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Laura VanArendonk Baugh
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The Songweaver's Vow: An Epic Fantasy Kindle Edition

by Laura VanArendonk Baugh (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 180 ratings
See all formats and editions

She tells Greek legends to entertain Norse gods—until one of her stories leads to murder.

When Euthalia’s father trades her to Viking raiders, her best hope is to be made a wife instead of a slave. She gets her wish—sort of—when she is sacrificed as a bride to a god.

Her inhuman husband seems kind, but he visits only in the dark of night and will not allow her to look upon him. By day Euthalia becomes known as a storyteller, spinning ancient Greek tales to entertain Asgard’s gods and monsters.

When one of her stories precipitates a god’s murder and horrific retribution, Euthalia discovers there is a monster in her bed as well. Alone in a hostile Asgard, Euthalia must ally with a spiteful goddess to sway Odin himself before bloody tragedy opens Ragnarok, the prophesied end of the world.

2018 Realm Award, Best Fantasy
SPFBO's Best of 2017 Semi-Finalist

With an epic cast of characters including Odin, Thor, Freyja, and Loki, and a magnificent harmony of Greek and Nordic mythology. this tale will appeal to readers of fusion myths and retellings. Available in ebook, paperback, hardback, and audiobook.

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  1. Print length
    301 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    February 21, 2017
  4. File size
    7555 KB
  5. Page Flip
    Enabled
  6. Word Wise
    Enabled
  7. Enhanced typesetting
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  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"A lyric course in Norse mythology, packed with heart and wit." --Kirkus Reviews

"In this expressive banquet of love,legends, and exploits, VanArendonk Baugh channels the charm and grandeur of theNorse pantheon effortlessly.... Overall, a tale foreveryone--especially those who love a mix of superheroes, romance, and monstrous action." --Kirkus Reviews

"Laura VanArendonk Baugh can hold her own with the greats! ... It's exciting, romantic, unpredictable, and heartwrenching. There were plenty of Gasp Out Loud moments and even a few tears . . . everything I want in a read, really!" -- Sylvia Mercedes, reviewer

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B01MURW7IV
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Æclipse Press (February 21, 2017)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ February 21, 2017
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 7555 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 301 pages
  • Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 1631650041
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 180 ratings

About the author

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Laura VanArendonk Baugh

Laura VanArendonk Baugh

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Laura VanArendonk Baugh is an award-winning writer of speculative fiction, mystery, and non-fiction. Though she has hiked to the summits of extinct, dormant, and active volcanoes on several continents, not one has yet accepted her sacrifice. Her work has earned numerous accolades, including the Realm Award for Best Fantasy, a semi-finalist spot in SPFBO's Best Fantasy, and praise from Publishers Weekly.

Laura speaks professionally on everything from her day job as a professional animal trainer and behavior consultant to award-winning costuming. She enjoys travel, many kinds of geekery, fair trade chocolate, and making her imaginary friends fight each other for imaginary reasons. Find her (and free stuff!) at www.LauraVAB.com.

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
180 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the storytelling fantastic, vivid, and entrancing. They praise the writing quality as well-written, clear, and beautiful. Readers describe the book as an enjoyable, fun read with an interesting premise. They appreciate the world-building and mature content. Opinions are mixed on the character development, with some finding the main character compelling, while others say they lack complexity.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

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StorytellingWriting qualityReadabilityKnowledgeCharacter developmentRomance
25 customers mention "Storytelling"25 positive0 negative

Customers find the storytelling enjoyable, vivid, and entrancing. They say the well-known stories serve to build intrigue. Readers also mention the book has adventure, action, romance, magic, and elements of history.

"...and Psyche that combines thrilling action scenes with a potent, decidedly adult tale that handles the mature subjects of Norse and Greek mythology..." Read more

"...Despite that, Euthalia’s story is indeed enjoyable and engaging. She learns to seize control of her fate and go after what she wants...." Read more

"...So many wonderful, well-researched details made this fantastical tale believable, and though there is non-stop action and peril, at its heart it is..." Read more

"...The Songweaver's Vow is well written and well researched book. Well known stories (at least to mythology nerds) serve to build an intrigue and drama...." Read more

15 customers mention "Writing quality"12 positive3 negative

Customers find the writing quality of the book very well-written, neat, and clear. They also say the dialogue is handled well and the narrative style flows perfectly. Readers mention the names and terms make it easy for the uninitiated reader to follow.

