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Frostborn
(Thrones & Bones #1)
by
Meet Karn. He is destined to take over the family farm in Norrøngard. His only problem? He’d rather be playing the board game Thrones and Bones.
Enter Thianna. Half human, half frost giantess. She’s too tall to blend in with other humans but too short to be taken seriously as a giant.
When family intrigues force Karn and Thianna to flee into the wilderness, they have to ke ...more
Enter Thianna. Half human, half frost giantess. She’s too tall to blend in with other humans but too short to be taken seriously as a giant.
When family intrigues force Karn and Thianna to flee into the wilderness, they have to ke ...more
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Hardcover, 352 pages
Published
August 5th 2014
by Crown Books for Young Readers
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Start your review of Frostborn (Thrones & Bones, #1)

Originally published on my blog,
ReadLove
.
It’s tough being twelve. And when you add things like duty and legacies to the equation, it’s even tougher.
Karn Korlundr’s father talks of nothing but responsibility. As firstborn son, Karn’s next in line to be hauld and inherit the family farm. Though this is a position of rank in Norrøngard, Karn sees no honor in it. He has different dreams — his sights are set on seeing the world. He’d much rather hone his skill at the traditional board game Thron ...more
It’s tough being twelve. And when you add things like duty and legacies to the equation, it’s even tougher.
Karn Korlundr’s father talks of nothing but responsibility. As firstborn son, Karn’s next in line to be hauld and inherit the family farm. Though this is a position of rank in Norrøngard, Karn sees no honor in it. He has different dreams — his sights are set on seeing the world. He’d much rather hone his skill at the traditional board game Thron ...more

Bell, Book & Candle | Frostborn Review

"For if you stand you'll surely fall. And if you fall, stand you will for now and all."
I am very pleased with this book. As much as I love fantasy based books, I tend to be a bit wary of ones containing dragons. This is a children's book, so be prepared for the young, naïve voice of both protagonists and POV characters, Karn and Thianna, because I honestly wasn't ready.

Back in the day when I was a kid, I wasn't much of a reader; now I remember why. Reading ...more

"For if you stand you'll surely fall. And if you fall, stand you will for now and all."
I am very pleased with this book. As much as I love fantasy based books, I tend to be a bit wary of ones containing dragons. This is a children's book, so be prepared for the young, naïve voice of both protagonists and POV characters, Karn and Thianna, because I honestly wasn't ready.

Back in the day when I was a kid, I wasn't much of a reader; now I remember why. Reading ...more

The school year starts and I crank into tornado mode whirling through checklists that leave a swath of debris in my office. Reading this story was like the eye of the storm. I ended up sneak reading in-between lesson planning, system updates, meetings, and lunch before devouring it whole for dinner. Consider yourself warned. Read this book on the weekend or when you have a large chunk of uninterrupted time. The action-packed, well-plotted story has plenty of humor and a female character that def
...more

This was a great choice for the winter months. Wonderful story that seems similar to Odd and the Frost Giants and the sweeping tale of the Neverending Story. The alternating narrators were an added pleasure.

I think kids are going to love this. As someone who has never been interested enough in middle grade fantasy (fantasy for ages 8-12), I was really impressed with how much I liked this. Frostborn is a smart adventure story for fans of dragons, frost giants, dwarves, swordfights and strategy games. There is a fair amount of humor, one examble coming from two-headed trolls that our young hero Karn must outsmart to survive. There are also funny draugs, Walking Dead soldiers who play a kind of dumb g
...more

Frostborn is the first in the middle grade Thrones & Bones series. I'm a bit older than the target audience, but even so, it's a terrific read. It is a deceptively simple story, meaning that it is an easy read that deftly introduces characters and situations while moving the story along at a steady clip that will keep younger readers engaged. But by the end, you suddenly realize that it wasn't just a fast-moving adventure story, it was a touching exploration of values. Family. Responsibility. In
...more

May 21, 2014
Barondestructo
added it
Award-winning editor Lou Anders first novel is a Norse-inspired, adventure-fueled tale for young fantasy enthusiasts. Karn, a young farmer-to-be, strikes up an unlikely friendship with Thianna, a half-giantess, to take on undead forces, an ancient dragon, troublesome trolls, an opportunistic uncle, and more! If you’re looking to inspire your child to follow in your Martin/Eddings/Jordan-loving footsteps, then this book is a great place to start.

