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First to Burn

(Immortal Vikings #1)

Anna Richland (Goodreads Author)

3.72 · Rating details · 311 ratings · 97 reviews

A soldier with secrets

Immortal Viking Wulf Wardsen once battled alongside Beowulf, and now serves in Afghanistan. He's trusted the mortal men on his elite special operations team to protect his secret, until an explosion lands Wulf in a place more dangerous to him than a battlefield: a medevac helicopter.

A doctor with questions

Army captain Theresa Chiesa follows the rules ...more

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Kindle Edition, 297 pages

Published January 27th 2014 by Carina Press (first published December 3rd 2013)

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2014 Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy (January - June)

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· 311 ratings · 97 reviews

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Start your review of First to Burn (Immortal Vikings, #1)

Jan 17, 2015 Vero rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

You had me at "immortal Viking"...

I have a weakness for Vikings, hunky blond guys, the whole works.

Nonetheless I was sceptical that a contemporary military romance with an immortal viking would work. It sounded kind of like a joke.

It wasn't.

It was a very well written romance, which didn't pull its punches. Meaning: life is throwing stuff at those two people (the immortal Viking and the lady doctor) without any miraculous solutions for the HEA.

I liked that a lot.

I loved Wulf. He was yummy an ...more

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Apr 28, 2019 Vicki rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: uno-2019

When I started this book I had no idea what I was in for! LOL I guess the series title might've given me a hint but I didn't pay attention, so when I read that Sergeant Wulf Wardsen had suffered a terrible injury that he should've died from but instead he healed extremely quickly and miraculously I was very curious.

Captain Theresa Chiesa was just as curious as I was because she's a doctor and she can't fathom how he was healed so quickly. What she doesn't know is that he is an immortal viking ( ...more

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Feb 21, 2014 Carrie (Book Fairy) Fort rated it it was amazing

Favorite Lines “When you go for it, you don’t mess around. And a sergeant.”

“Please. Theresa. Please. Pull me back. Pull.”

“Men who were superstitious about goodbye found ways to speak without words.”

“Course not, Doc, you’re too polite. But you’ve got more balls than Miss Christy here.”

“Life with Wulf would never be normal, but who cared? She’d have a Viking to love her for eternity.”

Yummy yummy! I knew this book would be fabulous! Imagine this a mob bosses daughter who is joined the army and beca ...more

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Aug 12, 2014 Marlene rated it liked it

This joint review was originally published at The Book Pushers

1. Thoughts on the Hero

E: If ever a hero had earned his PTSD Wulf had. An immortal warrior fighting in just about every single war since Beowulf faced Grendel and his mother. In fact, Wulf helped fight against them and in the process gained immortality. I liked how he showed immortality really wasn’t all it seemed to be. Any situation, sound, smell, could and did throw him back to an unpleasant memory usually involving the death of so ...more

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Mar 01, 2020 Sadie Forsythe rated it liked it · review of another edition

Pretty good for what it is. But what it is is a bit of fluff. I enjoyed the banter between the main characters and the humor of the Special Forces men. I liked that the heroine was a soldier herself and came back strong after a fairly traumatic injury. I liked that the hero wasn't an alpha A-hole and was really responsive to any 'no' she uttered, without any guilting or attempted manipulation.

I did think the narrative had too much going on, the whole immortality schtick wasn't well enough devel ...more

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Mar 02, 2014 Nicole rated it really liked it

Shelves: paranormal-romance, paranormal-suspense, 2014-rlftci-challenge, 2014-rrrc-birfacc, 2014-dhasg-hero, lop-r2r, author-provided

I received this book in exchange for an honest review (Lovers of Paranormal, LoP).

Impressive well written debut novel with characters who, for the most part, are easy to relate to. As a military veteran who has done her share of deployments, I think the author did an incredible job with the first few chapters that showcase and explain about the way of life military members experience when downrange or in theater (which can be craptastic at best); especially the scenes that describe the chow hall I received this book in exchange for an honest review (Lovers of Paranormal, LoP).

