What do you think?
Vikingverse #1
The All Father Paradox
What if an ancient god escaped his fate and history was thrown to the wolves?
Churchwarden Michaels thought it was just a run-of-the-mill crazy old man who stood in the graveyard, hellbent on studying the 1,000-year-old Viking memorial there. But when things start changing and outright disappearing, Michaels realizes there is more to this old man than meets the eye. Now, Michaels finds himself swept up in an ancient god's quest to escape his destiny by reworking reality, putting history--and to Michaels's dismay, Christianity itself--to the Viking sword. In this series of interwoven stories, the storied heroes of mankind emerge in new and brutal guises drawn from the
A young Norse prince plots to shatter empires and claim the heavens...
A scholar exiled to the frontier braves the dangers of the New World, only to find those "new worlds" are greater than he imagined...
A captured Jötunn plants the dreams of freedom during a worlds-spanning war...
A bold empress discovers there is a price for immortality, one her ancestors have come to collect...
With the timelines stretched to breaking point, it's up to Churchwarden Michaels to save reality as we know it...
Churchwarden Michaels thought it was just a run-of-the-mill crazy old man who stood in the graveyard, hellbent on studying the 1,000-year-old Viking memorial there. But when things start changing and outright disappearing, Michaels realizes there is more to this old man than meets the eye. Now, Michaels finds himself swept up in an ancient god's quest to escape his destiny by reworking reality, putting history--and to Michaels's dismay, Christianity itself--to the Viking sword. In this series of interwoven stories, the storied heroes of mankind emerge in new and brutal guises drawn from the
A young Norse prince plots to shatter empires and claim the heavens...
A scholar exiled to the frontier braves the dangers of the New World, only to find those "new worlds" are greater than he imagined...
A captured Jötunn plants the dreams of freedom during a worlds-spanning war...
A bold empress discovers there is a price for immortality, one her ancestors have come to collect...
With the timelines stretched to breaking point, it's up to Churchwarden Michaels to save reality as we know it...
414 pages, Paperback
Published October 9, 2018
About the author
Ian Stuart Sharpe
7 books21 followersIan Sharpe was born in London, UK, and now lives in British Columbia, Canada. Having worked for the BBC, IMG, Atari and Electronic Arts, he is now CEO of a tech start up. As a child he discovered his love of books, sci-fi and sagas: devouring the works of Douglas Adams, J.R.R. Tolkien, Terry Pratchett and George MacDonald Fraser alongside Snorri Sturluson and Sigvat the Skald. He once won a prize at school for Outstanding Progress and chose a dictionary as his reward, secretly wishing it had been an Old Norse phrasebook.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
June 16, 2020
This a truly innovative take on Viking Age History. It is both imaginative and academic. The parallels give it a unique flavour. One I hungrily devoured. Mr.Sharpe is a man who knows his history. He is also a man who is more than capable telling an evocative story. Highly recommended.
February 4, 2019
I sincerely enjoyed reading Ian Sharpe's debut novel ''The All-Father Paradox.'' I found the book to be captivating and intelligently written. The storyline is gripping and brings the Viking Age to life. Mr. Sharpe has made history relevant, and done so most eloquently! The concept of the Vikingverse is a spectacular one, and I look forward to reading more of Sharpe's work. 5 stars is insufficient!
January 22, 2022
What can I say about this book?
Firstly that Ian has the imagination the size of the Ginnungagap.
Secondly that the whole book is a very thorough exploration of What If?.
Thirdly that as a reader you will be whisked down the white rabbit's hole to a Wonderland of characters and narratives.
Fourthly that overall, this book, like a fine mead - may prove too strong and deep for some but those who reach the end... You may feel slightly drunk from the experience.
Firstly that Ian has the imagination the size of the Ginnungagap.
Secondly that the whole book is a very thorough exploration of What If?.
Thirdly that as a reader you will be whisked down the white rabbit's hole to a Wonderland of characters and narratives.
Fourthly that overall, this book, like a fine mead - may prove too strong and deep for some but those who reach the end... You may feel slightly drunk from the experience.
