This is a fast paced, action packed, Viking mythology. I love the representation that the author put into this book of some of the Viking ideology and history within this story. Now, I do feel like this story had so much potential. This itself feels like a manuscript that could have been expanded and made even greater than what it is now. There is a smidge of romance and very high in the fantasy.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for the ARC.

Fjordensaga is a very classic tale of champions fighting for what they believe in. It's been -two years since the last Sonne. Sofia is trying her best not to think about Championfest and what it means for her. She secretly loves Karsten and hopes he's the winner. With Swaymark causing trouble for the nations. It doesn't seem to be a hopeful thought. Who will win Championfest? What does Swaymark want? Find out in Fjordensaga.

I want thank Yggdrasil Press for this ARC via Netgalley.

Let me just say—this book hits hard. From the very first page, you’re thrown into a world that feels so vivid, it’s like you’re stepping into a snowstorm. Everything about Fjordensaga screams epic: the icy fjords, towering forests, and ancient ruins all seem alive, brimming with untold history and danger lurking around every corner. You can practically feel the chill in the air and hear the howling winds as the story unfolds.

At the center of it all is Astrid, and oh boy, does she deliver as a main character. Astrid isn’t just some cookie-cutter heroine—she’s a force of nature. She’s raw, real, and totally relatable, even as she shoulders the kind of responsibility most people would crumble under. What I love most about her is that she’s not perfect. She doubts herself, she stumbles, but she always keeps pushing forward. Astrid’s emotional depth is what makes her stand out. She’s not just fighting monsters or fulfilling prophecies; she’s fighting to find herself and define her own place in a world that constantly tests her. Her journey is messy and heart-wrenching, but it’s also inspiring.

The cast of characters surrounding Astrid? Absolute gold. Each champion has their own distinct vibe and backstory, and the dynamics between them are chef’s kiss. There’s this push-and-pull between loyalty and conflict that makes every interaction crackle with energy. You’ve got the stoic warrior who keeps everyone grounded, the sarcastic troublemaker who adds tension (and laughs), and the mysterious loner whose motives keep you guessing. It’s not just about Astrid—they all bring something unique to the table, and their chemistry as a group is undeniable. They bicker, they bond, and sometimes they clash so hard you wonder if they’ll even make it out together.

The story itself is packed with conflict, and I’m not just talking about the epic battles (which are jaw-dropping, by the way). Sure, there’s an ancient evil threatening to tear the world apart, but the real magic lies in how personal everything feels. The champions aren’t just battling monsters—they’re battling their own fears, insecurities, and even each other. The stakes are both massive and deeply personal, which makes every triumph feel earned and every setback hit like a punch to the gut.

The world-building? It’s insane. You’ve got this Norse-inspired setting that feels ancient and alive, but it never overwhelms the story. The descriptions of the landscapes are so vivid you can almost see the towering cliffs and feel the icy spray of the fjords. But it’s not just pretty scenery—it’s a world steeped in myth and danger. The way the magic is woven into the fabric of the story is just chef’s kiss. It’s subtle and mysterious, yet powerful enough to leave you in awe.

Now, let’s get real for a second. The pacing? Not perfect. There were moments where the story slowed down, particularly when it dove too deep into the lore. Don’t get me wrong—I’m all for some rich world-building, but there were a few scenes where it felt like the narrative was hitting the brakes when it should’ve been charging forward. It didn’t kill the vibe, but it did take me out of the moment here and there.

That said, the relationships and emotions more than made up for it. The connections between the characters are the heart of this book. Whether it’s Astrid forming an unexpected bond with someone she initially clashed with or the quiet moments of trust between the champions, it all feels so genuine. There’s even a touch of romance brewing (nothing overwhelming, but enough to make you feel it), and let me just say—the chemistry is fire.

Overall, Fjordensaga: Saga of the Champions gets a 4 out of 5 stars from me. The characters are what make this book shine—layered, flawed, and so compelling that you can’t help but care about them. The world-building is top-tier, and the story itself is packed with heart, action, and tension. The pacing could’ve been a bit tighter in places, but honestly? It’s still a fantastic read. If you’re into epic fantasy with unforgettable characters and a world that feels so real you can taste the frost in the air, this one’s for you. And trust me—I’ll be waiting impatiently for the next installment.

