes me feel that maybe it’s only the dead Audun and Ulfar who can see them. See what I did there?
I was, as I’ve said elsewhere, surprised after reading the first book in Snorri’s ‘Valhalla’ series, ‘Swords of Good Men,’ to find out that it was a ‘Fantasy’ series. For me and especially the way I read this, the fantasy elements play a small, mostly background part. I felt underway, that if this should be filed under ‘Fantasy,’ then so should Robert Low’s last Viking adventure, ‘Crowbone.’ Just because people believed in magic at the time, doesn’t mean there was magic. “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic” as Arthur C. Clarke once said. There’s less fantasy and more honest-to-goodness, clear Viking story-telling here, than Robert ’No modern novelist knows more about the Vikings’ Low, that’s beyond discussion or argument. I have read a bit of this sort of fantasy in my time. I’d liken it to a toned-down, less ‘pulpy’ Robert E. Howard (look him up), the ‘Conan of Cimmeria’ book (number 2?) in particular. Also reminded me of the first couple of ‘Mythago Wood’(s) (before they lost touch with reality and went totally bollocks), but never goes as far out in dreamland, as Robert Jordan’s ‘Wheel of Time’ ended up in. And a lot more concise than the late Mr Jordan, which is a blessing in itself.
‘Blood Will Follow’ is perhaps not as wham!, bam!, in your face intense as ’Swords of Good Men,’ though it’s certainly more than just a transitional novel - moving the story from the start, to set up book three. The feeling of dread creeping behind you from ’Swords,’ is lessened, but that’s possibly and maybe inevitable, due to us now being familiar with the (remaining) characters and environment. The action is short, sharp, sporadic, but still visceral, bloody and intense. It is all turned down a little, there’s certainly less of it generally, but it is subtler for it in other ways and there’s plenty to be thinking on. The story is always clear and readable, but not everything is presented to you on a plate. There’s still some figuring-out to be done. And it’s not Fantasy.
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January 13, 2015
Vikings... warring factions... powerful and malevolent forces at play... what more could you want in a book? Blood Will Follow encompasses all of these and more. The sequel to Swords of Good Men, Blood Will Follow opens after the siege of Stenvik as Ulfar, Audun, Valgard and Finn all deal with the events that occurred in Swords of Good Men. They soon realise that they will have very important roles to play as the battle for supremacy between the old ways and the White Christ plays out.
I have to admit that I was really looking forward to reading Blood Will Follow. I thought the first book in the Valhalla Saga (Swords of Good Men) was awesome, and I was excited to dive into a fast paced and action packed Viking fantasy again. Unfortunately, Blood Will Follow is a different sort of beast to Swords of Good Men. Slower and more measured, Blood Will Follow really pushes character development to the forefront of the novel. Characters like Ulfar, Audun and Valgard are pushed to their limits, and we see them and others grow in ways we possibly couldn't have imagined. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but I will admit that I was hoping for another slick and faster paced tale like Swords of Good Men was.
Therein lies my dilemma. Blood Will Follow obviously is building to something massive and hugely epic. Kristjansson originally laid the foundations for his world in Swords of Good Men and has built upon them in great detail in Blood Will Follow. I still adored how his world brimmed with instances of magic, old gods walking around, and historical nuances that added a depth and richness to his setting. But by the end of it I was left feeling a little disappointed. I wanted more action... more violence... more Swords of Good Men actually. Structurally Blood Will Follow was a little more polished then Swords of Good Men, and I thought Kristjansson handled the shifts in points of view better in this novel. There are also still a few moments that will blow your mind, and the plot is building nicely to something that will hopefully explode in the third novel. However, by the end of it I still wanted more clashes and action sequences.
In saying that Blood Will Follow is still an enjoyable and solid read. I suspect it probably is suffering from middle book syndrome a little, and that the third instalment in the series will blow my head off like Swords of Good Men did. All in all well worth your time, especially if you like the first book and/or are fans of the likes of Gemmell and Lawrence.
3.5 stars out of 5.
smashdragons.blogspot.com.au
I have to admit that I was really looking forward to reading Blood Will Follow. I thought the first book in the Valhalla Saga (Swords of Good Men) was awesome, and I was excited to dive into a fast paced and action packed Viking fantasy again. Unfortunately, Blood Will Follow is a different sort of beast to Swords of Good Men. Slower and more measured, Blood Will Follow really pushes character development to the forefront of the novel. Characters like Ulfar, Audun and Valgard are pushed to their limits, and we see them and others grow in ways we possibly couldn't have imagined. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but I will admit that I was hoping for another slick and faster paced tale like Swords of Good Men was.
Therein lies my dilemma. Blood Will Follow obviously is building to something massive and hugely epic. Kristjansson originally laid the foundations for his world in Swords of Good Men and has built upon them in great detail in Blood Will Follow. I still adored how his world brimmed with instances of magic, old gods walking around, and historical nuances that added a depth and richness to his setting. But by the end of it I was left feeling a little disappointed. I wanted more action... more violence... more Swords of Good Men actually. Structurally Blood Will Follow was a little more polished then Swords of Good Men, and I thought Kristjansson handled the shifts in points of view better in this novel. There are also still a few moments that will blow your mind, and the plot is building nicely to something that will hopefully explode in the third novel. However, by the end of it I still wanted more clashes and action sequences.
In saying that Blood Will Follow is still an enjoyable and solid read. I suspect it probably is suffering from middle book syndrome a little, and that the third instalment in the series will blow my head off like Swords of Good Men did. All in all well worth your time, especially if you like the first book and/or are fans of the likes of Gemmell and Lawrence.
3.5 stars out of 5.
smashdragons.blogspot.com.au
June 7, 2014
Snorri Kristjansson's debut
Swords of Good Men
was one of my favourites of last year. So I was looking forward to reunite with Audun and Ulfar after that rather game-changing ending of the last book. Not to mention that when my review copy arrived there was this to consider, which completely made my month. Saying I started Blood Will Follow with high expectations is putting it very mildly. For the most part Kristjansson met all of them, even exceeded some of them, though the book did somewhat suffer from Middle Book Syndrome. I started to wonder where the plot was going about halfway through, as it felt a little meandering, but trusting Kristjansson to know what he is doing, I read on to find that everything came together beautifully. Be aware that there will be spoilers for the previous book in the series, so if you want to remain spoiler-free best not read on.