Impressive well written debut novel with characters who, for the most part, are easy to relate to. As a military veteran who has done her share of deployments, I think the author did an incredible job with the first few chapters that showcase and explain about the way of life military members experience when downrange or in theater (which can be craptastic at best); especially the scenes that describe the chow hall (I've been out of the military since 2008, but can still remember the smells and pictures those damn trays being heated by sterno lol).

The beginning seemed to drag on a bit long, but I liked the interaction between the characters when Theresa was asked to visit the village and check on one of the village elders young wife and her pregnancy. Theresa did her best to main the officer/enlisted relationship between herself and Wulf, but fraternization (whether it's sharing drinks, or hitting the sheets) between officers and enlisted does seem to happen quite a bit in the military. Again, impressive with how much well the author showcased how cohesive Wulf's unit is and how they came together to keep his secret, cause those Green Berets are extremely tight-lipped. (Sidenote, if you meet someone who brags about being a Green Beret and what all they did while a GB, chances are they weren't really a GB).

The story really began to pick up speed once Theresa and Wulf were in Italy, and was pretty much action-packed from that point on. I liked how Wulf's story wasn't shoved in our faces from the beginning, but rather told slowly. Although from reading the book blurb the reader already knows going in that he's immortal, but it was cool to see how the story developed for Theresa. It was interesting to learn Wulf's story, to this day I remember reading Beowulf in my senior English class, and it's one of the few stories I remember from high school. I hope we get to read Ivar's story next, this is a series I would recommend. ...more

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Mar 04, 2016 Rhode rated it it was ok · review of another edition

As some first novels do, this has everything but the kitchen sink in it. Afghani feasting, special ops forces, sightseeing in Rome, the New Jersey mob, explosions, sewers, fancy lingerie, veterans hospitals, castles, Danish museums, velvet-lined bedding with golden swags, torture, some more explosions, sex, saunas, bondage, the CIA, faithful Oxford-educated retainers, field surgery, twins, the international drug trade, assassinations, starfish DNA, great banter, guns and more than one burning bu ...more

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Feb 11, 2014 Amy Raby rated it it was amazing

I was reading this on the airplane, and my teenage son was so interested in it he kept peeking over my shoulder to read. You won't believe this is a debut, because it's so accomplished, especially the writing and the authenticity of the voices and settings.

It's a real genre bender, essentially a paranormal because the hero is an immortal viking living in the present day, but it's also military themed, since both he and the heroine are in the military (serving in Afghanistan), and there are suspe ...more

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Aug 12, 2014 Twin Sisters Rockin' Book Reviews rated it it was amazing

Overall Rating: 4.5 Rockin’ ★★★★☆

Hide in plain sight has been Wulf Wardsen’s motto since he fought alone side Beowulf a thousand years ago. Wulf is an immortal Viking that cannot die and heals wounds without any assistance or damage. He has finally found a group of men that accept him, have made him part of their family and protect his secret. A military group called the Operational Detachment Alpha-5131, 5th Special Forces Group and he is known as Sergeant Wulf Wardsen a member of that team. Ev Overall Rating: 4.5 Rockin’ ★★★★☆

Hide in plain sight has been Wulf Wardsen’s motto since he fought alone side Beowulf a thousand years ago. Wulf is an immortal Viking that cannot die and heals wounds without any assistance or damage. He has finally found a group of men that accept him, have made him part of their family and protect his secret. A military group called the Operational Detachment Alpha-5131, 5th Special Forces Group and he is known as Sergeant Wulf Wardsen a member of that team. Even though he knows that eventually he will have to move on to another life right now he has family. Everything is going great until he finds himself on a Medevac on his way to a hospital, the last thing he needs as an immortal.

Captain Theresa Chiesa has worked hard to reach the point in her life where she is self-sufficient and has nothing to do with her shady family. She put herself through school without any assistance from them and now is serving in the armed services as a doctor in a war torn area. Enters a soldier that was reported as severely injured by the medics, but he walks out of the hospital on his own with only a Band-Aid covering a small cut. He leaves without any paper trail stating that he was ever there. Theresa is a stickler for following the rules, so she begins a search for the mysterious soldier’s records. What she finds causes her to question who and what he is and where he came from. When she is finally face to face with him nothing has prepared her for the reaction she feels.

