What do you think?
Rate this book
Frostborn
The Frostborn-the one destined to end the war, the one blessed by the magic of Aether-was supposedly nothing more than a hopeless fairytale, a myth lost to time. But as the centuries-long war between the kingdoms of Eljud and Surtrol forces Elias Jökull to evacuate his village, a run-in with the fearsome Gjallarhorn army awakens within him a dormant power long since forgotten by the people-a power signaling the existence of the Frostborn.
With such critical news, hope of victory against Surtrol becomes contagious, yet Elias's former life of slavery leaves him apprehensive about lending a hand to his own flawed kingdom. Even still, knowing the world will soon be in search of him, the newfound Frostborn must choose his allegiances quickly. And after encountering a ranked Surt captain, he does just that.
But while acting as a double agent, feeding intel to Eljud's southern enemy and working both sides of the same border, his conflicted self struggles to anchor his loyalty to a single kingdom as buried secrets begin to unearth.
The incessant clash between the north and south is soon coming to an end and Elias will have to find a side to stand on. The hard question is: which side? Everyone wants the Frostborn for themselves, but for how long can Elias let the world string him along?
With such critical news, hope of victory against Surtrol becomes contagious, yet Elias's former life of slavery leaves him apprehensive about lending a hand to his own flawed kingdom. Even still, knowing the world will soon be in search of him, the newfound Frostborn must choose his allegiances quickly. And after encountering a ranked Surt captain, he does just that.
But while acting as a double agent, feeding intel to Eljud's southern enemy and working both sides of the same border, his conflicted self struggles to anchor his loyalty to a single kingdom as buried secrets begin to unearth.
The incessant clash between the north and south is soon coming to an end and Elias will have to find a side to stand on. The hard question is: which side? Everyone wants the Frostborn for themselves, but for how long can Elias let the world string him along?
227 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 14, 2021
3 people are currently reading
660 people want to read
About the author
Michael Haddad
4 books119 followersMichael is a self-published author who doubles as a full-time university student majoring in cellular biology. He recently graduated from John Abbott College in both sciences and social sciences. Although his education comes first, writing is his passion and he's undoubtedly serious about it. Any support he receives is greatly appreciated. It'll bring him closer to a dream turned reality.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
August 8, 2021
I am VERY conflicted writing this review. The plot was right up my alley and had all the things I look for in an intriguing fantasy read. The concept for this story was great and the characters were great- sassy, funny, quick witted - but it’s all in theory.
I wish I could send this book back with notes to the author and get another copy once it’s been actually revised and edited. With just some more fleshing out of these characters and the story itself I think the read would be so much more enjoyable and well rounded. I’d especially like know some more about Elias - I get it, he’s sassy and moody and maybe has some anger issues, but what else??? I got Ace vibes from him and as someone in the Ace community I REALLY wanted to love him… but I felt too much a disconnect between his funny one liners and what his actual concerns and thought processes were. And don’t rush the ending!!! Let me know more about Elias and his new role! Exactly why did he make that decision?? I want to be involved in this thought process, not just standing by while he makes crazy decisions cause once again - disconnect.
Also, I wish the typos has been sorted. The thing that never fails to yank someone out a story is a typo. I personally highlighted about 4 but that was after I was getting annoyed and started noticing them so I’m sure there are more.
All in all I do not want to give this a bad rating but I also think changes need to be made for it to be presentable to a larger audience. It’s a good story and want people to enjoy it!
Overall - I would not recommend reading until it’s been revised, which I hope it is, cause this story has SO much potential!
I wish I could send this book back with notes to the author and get another copy once it’s been actually revised and edited. With just some more fleshing out of these characters and the story itself I think the read would be so much more enjoyable and well rounded. I’d especially like know some more about Elias - I get it, he’s sassy and moody and maybe has some anger issues, but what else??? I got Ace vibes from him and as someone in the Ace community I REALLY wanted to love him… but I felt too much a disconnect between his funny one liners and what his actual concerns and thought processes were. And don’t rush the ending!!! Let me know more about Elias and his new role! Exactly why did he make that decision?? I want to be involved in this thought process, not just standing by while he makes crazy decisions cause once again - disconnect.