Blood Will Follow is in large part about exploring the characters of Audun, Ulfar, and Valgard in more depth. I really loved the development of Audun and Ulfar. We learn more of Audun's history and witness Ulfar's grief over Lillia. But sadly, we see precious little interaction between them, as they go their separate ways quite early on. I found Audun's narrative more compelling, mostly because Ulfar in his grief turns a bit cold and callous, while Audun retreats into himself, which isn't that different from how we met him at Stenvik—Audun is your prototypical strong and silent type. I loved Audun's stay with Helga, who was an amazing character and whom I hope we'll see more of, but from the way we left her, I'm sure we will. Helga is a wonderfully self-contained, independent woman, who stands up for herself and doesn't accept any man's dominion over her. The way she continuously put her presumptuous neighbour Johan Aargard in his place was fantastic. Here is a woman with agency and power who is not afraid to use it. She's also quite mysterious and I hope we learn more of her past.
I loved seeing Ulfar with his uncle Alfgeir Bjorne and the group he leaves Uppsala with containing Goran, Arnar and Inga. Ulfar had some great travelling scenes and the growing bond between Arnar and Inga was rather sweet. In addition to Audun and Ulfar's storyline we also follow Valgard's story and he is as confusing and infuriating as ever. He does things that are despicable, he's a turncoat, and an opportunist, yet at the same time he is kind where he doesn't need to be, for example when he treats a young girl who has been raped by some of the soldiers with tender care. And there are several other acts of Valgard's that are up for numerous interpretations and it'll be interesting to see how his story will develop.
As before Kristjansson peoples his book with great secondary characters. There are those who we've met before in Swords of Good Men, such as Finn, Jorn, Runar and of course King Olav, who remains a strange figure in his blind devotion to the White Christ and his almost child-like belief in his power. The one character that had me cheering when they reappeared upon the page was Thora. I loved her in the previous book and she was just as cool in this book. There are also several new characters, several of whom have been mentioned above, but one who hasn't been mentioned but who I really liked as well, though technically he's one of the not-so-good guys, was Botolf. Like Skargrim he was just too entertaining not to like him.
I liked the mythical inclusions and the way that the old gods and the new are pitted against each other. There are several times when Kristjansson sneaks the old gods into the narrative in an active role and in hind sight I missed some of the signs the first two times. Reading back certain passages the clues are clearly seeded in them, I just didn't pick up on them. There was also a bit of a change in Kristjansson's writing style; the changes in point of view were less cinematic and fast, and became more traditional, chapter by chapter, probably due to the fact that the storylines are set in three different places, instead of in the small village. And while there were still elements of the style and rhythm of Old English poetry in the ebb and flow of the prose it was less pronounced than in Swords of Good Men.
While I had my doubts when they parted, by the ending of Blood Will Follow it was clear that it was necessary for Ulfar and Audun to go their separate ways for a while to come to grips with their situation and regain their equilibrium. And even if I wondered at the pacing, it was still a joy to spend time with Audun, Ulfar, and even Valgard. Slight case of middle book syndrome or not, Kristjansson delivers another gripping read, proving he knows how to weave a tale that will enthral his readers. Blood Will Follow has placed Kristjansson firmly on my must-read list and I'll be impatiently waiting for the last instalment of the Valhalla series. Go read the book and then come join me in the waiting; I'll keep your seat warm and the mead to hand.
This book was provided for review by the publisher.
Blood Will Follow is in large part about exploring the characters of Audun, Ulfar, and Valgard in more depth. I really loved the development of Audun and Ulfar. We learn more of Audun's history and witness Ulfar's grief over Lillia. But sadly, we see precious little interaction between them, as they go their separate ways quite early on. I found Audun's narrative more compelling, mostly because Ulfar in his grief turns a bit cold and callous, while Audun retreats into himself, which isn't that different from how we met him at Stenvik—Audun is your prototypical strong and silent type. I loved Audun's stay with Helga, who was an amazing character and whom I hope we'll see more of, but from the way we left her, I'm sure we will. Helga is a wonderfully self-contained, independent woman, who stands up for herself and doesn't accept any man's dominion over her. The way she continuously put her presumptuous neighbour Johan Aargard in his place was fantastic. Here is a woman with agency and power who is not afraid to use it. She's also quite mysterious and I hope we learn more of her past.
I loved seeing Ulfar with his uncle Alfgeir Bjorne and the group he leaves Uppsala with containing Goran, Arnar and Inga. Ulfar had some great travelling scenes and the growing bond between Arnar and Inga was rather sweet. In addition to Audun and Ulfar's storyline we also follow Valgard's story and he is as confusing and infuriating as ever. He does things that are despicable, he's a turncoat, and an opportunist, yet at the same time he is kind where he doesn't need to be, for example when he treats a young girl who has been raped by some of the soldiers with tender care. And there are several other acts of Valgard's that are up for numerous interpretations and it'll be interesting to see how his story will develop.
As before Kristjansson peoples his book with great secondary characters. There are those who we've met before in Swords of Good Men, such as Finn, Jorn, Runar and of course King Olav, who remains a strange figure in his blind devotion to the White Christ and his almost child-like belief in his power. The one character that had me cheering when they reappeared upon the page was Thora. I loved her in the previous book and she was just as cool in this book. There are also several new characters, several of whom have been mentioned above, but one who hasn't been mentioned but who I really liked as well, though technically he's one of the not-so-good guys, was Botolf. Like Skargrim he was just too entertaining not to like him.
I liked the mythical inclusions and the way that the old gods and the new are pitted against each other. There are several times when Kristjansson sneaks the old gods into the narrative in an active role and in hind sight I missed some of the signs the first two times. Reading back certain passages the clues are clearly seeded in them, I just didn't pick up on them. There was also a bit of a change in Kristjansson's writing style; the changes in point of view were less cinematic and fast, and became more traditional, chapter by chapter, probably due to the fact that the storylines are set in three different places, instead of in the small village. And while there were still elements of the style and rhythm of Old English poetry in the ebb and flow of the prose it was less pronounced than in Swords of Good Men.
