 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
The Sea of Trolls
- By Nancy Farmer
- Genre: Fantasy
Common Sense Media says
Exciting fantasy-adventure based on Norse myths.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that if this book doesn't drive kids to learn about Norse mythology and Viking history, then nothing will. The book also raises the issues of gender roles and the ethics of fighting and war.
What's the story?
Jack, a Saxon farmboy, is thrilled to be chosen by the Bard, an Irish druid, to be his apprentice. Before his training in music and magic progresses very far, though, berserkers come to his village, led by Olaf One-Brow, and sent by the evil queen Frith to exact revenge on the Bard. Jack and his little sister Lucy are captured and taken across the sea to be thralls. Along the way the brutal and dangerous Olaf takes a shine to Lucy and decides to keep Jack as his own personal bard.
Jack angers Frith with an accidental magic spell, and she threatens to sacrifice Lucy unless he undoes it, which he doesn't know how to do. So he goes on a quest to Jotunheim, the land of the trolls, to drink from the Well of Mimir and learn how to undo the spell. Accompanied by Olaf and Thorgil, a girl berserker wannabe, he heads into the land of ice, where dragons, trolls, and the mysterious Norns await.
Is it any good?
The extensive use of Norse mythology gives this story a real kick, as does the author's frequent reversals of expectations. And the adventure itself, especially once they stop dithering around in England and hit the high seas, is as exciting and engrossing as one could hope for, right up to the very satisfying ending that almost begs for a sequel.
Although Lucy is an annoying and thoroughly unbelievable character (the author could take a lesson from Suzanne Collins, author of Gregor the Overlander, on how to take small children on an adventure), and the life force, from which Jack draws his power, is a little too Star Wars, readers will be having too much fun to worry about the details.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about Norse mythology in fantasy-adventure novels. What elements of Norse mythology are adopted in this book? Can you think of other books you've read that also seem to draw from Norse myths?
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AGE
HOUSE OF THE SCORPION REVIEW AND RATING
I didn't read this... I own it... but look at House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer. It's not on common sense... i was surprised! It's a very interesting book, and for someone like me who doesn't go for science fiction, I love it. Like the Uglies by Scott Westerfield. It's a great book.
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AGE
great book
very, very good book, i would recommend it to anyone. what struck me was that it was (at the most basic level) historically accurate. In real history, the great king Olaf Haraldsson captured a great bard named Bersi Skaldtorfuson, called a skald by the northmen. Bersi ended up writing the Saga of Olaf. I was shocked to realize that, besides the trolls, dragons, etc. It was true!!!
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AGE
LUV IT LUV IT LUV IT
This is a really fun fantasy book. It is exciting- best for ages 8+. Thorgil starts out violent but ends up as a favorite character. five stars!
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AGE
This is one of my favorite books and I love it
This book is really good. It is educational because it has a lot of Norse myths in it. I've read all three book the land of silver apples and the isles of the blessed are numbers two and three. Me and my friends love this book I highly recommend it. It is suspenseful and action packed and sad at one part. It is one of my top three favorite books. I've read it like 12 times and never get bored of it. My 8 year old sister read it and she loves it.
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AGE
Very interesting
My younger sister bought this for my birthday, I read it and I loved it! The northmen were very entertaining, and it was fun to learn about their odd habits. I especially liked Thorgil's personality. She was tough, and she really wanted to be treated like she was a boy.It was also fun to watch how Jack went from being a farmer's wimpy son to being a bard mistaken for a northman. Lucy was a bit of a brat, but she was still sweet all the same. Some parents might find some of the northmen's customs and ideas repulsive, but I think it's harmless, really. I think 8 and up would enjoy and understand this.
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AGE
Book for all ages
This is a fun book for anyone 8+. There is a scene of graphic violence, but it is a very good book for anyone from 8-88!
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AGE
Review: THE SEA of TROLLS by Nancy Farmer -- not for the faint of heart.
AuntieSarah* YR/YA Rating: 7.5
Sheer adventure, rotten mayhem and Viking voyages -- not to mention giant Ice Trolls -- await anyone brave enough to tread the passages of THE SEA of TROLLS by Nancy Farmer. This is a page-turner of the first order, but not for the faint of heart. In these pages, all is lost. And more is gained. (Read full review on AuntieSarah*)
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| Author: | Nancy Farmer |
| Book type: | Fiction |
| Genre: | Fantasy |
| Publisher: | Simon & Schuster |
| Publication date: | February 27, 2005 |
| Number of pages: | 459 |
| Hardcover price: | $17.95 |
| Publisher's recommended age(s): | 10 - 13 |
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