Wulf cannot stop himself from thinking about Captain Chiesa. He knows that it is a dead in street for him to become involved with anyone but there is an ache in his soul for someone to belong too and the Captain maybe that person. It was so long ago when he lost his wife in childbirth and also the two small twin boys that will live forever in his heart and haunt him. During a regular run their chopper is attacked and Theresa sees the real man and his immortal abilities to heal. Where will the future take them? When Wulf’s past comes back to haunt him will he be able to protect Theresa and himself from his old enemy? This is a book that must be read to find the answers!

Hero –Wulf Wardsen: 4.5 stars
Heroine –Theresa Chiesa: 4.5 stars
Steam: 4.5 stars
Plot: 4.5 stars
Cliffhanger: No

Would I recommend this book: Yes! This is a book that addresses the concept of living forever and the aloneness that would be a result of longevity. Wanting a normal life our immortal hunts for a way to be mortal again and finds love on his way!

Would I read other books by this author: Yes! This is Ms. Richland’s first book and it is amazing! I can’t wait to read her next book that will be released in October.

***Received an ARC of this book from the Author in exchange for an honest review***

First to Burn
Anna Richland ...more

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Jan 10, 2014 Marta Cox rated it really liked it

My first book by this author and I think it's probably her debut as an author and it's a very accomplished piece. A strong mixture of action, adventure, romance , paranormal and even Viking mythology! There is so much happening in this book that it's hard to know quite where to start! Although once you start to read this story you will be well and truly hooked!
This story is centred around Theresa a serving captain and doctor with the military forces serving in Afghanistan. She's a strong woman w My first book by this author and I think it's probably her debut as an author and it's a very accomplished piece. A strong mixture of action, adventure, romance , paranormal and even Viking mythology! There is so much happening in this book that it's hard to know quite where to start! Although once you start to read this story you will be well and truly hooked!
This story is centred around Theresa a serving captain and doctor with the military forces serving in Afghanistan. She's a strong woman who refuses to just coast through life and makes her own decisions. Theresa is beyond intrigued by reports of a soldier who was apparently almost mortally wounded and yet now is healthy. She sets out to track him down but what Theresa encounters is a special forces Sergeant who wakes up her libido!
Sergeant Wolf Wardsen has a secret and he's not about to reveal it to anyone least of all a doctor who might want to use him in experiments but circumstances keep throwing Wolf and Theresa together. When Theresa accompanies Wolfs squad she sees first hand that Wolf is definitely no ordinary soldier as there's no way he can easily explain his remarkable healing ability.
Theresa has leave due to her and travels to Rome to relax and try to puzzle out what she saw but Wolf can't allow Theresa to betray his secret. The last thing Theresa expects is to look up and see the enigmatic sergeant in Rome but there he is! Wolf may have followed Theresa but he's not the only one capable of subterfuge . Corruption is rife and danger is following in Wolfs wake. Not only is Wolf a Viking who has been alive for more than fifteen centuries but he's also part of a military unit that takes it's role seriously and now it looks as if no one is safe. Can Wolf convince Theresa that he' wants nothing more than to protect her or will she slip through his fingers? Wolfs past is about to catch up with him and he's not the only one in the firing line!
So much is happening in this book that it's quite a challenge to review it. Clearly the author has done her homework and knows quite a lot about military operations and procedures and this truly shows. It's a very fast moving plot and a definite page turner.
As for the romance well who wouldn't want a Viking warrior of their own? No fated mates or sloppy love stories here. Just a fantastic adventure with a twist and more to come from these very demanding Vikings ! My only real criticism would be the easy acceptance of Vikings and immortality by the heroine and also the special operations guys but this is a fantasy and not reality so I can let that go.
A very detailed story and bound to be a hit with fans of military or paranormal romance who are looking for something a little different.
A solid four and a half from me and I look forward to the follow up book ...more

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Oct 08, 2016 Mike rated it liked it · review of another edition

First to Burn is basically the Bourne movies with some romance thrown in to it. You have the super powered Viking dude who can't die going around from action scene to action scene as he works on taking down the other overpowered bad guy. During said scenes, he's working on protecting the girl who takes a bit of time to believe everything that's happening / going on.