Did Not Finish
March 27, 2020Gave up at 59%, so no review or rating :(
March 13, 2020
What a discover! It's a well written and entertaining fantasy novel, the start of a new series.
I loved the well thought and well researched world building, the well developed cast of characters, and the plot that flows.
I look forward to reading the next instalment in this series.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
I loved the well thought and well researched world building, the well developed cast of characters, and the plot that flows.
I look forward to reading the next instalment in this series.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
September 19, 2018
Solid research and a clear understanding of where your story arc is going are fundamental to any new fantasy series. This book had both, and I hope to see future novels fill in some of the events that were eluded to throughout. This has the makings of a great trilogy, and my only real complaint is that the story often felt rushed and squeezed in to a shorter page count. Could see this being a five star novel if any one of the three parts had been a full length novel.
February 4, 2019
What if, the Christianization of the Norse never happened? How does this affect history and present-day life? In this alternate reality, you see the way history is shaped from different time periods beginning in 782 and spanning to 2017. The story is masterfully crafted from start to finish providing good pacing, while giving the reader just enough to keep you on the edge of your seat.
Let me just say that I have not been as invested in a novel for a long time, until I opened The All Father Paradox. The structure of the story is unique, allowing you to explore this new universe called the Vikingverse. Due to the authenticity of the names, to the places and how the characters speak gives you the sensation that you are truly living in this new reality. Multiple timelines in novels can be tricky to execute because one story may be exciting, while the other story may be a little lackluster. However, each timeline is important and interesting, and keeps you engaged in each. You get the privilege to meet well written out characters like Churchwarden Michaels, Botulfr, Askr, Ellisif, Olaf, Trumba, and many more. He uses his well-written characters to tell us about the world, without stating blunt facts. Everything rolls out organically because the settings act as an additional character to the story. You can see just how different the Vikingverse is to reality by the tour you get to explore throughout the story in different years, with different characters and different locations.
I appreciate how the author sprinkles nuggets throughout his story to give you the scope of the world he has molded. For example, I took a quote that resonated with me due to the in-depth details that have been laid out across The All Father Paradox and what it means for this universe in future stories.
“They certainly predate the dragon fossils unearthed across Midgard.”
Everything you thought you knew about reality is flipped on its head in this story, and it is slowly revealed in a brilliant way. This sentence right here provides you with how this world has changed and gives you insight into what type of reality that has become. You can look at this sentence without context and realize that this story is larger than you may have realized. This is just one example of world-building that is used. Details like this gave me goosebumps because I started to feel tiny in this new world. You can sense that the author has a bigger overall picture in mind on what he wants to do with this new reality and that alone is exciting to see what stories will be told.
You are witnessing the birth of an original long running series. To put it metaphorically, The All Father Paradox resembles the Yggdrasil, and its branches extend with mythology and wonder into all the worlds. If you are a fan of Norse mythology or Viking history, I highly recommend this book! I am fully invested in the Vikingverse and very excited to see what is in store for the sequel. Once you flip open the cover, be prepared to jump into a foreign world where anything is possible.
Let me just say that I have not been as invested in a novel for a long time, until I opened The All Father Paradox. The structure of the story is unique, allowing you to explore this new universe called the Vikingverse. Due to the authenticity of the names, to the places and how the characters speak gives you the sensation that you are truly living in this new reality. Multiple timelines in novels can be tricky to execute because one story may be exciting, while the other story may be a little lackluster. However, each timeline is important and interesting, and keeps you engaged in each. You get the privilege to meet well written out characters like Churchwarden Michaels, Botulfr, Askr, Ellisif, Olaf, Trumba, and many more. He uses his well-written characters to tell us about the world, without stating blunt facts. Everything rolls out organically because the settings act as an additional character to the story. You can see just how different the Vikingverse is to reality by the tour you get to explore throughout the story in different years, with different characters and different locations.
I appreciate how the author sprinkles nuggets throughout his story to give you the scope of the world he has molded. For example, I took a quote that resonated with me due to the in-depth details that have been laid out across The All Father Paradox and what it means for this universe in future stories.
“They certainly predate the dragon fossils unearthed across Midgard.”