Also, I wish the typos has been sorted. The thing that never fails to yank someone out a story is a typo. I personally highlighted about 4 but that was after I was getting annoyed and started noticing them so I’m sure there are more.
All in all I do not want to give this a bad rating but I also think changes need to be made for it to be presentable to a larger audience. It’s a good story and want people to enjoy it!
Overall - I would not recommend reading until it’s been revised, which I hope it is, cause this story has SO much potential!
April 20, 2021
Set against a frozen backdrop, in a world where magic belongs to the corrupt elite, twins are born and a mother must make an impossible choice because the boy child is the foretold Frostborn. A mother's sacrifice enables the Frostborn to be raised away from the corruption of the Gjallahorn army, but now it is time for him to reclaim his heritage.
A spellbinding book by an exciting author. I am looking forward to the next one!
A spellbinding book by an exciting author. I am looking forward to the next one!
April 13, 2021
My favourite book you can read for fun AND write an essay about.
Frostborn's chock full of some of my favourite things to see in a book. Cool takes on mythology (in this case, Norse), magic that's integrated into the setting in a compelling and organic way, morally ambiguous characters, messing around with the Chosen One trope, and casual LGBT+ representation.
You really get a sense of the different facets of life in the kingdom of Eljud, it truly feels like there's a larger world beyond what's strictly necessary for the plot. And the characters!! Even those we only spend a short amount of time with ([REDACTED] my beloved...) are very interesting and likeable! There's someone for everyone tbh, I guarantee you'll like at least one character in this book.
And how could I neglect to mention the fight scenes?! You want vivid, but fast-paced action? This book's got it. Magic fights, sword fights, Magic Sword Fights!
What else is important to mention...
Horses! Ladies! Ladies on horses being badass! Ladies Not on horses being badass!
Masks! Well one mask really, but it's a very cool one. The cover does not disappoint, that mask is a Super Neat Symbol.
Magic Psychic Wolf!
Quality friendly banter!
Misdirection ;)
Girls With Swords Who Kiss Other Girls With Swords (Which ones? Read to find out :3)
Destabilization of a corrupt monarchy, for better or worse
And one (1) sugar baby with blood on his slimy little hands.
It's a great book, check it out for sure!
Frostborn's chock full of some of my favourite things to see in a book. Cool takes on mythology (in this case, Norse), magic that's integrated into the setting in a compelling and organic way, morally ambiguous characters, messing around with the Chosen One trope, and casual LGBT+ representation.
You really get a sense of the different facets of life in the kingdom of Eljud, it truly feels like there's a larger world beyond what's strictly necessary for the plot. And the characters!! Even those we only spend a short amount of time with ([REDACTED] my beloved...) are very interesting and likeable! There's someone for everyone tbh, I guarantee you'll like at least one character in this book.
And how could I neglect to mention the fight scenes?! You want vivid, but fast-paced action? This book's got it. Magic fights, sword fights, Magic Sword Fights!
What else is important to mention...
Horses! Ladies! Ladies on horses being badass! Ladies Not on horses being badass!
Masks! Well one mask really, but it's a very cool one. The cover does not disappoint, that mask is a Super Neat Symbol.
Magic Psychic Wolf!
Quality friendly banter!
Misdirection ;)
Girls With Swords Who Kiss Other Girls With Swords (Which ones? Read to find out :3)
Destabilization of a corrupt monarchy, for better or worse
And one (1) sugar baby with blood on his slimy little hands.
It's a great book, check it out for sure!
August 11, 2021
I was granted complimentary access to Frostborn as part of my participation in a blog tour for this title with Goddess Fish Promotions. Thank you to all involved in affording me this opportunity! My thoughts are my own and my review is honest.
