The Wrath of Raghnall: Shauna Richmond #bookreview

Synopsis: Lord Theodore Olden counts it a blessing when his old friend Bjorn the Brave arrives at the celebration of his eldest sons betrothal. Soon after his arrival, demons from Bjorns past come back to haunt him. To this day, he knows not of who murdered his family, with only his daughter spared from the attacks on his house and a son who is seemingly back from the dead. Both houses encounter a plague of demons that were thought long gone in their quest to get to the truth and to restore Bjorns family to their throne. For their involvement with the Vikings, bandits and mercenaries attack house Olden, leaving the house divided between their loyalties to their ally and protecting their own family. The family of cursed Vikings must find a way to beat the odds once again and to recruit new allies to take back what was stolen from them.

My Review: This debut novel from Irish author Shauna Richmond is sure to capture the mind of any medieval fantasy reader especially those who are interested in Viking lore, magical creatures, and gruesome warfare. The most important thing I found fascinating about this book is that the characters are so unique and do not fit into the typical character cliches sometimes found in fantasy works. We have Freya who has inherited a kingdom but not in the way a swooning innocent princess may have. Then there is Finn, second born to the House Olden, who isn't interested in conforming to the mannerisms expected of those with royal blood. We even have Theodore, Lord of House Olden, who is a fair and just ruler and remains unbiased in the matters of nobles vs. small folk.

This atypical characterization keeps readers interested and avoids the boredom that usually comes with the repeated character tropes found in fantasy. In addition, having a strong female protagonist is exciting especially for female readers. Richmond has also done very well to create characters with both deep emotions and complex and often traumatizing pasts. This makes the reader identify with the characters easily. The world Shauna has created is full of new magical creatures and evil entities, both human and non-human.

The novel is fast paced, not overwhelmingly, but has just enough action to keep reader's engaged and eager to follow through to the next chapter. The author employs several interesting twists throughout the story that will rouse the excitement of readers and keep them coming back for more. The story ends with an unexpected revelation that promises for more to come. We, the readers,will eagerly wait for the continuation of this story in the future works created by Richmond.

My Rating: 5 stars

About the Author:

Shauna is a first-time author who took time out of her career to pursue motherhood and to chase her dreams of telling her own stories and seeing them in print. Her first book came to her as she was battling her own demons of depression and anxiety. Writing became an outlet that helped her through the dark times and to overcome the struggles she had dealt with. 

You can find links to purchase The Wrath of Raghnall and social media links for Shauna Richmond below. 

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