While I had my doubts when they parted, by the ending of Blood Will Follow it was clear that it was necessary for Ulfar and Audun to go their separate ways for a while to come to grips with their situation and regain their equilibrium. And even if I wondered at the pacing, it was still a joy to spend time with Audun, Ulfar, and even Valgard. Slight case of middle book syndrome or not, Kristjansson delivers another gripping read, proving he knows how to weave a tale that will enthral his readers. Blood Will Follow has placed Kristjansson firmly on my must-read list and I'll be impatiently waiting for the last instalment of the Valhalla series. Go read the book and then come join me in the waiting; I'll keep your seat warm and the mead to hand.
This book was provided for review by the publisher.
December 10, 2014
Blood Will Follow is the sequel to Swords of Good Men, which was one of my favourite fantasy débuts of 2013. We take up with Audun, Ulfar, Valgard and Finn after the siege of Stenvik, where Audun and Ulfar are separated in their efforts to somehow deal with the events of the last book.
If Swords of Good Men was a story about how far these men would go for their causes, then Blood Will Follow is about who these men are at their cores. They are tested in every way possible, and I loved the enormous character development that we see in this book. Audun and Ulfar are the most interesting because they've been made immortal but it's ruining their lives, but I can't deny that it was interesting to find out what makes Valgard and Finn tick.
Although I am determined not to feel anything but contempt for Valgard, it's becoming harder to hold on to my feelings. His defection to the Christian King Olav has certainly made the old Gods angry, but I'm (terrifyingly) starting to admire how he does whatever it takes to survive and his doggedness in pursuing the mysterious source of power in the North. He's still a bad dude though, no mistaking that.
The story-world of The Valhalla Saga is again mind-blowing, with varied and interesting characters and a great world brimming with magic and impossibilities. I love that the old Gods walk around in this story, influencing events in weird and wonderful ways. However, it's becoming increasingly clear that this is a world of men, for men, by men: there aren't many women in the narrative at all and one is raped, one falsely accused a main character of rape after lacklustre consensual sex, and another is a magical witch-bitch. There are two other women in the story, and although I liked their roles, I'll be surprised if they're mentioned again in any context other than to further the MAN PAIN of the protagonists.
Which is not to say that Blood Will Follow isn't a riveting read. Although slower in pace and less violent than the earlier book, Blood Will Follow is still engaging because it's so heavily character driven. There are some amazingly choreographed and realised action sequences, but the focus is on the (debatable) humanity of Audun and Ulfar. Like Swords of Good Men, this book uses multiple points of view cleverly to keep readers entertained, but changes in view point weren't as jarring or stressful as in the first book.
I have no idea where this story is going! Which would normally be a bad thing, but I'm quite enjoying how Kristjansson is slowly unfolding this great epic for us. There is something HUGE going on here, and I can't wait to discover how it's all going to fall out. I loved the re-appareance of some of the old Gods we saw in the earlier book, plus the addition of the one we were all waiting for ...
Blood Will Follow is a solid second novel and I have enjoyed it. Fans of Gemmell will devour Kristjansson's books, and I think they're perfect for fantasy readers who are looking for something new to read. Vikings, mythology, politics, and swords - what could go wrong? I'm looking forward to the next one!
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher for review.
You can read more of my reviews at Speculating on SpecFic .
If Swords of Good Men was a story about how far these men would go for their causes, then Blood Will Follow is about who these men are at their cores. They are tested in every way possible, and I loved the enormous character development that we see in this book. Audun and Ulfar are the most interesting because they've been made immortal but it's ruining their lives, but I can't deny that it was interesting to find out what makes Valgard and Finn tick.
Although I am determined not to feel anything but contempt for Valgard, it's becoming harder to hold on to my feelings. His defection to the Christian King Olav has certainly made the old Gods angry, but I'm (terrifyingly) starting to admire how he does whatever it takes to survive and his doggedness in pursuing the mysterious source of power in the North. He's still a bad dude though, no mistaking that.
The story-world of The Valhalla Saga is again mind-blowing, with varied and interesting characters and a great world brimming with magic and impossibilities. I love that the old Gods walk around in this story, influencing events in weird and wonderful ways. However, it's becoming increasingly clear that this is a world of men, for men, by men: there aren't many women in the narrative at all and one is raped, one falsely accused a main character of rape after lacklustre consensual sex, and another is a magical witch-bitch. There are two other women in the story, and although I liked their roles, I'll be surprised if they're mentioned again in any context other than to further the MAN PAIN of the protagonists.
Which is not to say that Blood Will Follow isn't a riveting read. Although slower in pace and less violent than the earlier book, Blood Will Follow is still engaging because it's so heavily character driven. There are some amazingly choreographed and realised action sequences, but the focus is on the (debatable) humanity of Audun and Ulfar. Like Swords of Good Men, this book uses multiple points of view cleverly to keep readers entertained, but changes in view point weren't as jarring or stressful as in the first book.
I have no idea where this story is going! Which would normally be a bad thing, but I'm quite enjoying how Kristjansson is slowly unfolding this great epic for us. There is something HUGE going on here, and I can't wait to discover how it's all going to fall out. I loved the re-appareance of some of the old Gods we saw in the earlier book, plus the addition of the one we were all waiting for ...
Blood Will Follow is a solid second novel and I have enjoyed it. Fans of Gemmell will devour Kristjansson's books, and I think they're perfect for fantasy readers who are looking for something new to read. Vikings, mythology, politics, and swords - what could go wrong? I'm looking forward to the next one!
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher for review.
You can read more of my reviews at Speculating on SpecFic .
February 12, 2017
Wow an excellent second book. Its got everything you could want in a Viking story and more. I am In awe of Mr.Kristjansson's writing which is beautifully descriptive and of the style and pace changes depending on the scene. The attitude of the old gods and the way they treat the mortals they toy with is a joy to read. I eagerly look forward to Path of the gods arriving which I ordered right after finishing Blood Will Follow.
