Welcome to my second stop for Tomorrow Comes Media blog tour for Stephen Zimmer’s new novellas Darkness Enthroned and The Awakening. The Awakening centers around Ragnar Stormbringer who has his separate novel series as well. It was quite interesting to read the two books back to back because it gave me a glimpse into Stephen’s versatile writing. Take a look at the synopsis below and then I will share my thoughts on this book:
Following the end of a brutal war, Ragnar Stormbringer travels across the sea channel to the west with the warrior Thorsalla to visit her brother’s new settlement in the fertile lands of Ulstara.
Coming upon a scene of total devastation, they find no bodies, but there are a large number of strange tracks heading in one direction and signs of a few survivors in another.
Ragnar will soon discover that some mysteries are the gateways to even greater ones.The Awakening is a stand-alone adventure that is part of the Ragnar Stormbringer Tales.
Content Notes: Depiction of violence.
Thoughts on The Awakening
It’s been a little while since I have read an author back to back, especially different series. I personally feel it is quite important to take some time between series because with different characters and settings, the writing style between books could change. Throughout The Awakening, I found myself thinking about Rayden and contrasting Ragnar and Thorsalla with her. This is why the romance was a bit unexpected to me. Anyway, if you like romantic fantasy, check out this book.
Here are three things I loved about The Awakening:
# 1 The comradery
The Awakening is a light Fantasy read with some romance elements. Ragnar and his crew reminded me a lot of Vikings. There is a good balance of action, food and feasting, and friendly banter in the book. Thorsalla is a formidable warrior and unlike Rayden, she is a bit hot-headed. However, like other books by Stephen Zimmer, compassion for fellow humans and need for justice are prevalent in this story too. I loved reading the banter. Though I have not read any other Ragnar books, the beginning og this tale did a good job in establishing that Ragnar and Thorsalla have known each other a long time and have been on other adventures together.
# 2 The creatures
There are multiple creatures in this story, including Ragnar’s wolf (who I really wanted to see more of) and some ghoul like beings like banshees. The great-evil and horror side of the tale added a new dimension to the situation that the group was facing.
# 3 The knowledge
When Ragnar and company first encounter the destroyed village, they try to get more information from a neighboring settlement. I loved how considerate Ragnar was of their customs and rituals and how he looked up to them for their knowledge about the area. That is part of being a good warrior and using all the resources he has available, rather than putting everyone on his crew in danger.
The Awakening was a solid introduction to Ragnar and his strength. I liked his thoughtful character and would read more of his adventures.
** The Awakening is now available for download. **
Amazon Kindle
Check out the rest of the lineup for the tour on this page and my review for Darkness Enthroned here. I will be back with my interview with Stephen Zimmer in the next few days!
Many thanks to Tomorrow Comes Media for providing me a complimentary digital copy of the book for an honest review.
Cover image: Photo by Jeremy Thomas on Unsplash
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