With Shield and Ink and Bone

review by Katy Grant

In the time of Vikings, the world is cold and brutal. Born into a family of warriors, Liv Eriksson and her brother Hodor have trained since childhood to fight for their shields, allowing them the right to join the longships in battle raids. To prove their strengths and ability to fight, each must defeat one of their parents in hand to hand combat, no quarter given. On the eve of their victories over their elders, at the winter celebrations, a visiting Jarl is murdered.

The melting snow and the first sign of flowers heralded the change of seasons. But it also brought death across the seas. Clan Wolf sailed in under the cover of fog destroying and killing everything in their path, leaving Liv’s life ebbing away as the waters flowed over her. Fenris Wolf had killed to avenge his father’s death but reveled in the slaughter and destruction.  He began to believe himself to be invincible, to see himself as the Jarl of all the lands. He would conqueror other tribes, wipe the villages clean and take their lands for his own.

As Liv lay dying at the edge of the fjord, it is her hatred, her need for vengeance that gives her the strength to call out to the gods to save her long enough to kill Fenris Wolf, the beast who invaded her home leaving nothing but death and destruction behind.  It was Skuld, the Norn who weaves the future, that would come to her aid. She would give Liv power filled with magical abilities that would strengthen Liv well beyond human capacity. Skuld could see that Fenris Wolf would bring Ragnaök, down upon them; she demanded vengeance and she would use Liv to get it.

Liv took the ashes of her family to form the ink for her runes, their bones to form her armor and staff that would protect her and strengthen her power, for there is power in blood, bone, and ink. But she would need help. Liv would gather the other clans together, use her powers to make them strong enough to battle Clan Wolf and their Jarl. Through her leadership and guidance, the clans would have a chance to stop the Wolf in his tracks. 

Skögar Village was under attack by Clan Wolf. Calder had to save his people, force the raiders away from the village. She was there beside him on the deck of the longship, a spirit, one he could see through. Calder had lost the fire he had carried to the longship to burn the sails, as she reached out touching the sail, it ignited and flamed.  With the firing of the sails, Calder was able to draw the rest of the Clan Wolf away from his village before they had completely destroyed it. Even as Calder sets out to raise the warning of Clan Wolf’s treachery, he wondered about the spirit. Instead he finds a living breathing Liv who shares the tale of death and destruction of her clan. Calder took Liv back to his Skögar where she would convince his people and another powerful Jarl to join forces in trying to stop Clan Wolf’s reign of terror.  It would be Liv who lead of the army they gathered. She was the volva, the witch, they all feared, but she had the power to turn the tide of the battle to come.

It is a time of hardships, crippling winters, magic, gods, witches, greed, and love. Casey L. Bond brings it all together in this Viking fantasy that offers a bit of a twist to the Norns of Norse Mythology,  There are well laid out battles, with the heartache of death and annihilation, but there is also hope. In spite of the harsh environment, constant threat of death, and raiding battles, many were farmers who fought for their families and their land.  This young adult novel introduces the reader to young people who had a voice in clan life, taught to fight in great battles, and were such an important part of the village. Told mostly from Liv’s point of view, her love of her family, the heartache of losing them her need for revenge and then the realization that there is more to life then vengeance. There is a dusting of Calder as we learn of his life and how he connects to Liv that adds to the story. With twists and turns, love blooms on grounds that are soaked in blood.  The reader sees the villain, tastes his hatred and greed, building the plan to stop him isn’t always a straight line. Liv changes as she battles to save the people she has grown to love; she finds a reason to fight to live but it may be too late. 

Even the Norns can learn from the humans that live under their rule. There are three Norns, weavers of the gods and men, who can change the present and the future, according to Casey L. Bond. In this tale there is power in the blood, bone and ink, but there is also rousing spirit in a good tale. The story is packed with life, not as we know it, but of days long past, even as it lives and breathes with the pages of the book. Thank you, Casey.