Son of Nott by Matt Larkin

I have finally caught up to (not “with”) my 2021 reviews, but this is the first I will be posting on here. It should be a fun experience getting through 2021, as I read 197 reviewable “things” last year. I shall refer to them as “things” as some people take umbrage when we refer to “things” as books when they strongly believe otherwise. As I read doorstop novels, short stories, and graphic novels and imbibe audiobooks like they are my drug of choice, “things” just sounds better and might placate some of the book snobs out there. Not that I really care. Anyway on with the book/thing.

I’ve read and reviewed a significant amount of “things” by Matt Larkin. In fact, he’s possibly my most read author of adult books (I think Enid Blyton wins the kids’ and therefore overall one). I think a claim like this says more about the quality of an author than any review and Matt – also a SPFBO7 finalist – is a quality author. He has written sci-fi, fantasy and what is probably best considered mythological fantasy – mostly true to the mythology but fleshed out into a fuller story. Son of Nott definitely falls under the last category, and it’s a good one.  

Set firmly in Matt’s Eschaton Cycle but way before Ragnarok and even the Aesir, Son of Nott is a tale of a man, Audr, who always seems to be fighting – for his people, for his son, against 

Hel and her sorcerors – and losing. But desperation leads people to take desperate measures, and Audr takes the potentially disastrous step of entering Hel’s kingdom to release a power that cannot be controlled, taking such a risk to save his son. Will he succeed, or will he just exacerbate things? With Matt Larkin wielding the pen, one will never know until the end.

This is not MCU Norse mythology (love you MCU!). This is dark and gritty and oozing historical realism. The author has done his research throughout this whole series of books, eschewing modern rewrites and digging deep into as original a lore as he can get. It shows throughout as one can evoke images of pre-Viking Norway, a world of myth and magic where gods walk among us, using us as their playthings. While much of his series should be – but doesn’t necessarily have to be – read in order, the Legends of Ragnarok can be read in any order you please, as they are more a collection of novellas (”things”). Unless you have zero knowledge of Norse history or mythology, you should easily slip into the harsh world that Matt has created for us. 

Enjoy!