Everything you thought you knew about reality is flipped on its head in this story, and it is slowly revealed in a brilliant way. This sentence right here provides you with how this world has changed and gives you insight into what type of reality that has become. You can look at this sentence without context and realize that this story is larger than you may have realized. This is just one example of world-building that is used. Details like this gave me goosebumps because I started to feel tiny in this new world. You can sense that the author has a bigger overall picture in mind on what he wants to do with this new reality and that alone is exciting to see what stories will be told.
You are witnessing the birth of an original long running series. To put it metaphorically, The All Father Paradox resembles the Yggdrasil, and its branches extend with mythology and wonder into all the worlds. If you are a fan of Norse mythology or Viking history, I highly recommend this book! I am fully invested in the Vikingverse and very excited to see what is in store for the sequel. Once you flip open the cover, be prepared to jump into a foreign world where anything is possible.
April 9, 2020
It didn't take much for me to dive headfirst into The All Father Paradox with no hesitation. Vikings, murder, heroic sagas... Já! Já! Já!
But going in I had no idea how much else was being offered up.
Ian Stuart Sharpe has created a world with the foundations firmly rooted in Viking history and mythic saga but continues to build ever higher, his construction soaring through time travel, temporal displacement, and the upper reaches and possibilities of quantum theory and existence itself, presenting a narrative I can only describe as cosmic.
Are Cosmic Vikings a thing? They should be #cosmicvikings #viklit
The characters are true to the world's they inhabit, some honourable and superstitious as we follow their historical journeys, whilst others are ruthlessly logical and totalitarian in a futurescape we are simultaneously awed by but also rightly wary of.
The small details make the big impressions in this story. Facts and knowledge about Viking life and culture, the poetic license a skald delivers as natural as breathing in his interactions with the other characters, a final clue dropping into place and giving the reader that "Aha!" moment followed by the satisfied feelings of understanding as a tale comes full circle.
This is not a book to pick up and put down as you will, however. The multiple viewpoints and shifts in time and place will leave you feeling disjointed if you go away and come back to it after a week or so. But the characters are so engaging why would you want to?
Knock it over all at once, I say, and bury yourself in the sequel.
But going in I had no idea how much else was being offered up.
Ian Stuart Sharpe has created a world with the foundations firmly rooted in Viking history and mythic saga but continues to build ever higher, his construction soaring through time travel, temporal displacement, and the upper reaches and possibilities of quantum theory and existence itself, presenting a narrative I can only describe as cosmic.
Are Cosmic Vikings a thing? They should be #cosmicvikings #viklit
The characters are true to the world's they inhabit, some honourable and superstitious as we follow their historical journeys, whilst others are ruthlessly logical and totalitarian in a futurescape we are simultaneously awed by but also rightly wary of.
The small details make the big impressions in this story. Facts and knowledge about Viking life and culture, the poetic license a skald delivers as natural as breathing in his interactions with the other characters, a final clue dropping into place and giving the reader that "Aha!" moment followed by the satisfied feelings of understanding as a tale comes full circle.
This is not a book to pick up and put down as you will, however. The multiple viewpoints and shifts in time and place will leave you feeling disjointed if you go away and come back to it after a week or so. But the characters are so engaging why would you want to?
Knock it over all at once, I say, and bury yourself in the sequel.
August 6, 2020
BLURB
What if an ancient god escaped his fate and history was thrown to the wolves? Churchwarden Michaels thought it was just a run-of-the-mill crazy old man who stood in the graveyard, hellbent on studying the 1,000-year-old Viking memorial there. But when things start changing and outright disappearing, Michaels realizes there is more to this old man than meets the eye. Now, Michaels finds himself swept up in an ancient god’s quest to escape his destiny by reworking reality, putting history—and to Michaels’s dismay, Christianity itself—to the Viking sword. In this new Vikingverse novel, storied heroes of mankind emerge in new and brutal guises drawn from the sagas: A young Norse prince plots to shatter empires and claim the heavens; a scholar exiled to the frontier braves the dangers of the New World, only to find those “new worlds” are greater than he imagined; a captured Jötunn plants the dreams of freedom during a worlds-spanning war; a bold empress discovers there is a price for immortality, one her ancestors have come to collect. With the timelines stretched to breaking point, it’s up to Churchwarden Michaels to save reality as we know it.
