Secondly it takes the winking backstory of "this is all really the Earth's prehistory" that Tolkien used and really runs with it - although it's never spelled out explicitly, the way the "dvergar" are described makes them obviously actually Neanderthals, and the Big Bad evil dark lord is. It's 100% a Lord of the Rings clone, but it's one of the better ones from the 70's/80's, because the twist it puts is really interesting (even if it doesn't end up making a lot of sense.) First, it doubles down on the Germanic influences - magic is all based on smithcraft, the lead character is a clear allusion to Wayland, the "dwarves" are given more clearly Germanic names (something simir to "dvergar", I forget exactly), and the lead "God" has a lot of Odin-like traits. And it has some old-fashioned sexism and unexamined racism, of the "Tolkien's orcs" variety.) (It's got a lot of amazingly brilliant, interesting and well-written scenes but some of the connecting tissue can be tedious. What is most frustrating is how slow the characters are to realize the true nature of the curse - something the reader easily figures out quite early on.Michael Scott Rohan's Winter of the World series has a really interesting setting, although I can't whole-heartedly endorse it. As it is, the book is too long and could easily have been a third to half the length (but I am sure the publisher had a requirement the books in the series be about the same length).
Compared to the previous book, I found myself wanting much more adventure.
There is, honestly, only the set up with Djofull, followed by them trying to unravel the curse. Whereas "The Troll's Grindstone" is a roller coaster ride of action and adventure, "The Curse of Slagfid" is much less.Īfter being snared by Sorkvir's creator, Djofull, Leifr and Thurid are compelled on a quest to destroy the curse that afflicts Hraedsla-dafur or become Djofull's servants. While this is a good follow up to "The Troll's Grindstone", it is also somewhat unsatisfying. He was the most promising of all my pupils, and I could not guess whether or not I would be able to reclaim him from Hela."
"It gave me a genuine pain to kill Sorkvir, that first time.
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