Frostborn was a great book!! Honestly, it was a little hard to get into, but otherwise I loved it.
About to start reading Nightborn!!
I had the pleasure of meeting the author at a festival in my city. I came home and put the books on my wish list, and I’m just now sitting down to read them. :D
Karn and Thianna are two unlikely friends, but they somehow manage to stick together.
Can’t wait to read Nightborn!
About to start reading Nightborn!!
I had the pleasure of meeting the author at a festival in my city. I came home and put the books on my wish list, and I’m just now sitting down to read them. :D
Karn and Thianna are two unlikely friends, but they somehow manage to stick together.
Can’t wait to read Nightborn!

Originally posted at Fantasy Literature. http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
Editor, publisher, and essayist Lou Anders’ debut novel is a sweet Middle Grade story inspired by Norse legends. Frostborn, the first in a series, has two likeable heroines. The first is Karn, the son of a prosperous farmer who’s head of their clan. Karn is his father’s heir, which secretly infuriates Karn’s uncle, a twin who is only a few seconds younger than Karn’s father. However, Karn isn’t interested in running ...more
Editor, publisher, and essayist Lou Anders’ debut novel is a sweet Middle Grade story inspired by Norse legends. Frostborn, the first in a series, has two likeable heroines. The first is Karn, the son of a prosperous farmer who’s head of their clan. Karn is his father’s heir, which secretly infuriates Karn’s uncle, a twin who is only a few seconds younger than Karn’s father. However, Karn isn’t interested in running ...more

Fair disclosure: I know Lou Anders, and while we are not troll-slaying friends, he's a darned cool and interesting guy and I consider my knowing him a privilege.
Frostborn, the first book in the Thrones and Bones series, is a solid, well-plotted novel that opens a series that follows two young protagonists - Karn, the heir to a large farm and Thianna, a half-frost giant - of age twelve as they confront betrayals, trolls, undead Vikings, and the largest linnorn (a type of Nordic dragon) in the kno ...more
Frostborn, the first book in the Thrones and Bones series, is a solid, well-plotted novel that opens a series that follows two young protagonists - Karn, the heir to a large farm and Thianna, a half-frost giant - of age twelve as they confront betrayals, trolls, undead Vikings, and the largest linnorn (a type of Nordic dragon) in the kno ...more

A fun fantasy adventure! I really enjoyed this one! I read it a while back and out of a few of the fantasy books I've read, this one stood out and stayed with me the most (sorry Fablehaven, I can barely remember you).
Would definitely recommend!!! ...more
Would definitely recommend!!! ...more

After I accepted the second book in the Thrones and Bone series,
Nightborn
, I immediately went to he library to buddy read it with my oldest. Ironic enough, Frostborn was a book I have previous checked out for him that he never got around to reading.
I am not a huge middle grade reader - but it's one category that I have been wanting to get into for a while now. Fantasy probably wasn't the best of genres to start with though, to be honest.
Frostborn had a really slow start. The story didn't re ...more
I am not a huge middle grade reader - but it's one category that I have been wanting to get into for a while now. Fantasy probably wasn't the best of genres to start with though, to be honest.
Frostborn had a really slow start. The story didn't re ...more

It's "If You Like Ranger's Apprentice" month in the Young Adult Lounge. Battle armor-clad warriors, outsmart a legendary dragon, and survive an avalanche in this Viking-inspired hero's journey starring a 12 year-old human boy and a half-giant girl whose differences make their partnership stronger. Along the way, you'll dodge some gassy trolls and undead minions while practicing your board game strategy because "you know you're not a true Norronur unless you can swing a sword, hurl an insult, and
...more