January 20, 2015
I requested this from Netgalley and started reading this not knowing it was the second book. I am enjoying it so much I am putting it down and going back to the first one to catch up on the goings on. I think it will help everything makes sense and I will be rewarded with further insights into the characters and plot. Hip hip hooray!
September 10, 2016
Although I felt a bit lost to begin with having returned to this story a good while since reading the first book I did reconnect with the trio of main characters quickly. They each got their own journey full of adventure, magic and bloodshed and like the triple knot Valknut Snorri weaves their three storylines cleverly throughout the book and tying it all fluidly and smoothly together at the end in quite a dramatic and tense clash. I was particularly impressed with how well and almost naturally Snorri introduced two of the old god characters into the story, often without naming them directly but reflecting and honouring traits, omens and symbols that make each unique and individual.
Snorri's writing is quite steady in terms of pace and he shows great skill and talent in creating drama without relying on the a-typical fight scenes. Some of my favourites scenes have simply involved evocative and simple descriptions, scenery, dialogue and characters body language.
Will definitely be ordering the final book in this really enjoyable saga
Snorri's writing is quite steady in terms of pace and he shows great skill and talent in creating drama without relying on the a-typical fight scenes. Some of my favourites scenes have simply involved evocative and simple descriptions, scenery, dialogue and characters body language.
Will definitely be ordering the final book in this really enjoyable saga
Read
June 28, 2017הספר הזה יותר טוב מהחלק הראשון, הוא יותר מפרט על השנים והאיזורים בהם מתרחשת העלילה
March 4, 2015
An excellent follow up to the first book. Seemingly clearer and even better written. High hopes for the third.
May 30, 2014
Originally posted at: http://thebookplank.blogspot.com/2014...
As I have mentioned before 2013 saw a lot of great debuts and another one that really stood out was Swords of Good Men. A book that was different from the mainstream fantasy and featured an interesting storyline, blood battles and lets not forget plenty of Vikings. Snorri Kristjansson introduced some relatable characters like Ulfar, Sigurd and Audun with their respective stories in Stenvik and one hell of a premise for an story. Norse mythology has always been something of my interest and I have read several stories centering around some of the gods themselves like Odin, Thor and Loki and some more, but never read one that focused more on the era itself and this is what really got me interested and kept me fired up since then. Because Snorri Kristjansson uses one idea in his book, namely the word of the White Christ is being spread by King Olav Tryggvason and not in a nice way, you have to accept it or else... but what is the Norse Pantheon started to interfere...? Ok, enough said. On to Blood Will Follow! (Heads up, it definitely will follow...)
Snorri Kristjansson started off the story of Swords of Good Men in a more casual way with Ulfar having to make only one last stop in the town of Stenvik. Only to have it turned around completely as the story progressed, by introducing some interesting folklore and of course the crusade of the White Christ. In the ending of the book there was one big battle at Stenvik was fought on multiple fronts and turned into on all out bloody mess, revealing also the true nature of several characters. One of those, that of Audun, I was very pleased to see. Both Audun and Ulfar were caught up in the middle of this battle and only had on option left to survive. With the last scene of the book, Snorri Kristjansson really left the story on one big cliffhanger.
The story in Blood Will Follow picks up directly after the events of Swords of Good Men, Ulfar and Audun both survived the drop over the wall and now are making their way in the as far away from Stenvik as possible and try to put this behind them. Soon though Ulfar and Audun part ways, Ulfar want to finally make his way home for his unfinished business. Audun, though feeling better after the battle at Stenvik is still wary, he decides to let Ulfar take his course and he starts walking and see where the road will take him. Though what they both didn't know... something happened on the wall at Stenvik. Events have made Ulfar and Audun into something more. As soon as Ulfar and Audun make their separate journeys a stranger makes an appearance, he only has one eye, and is accompanied by two dogs... This was really the moment I was waiting for, because we all know who this mystical character is. He hands over something to both Ulfar and Audun but they don't know what the significance of it might be... I really like the direction that Snorri Kristjansson took his story into. Of course this isn't the whole story in Blood Will Follow, as Ulfar and Audun have to their battles cut out for them along their journey and not just bandits or other vikings that they encounter but also some of the demons their carry for themselves. Just like Swords of Good Men, there is a third perspective, that of Valgard, the healer from the town of Stenvik. Valgard's story tells how King Olav is still planning his crusade of the White Christ. With King Olav having conquered the town of Stenvik he is only one step closer to his goal, but still isn't enough. He wants to have everyone belief in the White Christ and in this he goes far, down into the forceful way, and blaspheming all the Norse gods... It's more the case that you have to accept his beliefs, else you wont be accepting anything anymore. Valgard does have a way of excerting his presence and idea's and he gets King Olav so far as to lead his force to the north, to find the key to the Vikings' power...
As you can make up from above, the characters that you follow are Ulfar, Audun and the new perspective that of Valgard. In the case of Ulfar and Audun, I got to know them quite thoroughly in the first book, though in the beginning of the book Snorri Kristjansson wove a mysterious around both Ulfar and Audun but later on as the story progressed you got to learn about them in more and more detail and especially their pasts proved to be interesting to say the least. For a sequel it's always important to not let the story become stagnant and you have to keep on developing not only the world but also the character and this is something that Snorri Kristjansson does in a most interesting way. By letting the Ulfar and Audun run their separate course you really get to see them in their own way and how they, by themselves, have to fend of several problems on their own, this really gave a much better grip on their character showing more and more of their nature. And it soon comes to show that their nature isn't only as gentle as a breeze... The new addition to the story, Valgard, was a very interesting choice. I can't tell too much about his character because the surprise would be over. What I can say is that this is the type of character where you will scream at. Not to cheer him on but because he is an ass, sorry for my language here, I first thought he might have had some ulterior motives but these proved to be false he is in for himself and I am very curious to see where Snorri Kristjansson will take Valgard next and how it will go down between him and Ulfar and Audun.
As for the secondary characters. I was again very impressed with how Snorri Kristjansson managed to flesh them out so well, from the Viking raiders to Finn who is part of Valgard crew down to the Norse gods (yes !!! :-)) they are all well developed and give lend their own influence to bend and shape the story of the main protagonists. They really to produce not only a tense setting but also make the story one whole.