REVIEW
Every once in a while I encounter a book that is so densely packed with subject matter, that it requires a second reading...not that that is a bad thing, on the contrary when the book is as exciting and thought provoking as The All Father Paradox. The tale is part alternative history, part fantasy, part science fiction... Intriguing is an understatement...in some ways it reminds me of the Dan Simmons' Ilium & Olympus duo. The author presents parallel universes, one of which sees the pantheon of Norse gods and Norse culture prevailing over Christianity; a well crafted and interesting concept. Indeed the author has given us a most entertaining, well written creative endeavor. As I mentioned earlier, I will certainly be giving it reread to insure that I've gotten everything that this amazing book has to offer. 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
What if an ancient god escaped his fate and history was thrown to the wolves? Churchwarden Michaels thought it was just a run-of-the-mill crazy old man who stood in the graveyard, hellbent on studying the 1,000-year-old Viking memorial there. But when things start changing and outright disappearing, Michaels realizes there is more to this old man than meets the eye. Now, Michaels finds himself swept up in an ancient god’s quest to escape his destiny by reworking reality, putting history—and to Michaels’s dismay, Christianity itself—to the Viking sword. In this new Vikingverse novel, storied heroes of mankind emerge in new and brutal guises drawn from the sagas: A young Norse prince plots to shatter empires and claim the heavens; a scholar exiled to the frontier braves the dangers of the New World, only to find those “new worlds” are greater than he imagined; a captured Jötunn plants the dreams of freedom during a worlds-spanning war; a bold empress discovers there is a price for immortality, one her ancestors have come to collect. With the timelines stretched to breaking point, it’s up to Churchwarden Michaels to save reality as we know it.
REVIEW
Every once in a while I encounter a book that is so densely packed with subject matter, that it requires a second reading...not that that is a bad thing, on the contrary when the book is as exciting and thought provoking as The All Father Paradox. The tale is part alternative history, part fantasy, part science fiction... Intriguing is an understatement...in some ways it reminds me of the Dan Simmons' Ilium & Olympus duo. The author presents parallel universes, one of which sees the pantheon of Norse gods and Norse culture prevailing over Christianity; a well crafted and interesting concept. Indeed the author has given us a most entertaining, well written creative endeavor. As I mentioned earlier, I will certainly be giving it reread to insure that I've gotten everything that this amazing book has to offer. 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
January 22, 2019
And now for something completely different.
I could stop there and this would be an accurate review, because this was different from any other fantasy/sci-fi fiction that I've ever read. If there's anything similar, I'm not aware of it. But this difference is a good thing and makes the story fresh and captivating.
Three things really stood out to me:
1)Mr Sharpe has an excellent grasp of Norse mythology.
2)He has an excellent grasp of Norse history.
3)His writing style is superb. I was never bored. I kept turning the pages wanting to know more. These three things combined to making an amazing story!
I also found the format unique. It's sort of an anthology, yet it's not. But that just made the story that more interesting. All Father Paradox? In many ways.
If you love medieval history and Norse mythology and wonder what if things had happened just slightly different...then read this.
I could stop there and this would be an accurate review, because this was different from any other fantasy/sci-fi fiction that I've ever read. If there's anything similar, I'm not aware of it. But this difference is a good thing and makes the story fresh and captivating.
Three things really stood out to me:
1)Mr Sharpe has an excellent grasp of Norse mythology.
2)He has an excellent grasp of Norse history.
3)His writing style is superb. I was never bored. I kept turning the pages wanting to know more. These three things combined to making an amazing story!
I also found the format unique. It's sort of an anthology, yet it's not. But that just made the story that more interesting. All Father Paradox? In many ways.
If you love medieval history and Norse mythology and wonder what if things had happened just slightly different...then read this.
