Customer Reviews

Runespear

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The story begins in metropolitian Germany 1936, Hitler's rise to power before he started the conquest of Europe in World War Two. The first chapters are very slow, and while the pace picks up later, readers may not make chapter twelve.

The three main characters are Rafe (gentleman adventurer), Billi (attractive yet charmless female reporter), and The Professor (he has a name, but I only remember his archetype; a flat character). They are charged by Himmler to lead a quest into Greenland and recover the fabled Spear of Odin. Well, actually a Nazi officer is in 'charge' of the expedition ('wouldn't look good for the fatherland otherwise'), but essentially the three major characters are leading the adventure. Rafe for his cowboy resume, The Professor for his background in Norse lore, and Billi as the official 'recorder.'

Billi ('I am not a hothouse flower, I know what I'm getting into') is annoying. She seduces, smokes, complains, and while the authors try and get romantic subplots going, they don't work. I'd say she is responsible for me thinking this is two and a half star novel, though her behavior changes for the better once the expedition starts across Greenland.

The expedition leaves Germany around page one hundred thirty. I had a hard time reading that far, but decided to finish the book. Action comes fast afterward, but the build-up half of the novel is slow and boring.

I picked this up at a second-hand bookstore, and it's going back there too. I'd avoid this novel, unless you like historical Nazi novels set in 1936 Germany or Greenland Eskimos.