Frostborn was pure enchantment. Not only was it the most delightful fantasy I have read in ages, but its characters captivated me in a way that completely won my heart. A boy who turns his gaming obsession into real world triumphs and a girl who actually wants to be bigger and stronger than the boys...what kids aren't going to gobble this up?I haven’t loved a female protagonist as much as I did Thianna since my major girl-crush on Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird. Bravo, Lou Anders. Put me on the
...more

It's really unusual that the two most recent books I read and am reviewing this summer have been two Nordic inspired books filled with snow and ice considering the oppressive heat that had settled over Central New York for the last two weeks. And both books have been phenomenal for different reasons.
It would be safe to say that reading Lou Anders' Frostborn after reading Abercrombie's Half A King could be considered unfair, but Anders has written a completely different kind of book that does wha ...more
It would be safe to say that reading Lou Anders' Frostborn after reading Abercrombie's Half A King could be considered unfair, but Anders has written a completely different kind of book that does wha ...more

Oct 31, 2017
Creel Unbelove'D
rated it
it was amazing
Recommends it for:
readers of Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard or maybe someone a year younger
Fun and fast-paced. A bit predictable, but that doesn't deter from a good story one bit. Really looking forward to the next book.
...more

I picked up this book because of a podcast interview with Lou Anders. I've been a fan of Lou's from his many podcast appearances, so definitely wanted to check it out. My boys are six and thirteen, so just barely missing the target middle grade audience of 8-12, but thought they (and me) would enjoy it all the same. The interview I listened to said Frostborn would still work well for the younger of the middle grades, so thought I'd try it on the younger son first. I asked him if he was intereste
...more

Karn is a young Norrønir boy who shuns his father’s farm life and his responsibilities. He’d rather be playing his favourite strategy game, Thrones and Bones, than wielding a sword or haggling for food and supplies. Meanwhile, further north, Thianna is determined to prove herself every bit a giant, while hating the half-human part of her that makes her so obviously different. At the seasonal gathering where Norrønir and giants come together to trade, the two young ones meet and discover that the
...more

Every time I travel I take a book with me from my giant stack of reading material. Recently I purchased a tablet for myself and needed something worthy of my trip to GenCon for me to enjoy on the plane. Now normally I do not read YA fiction but, having met Lou Anders for a few years back (and having been in occasional contact) I was aware of a book he had been working on and was delighted to hear of it's release. The book, Thrones and Bones Frostborn, would be my somewhat appropriate book to rea
...more

I got a copy of this book through the Amazon Vine program for review. It looked like a fun fantasy middle grade read, and it was. This is the first book in the Thrones and Bones series.
Karn is a preteen boy who is supposed to be learning how to take over a very successful Norrøngard family farm. Unfortunately he has no interest in farming and would rather play his favorite game Thrones and Bone. Karn ends up having to flee his hometown and runs into the young half-giantess, Thianna. Thianna has ...more
Karn is a preteen boy who is supposed to be learning how to take over a very successful Norrøngard family farm. Unfortunately he has no interest in farming and would rather play his favorite game Thrones and Bone. Karn ends up having to flee his hometown and runs into the young half-giantess, Thianna. Thianna has ...more

Frostborn captured my attention, what’s not to like – frost giants, dragons, and a character who is obsessed with a specific board game. There’s something about middle grade fiction that is so satisfying. It’s not just about the adventure and action, but there’s always deeper meanings. Thianna is a female frost giant, but she is also half human, therefore she always feels inadequate and trying to prove that she is a frost giant. She’s bullied and often gets in and out of fights, but her father k
...more

