Review: The Kinslayer by S.K. Putt
Blurb:
The Fleshed Lands have worshipped their Gods and Goddesses for as long as time stands. Folk of The Fleshed lands are dedicated relentlessly to whom they worship, that even blood will not deter their allegiances. Raids, riches and thraldom inspire some of these lands, while others seek peace and will protect it fearlessly.
Fenra, The Wolf Goddess and Jörma, The Snake Goddess, are bound by chains and caged in Skýjaþorp, a hall where Gods and Goddesses feast. Fenra and Jörma have selected champions in The Fleshed Lands to find the Twin-Bladed Axe to fulfil the prophecy spoken of in saga tales.
For some champions, raids have taken away everything, including family, and survival is the only goal.
For others, the quest for greatness and to triumph on behalf of their goddess is the only option.
Regardless, all are desperate to find the weapon of prophecy, but at what cost?
The Kinslayer,is a Viking Fantasy/Norse Mythology inspired tale of those that all share a common cause, to protect those they love. Even if the Gods and Goddesses aren’t on their side…
Review:
The Kinslayer is a Norse myth / Viking-inspired epic, packed with action, blood, and heart. It was really easy to get sucked into this one. The worldbuilding will be very familiar to any fans of Bernard Cornwell, John Gwynne, and God of War / God of War: Ragnarök. The recognizable language, themes, and iconography made it easy to focus more on the characters and the story itself rather than trying to understand a world, environment, and society that still feels fresh.
The story of The Kinslayer is exhilarating from page one, although compared to the last thirty percent of the book, this might be considered “slow”. Putt’s characters are thrust into heart-pounding battles, excellently crafted fights, blood, hardship, acts of surprising heroism – the list goes on – culminating in an explosive avalanche of action.
Something I love (which I know is divisive) is a huge cast of characters, and The Kinslayer delivers on that and more. My personal favourites were Øxa and Reiđi, and of course, Mokka the wolf (fans of feisty, loveable animal companions are in for a treat). Some points of view are a bit more engaging than others, but each character brings something unique and readable.
I also really appreciate the pronunciation guide at the front! I've read quite a lot of Viking lit – both fiction and nonfiction – and still didn't have certain words nailed down. Putt’s guide is something I’ll carry with me into future readings.
Ultimately The Kinslayer is great for fans of John Gwynne, Jonathan French, Thilde Kold Holdt, and Shauna Lawless. I'm excited to see how S.K. Putt's writing evolves with the sequel, and in-progress novella, and what he has in store for these truly epic characters.
