Review of 'Children of Ragnarok'

Sweeping adventure, breathtaking twists of fate, and immersive worlds based in Norse mythology are woven into this first volume of the Runestone Saga, from the New York Times bestselling author of the Seven Realms and Shattered Realms series.

Review

Children of Ragnarok follows the devastating effects of Ragnarok with intrigue and villains who seek to take the place of gods.

Filled with Norse Mythology, the age of Ragnarok has come and gone, yet Reggin and Eiric seem to have been blessed by the gods in ways that make others hunger for more magic and power.

Storytelling

Children of Ragnarok was definitely interesting. However, what was really interesting here was the language.

Chima captured the Viking culture and terms very well, giving the story a stronger atmosphere. At times I did feel transported to that period. The setting, the scene structure. It all worked together very well.

However, given the story’s premise, I felt it moved too slowly. Chima works hard here to build up the world, the history, and the mythology that readers may or may not be familiar with.

There is certainly a lot of tension in the plot, but it does not rise quickly enough, and some scenes seem a little redundant as well. Only because the reader is aware of certain circumstances, some characters may not be. Just the way it was written did not offer some smooth transitions, partly due to the characterizations.

Characterization

I liked the characters, Liv, most notably despite her not having a POV in Children of Ragnarok.

Reggin was great, too, until she got to the Grove.

Before appearing before the Grove, Reggin had a fire within her that made her stand out. Even at the risk of her own life, she stood her ground. Although her need to have a home in the Grove explains her character’s return to obedience, it, unfortunately, goes a step further.

It is as though Reggin is an entirely different character. Her fire is just sniffed out. She is eager to solve the mysteries before her. Still, her fear of being banished from the Grove and sent back to the Archipelago is the driving force. Her fire does return to her, but not until closer to the end of the book.

Then there is Eiric. He has the personality of a doormat. I loved his sense of honor and loyalty to his family and his need to protect. Still, his character was lackluster, and it carried over in the tone of his dialogue. I wanted more from him and hope I get more from him in the second novel. At the very least, I would like to see some character growth.

Final Thoughts

Children of Ragnarok was an engaging, albeit slow, read. There was some attractive world-building and history, but I wanted a quicker pace and more character development. However, I am hooked enough to want answers from a sequel.

• Writing Quality : 8/10
• Character Development : 7/10
• "Couldn't Put It Down"-ness : 6/10
• Intellectual Depth: 8/10
• Originality: 10/10
• Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

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About the Author

Cynthia Bujnicki graduated from Emerson College with a BA in Writing, Literature and Publishing. She has always loved to read since she was a child. A contributing writer for YA Fantasy Addicts, she is also the Editor-in-Chief for Cyn's Workshop. She lives in sunny South Florida with her husband, son and daughter and their two cats.