The Sea Trolls

This Nordic adventure incorporates plenty of familiar tales and names: Odin; Beowulf; Thor, ect. The story actually revolves around a young boy studying to be a Bard and his young sister who are captured by a band of "Beserkers" who strongly resemble Vikings. What I found most interesting about this book was the absence of true villains, with the exception of the half-troll queen. Those that I thought would be so-called evil persons turned out not to be, which was quite refreshing. The wearisome aspects of the novel, however, include overt similarities to Lord of the Rings, including a specially-made cloak given as a gift to conceal the hero from the giant spider. Hum....Still a fast read, interesting themes, historical references subtly interwoven, and a fun trip to Middle Earth. Which is actually the land this novel takes place in. I know, I feel like I've read that name somewhere before, too.

Author: Nancy Farmer