"...style somewhat reflected that of the mythology it was portraying: simple and detached...." Read more

"This is a beautifully written story that brings Norse mythology to life...." Read more

"...World building is done well but on smaller scale. The language is neat and clear and the story is told in third person perspective...." Read more

"...It handles mature content with class, and the narrative style flows perfectly in and around the material in a way that seems simple and effortless...." Read more

11 customers mention "Readability"11 positive0 negative

Customers find the book very enjoyable, informative, and fun. They say it's a quick read with wonderful, well-researched details.

"...Enjoy responsibly." Read more

"...Despite that, Euthalia’s story is indeed enjoyable and engaging. She learns to seize control of her fate and go after what she wants...." Read more

"...So many wonderful, well-researched details made this fantastical tale believable, and though there is non-stop action and peril, at its heart it is..." Read more

"...Overall, an engaging and very enjoyable read!..." Read more

9 customers mention "Knowledge"9 positive0 negative

Customers find the book interesting, informative, and fun. They say it handles mature content with class and is a study in balance. Readers also mention the book is intelligent and fast-paced.

"...Final Verdict: The Songweaver's Vow is an intelligent, fast-paced mythology/adventure with a core of devotion and romance...." Read more

"...The main character, Euthalia, undergoes some wonderful development throughout the story, going from a meek girl who hardly even thinks of resisting..." Read more

"...World building is done well but on smaller scale. The language is neat and clear and the story is told in third person perspective...." Read more

"...It handles mature content with class, and the narrative style flows perfectly in and around the material in a way that seems simple and effortless...." Read more

8 customers mention "Character development"5 positive3 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the character development. Some mention the main character is compelling, while others say they lack complexity. Readers also mention it's not easy to keep all the characters straight and have trouble connecting to the main character.

"...The main character is so sympathetic as the daughter of a Slavic merchant who sells her to Viking pirates in order to save his cowardly hide...." Read more

"...She's naive, she lacks personnality and depth. Other characters lacked complexity as well...." Read more

"...All true.Euthalia is the ideal protagonist for this story because she's an outsider, which makes for the perfect POV...." Read more

"...I found the characters to be sympathetic, even some of the ones I wasn't supposed to like, and incredibly real and three dimensional...." Read more

5 customers mention "Romance"2 positive3 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the romance in the book. Some mention it's on mythology, action, and romance, while others say the story lacks tension and drama, and feels flat. They also mention the ending feels rushed and the story is too short.

"...As a result the story lacks tension and drama and quite often feels flat...." Read more

"...is an intelligent, fast-paced mythology/adventure with a core of devotion and romance...." Read more

"...If I had one bad thing to say, it would only be that the story was too short because I wanted to keep reading about these people." Read more

"...It's got adventure, action, romance, magic, and elements of history, all woven together into one smooth tale...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

AmazonCustomer1
5.0 out of 5 stars This book delivers on mythology, action, and romance
Reviewed in the United States on April 23, 2017
Verified Purchase
Author Laura VanArendonk Baugh knows her mythology and uses it to full advantage. The Songweaver's Vow is an intense version of Eros and Psyche that combines thrilling action scenes with a potent, decidedly adult tale that handles the mature subjects of Norse and Greek mythology with intelligence and clarity.

Usually I focus on characters first in reviews. However, in The Songweaver's Vow the gods take the center stage with their outrageous foibles and concepts of fairness (re: anything they can get away with). VanArendonk Baugh balances the over-the-top nature of Norse mythology with quiet moments of almost-humanity within each god. The main character, Euthalia, is a welcome foil to the gods with her humility, kindness, and desire to see the best in others. If she lacks a little depth and is a little over-the-top in her self-hatred over the classic Eros and Psyche curiosity blunder, this entire story is set in a large-than-life universe. Plus, her common sense morality is a refreshing contrast to pretty much every other character in the story.

Note: as I mentioned, this story unflinchingly shows or refers to many foibles of the Norse and Greek gods, which are strongly mature. To contrast the coarse attitudes of the gods towards sexuality, the author portrays a thoughtful, consensual romance between Euthalia and her god-husband that also contains mature, but non-gratuitous sexual elements and a smart fade-to-black.

