Becky Bookworm Book Review - Loki by Mike Vasich - Norse Fantasy Special

Loki by Mike Vasich

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This book to me personally contains enough captivating storytelling as Runemarks by Joanne Harris and enough fascinating character depth as Ice Land by Betsy Tobin - and until now they were my 2 top favourite for all time norse fantasy books - they have now just been joined by the masterpiece that Mike Vasich has created in Loki.
With each chapter you can feel his passion for norse mythology come through and the way he weaves the legends and myths so seemlessly and beautifully into his personfications of the Aesir and Giants and even right into the very landscape of Asgard and Jotunheim itself is genuinely mind blowing.
Although the whole story of events leading up to and including Ragnarok revolve around Loki's fortunate or misforunate role and explore his own characters evolution almost as he learns about his true heritage it also revolves around his opposite, Odin, the All-Father and reveals in a new light the curse and blessing of knowing what has happened, what will happen and what must happen.
Mike also interprets the myths in interesting new ways in particular the binding of Fenrir and how Loki's daughter Hel became rule of the Underworld kingdom. Each is so unique and different but also in a way fits the puzzle of his magnificent saga that even deep rooted norse myth lovers have no problem with accepting the small but significant changes he has made. And in these small changes he himself explores the origns of such myths and why they are told as they are and not how events actually unfolded in his world version of Asgard. I loved the way he portrayed Yggdrasil and it's awesomeness, the Norn's with their collective insight into past, present and future and the Valkyries with their spectral ability to shift instantly from one position to another. The only tweeny weeny problem I did have was with his depiction of the einherjar, Odin's army of loyal undead warriors. It irritated me slightly with the way Mike decided to make them truly undead without the ability to magically heal so when they fought and lost a leg, they really did loose it. It might have suited the aspect of death that accompanies Odin but surely after mellenia of years fighting there would hardly be any undead warriors left in any kind of fighting fitness? After all no warrior can fight for eternity perfectly without being hit, cut, stabbed, wounded and mortally wounded?? I kind of read over this as they didn't feature an awful lot until the end and even then there is no specifics about their physical condition just the way they died.
Otherwise this book is a 100% MUST READ FOR ANY FANS OF NORSE MYTHOLOGY! Mike Vasich really does pump new blood and energy into the old gods and their old tales. *Please note this fantastic saga is an eBook and is available on Amazon for Kindle*

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