Hey! Long time, no see! Mostly my fault, but! It's almost summer, which means we'll all have LOTS more time for books!
We're going to kick off our summer with Sea of Trolls by Nancy Farmer:
(From Booklist, American Library Association) In Farmer's latest, a battle-ax-size fantasy-adventure, rampaging Northmen (the
polite term for Vikings) pass through a Saxon village and enslave two of its
residents: an 11-year-old apprentice mage and his 5-year-old sister. When Jack
offends the Northmen's touchy queen, she threatens to kill his sister unless he
reverses a misfired spell--a task that requires a journey deep into icy troll
country. The subsequent bouts with troll-bears, giant spiders, and dragons are
thrilling, and boys in particular will delight in Farmer's portrayal of the
initially terrifying Northmen as tellers of fart jokes and singers of rowdy
songs. Lighthearted moments notwithstanding, Jack's archetypal quest is a dense
one, heavily draped in Norse mythology, Old English lore, and ponderings about
the differences between Christian and pagan cosmologies. In addition, many
readers may find it difficult to accept Jack's deepening affection for his
frequently barbaric kidnappers, not to mention the oft-repeated message, "All
beautiful things attract destruction"--a worldview that comes to Jack straight
from the bloody saga of Beowulf. Readers captivated by slash-'em-up Viking
culture will happily plunge into this celebrated author's sixth novel, but many
members of Farmer's traditional audience will emerge from the experience feeling
alternately dazzled and dazed.
Copies are available through MORE.
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