Final Verdict: The Songweaver's Vow is an intelligent, fast-paced mythology/adventure with a core of devotion and romance. It's a rich drink with lots of high and low notes, and a clean aftertaste. Enjoy responsibly.
5 people found this helpful
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Erica Sloan
4.0 out of 5 stars Weaving through the mythology
Reviewed in the United States on February 21, 2017
Verified Purchase
First, a disclaimer: I know nothing about Norse mythology except what little lore I’ve gleaned from the Marvel superhero movie universe, so I can’t speak to the accuracy of the myths and legends - or any clever twists thereof - presented in this tale.

But having said that (and knowing some of this author’s other work), it’s clear that much care was taken with the research for this story. The descriptions of the world(s) aren’t overly long, but there are enough little details present to throw the reader into the familiar-yet-alien setting.

For my part, I felt the writing style somewhat reflected that of the mythology it was portraying: simple and detached. There are definitely parts of heavy emotion (see: Loki’s punishment), but overall the story feels like a folktale, where it’s hard to tell how much time has passed or why exactly some characters are acting the way they are.

The main character, Euthalia, undergoes some wonderful development throughout the story, going from a meek girl who hardly even thinks of resisting when she’s traded into slavery, to a young woman determined to brave the underworld itself in order to get her husband back. However, she is surrounded by characters who undergo little - if any - growth (unsurprising, given that many of them are gods and the story chooses to weave amongst the established myths and legends rather than overturn them), and her adventures sometimes feel inconsequential because of it. The tagline claims that one of Euthalia’s stories leads to murder, but I never felt like she had that much influence; she often seems a spectator to the larger scheme of things, and even at the climax - when she is working mostly behind the scenes - she never seems to have a clear idea just what she is doing.

Despite that, Euthalia’s story is indeed enjoyable and engaging. She learns to seize control of her fate and go after what she wants. I can’t say I liked all the residents of Asgard, but I was rooting for Euthalia as she maneuvered among them.

The book is a quick read; I finished it in a handful of sittings. If you enjoy Norse mythology, Greek mythology, or mythology in general, I recommend you accompany Euthalia as she makes her way through the realms of Yggdrasil.

(One more disclosure: I received a copy in advance of the official release date for the purposes of an honest review.)
2 people found this helpful
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The Book Dragon
5.0 out of 5 stars Brings Norse mythology to life
Reviewed in the United States on March 6, 2018
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This is a beautifully written story that brings Norse mythology to life. The main character is so sympathetic as the daughter of a Slavic merchant who sells her to Viking pirates in order to save his cowardly hide. Euthalia at first believes she will be the bride of one of the raiders but soon discovers she has been given as bride to one of the Norse gods and taken to Asgard, the realm of the gods. Her courage and determination made this reader cheer for her, and I could NOT put this book down for fear she would lose everything against the impossible odds stacked against her. So many wonderful, well-researched details made this fantastical tale believable, and though there is non-stop action and peril, at its heart it is a love story. CAUTION: This book is rated PG-13 with several scenes of violence and one scene of sensuality between a married couple (chapter 9)
4 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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Marlene
5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful read.
Reviewed in Canada on March 1, 2018
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The author wove a delightful story blend Greek mythology and stories seamlessly into Norse mythology. Anchored the story with love and hope.
One person found this helpful
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Domilu
4.0 out of 5 stars Gutes Buch
Reviewed in Germany on August 25, 2019
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Gutes Buch, aber nicht überragend.
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Niki Lyman
5.0 out of 5 stars A Fantastic Read!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 19, 2019
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I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I cant recommend it enough! I love the way that the story line incorporates both Greek and Norse mythology. This is a well written book with adventure, romance, heartbreak and lots of action. It will keep you gripped throughout, leaving you wanting more. Thank you Laura for writing this book, I look forward to reading more from you.
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Kindle Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars Most enjoyable
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 11, 2017
Verified Purchase
This is quite strange and original - with a Comparison drawn between some of Greek and Viking myths. It hung together really well, and was a good read. There is romance, fighting, mythical characters and more fighting - and of course, the legendary squirrel that lives on Yggdrasil- Ratatoskr - what’s not to like?
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Dee
5.0 out of 5 stars Gorgeous
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 15, 2017
Verified Purchase
The author weaves a wonderful tapestry filled with Norse mythological characters. I did find the premise a bit silly to start with, a human having a falling out with her husband who happens to be a god and then becoming a slave to a goddess in the hopes of finding him, but the storytelling and sub plots more than make up for it. A very enjoyable and diverting read, if like me you are into mythology and fantasy.
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