This does bring me to another thing. The gods. Yes, no spoiler here is you read the first book and if it still spoil, I don't care it should only motivate you to pick up this book even sooner! I am a big fan of Gods in stories and oftentimes I read about them in full elemental force display. But in his story, Snorri Kristjansson doesn't show them in this way, it's more on the contrary, Snorri Kristjansson uses them to exert an influence on several characters. And this is something that I really liked. Letting the mortal fend for themselves with some items that do descent from the Gods. Added to this was a scene between the one-eyed wanderer and another god that really put a smile on my face. I can only say that I was very, very pleased with how Snorri Kristjansson used the Gods in his story and has made me very eager to see just how this powerplay will continue in the next book.
In my Swords of Good Men I gave one small comment regarding a bit of chaos in the story when jumping from location to location or character to character. Well this is completely absent in Blood Will Follow. I mean of course the chaos, the book is written in a much better way producing a compeltely fluent story for me and one hell of an reading experience. There was a lot of focus on the bloody battles in the first book, but it seems that for it's sequel Snorri Kristjansson choose a much calmer route, taking his time to tell his story, to show much more of the world and the characters that walk within it. Some people might say where is the action? Well there is still plenty of that but the focus for me was really found in developing and preparing his story for the next book. Very nicely done.
Swords of Good Men was a very solid debut, and with Blood Will Follow Snorri Kristjansson has really outdone himself. I do have to say that the tone in Blood Will Follow is different from what I read in Swords of Good Men, where there was first a lot of action, Snorri Kristjansson now slows down the pacing of the story and takes him times to completely develop the premise of his story. But just as what I have come to learn from the first book, there is never a dull moment in the story. For this development of both the story and the characters Snorri Kristjansson took an interesting approach that made them grow in their own way giving you as a reader much more grip on them. Adding the third perspective from Valgard added a lot of new possibilities which I am eager to see how Snorri Kristjansson will develop in the third book. And just lastly Snorri Kristjansson shows Vikings are pretty damn awesome! Bring on the next, I am hooked.
As I have mentioned before 2013 saw a lot of great debuts and another one that really stood out was Swords of Good Men. A book that was different from the mainstream fantasy and featured an interesting storyline, blood battles and lets not forget plenty of Vikings. Snorri Kristjansson introduced some relatable characters like Ulfar, Sigurd and Audun with their respective stories in Stenvik and one hell of a premise for an story. Norse mythology has always been something of my interest and I have read several stories centering around some of the gods themselves like Odin, Thor and Loki and some more, but never read one that focused more on the era itself and this is what really got me interested and kept me fired up since then. Because Snorri Kristjansson uses one idea in his book, namely the word of the White Christ is being spread by King Olav Tryggvason and not in a nice way, you have to accept it or else... but what is the Norse Pantheon started to interfere...? Ok, enough said. On to Blood Will Follow! (Heads up, it definitely will follow...)
Snorri Kristjansson started off the story of Swords of Good Men in a more casual way with Ulfar having to make only one last stop in the town of Stenvik. Only to have it turned around completely as the story progressed, by introducing some interesting folklore and of course the crusade of the White Christ. In the ending of the book there was one big battle at Stenvik was fought on multiple fronts and turned into on all out bloody mess, revealing also the true nature of several characters. One of those, that of Audun, I was very pleased to see. Both Audun and Ulfar were caught up in the middle of this battle and only had on option left to survive. With the last scene of the book, Snorri Kristjansson really left the story on one big cliffhanger.
The story in Blood Will Follow picks up directly after the events of Swords of Good Men, Ulfar and Audun both survived the drop over the wall and now are making their way in the as far away from Stenvik as possible and try to put this behind them. Soon though Ulfar and Audun part ways, Ulfar want to finally make his way home for his unfinished business. Audun, though feeling better after the battle at Stenvik is still wary, he decides to let Ulfar take his course and he starts walking and see where the road will take him. Though what they both didn't know... something happened on the wall at Stenvik. Events have made Ulfar and Audun into something more. As soon as Ulfar and Audun make their separate journeys a stranger makes an appearance, he only has one eye, and is accompanied by two dogs... This was really the moment I was waiting for, because we all know who this mystical character is. He hands over something to both Ulfar and Audun but they don't know what the significance of it might be... I really like the direction that Snorri Kristjansson took his story into. Of course this isn't the whole story in Blood Will Follow, as Ulfar and Audun have to their battles cut out for them along their journey and not just bandits or other vikings that they encounter but also some of the demons their carry for themselves. Just like Swords of Good Men, there is a third perspective, that of Valgard, the healer from the town of Stenvik. Valgard's story tells how King Olav is still planning his crusade of the White Christ. With King Olav having conquered the town of Stenvik he is only one step closer to his goal, but still isn't enough. He wants to have everyone belief in the White Christ and in this he goes far, down into the forceful way, and blaspheming all the Norse gods... It's more the case that you have to accept his beliefs, else you wont be accepting anything anymore. Valgard does have a way of excerting his presence and idea's and he gets King Olav so far as to lead his force to the north, to find the key to the Vikings' power...
As you can make up from above, the characters that you follow are Ulfar, Audun and the new perspective that of Valgard. In the case of Ulfar and Audun, I got to know them quite thoroughly in the first book, though in the beginning of the book Snorri Kristjansson wove a mysterious around both Ulfar and Audun but later on as the story progressed you got to learn about them in more and more detail and especially their pasts proved to be interesting to say the least. For a sequel it's always important to not let the story become stagnant and you have to keep on developing not only the world but also the character and this is something that Snorri Kristjansson does in a most interesting way. By letting the Ulfar and Audun run their separate course you really get to see them in their own way and how they, by themselves, have to fend of several problems on their own, this really gave a much better grip on their character showing more and more of their nature. And it soon comes to show that their nature isn't only as gentle as a breeze... The new addition to the story, Valgard, was a very interesting choice. I can't tell too much about his character because the surprise would be over. What I can say is that this is the type of character where you will scream at. Not to cheer him on but because he is an ass, sorry for my language here, I first thought he might have had some ulterior motives but these proved to be false he is in for himself and I am very curious to see where Snorri Kristjansson will take Valgard next and how it will go down between him and Ulfar and Audun.
