Friday, January 28, 2011

Retro Retro Review & Giveaway: Urban Fantasy Giants of the Frost by Kim Wilkins

It's Retro Review day, so I'm digging back through the shelves for books from ages past that should be remembered. Today, I'm talking about an urban fantasy called Giants of the Frost. I adored this book, which takes an unusual setting--an isolated island in the Sea of Norway, plops in some nerdy scientist types, adds a sexy mysterious stranger, and then tops it off with some Norse gods.  What's not to like?

ABOUT THE BOOK: Taking a job on an isolated island in the Sea of Norway, scientist Victoria Scott wants a quiet place to finish her doctoral thesis. But Victoria isn’t prepared for the strange shadows outside her cabin window, the rumors of a murderous hag who sucks one’s soul during sleep, and the tales of mythic monsters lurking in the forest. More frightening than the island’s nightmarish mysteries: to Victoria, everything is hauntingly familiar. When an enigmatic stranger appears on the island, Victoria’s sense of foreboding peaks. For she learns that they are connected by a conflict centuries old—one that can end only with her death…

MY THOUGHTS: Giants of the Frost does better than any other book I've read at blending the world of the ancient Norse gods with the modern world. After finishing it, I had to go back and read some of the mythology about Odin and his sons, and some of the old Germanic folk tales (hags--ieek!). The jumps between the modern world and the otherworld are seamless, and the characters (even the obnoxious ones) are memorable.


Want to win a copy of Giants of the Frost? It is out of print except for a few overpriced remainders, so I'm offering a gently used copy that I found--some slight spine creasing but otherwise in great condition. As always, to enter: +1 for comment, +1 for blog follow, +1 for Twitter follow @Suzanne_Johnson, and +1 for Tweet/Retweet. Happy reading!
Posted by Suzanne Johnson at 8:46 AM
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14 comments:

  1. I've never read this but it sounds interesting.

    sgiden at verizon.net

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  2. I love the incorporation of folklore and mythology into fiction. Sounds fantastic!

    I'm a blog follower.

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  3. Sounds like a great read!

    blog and twitter follower

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  4. Today is official "overwrought nerdy science graduate student" day in Cincinnati, so this seems very appropriate. If we only had a Norse God or two, my colleague might not be so overwrought...

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  5. This sounds cool! I love Norse mythology. Count me in!

    +1 for this comment
    +1 for currently following your blog
    +1 for currently following you on Twitter @Suzanne_Johnson
    +1 for Tweet (@AnassaRh)

    anassa (dot) rhenisch (at) gmail (dot) com

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  6. Heard about this from Anassa above (though she might regret sending me if I steal the win-- don't worry Anassa, I have terrible luck in these drawings!). Sounds like an awesome book!!

    +1 for comment
    +1 I am a New Follower on the blog
    +1 I am a New Follower on twitter!
    +1 for a tweet: http://twitter.com/AmaliaTd/statuses/31056132457889793

    My fingers are crossed!

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  7. I'm a sucker for any urban fantasy that includes Norse mythology.

    +1 for commenting
    +1 for follower (through your RSS Feed)
    amber at amberstults dot com

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  8. This sounds very interesting.


    +1 Commented
    +1 Twitter follower: (@Sparima)
    +1 Blog follower
    +1 Tweet: http://twitter.com/Sparima/status/31103836470910976

    spav05(at)gmail(dot)com

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  9. Love the retro reviews you have. The blending of Norse mythology with a present day urban setting reminds me of Charles de Lint's books. Thanks for the opportunity! (Hugs)Indigo

    +1 GFC Follower
    +1 Twitter Follower @sageraven
    +1 Comment

    ravensquietscreams@gmail.com

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  10. I love Norse Mythology and this book sounds amazing. Please enter me, would love love love to win this

    +1 commented
    +1 follow on twitter(@joleneallcock)
    +1 re-tweeted
    http://twitter.com/#!/joleneallcock/status/31174376724373504
    +1 GFC follower


    june111(at)att(dot)net

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  11. A new book from a new for me author. Enter me in please :)

    +1 comment
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    +1 Twitter follow @becunique
    +1 Tweeted : http://twitter.com/#!/becunique/status/31249855623991296

    uniquas at ymail dot com

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  12. I read quite a lot of fantasy, both urban and epic but this is the first I have heard of this book.

    Don't think I have ever read a fantasy based on Norse mythology so I would really like to give this a try.

    Thanks for the giveaway and for opening it to worldwide entries as usual.

    Carol T

    buddytho {at} gmail DOT com

    +1 for comment
    +1 I follow via GFC

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  13. +1 Looking forward to reading this "new" author.


    +1 http://twitter.com/#!/alterlisa/status/31931979695915008

    +1 blog follow-Lisa Richards
    +1 Twitter follow @alterlisa
    (\___/)
    (='.'=)
    (")_(")

    alterlisa AT yahoo DOT com
    http://lisaslovesbooksofcourse.blogspot.com/

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  14. This sounds like an interesting read. I am having some problems with reading the same old story over and over lately. Maybe its winter, maybe its me? Who knows, but this sounds like something new I would like to read.
    +1 comment
    +1 GFC follower
    kjovus
    kjovus(at)gmail(dot)com

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