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Icefall - Audio Library Edition (2011)

by Matthew J. Kirby(Favorite Author)

4.01 of 5 Votes: 1

ISBN

0545354099 (ISBN13: 9780545354097)

languge

English

genre

Historical Fiction

publisher

Scholastic Audio Books

review 1: Is it uncanny that I thought of Frozen the whole time I read this? A really superb adventure, with a definite gothic feel to it, especially towards the end. It did got heavy handed on the action, but it kept me flipping the pages. More than half of it is a subtle "lock-in" story, but once the secrets are revealed towards the climax, it morphs into something deeper, something much more deadly serious. I dig the way it wraps up, and the fact that it's about the power of stories just makes it worthwhile. There are some cool quotes about storytelling that I wanted to dogear, if I was the sort of person who did that, of course. The perfect read for when winter starts to turn into your state (Major snowstorm here in Minnesota on November 10!) UPDATE: The fact that the roads and ... moredriveways here were covered with a solid sheet of ice today further solidified my enjoyment of the setting of this book.
review 2: Exciting intrigue, and a well-realized setting, but the characters are what make this book so fun to read. A Viking king sends his three children and protectors to a remote cliffside hideaway, hoping they will be able to escape the ravages of a looming war. I’m a big fan of Solveig, the King’s daughter with a gift for storytelling, and Hake, the keenly observant and supremely fearsome berserker warrior. I like how Alric, the king’s official storyteller, is able to draw out Solveig’s talent, and warn her of the obligations and compromises inherent in becoming a storyteller. And I like the different ways in which the brutal winter affects the dozens of people voluntarily trapped within their settlement walls. Kirby creates several stories within the story, epic fables that reveal the Viking culture and foreshadow the dangers the royal detachment will face. Most of these inner stories are good, although a bit too perfect for the moment, and too brief to justify the awed reaction of the listeners. As the danger builds, Solveig increasingly asserts herself, and lots of visions and suspicions are resolved. The final act of violence is the most predictable moment of the entire novel, but it’s still an exciting satisfying scene – a fitting end for a very satisfying adventure. less

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