Grievar’s Blood
Alexander Darwin. Orbit, $19.99 trade paper (464p) ISBN 978-0-316-49323-9
a lucky crossbow bolt from a dullard surprisingly fells him, leading Grimnir to believe that the Allfather Odin manipulated events to do away with him. He wakes on the island of Nástrond in the netherworld and cuts a bloody swath through the region to Vargholl (“the Wolf’s Hall”), where he is reunited with his dead kin, including his maternal grandfather Kjallandi, beloved uncle
Gifr, and obtuse father Bálegyr. Despite being ancient enemies, Kjallandi and Bálegyr rule Vargholl together in a balance of power. Kjallandi and Gifr believe that the Twilight of the Norse gods should have happened by now, but a conspiracy in Asgard, the home of the gods, led by Odin, has delayed the apocalypse that should have been. Grimnir, accompanied by his lover Skadi, a small but fierce warrior, launches a quest to confront Odin and finally, after 130 years, kill Níðhöggr. Thrilling cinematic action, defiant characters, intricate—if sometimes hard-tofollow—plotting, and sprawling Norse mythology keep the pages flying. Series fans will find this a worthy conclusion. Agent: Bob Mecoy, Bob Mecoy Literary. (Dec.) explanation, the adventure takes a long time to reach its climax. Sapphic romance lovers will also be frustrated that the rekindling love between the leads largely occurs off-screen. This comes up short. (Dec.)
Returning to a world where political power is directly connected to martial arts prowess and war has been replaced by hand-to-hand combat between individual fighters trained to represent their kingdoms, Darwin effectively builds upon the first volume of his imaginative Combat Codes trilogy (2023’s The Combat Codes). Cego has become a legend at the Lyceum, the kingdom of Ezo’s elite fighting academy. After being knocked out during a bout with a newcomer from another kingdom, however, Cego’s surprised to be placed in a mysterious elective class called Core Enhancements that’s usually reserved for more senior students. As he continues his education—now learning from a botanist professor who’s also the first member of the ruling class to teach at the school— Cego also continues his search for his missing brothers, one of whom may have killed the legendary knight Artemis Halberd. Meanwhile, Solara Halberd, Artemis’s daughter, must both come to terms with his death and find a path forward for herself. Both protagonists are well realized, and Darwin expertly balances vivid fight scenes with Cego and Solara’s character growth, all while neatly setting things up for the trilogy’s conclusion. It’s a knockout. Agent: Ed Wilson, Johnson & Alcock Literary. (Dec.) theory and a Chinese myth that two people fated to fall in love are tied together with red thread—may be Rooney’s big break. Jack Liu, a systems engineer at NASA, has just been passed over for a promotion when he runs into Rooney and her art installation—though he doesn’t realize the two are connected. The pair meet again at a Lantern Festival party, leading to a night of deep conversation and unexpected romance. When Jack takes on a new role as a liaison for NASA’s artist-inresidence program, he picks Red String Girl for the residency—and is shocked to be reunited with Rooney once more. Inextricably drawn to each other, the duo run several “fate tests,” trying to determine if fate or choice rules their lives and their budding relationship. It’s unusually cerebral for a romance, marrying a believable love connection with a thoughtful meditation on how humans make meaning in life. The result is smart, sensitive, and striking. Agent: Ann Leslie Tuttle, Dystel, Goderich & Bourett. (Jan.)