Series: Legends of Asgard
Release Date: March 7th 2023
Publisher: Aconyte Books
Pages: 352
Find it on: Goodreads. BookDepository. Waterstones.
Source: I received an E-ARC of this book via Netgalley
Rating: 4/5 stars
Synopsis
All that stands between Hela and control of Elizabethan England are two legendary heroes and an army of Dark Elves, in this action-packed historical adventure from Marvel’s Legends of Asgard
A burst of magic from Midgard attracts the attention of Hela, Queen of Hel. The Goddess of Death craves power to enable her ultimate conquest of the Realms, and this new sorcery from Earth is tantalizing… Pursuing its source, Hela is appalled to find herself in Elizabethan England. From Asgard, Lady Sif and the valkyrie, Brunnhilde are also dispatched to Midgard, and neither of them have any love for Hela. Yet a still greater threat awaits: the Dark Elves see Midgard as the first battle in war of the Realms. Only a team-up between hated enemies can win the day, but how far can you really trust the Queen of Hel?
Review
Anna Stephens is back with a new Asgard novel, full to the brim with magic, action, and adventure. We are back following Lady Sif and the Valkyrie Brunnhilde as the head to Earth in search of the mysterious magic that is causing Brunnhilde nightmares. Arriving in Elizabethan England, the two warrior women must attempt to blend in and uncover what the Dark Elves are up to. The Asgardian warriors are not the only ones interested in this dark magic though. Hela, Queen of Hel has also arrived on Midgard, determined to take the magic for herself – Hela and the Asgardians are old enemies, but will they be able to team up in order to stop the Dark Elves from opening a portal between realms and waging war in Midgard?
As I mentioned in my review of The Serpent and the Dead, I know very little about the Marvel universe besides having watched the movies. I really enjoyed reading The Serpent and the Dead and was intrigued to see where things would go in this new novel. Much like the previous book this can be read without prior knowledge of the world and is a standalone story. I really enjoyed being back with Lady Sif and Brunnhilde, they are brilliant, fearless warrior women and it was so fun seeing them attempt to blend into the rules and trappings of Elizabethan England. The story also contains chapters from Hela’s point of view which I absolutely loved. She is dark, ruthless and determined to get what she wants – at any cost. I really enjoyed the relationship between her and William as it showed Hela might not be so heartless after all.
The story is quick-paced and I raced through it in just a few days. There are plenty of action-packed moments and Stephens does a brilliant job of writing dynamic battle sequences. This was a compelling adventure tale and if you’re a fan of Anna Stephens or the Marvel Universe, this is definitely a book worth checking out.
Anna Stephens is back with the next installment in her brilliant Songs of the Drowned series and we pick up with our main characters two years after the events of The Stone Knife – Lilla is a slave warrior, training to be part of the biggest and most ruthless army the world has ever known. He secretly hopes to spark a rebellion amongst his fellow slaves, but how can they overcome the might of the Empire? Xessa is a slave in the fighting pits, tasked with providing entertainment to those she despises, she knows she will never get out alive, but can she help her fellow Tokob survive long enough to claim freedom? Tayan is stuck in the heart of the Empire, surrounded by the most ruthless and power hungry people, but the Singer’s magic speaks to him in a way no one thought possible – can he survive long enough to understand how to wield it? Meanwhile, on the other side of the conflict, Pilos and Enet are at each other’s throats, each one determined to outwit the other.
The Serpent and the Dead is a fun and fast paced fantasy tale that follows Lady Sif and the Valkyrie Brunnhilde as they embark on a quest to discover why some souls on the battlefield are disappearing before they can be escorted to Valhalla. When they two arrive at a small town they hear about attacks taking place from fearsome creatures that cannot be killed. Determined to uncover what is going on and rescue the missing souls, Lady Sif and Brunnhilde must use every ounce of their strength to uncover this evil enemy.
The Godblind Trilogy by Anna Stephens is one of my all time favourite series, so I was incredibly intrigued to pick up the first in a new duology from the author. Set in the land of Ixachipan, this multi-perspective tale tells the story of people from two very different nations – those from the Empire of Songs and those of the free tribes, determined to resist the rule of the empire. Every other tribe has fallen to the Empire of Songs and the magical music that weaves through everything and everyone. The Empire will stop at nothing to make the Tokob and Yalotlan fall in line, but will they be able to resist where everyone else has failed?
The Stone Knife is one of those books that I didn’t realise was coming out until fairly recently, and now I’m so excited for it to be released. Anna Stephens is the author of the Godblind trilogy, a grimdark fantasy series that I completely adored and also broke my heart in the best way. It’s probably one of my all time favourite series so when I heard she was releasing something new I was immediately intrigued. I really enjoyed her writing style and I’m so looking forward to seeing what she does with a new series. The synopsis doesn’t give much away but it does sound like an epic story. Stephens writes really incredible battle scenes so I’m looking forward to more of them. I haven’t seen any early reviews for this one yet but I’ll definitely be keeping my eyes peeled for some. 
Bloodchild is the third and final instalment in Anna Stephens’ dark and brutal Godblind trilogy. Picking up straight after the events of Darksoul, the story follows our group of protagonists as they fight for supremacy. But Rilpor’s army is severely depleted, the Dark Lady is gone and Rilirin is soon to have her child that is integral to the Mireces plans – who will survive?
Welcome to another Waiting on Wednesday! This week I thought I would talk about a book I’m really excited for – Bloodchild by Anna Stephens. This is the third and final book in the Godblind trilogy. The Godblind trilogy is a dark and gritty grimdark fantasy series filled with fascinating characters, dark magic and brutal characters. I won’t say much about the plot because I definitely don’t want to spoil the first two books in the series, but this is honestly one of my all time favourite trilogies. Book one Godblind was on my best books of 2017 and book two Darksoul was on my best books of 2018. I’m so sad that this will be the final book in the series because I’m definitely not ready to say goodbye to the characters I’ve gotten attached to and I’m also scared they aren’t going to make it to the end. Anna Stephens’ writing is just so addictive. These aren’t exactly short books and I absolutely raced through them because I couldn’t get enough. If you’re a fan of epic, bloody battles, merciless gods and some wonderful characters you definitely need to check this series out before the final book is published. 
The Bibliophile Chronicles 