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Though my reading pace has slowed dramatically the past few years (not having a daily train commute will do that to a person), I am still plugging away at books. One that I recently wrapped up was book 3 of the Dreadbound Ode trilogy, also known as Travels in the Dark by Jordan Loyal Short.
If you liked where this series started on Skolja (in Skald’s Black Verse) and then continued on in The Weeping Sigil, then buckle up, because Travels in the Dark gives you more of the same. You’ve still got this really interesting mix of Norse mythology fantasy mixed together with science fiction, of course. With the universe being built out (particularly as the interwoven storylines slip in and out), we also get to see a contrast between the Norse (well, Norn in the books) idea of religion and the afterlife contrasted against an overly-politicized amalgamation of Western religion.
While I originally found myself drawn to – and rooting for – Brohr in the first two books, this third installment really takes him on a journey that is both understandable, but also manages to make him less likable. I wouldn’t go so far as to call him a bad guy in the story (as those lines between good and bad are very blurry in these books, it all depends on your point of view), just… less likable. Surprisingly, I really found myself pulling for Henrik and the arc that Travels in the Dark takes him through (and sets things up for him in the Epilogue for some future stories).
I know that sounds vague, but I don’t want to spoil things. If you’ve read the first two books, definitely grab a copy of Travels in the Dark, to see where Brohr ends up landing, and where Henrik’s and Lyssa’s stories are headed. If you’ve not checked out the series before, but like Norse mythology, fantasy, and SciFi (oh, and musically-based magic systems), this should be on your TBR list for sure. You can pick up Travels in the Dark at your favorite book store, and find out more about the author over at jordanloyalshort.com