Of Men And Giants (Or Half Giantesses)
This series must be read in order. This is the first book.
Karn is adventurous and always thinking. Especially about his favorite game Thrones and Bones. He does not car about his family farm or running it... He cares even less for trading and haggling of any kind! He is intrigued by his Uncle Ori though it seems he never knows what Ori is up to. Will Karn ever find a worthy opponent for Thrones and Bones? What is Uncle Ori up to? Will Karn ever escape his de ...more
This series must be read in order. This is the first book.
Karn is adventurous and always thinking. Especially about his favorite game Thrones and Bones. He does not car about his family farm or running it... He cares even less for trading and haggling of any kind! He is intrigued by his Uncle Ori though it seems he never knows what Ori is up to. Will Karn ever find a worthy opponent for Thrones and Bones? What is Uncle Ori up to? Will Karn ever escape his de ...more

In the spirit of full disclosure, Lou is a friend of mine; but though knowing the author could have gotten me to read a book once, it couldn't have enchanted my eight year old on the read-aloud. We both thoroughly enjoyed Frostborn.
The world building is delightfully thorough, but never gets in the way of the story. Rather, hints of the world beyond what our heroes know are seeded throughout the books: hopefully, clues to future stories. And our heroes are what carries the book.
Karn would rather ...more
The world building is delightfully thorough, but never gets in the way of the story. Rather, hints of the world beyond what our heroes know are seeded throughout the books: hopefully, clues to future stories. And our heroes are what carries the book.
Karn would rather ...more

Over the course of a lifetime I've read a good number of middle grade fantasy books, beginning with Lloyd Alexander, to Rowling, and finally Riordan. My eight year old son, for his part, has devoured more than seventy middle grade books over the past two years and had the opportunity to read Lou Anders Frostborn at roughly the same time I did. I believe that is a fine test for any book, to be read not only by a professional fantasy editor but also a young soul directly in the center of its targe
...more

Karn and Thianna are as strikingly different as any two 12-year olds could possibly be. Karn hails from Norrøngard, a mythical Norse country. Destined to become a farmer, he faces a future of slopping pigs and bartering at the local market. In the meantime, clever Karn is obsessed with playing Thrones and Bones, a board game which happens to be the locals’ favorite pastime. Unbeknownst to him, his Uncle Ori plots and plans a wicked game of this own which is about to turn Karn’s life inside out.
...more

Summary- Karn Korlundsson hates the farming life and the fact that he is to become hauld (head leader) of the traveling farm village he lives him. He wants to see the world. Thianna is half-giant, half-human. She is content to stay in her frost giant village, and she strives to be excepted. It is hard being half the height of every giant around her, you know! When dangers arise for the the two of them, they happen to meet up and band together. Thus begins the journey of a life-time for the small
...more

My wife is a school teacher for 8-10 year olds. I'm just a super geek with a penchant for Skyrim, good space opera and anything that will get my kids (ages 3 and 5) prepared for having an unapologetic geek father. When I read frostborn I thought some of the geography and character names might be too tongue twisting for YA readers. Then my wife assured me that all the Harry Potter, Star Wars and other things her classroom is into has the same sort. As for my recommendation on the book- *I* enjoye
...more

Frostborn is a Viking inspired novel. Karn loves to play a board game called Thrones and Bones. Thianna is half giantess and half human. She is too tall to fit in with humans but too short to fit in with giants. Karn and Thianna must flee into the wilderness. Even though they have a sense of humor, they find survival difficult. Why? Because they are being chased by trolls, giants, Helltoppr the undead warrior and his undead minions besides a 1,500 year old dragon! They have scary, exciting adven
...more
topics | posts | views | last activity | |
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Madison Mega-Mara...: #119 Frostborn by Lou Anders | 1 | 2 | Sep 30, 2017 03:28PM |
Lou Anders is the author of Frostborn, Nightborn, and Skyborn, the three books of the Thrones & Bones series of Norse-themed fantasy adventure novels written for boys and girls equally. Anders is the recipient of a Hugo Award for editing and a Chesley Award for art direction. He was the 2016 Thurber House Childrens' Writer in Residence, and spent a month teaching, living, and writing in the haunte
...more
Other books in the series
Thrones & Bones
(3 books)
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