In a remote corner of the Arctic, unexplained phenomenon haunt an isolated community. Several people have disappeared, and somehow young Erika Holstrom knows why. Still reeling from the loss of her mother, she escapes to university, only to be followed by unsettling visions of the future. When a Russian submarine vanishes in the far North, Erika's nightmares suggest the answers lay buried deep in her family history. Now, just as the melting polar ice releases its sinister secrets, Erika and her friends are in a race against time to convince the sceptical authorities what is really happening in her Arctic homeland, before it’s too late.
Will they succeed, or is the frozen North lost forever...
Helluland is a modern coming-of-age saga that blends the mystery of speculative fiction with the intrigue of a geo-political techno thriller. Inspired by the effects of climate change in the Arctic, its climax is a moral condemnation of inaction and perhaps an unsettling prediction for the future. Readers looking for a dynamic genre mash-up with potential supernatural elements and a rousing cast will find this excursion into the cold worth taking.
I needed a book for a challenge. Raise your hand if this surprises you. Didn't think so...I don't see any raised hands. It wasn't a bad story and I know that those folks that thrive on fantasy thrillers will flock the bookstores and Amazon to get a copy. To each his own...we can't all like the same thing or there would never be enough to go around.
The story does have many twists, but they come about almost at the speed of molasses. I really tried to get into the story and figure it all out...but I knew I had made a big mistake by the 5th chapter. The other reviews that I read promised that secrets would be revealed. The most interesting part was when strange things began to happen in the remote corner of the Arctic where Erika Holstrom and her friends were visiting. Her mother's family had lived in this small community for centuries. Erika had lost her mother, and the family were all there to hold a type of memorial for her.
I can't say anything negative about the book, it just wasn't for me. If you are a fan of fantasy thrillers...you probably will really like this story.
I am not a fantasy fan, but really enjoyed this book. It's a great blend of fantasy-mystery with modern reality. C.R. Lindstrom weaves a story with simplicity, mystery and realism. The characters are developed nicely and woven throughout the story. The scenery descriptions make me want to visit the area. The story line is very well developed. This is a fun read and worth your time.
Very cool premise and concept. I’d compare this to “Legendborn” meets “Ready Player One” with a bunch of magical realism inspired college kids and military types thrown in for good measure.
This is apparently a debut book for the author, who clearly relied on various experts to weave their story together. Erika Holstrom is the lead character, a talented varsity hockey player in Vermont who starts to have mysterious premonitions, all while weird events are happening in the Arctic off Greenland. There are multiple genres embedded in this story, from YA and Sci-Fi, to climate fiction and a political thriller. Sometimes the military acronyms and terms were a bit overwhelming, but it didn’t take away from the story. The bad guys are super cool, and super bad, with dark Norse undertones that I liked. It even has sauna references, which for a Finn is a must!
I’ll admit I got my copy for free, but in hindsight would pay full cover price to read it. It was just such a different journey then what I was expecting with really believable women heroes. Five stars all the way.
Helluland gives us insight into multiple stories as it goes back and forth between them. It was easy to follow each story and they all hooked me from the beginning as I waited to see how they would all intertwine. I liked the Viking aspect of the story as I like TV shows like The Vikings and The Last Kingdom.
Helluland had many surprising twists that came about slowly. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough as I tried to figure it out. I was hooked the moment I began reading. Helluland held on to its secrets revealing them slowly as I waited anxiously for them to be revealed.
Strange things were happening in a remote corner of the Arctic. Erika Holstrom and her friends were visiting a small community where her mother’s people lived. Erika lost her mother a while back and they were there in remembrance of her.
I highly recommend Helluland to anyone who likes fantasy thrillers. Grab a copy of Helluland today!
Wow! So this book came out of nowhere for me. I wasn't sure what to think after the first few chapters, which alternated between lead character Erika's university life in Vermont and mysterious stuff in the Arctic; but by chapter six I was hooked (I won't spoil what happens in that chapter!). We live in Norway, so the Norse mythology parts were familiar and great. Some of the technical military jargon was a bit confusing, but it might just be me (my brother loved it). The end of the book was so intense I read it all in one afternoon!
Best part of the book: Strong and believable women characters!
Parts that might be a challenge to some readers: Technical terminology.
Favourite quote: "Men, so predictable. Even dead ones."
Great book to read cozied up by the fireplace with a warm cup of glögg!
I won this book in a giveaway. I wasn’t sure I would like it. I actually didn’t want to put it down. It was hard at times to follow the military jargon. But, I enjoyed the book quite a bit and I will be looking at the author’s other offers in the future.
Helluland är tydligen en debutroman för författaren, och även om vissa delar skulle kunna stramas upp håller det övergripande flödet och handlingen läsaren fint engagerad. Huvudpersonen Erika är en ishockeyspelare på universitetsnivå i Vermont som kämpar med både familjetragedier och nya förmågor som hon inte förstår. Under tiden i Arktis, ödelägger okända styrkor förödelse utanför Grönlands kust med flera fartyg saknade. Det är de norra delarna av boken som är utmärkta. Författaren nämner i slutnoterna deras användning av olika ämnesexperter i skapandet av handlingen och det visar sig. De politiska, militära och tekniska aspekterna vävs realistiskt samman, med undertoner om arktiska klimatförändringar inbäddade genomgående. När de onda krafterna äntligen avslöjar sig själva är de verkligen otäcka, med en innovativ historisk twist som en del av deras ursprung som jag inte kommer att avslöja, men det fungerar bra. En annan positiv aspekt är att de flesta av huvudkaraktärerna är starka kvinnor, vilket var ett välkommet uppenbarelse. Fem stjärnor!