
Published by HarperCollins on October 22, 2024
Genres: Young Adult Fiction / Action & Adventure / General, Young Adult Fiction / Fantasy / Epic, Young Adult Fiction / Social Themes / Friendship
Pages: 640
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Goodreads
The highly anticipated sequel in the acclaimed Runestone Saga from New York Times bestselling author Cinda Williams Chima—with more adventure, mystery, and plot twists than ever before!
Reunited in New Jotunheim, Reginn, Eiric and Liv discover that they are game pieces being played on a hidden board. Eiric’s slaughter of the old council has opened Tyra's path to power—she now has the perfect excuse to launch a war against the Archipelago. Tyra is also using her dottir, Liv, as a vehicle to raise a dangerous goddess. And Reginn is tasked with crossing the boundary between the living and the dead to gain access to powerful magical secrets.
With Reginn’s help, Eiric escapes prison and returns home to find his brodir and warn the Archipelago of the impending attack. Meanwhile, she remains at the Grove to try to prevent the outbreak of war. Soon, though, Reginn learns her true role in this game: use her power to raise the dead to ensure victory for New Jotunheim. The demon Asger Eldr tells her that she alone can prevent another Ragnarok. But how?
Back in the Archipelago, Eiric agrees to join the king’s forces, though that means taking up arms against his systir, Liv, and Reginn, the spinner who has ensnared his heart. For perhaps the first time in his life, he dreads the coming fight.
As the two sides prepare for an apocalyptic battle, Eiric, Reginn, and Liv find allies and enemies in unexpected places and draw on new strengths as they seek to prevent the destruction of the last of the Nine Worlds.
Review:
This series was the first time I ever had the opportunity to read about Ragnarok and the Norse gods, and it was indeed an enjoyable adventure. Picking up after Children of Ragnarok, we reunite with Reginn, Eiric, and Liv, only to find they’re entangled in many politics. As a conclusion in a two-book series, it delivers action and twists in spades. If you thought the first book kept you on edge, Bane of Asgard dials it even further, brimming with complex characters, intense world-building, and a little romance. The unrelenting pace and layers of intrigue keep it all fresh and thrilling. Still, the story is a wild ride, hitting with a steady rhythm of plot twists and escalating stakes. While the ending felt slightly less than fully satisfying, its tone fits the saga’s more grounded vibe. Bane of Asgard serves as a stunning conclusion. It’s one of those stories that don’t hold back and are different from most fantasy tropes I have been reading. If you’re up for immersive, dense fantasy with a darker/upper YA slant, this duology is an excellent choice.