I sincerely wasn't sure if I was going to sign up to review this one or not when the tour was first announced, and when I opted to review and received my tour date, I wondered if I'd made a mistake. The cover looks like so many indie books that have come onto my radar before. The synopsis sounds like so many books I've read before. It's not that I didn't think it would be well done, but I worried it would be a rehash of something overdone and because of that wouldn't hold my interest. Well, I'm happy to say I was proven wrong!
I love the Nordic feel to this book with the fresh ideas and very engaging characters. As someone with Norwegian heritage who was raised participating in heritage festivals and Sons of Norway lodge meetings, giving your fantasy novel a Scandinavian flavour is a sure way to make sure I'm invested. When the concept of "the Frostborn" was first introduced early in the book, before we met him, I got GoT White Walker vibes but once again I was pleasantly surprised to be proven wrong. This frostborn is nothing like anything in Martin's work.
I love the sacrificed twin aspect of this story. It has a twisted "prince and the pauper" feel, but neither party feels like they drew the long straw. I love the magic system that's so tied to the environment. I love the gender equality in the military. I really enjoyed how amazingly sassy some of these characters proved to be. Katerina absolutely won my heart and would have been enough to keep me engaged in this book to the end even if the others characters hadn't been as awesome (but many were.)
I noticed hints of LGBTQIA+ representation, particularly ACE, and while I do think we to celebrate casual representation more and there certainly isn't anything in this book that was handled poorly, it did toe the line of queer baiting. This is almost Disney levels of let it be interpreted that way by those who want to see it, but we're not going to explicitly state it because international market dollars. There was one scene that stood out to me where one character (I won't specify who, no spoilers) does state something along the lines of "I'm not interested in anyone that way," but other than that nothing struck me as confirmed, but it certainly felt like there was a lot more LGBTQIA+ acceptance in this world just off-screen.
Overall this is an excellent debut novel and a very compelling fantasy piece in general, and I look forward to seeing what this author does next.
I sincerely wasn't sure if I was going to sign up to review this one or not when the tour was first announced, and when I opted to review and received my tour date, I wondered if I'd made a mistake. The cover looks like so many indie books that have come onto my radar before. The synopsis sounds like so many books I've read before. It's not that I didn't think it would be well done, but I worried it would be a rehash of something overdone and because of that wouldn't hold my interest. Well, I'm happy to say I was proven wrong!
I love the Nordic feel to this book with the fresh ideas and very engaging characters. As someone with Norwegian heritage who was raised participating in heritage festivals and Sons of Norway lodge meetings, giving your fantasy novel a Scandinavian flavour is a sure way to make sure I'm invested. When the concept of "the Frostborn" was first introduced early in the book, before we met him, I got GoT White Walker vibes but once again I was pleasantly surprised to be proven wrong. This frostborn is nothing like anything in Martin's work.
I love the sacrificed twin aspect of this story. It has a twisted "prince and the pauper" feel, but neither party feels like they drew the long straw. I love the magic system that's so tied to the environment. I love the gender equality in the military. I really enjoyed how amazingly sassy some of these characters proved to be. Katerina absolutely won my heart and would have been enough to keep me engaged in this book to the end even if the others characters hadn't been as awesome (but many were.)
I noticed hints of LGBTQIA+ representation, particularly ACE, and while I do think we to celebrate casual representation more and there certainly isn't anything in this book that was handled poorly, it did toe the line of queer baiting. This is almost Disney levels of let it be interpreted that way by those who want to see it, but we're not going to explicitly state it because international market dollars. There was one scene that stood out to me where one character (I won't specify who, no spoilers) does state something along the lines of "I'm not interested in anyone that way," but other than that nothing struck me as confirmed, but it certainly felt like there was a lot more LGBTQIA+ acceptance in this world just off-screen.
Overall this is an excellent debut novel and a very compelling fantasy piece in general, and I look forward to seeing what this author does next.
May 1, 2021
Great read from a new author! The first time that Elias unleashed his powers was chilling, pun intended. The worldbuilding and characters are awesome—Katerina is definitely my favourite. It’s refreshing to see such a diverse set of characters, too. The ending was very unexpected… really hoping for and looking forward to a sequel!