I very much enjoyed the premise and the way the author portrayed the immortality in today's world. Furthermore, it's very clear tha First to Burn is basically the Bourne movies with some romance thrown in to it. You have the super powered Viking dude who can't die going around from action scene to action scene as he works on taking down the other overpowered bad guy. During said scenes, he's working on protecting the girl who takes a bit of time to believe everything that's happening / going on.

I very much enjoyed the premise and the way the author portrayed the immortality in today's world. Furthermore, it's very clear that the author has spent a considerable amount of time researching both about Beowulf and the life of people at war (both soldiers and the medical staff). There are quite a fair share of unpleasant scenes that somewhat show the horrors of war (although toned down a little bit since this is a romance book after all) - but that may not be a bad thing for some people.

That being said, I did have a few issues with the book. First off, I really don't like it when authors do the whole guy being like "you so want me" and the girl being like "no I don't" and then the guy being like "ya you totally do - let me kiss you" and the girl being like "oh ok I guess." While it wasn't to the same creepy level that I've seen in some romance books - it definitely felt like there was too much of that going on through the first half of the book. It just feels a bit "ick" to read about a guy convincing a girl to do stuff by doing various things with his body.

The second half of the book dropped much of that - but then turned into too much of action thriller for me without much plot. It felt like there were too many things going on simultaneously. I wish there was more character development / fun interactions and less "let's kill everyone rawr." To make matters worse, the conclusion felt rushed and didn't really tie together everything as much as I'd like (although I rarely enjoy the endings of romance books as most of them feel like that to me).

Overall, I'd say the book was decent. The writing was great, the world was fascinating, and the characters were unique. It's too bad the core romance and plot were a bit lacking, though...

If you don't mind a simplistic plot and are fine with your romance being a bit dark (lots of death / people being tortured / permanently injured) then you should check this book out. If you're like me, though, and prefer romance books to be a bit happier in nature - you may want to look elsewhere :)

...more

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Jan 21, 2014 Lynn Spencer rated it really liked it

Shelves: paranormal

I gave this a B- on AAR, so 3.5 stars. With First to Burn, military romance plus a foray into the paranormal proves to be a winner for the most part. Anna Richland takes her immortal warriors and blends the Beowulf legend with modern-day military conflict for a story that certainly caught my attention. Even with the dreaded sagging middle, it's still strong enough for me to recommend giving it a try.

As the story opens, we are confronted with the mystery of Sgt. Wulf Wardsen. Seriously injured in ...more

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Feb 27, 2014 Monica **can't read fast enough** rated it liked it

Shelves: arc, paranormal

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from the author through the LoP*

I love a good Viking hero and when I read the synopsis for this book I knew that it would be one that I wanted to give a try. This is not in any way a typical paranormal story. There is an immortal Viking, but he is very much a modern soldier. Despite being able to heal even the worst of wounds sustained in battle. Wulf fits in with his group of Special Forces brothers and has earned and received res *I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from the author through the LoP*

I love a good Viking hero and when I read the synopsis for this book I knew that it would be one that I wanted to give a try. This is not in any way a typical paranormal story. There is an immortal Viking, but he is very much a modern soldier. Despite being able to heal even the worst of wounds sustained in battle. Wulf fits in with his group of Special Forces brothers and has earned and received respect from his fellow soldiers. Our heroine, Theresa, is a confident and competent military doctor who figures out what makes Wulf so different from all of the other soldiers.

The first part of First to Burn mostly focuses on how Theresa figures out what is different about Wulf and there is lots of military action. There is some tension between Wulf and Theresa and as they are on different sides of the fraternization line they are not allowed to pursue a relationship. I am not sure why there was a disconnect for me with these characters because the book is well written. Richland has provided an immortal alpha hero who is strong, capable, committed to his friends, and who has not lost touch with his ability to care for other people. Theresa is a strong lead female who faces a challenge that would make many people falter and give up, but it does not keep her from moving forward.

The story line all makes sense, flows together and leaves enough questions both answered and unanswered so that the story may continue without leaving too much open at the end. So why didn't I fall in love with this story and the characters? I'm not really sure. When I think of this book I can't point to any one thing and say that it is why I didn't get sucked in the way that I wanted to, it just didn't happen for me. There are many good reviews for this book so I figure maybe I am just the anomaly on this one and I somehow missed the boat.

You can find more from me at Monlatable Book Reviews
http://www.monlatablereviews.com/
...more

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Feb 26, 2014 KathyAnne rated it really liked it

Shelves: lovers-of-paranormal-arc

3.5 rating...
This is a very well written story with very likable characters. I loved Wulf and his relationship with his Special Ops team. And, Theresa is a mature, intelligent and strong female lead. She is an officer and he is enlisted so there is a forbidden love issue for them at first. I was especially touched by the scenes in the beginning when they flew out to assist the young Afghan girl with her pregnancy. These are characters that quickly earned my respect and had me hoping for their HE ...more

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Feb 22, 2015 Becky ♡The Bookworm♡ rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Recommends it for: Adults, Romantic Suspense fans, Paranormal Romance fans

Shelves: romance, 2015-books, 2015-challenge-books, suspense, xxarchive-hufflepuff-mmp, 1st-in-series, paranormal, voc-medical-nurse-midwife, military, voc-military-spc-ops

This was a pleasant surprise! Teresa is a military nurse stationed in Afghanistan and is faced with a mystery when one of her patients arrives with no evidence of the severe injuries noted in triage. Wulf is an immortal, a berserker, and if his secret is exposed he'll be forced to leave the military and the team he considers family. He should avoid Teresa like the plague, but he's drawn to her strength and confidence as duty forces them to spend more time together. Then a mission makes Wolfe a t ...more

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Feb 18, 2017 Madison rated it it was ok · review of another edition

2.5⭐️

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Feb 27, 2014 Claire rated it it was amazing

Shelves: adult-romance, naughty-bits, paranormal, r2r, ebooks, supernatural-powers-abilities, heart-ache, immortals, folklore-myth-legend, military

I was given this book in exchange for an honest review (Lovers of Paranormal r2r)

You had me at Immortal Viking...

To be honest this is the first 'military' book that I've read, and I found myself enjoying it. A lot. The mash up of military meets paranormal proved to be very enjoyable, and the romance thrown in also? -> Cha-Ching!
To say that this is her first book, makes me extremely excited. No pressure to Richland, but to say how well thought out, written, and presented this was...I'm expecting ...more

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Jan 18, 2014 Melanie rated it liked it

Shelves: read-in-2014

I thought I was going to love this book, I wanted to love it but I just liked it..... I like the idea behind 'the Immortal Viking' & how it came about. There was lots of action and life threatening situations interspersed with some hot moments between the two MCs but I struggled with the first 50%.... I suppose it was focussed too much on the military aspect whereas I was in it for the supernatural element. I did enjoy the latter part of the book, the change of scenery helped and the amping up o ...more

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Jul 11, 2017 Kate rated it liked it · review of another edition

First Viking read and I deliberately chose a book that placed the Viking in the 21st Century - yeah, these Vikings are immortal. So I was surprised when it opened in Afganistan with the US Army, and the heroine was a doctor and captain - her character was wonderfully active and complex even if it didn't greatly change. The Viking himself was surprisingly civilised, but I suppose one would civilise alongside civilisation.

The action and plot were detailed but the pacing was out of joint, moving t ...more

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Feb 13, 2019 Colleen rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: rome-military-exmilitary, sex, auth-follow, auth-bk-2, bk-gdrds-enjoyed, bk-gdrds-highlite-ref-quote-2list, auth-bk-more-yea, ekindle, sf-vikings, rome-therapist-medical-person

Wow as a descriptive doesn't do this novel justice. Fantastic and intense storyline. Completing this novel spanned two days of physically reading or listening to it. Every spare moment I had went into not just reading First to Burn but I found myself looking up words and references in the novel. This lead me to wonder and research what grade level books are written because Anna Richland is not your average writer. (Interested? See https://contently.com/2015/01/28/this...).

Immortal Vikings 2 is w ...more

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Aug 22, 2017 Betsy rated it liked it · review of another edition

Characters: army doctor, special forces soldier/immortal viking
World Building: world cities, army base, medical
Plot: uncover plots within plots, mayhem
Sex: euphemistic, largely off page
Read another: Yes, because I'm vaguely interested in Beowulf, and I'd like to know where the medical research will lead.

This read more as romantic suspense than paranormal. I felt like the paranormal bit was an excuse to make the guy bullet proof, but it didn't really drive the story. Toward the end, it became mor ...more

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Mar 13, 2014 Sophia rated it really liked it

Shelves: net-galley-reads, miltary-romance-contemp-fut-hist, pnr-uf

A Viking Immortal...and yeah, that was all I needed to read before I was sold on reading this one. Okay, yes, I noticed that he is now a Special Forces warrior fighting in Afghanistan while he tries to duck the persistent lady doctor who notices his healing abilities and wants answers. But there is also the hidden enemies that hunt them both making this not just an interesting paranormal romance, but a thriller too. It's passionate, brutal and exciting and leaves me eager for more from this auth A Viking Immortal...and yeah, that was all I needed to read before I was sold on reading this one. Okay, yes, I noticed that he is now a Special Forces warrior fighting in Afghanistan while he tries to duck the persistent lady doctor who notices his healing abilities and wants answers. But there is also the hidden enemies that hunt them both making this not just an interesting paranormal romance, but a thriller too. It's passionate, brutal and exciting and leaves me eager for more from this author and this series.

Wulf Wardsen, Viking warrior who fought alongside the legendary Beowulf, now hides his identity doing what he does best. He has made a family of the guys in his unit and they protect his secret, but all that goes on the line when by the book Captain Theresa Chiesa refuses to give up on finding answers about him. At the same time, the both of them fight an attraction toward each other. Theresa has a life plan that doesn't involve getting in trouble fraternizing with the enlisteds and Wulf knows not to get close to anyone because he always loses them when he lives on after they die.

Eventually, Theresa stumbles across irrefutable proof that his body heals mortal wounds and he has to figure out how to keep her from running with this information at the same time his unit is tagged for a mission to figure out what is being smuggled through army transportation and who is doing it. An old enemy arises when Wulf gets too close to answers putting him and Theresa on the run and the danger just keep pursuing them hard taking all Wulf's skill just to keep them alive.

This story felt almost like it was two stories. There is the first half when the setting is the base and army operations in Afghanistan and the thriller stuff in Italy that all has more a contemporary feel then there is the latter half when the paranormal Immortal Viking stuff comes into play along with more thriller stuff. I enjoyed both halves of the plot, but it also made the story stretch out long. This is not a bad thing necessarily, but I admit there were a couple of times when I thought it was wrapping up and then another curve was thrown and then another extending the story each time. I'm struggling to explain. I didn't hate the plot at all or feel like it dragged so maybe it could have been two books? I don't know. Let's just say the reader will definitely get a lot of bang for their buck.

As to background, I give kudos for the authentic feel to the military and medical aspect and the author did some good research into the Beowulf saga to bring that into play. I loved the refreshing offering this one is to the paranormal genre. There was definitely room for more to come out and be introduced with further stories in the series. The hunt for the Viking artifacts, other Viking Immortals and the test labs definitely leave room for more.

The characters were well written. Wulf was a nice job of imagining what a Viking would be like if he survived all those centuries and existed in the modern age. I could totally see him as a Special Forces guy who was lonely for human companionship, but afraid to reach out to it because of his secret and because everyone around him is mortal. It was nice to see that he hadn't lost the feel of what it was to be mortal because he still wants to be among people and do what he can to help them. His longing for Theresa even though she acted like a prickly pear much of the time was almost cute and funny. Only a former Viking would see that woman as adorable.

Theresa was a hard gal for me to accept and not because she was independent and tough. She's a dedicated doctor and won't take her rich step-dad's handouts. Those things I admired in her actually. It was her constant need to argue and lash out at the dumbest moments that got my eyes rolling and my foot twitching to boot her in the rump. Here, she has a special forces guy beside her and a bunch of unsavory types on their tail and she has to jump in and stop them for a bit of arguing. After a while her argumentative nature and need to prove herself just got old. She lashes out at Wulf about lying when she had her own pretty big secrets. She doesn't tend to give the poor guy the benefit of the doubt even though he saves her butt several times. And I know that in a way, it was probably all supposed to be funny and it is a little. She was definitely strong-willed enough to grab the attention of a Viking and keep him from steamrolling her with his forceful personality. I'll definitely give her that. Her quirks are only part of who she is and there are the admirable traits too.

Their romance took a while to develop mostly because their situation didn't allow for much fraternization time, but the build up of tension and removal of barriers had me as impatient as Wulf and Theresa for them to get their chance. Loved that final scene in the book that had me smiling from ear to ear. After all they had gone through and knowing their personalities, it was perfect.

In the end, I was left impressed with this big opener to a new series and the creative new paranormal world the author wrote. If Immortal Vikings, military heroes, strong heroines, thrilling chases, passionate love scenes and evil villains do it for you then you should grab this one up.

My thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review thoughts. ...more

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May 27, 2018 Gloriamarie rated it liked it

Shelves: contemporary, vikings, war, grief, beowul, grindal, immortal

Who would have thought that hunting with Beowulf would cause a person to become immortal? But it happened to Wulf and it has been a hard life for a warrior. Now he is in Afghanistan, his unit knows his secret, But the doctor who treats him for wounds doesn't and is astonished at the way he heals.

Would read the second in the series. ...more

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May 05, 2018 Nancy rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: keepers

This was so good! I loved all the military detail--it made everything feel very real. And the MCs were complex and interesting, the conflict solid and compelling. I hope Richland writes more in this series than the two entries currently published.

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Oct 29, 2018 Nightwitch rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: romance-paranormal

Suffers a little from that form of first-novel-itis where everything, from the locations to the medical jargon, has been excruciatingly well-researched; but over all very original and highly readable. Looking forward to the sequels.

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Feb 12, 2014 Corduroy rated it liked it

Shelves: 3-star-romances, military-romance, paranormal-romance

This was an interesting read for me. I wish I could give the various sections each a rating of their own - or that I could turn my brain into a brain that loves paranormals, because then I would give this book a much higher rating.

Premise: Wulf is a Special Forces sergeant in Afghanistan. Theresa is an Army doctor in Afghanistan. They find each other cute, but of course fraternization is not okay, and then there's the minor detail of how Wulf is an immortal Viking. Also, people are trying to ki ...more

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Nov 20, 2015 Jena rated it it was ok

Shelves: not-finished, 2017

I couldn't finish this book, the whole - "I'm a nurse in the military" but "a softer sex" thing just didn't settle with me. ...more

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Jul 04, 2017 Cleo rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: book-bingo-the-ripped-bodice-summ

This is Anna Richland's first published novel and I think it shows. I'm glad I discovered her by reading His Road Home, because it's a much stronger book. ...more

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Jul 15, 2017 Vegetable Person rated it it was ok · review of another edition

I always read bad medieval romance for fun. This is really bad. What if Beowulf's army was IMMORTAL. What if they randomly quoted Beowulf all the time. What if. ...more

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Nov 30, 2013 Lesley rated it it was amazing

What a story! When I read the blurb on Goodreads I was very intrigued by the possibility of an immortal Viking in a modern day setting and First to Burn certainly does not disappoint.

Immortal Viking Wulf Warsden is now Sargent Warsden, serving in Afghanistan alongside his elite and entirely human Special Operations team. When injured in a blast Wulf comes to in a medevac helicopter on route to hospital but the minute he's transferred he walks away fully healed as he's done many times before to e What a story! When I read the blurb on Goodreads I was very intrigued by the possibility of an immortal Viking in a modern day setting and First to Burn certainly does not disappoint.

Immortal Viking Wulf Warsden is now Sargent Warsden, serving in Afghanistan alongside his elite and entirely human Special Operations team. When injured in a blast Wulf comes to in a medevac helicopter on route to hospital but the minute he's transferred he walks away fully healed as he's done many times before to ensure the secret of his immortality is not discovered. Captain Theresa Chiesa a doctor at Camp Cadwalader's combat hospital, is determined to find out how Sargent Warsden who was called in by the flight medic as having a serious leg wound is now fighting fit with no sign of ever having any kind of serious wound. On the trail of missing paperwork Theresa comes up against the impenetrable wall of Wulf's loyal team who will do anything to protect his secret. When Theresa finally meets the elusive Wulf there's an instant attraction burning between them.

I really loved the slow burn between Theresa and Wulf, their path to love is incredibly rocky but deliciously good. With their difference in rank Theresa knows that Wulf is off limits despite his heartthrob good looks. Equally, Wulf knows that he can never really have Theresa despite their obvious attraction to each other, if she were to discover and reveal his secret Wulf knows he would be forced to disappear again and leave what has become his band of brothers, his special ops team. Despite this there's a real flirty tension between them until Theresa witnesses first hand Wulf's body repairing itself in a matter of minutes after an almost fatal attack on their helicopter.

As the pieces begin to connect for Theresa Wulf cannot allow her to tell anyone his secret even if it means he has to lie to her and follow her to her mid tour leave in Rome. For Theresa, her leave could not have come at a better time she needs time and space to figure out what she saw and what her next move will be and more importantly, get Wulf and his lies finally out of her head. For Wulf, Rome gives him an opportunity to get closer to Theresa, despite being sworn off any form of relationship he finds it impossible to stay away her. But with his team investigating corrupt military contractors and Afghan heroin Wulf and Theresa soon find themselves on the run from some seriously dangerous old enemies.

When I said that First to Burn is some story I really meant it! From the army base in Afghanistan to the sewers and tunnels of Rome, to Wulf's stunning Italian castle, to the intensive care unit in Germany and finally on to suburban New Jersey, First to Burn is a real adventure and a half and full to the brim of action packed twists and turns. With an imaginative mixture of myth and legend, modern day military setting and good old fashioned romantic suspense I almost had to remind myself to breathe at times reading it. At one point I was forced to put First to Burn down to cry my eyes out (no spoilers here but be assured you will need your hankies) and although I was thoroughly shocked I thought the aftermath was handled incredibly sensitively and realistically by Anna Richland. Interestingly when I checked out Anna Richland's website (I just had to find out who's book is next!) I saw that she herself has a military background which explains the very authentic feeling military scenes. Equally, A-MAZ-ING and well worthy of a final special mention were the hot and steamy scenes between Wulf and Theresa, let me tell you that immortal Viking is a keeper!

First to Burn is the start of what looks to me to be a fantastic paranormal romance series, with thirteen immortal Vikings and an ancient immortal enemy I can't wait to see what the next book The Sinner has in store. 5 out of 5. ...more

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About Anna Richland

Anna Richland

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Anna lives with her quietly funny Canadian husband and two less quiet children in a century-old house in Seattle. She writes paranormal romantic suspense and award-winning military romance in the spaces left after dealing with kids, laundry, crazy volunteer commitments and internet distractions.

Her lifelong passion for new places (and a need to pay tuition) led her to become an army officer en rou ...more