October 9, 2018
Ian Stuart Sharpe is one of those authors with a preternatural knack for world-building, and it's a good thing, too, because the Vikingverse is neither simple nor conventional. There is a dazzling, visceral surreality to set pieces we're treated to here, and one cannot but be eager for more. In The All Father Paradox, the first book of the Vikingverse series, Sharpe brings a lot of scholarship and an obvious love and fascination of Norse culture and mythology to the table. The result is a compelling saga that gleefully staggers through time and space and posits a world (or rather a series of worlds) where Christianity didn't manage to gain the upper hand and Norse myths are allowed to flourish and play out in a cycle of destruction and discovery.
October 7, 2018
Three words: challenging, imaginative, wonderful. If you’re looking for a book that will make you think, and think hard, you’ve found it. The All Father Paradox is a sprawling saga of Norse gods striking back at the lies of Christian history. This intriguing tale challenges you to identify familiar historical figures recast in a northern light, and to measure your own humble history against a bolder parallel reality redrawn by Odin himself. Hold tight as the All Father Paradox draws you into an alternate yggdrasilian reality where everything is connected by the true trees of knowledge.
Spoiler alert: no one wears a horned helmet. Not a one.
Spoiler alert: no one wears a horned helmet. Not a one.
July 5, 2021
Sharpe starts us off exploring an alternate reality in which the Norsemen were never Christianised, and came to dominate their world. His alternate history is well-researched and has a plausability to it (and much more interesting than yet another tedious Rome-wins or Nazi-wins tale).
Unfortunately, by the end it devolves to vaguely defined science fiction with an annoying protagonist, and finally a 'Shaggy God story.' The framing story (involving a Christian churchman from 'our' world) ends up amounting to nothing as well.
I found it ultimately disappointing, although I think anyone truly fascinated with fiction derived from Norse culture and myth ought to give it a try.
Unfortunately, by the end it devolves to vaguely defined science fiction with an annoying protagonist, and finally a 'Shaggy God story.' The framing story (involving a Christian churchman from 'our' world) ends up amounting to nothing as well.
I found it ultimately disappointing, although I think anyone truly fascinated with fiction derived from Norse culture and myth ought to give it a try.
July 21, 2021
At first, I had trouble following the story. I understood the premise, and the present day bounce back, but the transitions at first felt very abrupt to me. By the end of the book, it was not quite so jarring and i had started taking it more like a movie where you’re thrown into the middle of a scene and given the information you need to get through it.
I did very much enjoy the real life counterparts section as there was some history I had missed or forgotten (school was a long time ago now). The history felt rich, like there was so much going on behind the scenes and we were merely glimpsing it as it went past.
Well written and I enjoyed it. I look forward to reading the second one.
I did very much enjoy the real life counterparts section as there was some history I had missed or forgotten (school was a long time ago now). The history felt rich, like there was so much going on behind the scenes and we were merely glimpsing it as it went past.
Well written and I enjoyed it. I look forward to reading the second one.
January 10, 2025
I thoroughly enjoyed Ian Stuart Sharpe's Vikingverse! The concept is nothing short of outstanding—a work of genius rooted in thorough research into all things Viking. Sharpe masterfully weaves mythology, history, and imagination to create a rich and compelling alternate universe that is as bold as it is unique.
That said, I found the exposition amount a bit monotonous at times. However, given the ambitious scope of the story and the world-building required to bring this universe to life, it felt like a necessary trade-off.
Overall, this is an impressive feat of storytelling that left me eager for more. Well done, Ian! Skål! 🍻
That said, I found the exposition amount a bit monotonous at times. However, given the ambitious scope of the story and the world-building required to bring this universe to life, it felt like a necessary trade-off.
Overall, this is an impressive feat of storytelling that left me eager for more. Well done, Ian! Skål! 🍻
October 8, 2018
The All Father Paradox offers fans of history, fantasy and Vikings a whole new universe to get to grips with where the Vikings were never defeated. The suspense from the opening pages sets up the three sections in this well thought out novel, encouraging the reader to compare and contrast the parts of real history they are replacing. My personal favourite of these was the journey taken by young Prince Botulfr and his companions as he learns and plots his way through the medieval era. I look forward to the next instalment of this exciting new trilogy.
February 1, 2020
2.75/5
I've had this book since right after it was published, just waiting to read it after hearing an in-depth interview with the author.
