Synopsis
Drowning is only the beginning…
Edda Gretasdottir is a raider, a fell-handed shield-maiden, feared along every coast. Hers is a life woven in battle scars.
But she never wanted to walk the warrior’s path. All she wanted was freedom, to earn enough gold to buy her family their own remote farm, and to escape their oppressive chieftain. Now, she has enough plunder so that she can finally hang up her shield and live in peace.
That peace is stolen from Edda, however, when raiders burn her home, destroy all that she loves, and toss her, wounded and bleeding, into the ravenous ocean.
But the fates are cruel and this is not the end for Edda: she rises from the bloody surf as a Windborn, a cursed warrior whose supernatural gifts are a poor exchange for everything she has lost.
Fuelled by rage and armed with strange new powers Edda will hunt for whoever sent the raiders, for whoever is responsible for taking everything from her. She will show them the sharp edge of her axe… or die trying.
Windborn is a dark, character-driven Norse fantasy packed with emotion, deadly foes, and vicious battles.
Review
I’m always impressed when an author manages to deliver a satisfying story in a standalone rather than a series, and I picked this one up as I’ve been looking for more Norse-inspired fantasy since I became obsessed with John Gwynne’s Bloodsworn saga a couple of years ago. This is the story of Edda, a fierce warrior who undergoes an intense journey for justice and vengeance in a dark and harsh world. Fans of emotionally charged character-driven fantasy adventures will be sure to enjoy this one.
Edda’s story gripped me from the first chapter. I was impressed at how quickly the author immersed me into the heroine’s perspective and made me invested in the characters before they’re immediately thrown into a conflict that ultimately ends disastrously when Edda’s husband dies on the way back from a successful raid. It’s hard not to root for the protagonist when she suffers such a terrible loss early on and is then stripped of any sense of justice by her greedy tribe leader who refuses to let her mourn him in the way she wants to. Her situation gets worse when she’s attacked and left for dead by raiders, and washes up on the beach with new powers as a Windborn. This forces her into a new life of vengeance on the people who stole her life and an attempt to get justice in a world which offers her few options.
Edda is a likeable character. She’s impulsive and quick to anger in a way that can be frustrating to watch even if it’s understandable but it makes her more well-rounded and she goes on a hell of a journey in terms of development. Her best friend, Fjola, is often the only person on her side, but she’s an excellent friend and a fleshed-out character in her own right. I really liked the new Windborn she befriends and Valna is a supportive best friend, too. Everyone felt thought through, even the villains. Gerda, a grumpy old Windborn with an affinity for animals, is a fun character too. A lot of care has gone into building these characters from the big players to the small ones.
I really liked the concept of the Windborn as magic users who gain their abilities from circumstance rather than a birthright or anything similar. It also means that there’s not as much of a learning curve as she comes into her powers at a realistic pace for her situation and doesn’t without taking a long time to learn or magic school tropes, which is always a plus. It felt refreshing and unique. There are different types of powers and while we don’t learn everything about how it all works, it fits with the mythical feel of the world. The focus is very much on character and rooted in Edda’s perspective and her journey and her understanding of the world.
The story is told in first person through Edda’s viewpoint which keeps the story streamlined and ensures a lack of meandering. The fast pace doesn’t compromise on character and there’s just the right amount of detail to bring the world to life. The standalone structure means that we don’t have time to waste which helps. It’s a dark and bloody adventure but the characters have some lighter moments too. The fight scenes are gripping and exciting and the pace moves steadily, building to a gripping climax.
Overall this immersive adventure packs a punch as a standalone, being both satisfying in its own right and a good way to enter a new world. I’d like to read more in this world – and luckily, I have the other standalone from the same author lined up on my e-reader next!
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