Book Review: The RAVEN RINGS Trilogy by Siri Pettersen
Fantasy books that can be enjoyed by people who don't read Fantasy
1.
ODIN'S CHILD (2013) by Siri Pettersen
(Book 1 of the RAVEN RINGS trilogy)
My book circle has made me read several American and British fantasy novels – some I enjoyed, some not – but at last we picked this Norwegian book, and I read the original Norwegian edition.
Speaking as someone who rarely reads modern fantasy, I think ODIN'S CHILD is very, very good. The novel succeeds stylistically; as good storytelling; as ”world building”; as an original work with a personal vision; in its portrayal of characters - and in the way it grabs and holds the reader emotionally.
Pettersen's style is both terse and expressive. Where many mediocre contemporary fantasy authors struggle with too many sentences to capture mood or meaning, Pettersen can nail it with a few telling details, a brief line – or just a few words.
There is very little ”excess fat” on her prose, yet it can say a lot. I find that level of skill admirable.
Her storytelling is unlike those brick-sized American fantasy novels I've tried to slog through, where the authors are incapable of ”cutting to the chase.” They tend to drag the reader through every single second of a scene, or flail about trying to find a way to end a scene, and I get bored.
Pettersen knows when to slow down a scene and when to cut to the next; when to get into small details and when to skip unnecessary details; making sure the reader doesn't get bored. Her narrative pacing is brisk but not hurried. That skill I admire also.
When it comes to world building, ODIN'S CHILD uses Scandinavian cultural roots and landscapes, mixed with Japanese-inspired elements - and the mix works.
I particularly appreciated that Pettersen can make the subject of magic – the prime element in all fantasy – mysterious and exciting. (Let's not name the bestselling American fantasy writers who are experts at making magic seem dull and mechanical.)
The protagonist Hirka is an unusual heroine in modern fantasy; she is neither ”the chosen one” nor does she have superhuman powers. From the very beginning she is an outcast in the world where she grows up.
Hirka has to make her own destiny in an often hostile world, and does so like a person who is forced to grow up too soon. Her personality is complex and mature for her age, and yet she is capable of youthful feeling.
The other characters are, in general, well written; none of them are without flaws. Only the heroic character Rime comes close to being a bit too spotless, and even he doesn't come off entirely uncompromised in the end.
The plot is different in depth from ”generic” fantasy; there is a complexity to the imagined world and its workings that colors characters and events in shades of gray. Fantasy may often be regarded as Young Adult material, but the psychological maturity of ODIN'S CHILD should appeal strongly to adult readers.
Finally, there is the emotional core of the story: the love story between the two main characters. This is the kind of romantic stuff that creates loyal readers and passionate fandoms.
The novel has an open ending that points to the next part of the RAVEN RINGS trilogy. I had to read the other two books to see how the story ends (which is a highly unusual choice for me!).
ODIN'S CHILD is an outstanding novel - warmly recommended to teenage and adult readers alike.
2.
THE ROT (2014) by Siri Pettersen
(Book 2 of the RAVEN RINGS trilogy)
(Original title: RÅTA)
I have read the original Norwegian edition of Book 1 in this series.... and it was so good, I felt compelled to read Book 2 as well.
Instead of spoiling the plot – which moves very rapidly, almost like a thriller with fantasy elements – let's focus on what's going on underneath the surface.
So: what is THE ROT ”about?”
I would say it is mainly about the protagonist Hirka maturing. She goes from merely surviving and being hunted to actually taking charge - and in the process of maturing, she ”gets her hands dirty.”
She has to fight, kill, deceive, make hard choices, think ahead, accept unpleasant truths about others and herself, and figure out what she really wants. She realizes that the line between good and evil is not always easy to see, that people are complicated, emotions are messy, and she comes to seriously doubt what she knows.
These are all good metaphors for coming to terms with adult life.
Another major theme is confronting the ”alien” - for example, strange beings that are thousands of years old and may be impossible to understand. But also when Hirka visits our ”real world” and experiences it as alien, afflicted with some deep sickness or lack.
There's also an interesting subtext about religion in THE ROT that I don't want to spoil by telling too much. Suffice to say, quite a lot is going on between the lines there.
The only part of THE ROT I struggled with was how the magical qualities of the fantasy world related to the ”real world” that Hirka entered. Why precisely was there less magic in the ”real world” than in the fantasy world she left behind? I wish that part had been a bit easier to follow (but then, I'm not used to reading modern fantasy literature).
This is obviously the second part in a trilogy, and with that comes typical ”middle-of-the-story” issues. You have to have read Book 1 first to make sense of Book 2, and you are expected to read Book 3 afterwards.
THE ROT reads like a tense ”urban fantasy” thriller with many surprises and plot twists. It gets quite dark and violent – but definitely not boring.
I wholeheartedly recommend THE ROT - if you have read the first book in the series.
3.
THE MIGHT (2015) by Siri Pettersen
(Book 3 of the RAVEN RINGS trilogy)
(Original Norwegian title: EVNA)
I have read the original Norwegian edition of Book 1 and 2 in this series. I was thoroughly hooked, and had to read the 3rd and concluding book. (Which is no small feat! There's not much modern fantasy that I enjoy.)
THE MIGHT is not in any way a ”standalone” novel. The only proper way to read it is as the final part of the epic fantasy story of Hirka, a teenage girl who becomes a woman in her quest to survive and master a strange and often hostile world.
The brisk writing style, rich worldbuilding and complex characterizations are still as good as in the previous books. In fact, the ”shades of gray” in the characters become even subtler. As a writer, I really appreciate how Siri Pettersen doesn't settle for cardboard characters or simplistically evil villains.
For example: A neat twist among many is when a particularly nasty villainous figure turns out to be driven not by hatred or lust for power, but rather by a dispassionate, bureaucratic fixation on ”order.”
Though if you want fiery passions, bursts of magical power, epic battles, showdowns with destiny, strange imaginary worlds and great upheavals, then THE MIGHT delivers in spades. I won't spoil the ending, but I think it should satisfy most readers.
The plot element called ”The Might”, which is sort of this trilogy's equivalent to The Force in STAR WARS, was the part I found the most difficult to understand. So I focused on finding out how well it was used and depicted as a part of the story.
The plot focuses more intensely on The Might in this book, and how it might be used as a force for change. Here an overt message emerges: even in a fantasy setting, one cannot escape politics.
The Might is power, but it can't be made to vanish like Tolkien's famous rings – and people want that power to feel truly alive and free – so it has to be channeled. That's where Hirka changes from being merely a person gaining power, to a woman with a political vision – and visions are important to people, for good and ill.
It's only fair to mention that there's more sex and mature content in the third part of the trilogy, but most of it is only implied. Again, the author knows when to be subtle.
Look – I don't need to convince you to read THE MIGHT. I only need to convince you to start on the first book of the trilogy, and the rest will happen by itself. Let me just say that I heartily recommend the trilogy as a whole, for both teenage and adult readers of all stripes.
The Raven Rings Trilogy is a captivating experience with its own original vision, confidently written and very entertaining.
FOOTNOTE: There is a sequel trilogy.