As for the secondary characters. I was again very impressed with how Snorri Kristjansson managed to flesh them out so well, from the Viking raiders to Finn who is part of Valgard crew down to the Norse gods (yes !!! :-)) they are all well developed and give lend their own influence to bend and shape the story of the main protagonists. They really to produce not only a tense setting but also make the story one whole.
This does bring me to another thing. The gods. Yes, no spoiler here is you read the first book and if it still spoil, I don't care it should only motivate you to pick up this book even sooner! I am a big fan of Gods in stories and oftentimes I read about them in full elemental force display. But in his story, Snorri Kristjansson doesn't show them in this way, it's more on the contrary, Snorri Kristjansson uses them to exert an influence on several characters. And this is something that I really liked. Letting the mortal fend for themselves with some items that do descent from the Gods. Added to this was a scene between the one-eyed wanderer and another god that really put a smile on my face. I can only say that I was very, very pleased with how Snorri Kristjansson used the Gods in his story and has made me very eager to see just how this powerplay will continue in the next book.
In my Swords of Good Men I gave one small comment regarding a bit of chaos in the story when jumping from location to location or character to character. Well this is completely absent in Blood Will Follow. I mean of course the chaos, the book is written in a much better way producing a compeltely fluent story for me and one hell of an reading experience. There was a lot of focus on the bloody battles in the first book, but it seems that for it's sequel Snorri Kristjansson choose a much calmer route, taking his time to tell his story, to show much more of the world and the characters that walk within it. Some people might say where is the action? Well there is still plenty of that but the focus for me was really found in developing and preparing his story for the next book. Very nicely done.
Swords of Good Men was a very solid debut, and with Blood Will Follow Snorri Kristjansson has really outdone himself. I do have to say that the tone in Blood Will Follow is different from what I read in Swords of Good Men, where there was first a lot of action, Snorri Kristjansson now slows down the pacing of the story and takes him times to completely develop the premise of his story. But just as what I have come to learn from the first book, there is never a dull moment in the story. For this development of both the story and the characters Snorri Kristjansson took an interesting approach that made them grow in their own way giving you as a reader much more grip on them. Adding the third perspective from Valgard added a lot of new possibilities which I am eager to see how Snorri Kristjansson will develop in the third book. And just lastly Snorri Kristjansson shows Vikings are pretty damn awesome! Bring on the next, I am hooked.
September 19, 2022
Powróciłem do sagi o Walhalli po jakichś pięciu latach. Niestety, tak długa przerwa sprawiła, że kompletnie nic nie pamiętałem, a akcja zaczyna się w tym samym miejscu, w którym się zakończyła w tomie poprzednim. Jest to spora niedogodność, gdyż co i rusz pojawiają się fakty i postacie znane z tomu pierwszego, a autor nie przewidział jakiegoś większego przypomnienia. Pojawiają się zaledwie niewielkie wzmianki. Niemniej po jakimś czasie da się nadążyć za treścią.
Mamy tu trzech głównych bohaterów, którzy osobno do czegoś tam zdążają, jednak autor nie wyjawił nam do czego konkretnie. Jest to taka powieść drogi, w której naszych bohaterów co i rusz spotykają różne dziwne przygody.
Niby jest to powieść historyczna, mamy kilku prawdziwych bohaterów z tamtych czasów, ale pojawiają się też i elementy fantastyczne czy wręcz mistyczne w postaciach Odyna czy Lokiego, których napotykają główni bohaterowie.
Czyta się szybko i nie nuży. Mamy jakieś drobne pojedynki, utarczki, kilka zabawnych dialogów, ale czegoś do pełni szczęścia brakuje. Trzeba liczyć, że może w finałowym tomie wszystko się wyjaśni i jakoś logicznie zamknie.
Mamy tu trzech głównych bohaterów, którzy osobno do czegoś tam zdążają, jednak autor nie wyjawił nam do czego konkretnie. Jest to taka powieść drogi, w której naszych bohaterów co i rusz spotykają różne dziwne przygody.
Niby jest to powieść historyczna, mamy kilku prawdziwych bohaterów z tamtych czasów, ale pojawiają się też i elementy fantastyczne czy wręcz mistyczne w postaciach Odyna czy Lokiego, których napotykają główni bohaterowie.
Czyta się szybko i nie nuży. Mamy jakieś drobne pojedynki, utarczki, kilka zabawnych dialogów, ale czegoś do pełni szczęścia brakuje. Trzeba liczyć, że może w finałowym tomie wszystko się wyjaśni i jakoś logicznie zamknie.
August 10, 2018
Page-turner checked out from LA Public Library. Vikings fighting Vikings. Two immortal Norsemen (why? see previous book in series) go through difficulties and adventures; lots of blood and profanity, with an occasional appearance by one of the old gods. King Olav is on the march to bring the religion of the White Christ to the North, but there are always factions and various double-dealing schemes. Cliff-hanger at the end, so must read the final book in the trilogy. The huge LA public library does not have the third book in paper, so must read it on Kindle. This is a fun read.
December 23, 2017
Another good installment to the saga. It explains things a lot better in this one than the first novel. Very bloody graphic at times. Shows just how hard life is during this time period. A lot more jumping around to the different characters. May be hard to follow at times as some of the chapters are happening before the chapter you just finished. Still a good story and I can't wait for the next installment.
January 23, 2018
Another fun read with great action sequences. Particularly like the landscape descriptions, including the snow-bound north and the mystical ones, and the mystical elements woven into the story. Improved writing with fewer random POV changes. Narrative still confusing - couldn't tell through the whole book if 'forkbeard' was a nickname for King Olav or someone else entirely, possibly on the other side. One better female character - Helga - who may or may not be a god in disguise.
October 14, 2017
I actually didn't finish this one. I read half then skimmed the rest. I liked the way it ended though, with a couple of characters I liked from the first book coming back in. I may like the third book better, but busy reading other things right now.
June 3, 2021
Well written and with some direct follow up to the first book, however I found this one suffered in its narrative structure, with a lot of wandering about and not everything making sense. Still looking forward to how the third book will tie it all together.
May 9, 2019
Again writing in his style , not as many characters as the first one ( they are killed off ), but the book feels like a builder upper for book 3
February 28, 2020
Far more captivating than the first one in the series. Curious to see what happens next.
September 13, 2024
Rating : 7/10
April 6, 2025
Yep I want to see where this goes. The pacing is a little funky it seems like it has a hard time getting to the point in some areas other times shit just happens, like it's shot out of a cannon.
July 11, 2015
Pokój zawitał do Stenviku, wykrwawionego i zniszczonego miasta południa. Król Olaf Tryggvasson – zaprzysięgły chrześcijanin, zdeterminowany zelota zaprowadził porządek, czy komuś się to podobało czy nie. W końcu to tylko jeden z przystanków na drodze zjednoczenia Skandynawii pod sztandarami Białego Chrystusa. Stare moce jednak nie śpią. Tajemniczy starzec o kaprawym oku przemiesza trakty strzeżony przez dwa potężne psy, młodzieniec o czarnych włosach i ostrych rysach knuje i jątrzy… W tym wszystkim tkwi trójka bohaterów znanych z pierwszej części „Sagi o Walhalli” – kowal-berserker Audun, zapalczywy i szlachetny Ulfar oraz podstępny zielarz Valgard.
I popłynie krew pod względem formy różni się od Mieczy dobrych ludzi. Tam akcja skupiała się na jednym mieście, tu toczy się niemal w całej Skandynawii. Bohaterowie przemierzają Norwegię, Szwecję i Danię. Każdy z nich ma swój wątek, który Kristjansson pracowicie tka w osobnych rozdziałach. Pracowicie i okrutnie. Autor jest konsekwentny, toteż na szlaku przeklętych bohaterów niewiele będzie miejsca dla ciepła i dobra. W ich życiu na stałe zagościła krew i śmierć, i jakkolwiek nie brzmiałoby to pretensjonalnie, to… tak po prostu jest. Można rzec, że autor pełnymi garściami czerpie ze skandynawskich sag. Wyraźnie czuć to samo fatum, które Zygfrydowi – pogromcy smoka z sagi o Nibelungach kazało podążać wprost ku zagładzie. Jeśli choć na chwilę bohaterom się powodzi, to można być pewnym, że już wkrótce wszystko pokazowo się spieprzy. Jak to mawiali kanadyjscy żołnierze – FAFU (fucked all, fucked up). Czyli jak w sagach skandynawskich.
Ale to nie koniec podobieństw. O ile pierwszy tom był tylko przygrywką, prezentacja bohaterów, intrygi etc., to tutaj konsekwentnie autor podbija stawkę. Armie ruszyły do walki, król Olaf, Swen Widłobrody, młody król Jolawer… wszystko zmierza ku starciu potęg.
cd. recenzji: https://foxboox.wordpress.com/2015/07...
I popłynie krew pod względem formy różni się od Mieczy dobrych ludzi. Tam akcja skupiała się na jednym mieście, tu toczy się niemal w całej Skandynawii. Bohaterowie przemierzają Norwegię, Szwecję i Danię. Każdy z nich ma swój wątek, który Kristjansson pracowicie tka w osobnych rozdziałach. Pracowicie i okrutnie. Autor jest konsekwentny, toteż na szlaku przeklętych bohaterów niewiele będzie miejsca dla ciepła i dobra. W ich życiu na stałe zagościła krew i śmierć, i jakkolwiek nie brzmiałoby to pretensjonalnie, to… tak po prostu jest. Można rzec, że autor pełnymi garściami czerpie ze skandynawskich sag. Wyraźnie czuć to samo fatum, które Zygfrydowi – pogromcy smoka z sagi o Nibelungach kazało podążać wprost ku zagładzie. Jeśli choć na chwilę bohaterom się powodzi, to można być pewnym, że już wkrótce wszystko pokazowo się spieprzy. Jak to mawiali kanadyjscy żołnierze – FAFU (fucked all, fucked up). Czyli jak w sagach skandynawskich.
Ale to nie koniec podobieństw. O ile pierwszy tom był tylko przygrywką, prezentacja bohaterów, intrygi etc., to tutaj konsekwentnie autor podbija stawkę. Armie ruszyły do walki, król Olaf, Swen Widłobrody, młody król Jolawer… wszystko zmierza ku starciu potęg.
cd. recenzji: https://foxboox.wordpress.com/2015/07...
September 1, 2016
This review originally published in Looking For a Good Book. Rated 2.75 of 5
I seem to have a knack for requesting review copies of books that are in the middle or at the end of a series. This is often because publisher's aren't particularly good about letting the reviewer know it's the middle of a series. Such is the case here.
Blood Will Follow is book two in "The Valhalla Saga." Two vikings have won a battle (Ulfar Thormodsson and Audun Arngrimsson), though it wasn't easy and they lost many friends but something else as well. They are now immortal.
Sounds like a pretty good deal, but in this era, when Christianity is just getting a foothold in the Nordic countries, and the Norse gods still walk the earth, this leads to more questions than celebration.
Ulfar and Audun go off on their own to try to understand what has happened to them.
The book suffers (though that's a bit of a harsh word) from the second book syndrome. I suspect that the characters were introduced in the first book, giving us some sort of action but really setting up who the people are. This book then sets the story. It seems evident that there is more to come and yet this book didn't really have much of a beginning and no real conclusion.
I liked what I was reading ... the writing is smooth and the characters and world interesting to me. But without knowing what's really happening, this book doesn't stand well, alone. I would be very interested in reading the first book and then deciding if I am interested enough to finish the series.
Looking for a good book? Blood Will Follow, by Snorri Kristjansson, is the second book in a series and doesn't stand well as an individual novel, but the characters and setting (ancient Scandinavia) make this attractive.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review.
I seem to have a knack for requesting review copies of books that are in the middle or at the end of a series. This is often because publisher's aren't particularly good about letting the reviewer know it's the middle of a series. Such is the case here.
Blood Will Follow is book two in "The Valhalla Saga." Two vikings have won a battle (Ulfar Thormodsson and Audun Arngrimsson), though it wasn't easy and they lost many friends but something else as well. They are now immortal.
Sounds like a pretty good deal, but in this era, when Christianity is just getting a foothold in the Nordic countries, and the Norse gods still walk the earth, this leads to more questions than celebration.
Ulfar and Audun go off on their own to try to understand what has happened to them.
The book suffers (though that's a bit of a harsh word) from the second book syndrome. I suspect that the characters were introduced in the first book, giving us some sort of action but really setting up who the people are. This book then sets the story. It seems evident that there is more to come and yet this book didn't really have much of a beginning and no real conclusion.
I liked what I was reading ... the writing is smooth and the characters and world interesting to me. But without knowing what's really happening, this book doesn't stand well, alone. I would be very interested in reading the first book and then deciding if I am interested enough to finish the series.
Looking for a good book? Blood Will Follow, by Snorri Kristjansson, is the second book in a series and doesn't stand well as an individual novel, but the characters and setting (ancient Scandinavia) make this attractive.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review.
June 12, 2014
The second book of the Valhalla Saga, Blood Will Follow sees Ulfar and Audun separated as they flee from the influence of the Old Gods. However, they soon discover that the deities are far from finished with the duo, as Christian King Olav continues to extend his influence across the land.
In the manner of George R. R. Martin, Kristjansson ensures the story is extremely well grounded. Focusing primarily upon the threat Olav poses and the power plays, political manoeuvring and manipulation of his court, the story allows for a much more interesting kind of conflict than in the first book. The bloody battles are now put aside for a somewhat calmer narrative, punctuated by the odd fight and the ambitions of Valgard, a brilliantly written turncoat and opportunist.
While still retaining frenetic skirmishes and brawls, this time round Kristjansson offers a deeper insight into his two protagonists. Readers are given a much better idea of just what makes Ulfar and Audun tick as, separated and with their own paths to follow, they attempt to traverse the land. This extends to a great many of the supporting characters, who are far better realized here than in Swords of Good Men. There is rarely one you do not wish to know more of or do not want to see as a potentially major character who will add more to the story at a later date. This keeps any reader guessing as to where the plot will turn next and who will become a prominent part of the ongoing story.
Fans of David Gemmell’s work should feel right at home with this one and, while the relentless profanities make some scenes feel extremely juvenile, it’s a strong entry. Fans of Norse history and mythology should definitely enjoy this one.
In the manner of George R. R. Martin, Kristjansson ensures the story is extremely well grounded. Focusing primarily upon the threat Olav poses and the power plays, political manoeuvring and manipulation of his court, the story allows for a much more interesting kind of conflict than in the first book. The bloody battles are now put aside for a somewhat calmer narrative, punctuated by the odd fight and the ambitions of Valgard, a brilliantly written turncoat and opportunist.
While still retaining frenetic skirmishes and brawls, this time round Kristjansson offers a deeper insight into his two protagonists. Readers are given a much better idea of just what makes Ulfar and Audun tick as, separated and with their own paths to follow, they attempt to traverse the land. This extends to a great many of the supporting characters, who are far better realized here than in Swords of Good Men. There is rarely one you do not wish to know more of or do not want to see as a potentially major character who will add more to the story at a later date. This keeps any reader guessing as to where the plot will turn next and who will become a prominent part of the ongoing story.
Fans of David Gemmell’s work should feel right at home with this one and, while the relentless profanities make some scenes feel extremely juvenile, it’s a strong entry. Fans of Norse history and mythology should definitely enjoy this one.
June 27, 2014
Snorri did it again. The book is nicely fast paced , characters are great and the violence suitably graphic.
The book is very different in many ways to the first one.
There is less of the continuous battle and more of a journey book, following the main characters as they disperse from the Stenvik , the site of book ones battles.
The occasional glimpse of the old Gods interfering and prodding are suitably interesting to give the mythical side of the book the right tone.The book settles down to three main characters and there plans and travels with the battles of Kings , Christian and Pagan sitting in the background.Much more character development than the first book showing Snorri isn't a one trick pony and has a few strings of writing talent to his bow.
Snorri has set up a wonderful collision course and I can't wait to see where he goes with book 3
The book is very different in many ways to the first one.
There is less of the continuous battle and more of a journey book, following the main characters as they disperse from the Stenvik , the site of book ones battles.
The occasional glimpse of the old Gods interfering and prodding are suitably interesting to give the mythical side of the book the right tone.The book settles down to three main characters and there plans and travels with the battles of Kings , Christian and Pagan sitting in the background.Much more character development than the first book showing Snorri isn't a one trick pony and has a few strings of writing talent to his bow.
Snorri has set up a wonderful collision course and I can't wait to see where he goes with book 3
January 22, 2015
In my review of Snorri Kristjansson’s first Viking book, Swords of Good Men, I pointed to how the action was generally a positive but issues of pace, POV, and characterization made the book fall somewhat short (I gave it three stars). Now his follow-up, Blood Will Follow is out, and while it improves in some areas, some flaws still carry over while the action has become, I thought, less compelling. I’m still giving this one three stars, but it’s a bit more shaky. Warning: spoilers for book one to follow.
Swords of Good Men introduced a Scandinavian setting set during a time of upheaval. Young King Olav is sweeping through spreading Christianity via the sword and trying to wipe out the old gods, who understandably don’t take kindly to the attempt and find themselves some proxy humans. The town of Stenvik be... Read More: http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
Swords of Good Men introduced a Scandinavian setting set during a time of upheaval. Young King Olav is sweeping through spreading Christianity via the sword and trying to wipe out the old gods, who understandably don’t take kindly to the attempt and find themselves some proxy humans. The town of Stenvik be... Read More: http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
March 6, 2015
c2014: FWFTB: immortal, kings, hammer, belt, wolf. A nice follow up to Swords of Good Men . There is a tad more fantasy in this book as opposed to the first one which could have been a bog-standard Vikingish novel. This is quite a gripping and fast-paced read with blood and gore all over the place. There are some funny lines though - gallows humour - but funny nonetheless. I think there is a lot more to come for Ulfar (my favourite) and Audun and looking forward to the 3rd in the series. Definitely recommended. "It was less of a beach and more of a strip of sand spotted with yellowing tufts of dried grass."
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