This is the story of a Viking kingdom about to go through an event called the Sonne, a process by which the kingdom's new ruler is selected every 22 years. This is a battle to the death between five champions representing the 5 regions within the kingdom. The main characters (the king, Princess Sofia and the five champions) are all well written; we get to know each person's history and motivations. I found myself not wanting any of the champions to die. They were each likeable, relatable and different in ways that they complemented each other. The champions would have been a force to be reckoned with if they had joined together.
The setting was beautifully descriptive, it truly felt like I was there in the fjords with the characters, feeling the weather, seeing the intricate details in the decor and artwork within the royal compound, hearing the clang of metal as the warriors practiced before the competition.
Amidst the Sonne a love story develops between Princess Sofia and one of the champions, but it is a precarious situation due to the nature of the competition, only one will survive. This book is categorized as YA and I think it is mostly fitting but there is one intimate scene that is not completely "closed door" and some parents may object to that depending on the age of the teen.

Fjordensaga ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
‘For the younger me, who would squeal with delight just knowing this exists.’
This is something the author wrote at the beginning of the book and this is exactly how I feel. This book was short but just amazing. Being someone who reads a lot of tragic romances, I had so many theories about what would happen and wow! I just never seen it coming.

Multiple POV’s
Norse Lore
Friends to lovers

I don’t normally read shorter stories. I like a lot of details. I like when I get as much as I can out of the world’s authors create. And even though it was short, it was not lacking. This romance was such a lovely ray of sunshine among the tragedies. And oh gosh the ending ❤️‍🩹 it was perfect!

Just do yourself a favour and give it a read. It’s short, it’s sweet and if I could have asked, it’s exactly what I would have wanted out of this tale.

While I felt the book had potential,

I enjoyed it over all, but the pacing was a bit fast and could have been a bit slower to enrich the story and the flow.

I wanted to know more about the characters, but I did like them. I just felt they needed to be flushed out a bit more. Maybe more development of character.

I did like the story though. I did enjoy it.

Fjordensaga tells the story of five champions who have volunteered and then been deemed worthy to fight to the death in The Sonne. The winner will be crowned King of Fjorden.

A month before the Sonne, the country of Svaymark launches its attack on Fjorden and Sofia, reigning princess who leads Parliament, decided to move the Sonne up a month in an attempt to spare her father the King from meeting Swaymark in battle.

This is a fast paced fantasy with a romance subplot. Told from multiple POVs, the focus of the story is on Sofia and her skill in running the governmental side of the kingdom.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this! I loved getting to know all of the champions and even enjoyed the bit of a love triangle that developed between Sofia, Karsten, and Dag. The ending caught me by surprise (I was NOT expecting to cry so much reading this book!) but I love the way that the story was concluded.

I haven't seen anything from the author indicating whether this is the first in a series or a standalone. The story was wrapped up well enough that it could be a standalone, but I'm so invested in the characters that I hope it turns into a trilogy or duology!

This was a solid read with both positives and negatives. I see the potential in this story, and I enjoyed a majority of the characters and their backgrounds. This book excelled at its Nordic culture and action scene above all else. I do think it could have done with more world building and a slower pace as the plot went lightening fast.

Thank you to NetGalley and Yggdrasil Press for the ARC for an honest review.

First off, I’d like to thank NetGalley, Yggdrasil Press, and Kriss Dean for a copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Overall, this book had a good storyline, but unfortunately it was underdeveloped. Characters and relationships could have been developed and more clearly defined in the beginning.

This story does have potential to be a great book, but it does need more substance.

📖✨ Fjordensaga: Saga of the Champions by Kriss Dean
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5

Thank you to Yggdrasil Press for this ARC read!

Five champions. Four graves. One chance at the throne… I dove headfirst into this Viking-inspired world, and it was honestly so much better than I expected! I have been disappointed a lot in the past with Nordic inspired stories but not this time! The story is steeped in Nordic culture and traditions, giving it a beautifully authentic, fierce vibe. The gods stole the show (Or at least Freja as she had me laughing!) and the twists kept me guessing until the last page.

I’ll admit, I missed having a single hero to root for, but the suspense made it so fun. And although the modern language threw me off a little, it didn’t stop me from reading this cover-to-cover in under a day. Such a unique, adventurous read! 🩶✨

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing me with an ARC of Fjordensaga. This was an excellent read. I loved the way that this story was told and that we get the POV and some backstory of all 5 champions and I loved the way that Norse mythology was interwoven into the story - especially the idea of fate whilst still keeping some novel fantasy aspects.

The characters and world were built really well and with lots of detail considering it was a short book and I loved how each character had a distinct personality and were easily told apart despite not having a lot of word count to do this. I also loved the development of the story and the idea of the Sonne which reminded me of The Hunger Games but instead a battle for the right to rule mixed with the influence of Viking life, Gods, and creatures which added a unique aspect to the idea of a battle with one victor that has been explored before.

I loved it as a short story however I do see potential for this to be fleshed out much more into more depth so that we get more detail in the Sonne and more of a detailed battle for survival, strategising by certain characters, and the preparations they each undertook in private as well as together. There’s also a lot of room for a series which could develop some of the storyline and role of different Gods and creatures which were introduced in this book.

Looking forward to adding to our library collection. Thank you to NetGalley and Yggdrasil Press for the ARC.

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC!

This book has huge potential and I enjoyed reading it. There was a lot of descriptive settings and the storyline was relatively easy to follow. It was a good read for those who enjoy some minor fantasy with a dash of romance. However, there was a few things that I felt were missing.

Here are some of the things I wish that could have been expanded on in the book:

1. The plot. I loved the idea of the fight to the death to become the next king or queen, however I felt as though there were quite a few holes in parts of the book that I was hoping to get more detail on. Including the fighting between the champions and the main love interest for Sophia.

2. The back stories. When you start the book, things happen kind of abruptly and then immediately we get a time skip. While I understand that the book isn't about the characters before the time skip, we see a lot of references to them throughout the book, and because I didn't get to know and experience those characters on more than a couple pages, there was a lack of emotion on my part when I tried to understand what Sophia was feeling. The same thing for her main love interest. I didn't really get to see why she was so madly in love with him because a lot of that story was skipped over with only a few callbacks to things he had done for her. Overall, I feel as though this could be improved on.

3. The POV's. While I enjoy reading the different POV's from the characters and being able to see their inner monologue, I felt weird reading each individual one in the 3rd person. I think I would have felt better about it if it has been divided into separate chapters with the characters name as the chapter title and then have the character speak in the first person. Otherwise, I did really enjoy this was of telling the story.

Overall, this book was very good and I want to read more, even though the ending was relatively solid. Thank you once again for the eARC and I hope I get to read more of this authors work soon!

I really enjoyed the fantasy-romance of this book, it had that magical world that I was looking for and enjoyed how strong the characters were. I enjoyed the use of the Nordic culture in this and how it was used in this story. The setting had that feel that I wanted and glad I was able to read this. Kriss Dean has a strong writing style and can’t wait for more.

I received this book as an ARC.

I think that this story has potential but falls flat in several places.

1. The pace of the book
- I found that it moved at a rapid pace and could have moved a bit slower to include more details and build the scenes more. The ending was quite abrupt and felt lacking. I feel like key items we were waiting for either didn’t happen or were rushed through so quickly, they felt insignificant (ie, the instance with the cook as well as the information from the rival leader)
2. The character development
- I felt like we didn’t get to know much about the characters or see any growth from them since the book happened over the span of a few weeks
3. The POVs
- I don’t tend to enjoy when books use only 3rd person, even when sharing the characters thoughts. I wish that the 3 POVs we got had been in 1st person and that they gave us more insight into the individuals

I think that this book has a good basis and could be improved with a flesh out and some changes!