Beneath the Veil

The Valor of Valhalla, Book 1

Fiction - Fantasy - Urban
280 Pages
Reviewed on 04/28/2022
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Author Biography



I have always been enamored with myth and the fantastic, even as a child. They offer an escape from the mundane, but also deliver a fine method to guide our moral compasses, learn about other cultures, and assign meaning to those things that vex us.

I studied literature and history in college and found myself delving more and more into theology and mythology as I went because literature is filled with their essence.

My exploits have guided me to the desk as a language arts and special education teacher, but my heart always whisks me back to the bookshelf or the desk to visit these fantastic worlds of the supernatural.

Stories were my first love and during rare moments of quiet my mind turns toward those I've watched, read, and lived. They bring to mind possibilities, which are really where the seeds of a story begin. I truly hope to bring creative tales to readers who, like me, enjoy finding themselves lost somewhere in a world of endless possibilities.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Rabia Tanveer for Readers' Favorite

Beneath the Veil is the first novel in The Valor of Valhalla series by Martin Kearns. A bridge collapsed and David Dolan was plunged into the depths of the Hudson River. His unconscious body was taken to the hospital where he remained in a coma. His girlfriend and mother were baffled and hit with the possibility that David might never wake up again. Little did they know, David wasn’t dead. At least not yet. David was stuck in between. He embarked on a journey that would change his life forever, that is if David could get back into his body because it was destroyed by demons. But getting back into his body wasn’t easy. He had to traverse treacherous paths where he would face the strangest of creatures and horrors he never knew existed. Would David succeed? Or would chaos win both in the real world and in the other?

Mythology is my jam, and I look for novels with mythological themes. Beneath the Veil had everything I love in a novel. It had Norse mythology, religious heroes, supernatural elements that were actually believable, and a hero who grabbed my attention from the very first line. Author Martin Kearns did extensive research in Norse mythology, and I could tell that at first glance. The narrative was almost playful at times. It teased readers and made them believe they had figured everything out before surprising them with another twist. The author kept the suspense alive both in the real world and with David. Kearns allowed readers to feel like a part of the story and kept the narrative interesting until the end with the final scene between David and the angels. I wouldn’t be surprised if this series becomes the central plot for a movie or a TV series.

LB Martez

I loved this book and the writer's use of mythology. The story was easy to get into from the start and has some truly scary scenes. It's not too gory, but more like a 'what's around that next corner' kind of scary.

It leaves off on a bit of a sad note so I am looking forward to the second one!