Unfortunately, I can only give it a meh at best. It felt very disjointed and, while Sharpe's writing is pretty good, it felt very amateurish in its execution. Of the 6 or so vignettes, I found myself liking maybe 3 at most and just slogging through the rest.
Sadly disappointing, I suppose I was expecting alot more based on the interview I heard him give.
Apparently book 2 is coming out this year. I'll probably skip it, unless I get it as a gift.
I've had this book since right after it was published, just waiting to read it after hearing an in-depth interview with the author.
Unfortunately, I can only give it a meh at best. It felt very disjointed and, while Sharpe's writing is pretty good, it felt very amateurish in its execution. Of the 6 or so vignettes, I found myself liking maybe 3 at most and just slogging through the rest.
Sadly disappointing, I suppose I was expecting alot more based on the interview I heard him give.
Apparently book 2 is coming out this year. I'll probably skip it, unless I get it as a gift.
January 13, 2023
I have to say, the book did redeem itself for me after losing me halfway. By losing me, I don’t mean it metaphorically. I mean I was really lost in a sea of words trying to connect the earlier parts to the latter. There’s a fair bit of philosophizing and many references to real life figures (some of whom I had to check the glossary to figure out -Norseifying names doesn’t always work that well.) I think I’ll give the second book of the series a shot. I think my main problem was, I was expecting more fantasy and alternate timeline but not so much sci-fi.
June 9, 2025
Everything about this set-up... mythology, time paradoxes, alternative histories, etc... seems like it should be right up my alley, but The All Father Paradox really didn't work for me. A lot of the pieces are excellent, but the vignettes never jelled together to a solid whole for me. It felt like if more time was spent with any of the stories, it might feel more engaging, but instead it was a number of false starts that never fully engaged.
Even though I bought the next book, as well, I doubt I will ever dip into it.
Even though I bought the next book, as well, I doubt I will ever dip into it.
March 31, 2020
Wow what an amazing read! From start to finish Ian's story pulls you in, you wont be able to put The Allfather Paradox down. Set in the @vikingverse finally christianity has met its match! So once you finish this book dont be down because Mr. Sharpe just came out with another vikingverse book called Loki's Wager so be sure to pick it up as well. Also head over to kickstarter and check out his comic book The Jötunn War! Keep hitting them out of the park Ian Huge fan!
November 11, 2018
I found the book difficult to follow and to make sense of what was going on. Sure, time travel books can be tricky like that, but I couldn’t find a single, coherent thread to link chapters together. I’m a big fan of historical fiction, especially when Vikings are involved. But I guess I’m not such a fan of time travel, sci-fi, space fairing Vikings.
January 20, 2020
My review of the print version is an enthusiastic four stars. The audio version is good as well—but I was often too aware of the reader affecting different voices (don't get me wrong, I think that it must be bloody difficult to do well).
February 19, 2020
World-building is a tough thing to do, and the author does it here with the necessary conviction to make it work. The Vikingverse is a believable, credible place; crafted and (dare I say) 'faithful' to it's core conceit - that the Vikings didn't go Christian.
April 5, 2020
Yet another mixed world, but even with the strong Odin Presences, and multiple time sequences, until welcome to the Quantum wave entanglement. But even with the Norse and everything, sadly merely acceptable.
August 29, 2024
I listened to the audiobook version, which provably wasn't helpful in following the disjointed storytelling method due to my own distractions and constant changeover of characters. But the storyline had a solid basis and was surprisingly more sci-fi in the end, which was not unwelcome.
September 28, 2018
An epic adventure. A towering achievement!
Read
February 15, 2020The narrator is not for me. Might try an ebook one day.
February 17, 2020
This book really surprised me with how much actual history was woven into the narrative! A definite must read for fans of all things Viking... can't wait for the next one!
February 21, 2020
The parallels of reality blur with and throught the mists of time, and bounce by deities with real issues rather than being the aloof and omnipotent beings of scripture.
They walk amongst us...
They walk amongst us...
May 22, 2021
The book has an interesting premise, but, sometimes, it get too philosophical and breaks the story's rhythm.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews