This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.
Reviewed by Ray Simmons for Readers' Favorite
Odin's Shadow by Erin S. Riley is Book 1 in the Sons of Odin series. It is a great blend of history and romance. It leans more heavily on the romance side, but history is not forgotten or neglected. It is a love story between a captured Irish girl who becomes the wife of a Norse chieftain. There is enough tension about how their love will work out to keep you reading until the end. I have always been a fan of Viking culture and this is a pretty good look at it up close and personal. The scenes of rape, pillage, and conquest ring true. The plight of women is looked at in a way that fits in with the tale, and how the slaves and captured women fitted into Viking society was woven artfully into the story.
I liked the protagonist, Selia, a small but very intelligent girl who is taken by the huge Viking chief, Alric Ragnarson. A great part of the romantic tension in Odin's Shadow is due to the fact that Alric is a Berserker - one who can't control himself when he is filled with battle rage. He has already done some terrible things by the time he meets Selia and his father did much worse before him so everyone is always careful around him and always watching for the next fit of rage. Erin S. Riley does a good job of showing both sides of Alric, the loving husband and the mad Berserker. All in all, this is a balanced and well written story that will satisfy readers who love romance and history.