December 3, 2021
Starting with the cover, it is intriguing. After reading the book, I couldn’t imagine a different cover for this novel, it captures the symbolism behind the story and compliments the frosty vibes it’s set in.
However, the summary gives you a deja vu feeling. In the beginning, I had reservations, I was afraid the plot would be repetitive to many others out there, but I am delighted to say that it turned out to be very interesting and unique. Although I had my detective radars on and was expecting some storylines (main character finding out about his origin, hidden truth, past events), it turned out to be so much more. I was very impressed with the twists, especially because I did not see them coming, the additions of nordic mythology influences, and the exploration of LBTQ identities. Although it felt like it was brushed off, I wanted more exposure and more connection between reader-characters. Essentially, the romance was not there, perhaps on purpose serving a more asexual point of view but it was not clear. However, is my favorite pov and which I rarely encounter in novels. Not everything has to be about romance (not only because is not my favorite genre) but I do think it can occasionally overshadow important aspects of the story. That was a big high five to the author for representing that and it was one of the main points of why I enjoyed the book. (So if you are someone looking for a romantic novel this is not for you.) However, that brings me to why this book has docked a star in my review. I was not fully connected with the characters, their thoughts, and their development. It lacked a character growth progression, which is my personal preference in books. I didn’t quite relate to the characters and that saddened me because overall I found it well-written and had a lot of potentials. I think there should be a sequel to this, and I'd like to read it for sure. So many questions are left unanswered. I felt like there could be so much more to the characters. How did Elias feel after discovering the truth? What were his emotions, thought processes? How did he feel about his twin’s sacrifice?
Everything else was there. The brilliant chilling descriptions, the elaborated fight setting, the plot and twists, the symbolism, if only it had just a bit tad more character analysis I would give it a 5 star. I loved all the nordic nordic vibes too and the witty dialogues.
I would like to see more from the author, I think he takes an interesting stand in the YA fantasy and I'll keep an eye out for his next book.
However, the summary gives you a deja vu feeling. In the beginning, I had reservations, I was afraid the plot would be repetitive to many others out there, but I am delighted to say that it turned out to be very interesting and unique. Although I had my detective radars on and was expecting some storylines (main character finding out about his origin, hidden truth, past events), it turned out to be so much more. I was very impressed with the twists, especially because I did not see them coming, the additions of nordic mythology influences, and the exploration of LBTQ identities. Although it felt like it was brushed off, I wanted more exposure and more connection between reader-characters. Essentially, the romance was not there, perhaps on purpose serving a more asexual point of view but it was not clear. However, is my favorite pov and which I rarely encounter in novels. Not everything has to be about romance (not only because is not my favorite genre) but I do think it can occasionally overshadow important aspects of the story. That was a big high five to the author for representing that and it was one of the main points of why I enjoyed the book. (So if you are someone looking for a romantic novel this is not for you.) However, that brings me to why this book has docked a star in my review. I was not fully connected with the characters, their thoughts, and their development. It lacked a character growth progression, which is my personal preference in books. I didn’t quite relate to the characters and that saddened me because overall I found it well-written and had a lot of potentials. I think there should be a sequel to this, and I'd like to read it for sure. So many questions are left unanswered. I felt like there could be so much more to the characters. How did Elias feel after discovering the truth? What were his emotions, thought processes? How did he feel about his twin’s sacrifice?
Everything else was there. The brilliant chilling descriptions, the elaborated fight setting, the plot and twists, the symbolism, if only it had just a bit tad more character analysis I would give it a 5 star. I loved all the nordic nordic vibes too and the witty dialogues.
I would like to see more from the author, I think he takes an interesting stand in the YA fantasy and I'll keep an eye out for his next book.
August 1, 2024
A bitter cold world where only the elites have magic. Twins separated at birth due to a mother’s sacrifice to keep the Frostborn safe.
This book took me by surprise and I was pleasantly pleased with how it turned out!
Looking forward to the sequel!
This book took me by surprise and I was pleasantly pleased with how it turned out!
Looking forward to the sequel!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews