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First to Burn
(Immortal Vikings #1)
by
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
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
Get A Copy
Kindle Edition, 297 pages
Published
January 27th 2014
by Carina Press
(first published December 3rd 2013)
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Community Reviews
Showing 1-30

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

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
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

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
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

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
“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

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
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

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

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 ...more
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 ...more

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

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
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

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 ...more
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 ...more

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 ...more
This story is centred around Theresa a serving captain and doctor with the military forces serving in Afghanistan. She's a strong woman w ...more

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 ...more
I very much enjoyed the premise and the way the author portrayed the immortality in today's world. Furthermore, it's very clear tha ...more

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

*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 ...more
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 ...more

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
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

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
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

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
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

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

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

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
Immortal Vikings 2 is w ...more

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
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

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
...more

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

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.

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
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

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

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

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

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 ...more
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 ...more
topics | posts | views | last activity | |
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Paranormal Romanc...: Free Paperback at blog | 1 | 16 | Sep 09, 2014 09:28PM | |
Lovers of Paranor...: R2R {407} First to Burn COMPLETED | 45 | 132 | May 19, 2014 12:30PM |
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
Her lifelong passion for new places (and a need to pay tuition) led her to become an army officer en rou ...more
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