The Broken Sword

The Broken Sword by Poul Anderson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


*** Possible spoilers ***

This is classic high fantasy and while I thoroughly enjoyed it, it's not for everyone. Mr. Anderson dipped into Norse Mythology and, to some extent, followed the cadence of that genre. As a result, the pacing is quite slow. I didn't find it unpleasant but for readers accustomed to modern works of fiction, it might not be optimal.

There are quite a few complex themes running through the book. A brother and sister who have been separated at birth discover one another without knowledge of their relationship and fall in love. A changeling discovers he is one-half elf, one-half troll but will never be allowed to claim his elven heritage. In his bitterness he turns to violence but even at his worst, he periodically has moments of introspection as he contemplates his situation and why he must exercise his frustration is such violence. There are also religious themes running through the book as emerging Christianity gradually supplants the older religion.

One thing I found frustrating was that Mr. Anderson set up plenty of material for a sequel but doesn't appear to have ever followed through. He wrote a lot of books so it may be hiding in there somewhere but if it is, I can't find it. Late in the book a child of incest is born to the sister. That child is then taken by Odin who suggests it is destined to one day save the world from the final battle. What happens with that child and it's destiny is never revealed.

This book is a trifle on the violent side but while trolls, elves and the occasional human are slain, sometimes in picturesque detail, I didn't find it nearly as bothersome as some books I've read so I think most people will be able to handle it.

If you like high fantasy with poetic language and fairly slow pacing then I highly recommend this one.



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