- Hardcover: 320 pages
- Publisher: Tor Books; First Edition edition (Aug 3 2002)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0765302012
- ISBN-13: 978-0765302014
- Product Dimensions: 21.3 x 14.2 x 2.8 cm
- Shipping Weight: 522 g
- Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #1,866,443 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Publishers Weekly
In his fifth Books of the Gods entry, veteran Saberhagen (the Berserker, Dracula and Swords series) offers a naturalistic retelling of Germanic myth, steering his usual middle course between the grittily realistic and the fantastic. One survivor of God of the Golden Fleece (2001) wanders into the middle of a Wagnerian cast and plot, including Wodan, Brunhild, Baldur, assorted Valkyries, flying horses, gnomes and a battle between the gods and the Underworld on the plain of Asgard. Armed only with cunning and a shabby piece of the Golden Fleece, Haraldur ("most call me Hal, to save themselves a little breath and effort") manages to sneak into Valhalla, single-handedly defeat a berserker, steal a Valkyrie's steed, penetrate Loki's stronghold, discover the stolen treasure of the gnomes, witness (or cause) the deaths of three gods and fight side-by-side with Wodan in the Last Battle. Despite the operatic overtones of his material, the author grounds his tale in a very unromantic reality. The noble figures and ideals of the old stories, like Valhalla, look better from a distance. Up close, draughty halls and leaky roofs do not a warrior's paradise make. The separation of appearance and actuality gives the book a dollop of ironic humor and a chance for Saberhagen to introduce his own superscience clues about the powers of the gods. Fans will recognize his technique of blurring the relation of the setting of both myth and history to produce a hybrid that allows him much free rein of invention within the standard story lines.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
Haraldur the Northman has recently returned from his adventures with Jason in search of the Golden Fleece and meets Baldur, a young man in search of the Valkyrie Brunhilde, held captive by the god Loki inside a ring of fire. When two men form a partnership of would-be heroes intent on rescuing the maiden and, incidentally, investigating rumors of a hoard of gold within the fiery ring, they plumb the secrets of the gods of Valhalla and the mysterious gnomes who inhabit the caverns beneath the earth. The author of the "Book of the Gods" (e.g., The Face of Apollo, Ariadne's Web) series turns his attention from Greek to Norse myth with a rousing tale of love and adventure, spiced with humor and likeable characters. A good selection for most fantasy collections and for libraries owning the rest of the series.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
Inside This Book
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First Sentence
Never before had Hal seen any fire as strange as this one. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
Never before had Hal seen any fire as strange as this one. Read the first page
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Concordance
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Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews
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Most helpful customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
GREAT BOOK,
By David (USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Gods of Fire and Thunder (Mass Market Paperback)
My friend gave me this book for Christmas. At first, the book didn't look appealing but after reading the first page, I was hooked! If you like lord of the rings, you'll for sure love this book. If not, you'll enjoy the actions, the suspense, the stories, plots. The stories unfolds in such an exciting way. Every page will make you wanna read more. 320 pages....yeah right...it seemed to me like I read only like 100....i want more! This book is great! I loved it a lot. You shoudl read it too, I'll bet you enjoy it too! Email me back on what you think! lilaznboy4ever@yahoo.com
4.0 out of 5 stars
action packed fantasy thriller,
By
This review is from: Gods of Fire and Thunder (Hardcover)
Following his journey as an Argonaut, Hal comes home to settle down in a mundane environment though he still wants wealth. His hope of boredom ends before he reaches his destination as he finds his path blocked by a strange looking fire. He plans to go around the magical induced flames, but first talks with a melancholy man called Baldur. The stranger tells Hal that he expected to attain Valhalla by dying in combat, but instead sits on the wrong side of the flame that contains his beloved Valkyrie Brunhild and a treasure. Unable to ignore the possibility of wealth, Hal joins Baldur on his quest to get to the other side.When the gnomes begin their annual trek to Valhalla, Hal and Baldur follow. However when they reach the fabled city, the partners are shocked to find Valhalla in ruins. Woden seems mentally incompetent, and Thor and Loki are missing. Someone has to lead the Valhalla warriors in combat against the invading giants. Alas Hal and Baldur become embroiled though the former wants gold while the latter desires his Valkyrie. The Fifth Book of the Gods, GODS OF FIRE AND THUNDER, is an action packed fantasy thriller. The story line follows the exploits of the key two characters driven in different ways. Though overall quite an exciting extension to mythology, the plot at times feels disjointed yet this engaging tale will please fans of the author and Norse mythology lovers with its creative force. Harriet Klausner
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta) Amazon.com:
4.8 out of 5 stars (4 customer reviews) 5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
action packed fantasy thriller,
By Harriet Klausner - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Gods of Fire and Thunder (Hardcover)
Following his journey as an Argonaut, Hal comes home to settle down in a mundane environment though he still wants wealth. His hope of boredom ends before he reaches his destination as he finds his path blocked by a strange looking fire. He plans to go around the magical induced flames, but first talks with a melancholy man called Baldur. The stranger tells Hal that he expected to attain Valhalla by dying in combat, but instead sits on the wrong side of the flame that contains his beloved Valkyrie Brunhild and a treasure. Unable to ignore the possibility of wealth, Hal joins Baldur on his quest to get to the other side.When the gnomes begin their annual trek to Valhalla, Hal and Baldur follow. However when they reach the fabled city, the partners are shocked to find Valhalla in ruins. Woden seems mentally incompetent, and Thor and Loki are missing. Someone has to lead the Valhalla warriors in combat against the invading giants. Alas Hal and Baldur become embroiled though the former wants gold while the latter desires his Valkyrie. The Fifth Book of the Gods, GODS OF FIRE AND THUNDER, is an action packed fantasy thriller. The story line follows the exploits of the key two characters driven in different ways. Though overall quite an exciting extension to mythology, the plot at times feels disjointed yet this engaging tale will please fans of the author and Norse mythology lovers with its creative force. Harriet Klausner 2 of 3 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
GREAT BOOK,
By David - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Gods of Fire and Thunder (Mass Market Paperback)
My friend gave me this book for Christmas. At first, the book didn't look appealing but after reading the first page, I was hooked! If you like lord of the rings, you'll for sure love this book. If not, you'll enjoy the actions, the suspense, the stories, plots. The stories unfolds in such an exciting way. Every page will make you wanna read more. 320 pages....yeah right...it seemed to me like I read only like 100....i want more! This book is great! I loved it a lot. You shoudl read it too, I'll bet you enjoy it too! Email me back on what you think! lilaznboy4ever@yahoo.com
5.0 out of 5 stars
Enjoyable,
By Jeri K. Williams - Published on Amazon.com
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Gods of Fire and Thunder (Hardcover)
The book was enjoyable and I look forward to another level of this series if one is every written.
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