A Fate Inked in Blood
Book One of the Saga of the Unfated
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4.3 • 658 Ratings
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- $12.99
Publisher Description
A shield maiden blessed by the gods battles to unite a nation under a power-hungry king—while also fighting her growing desire for his fiery son—in the first book of a Norse-inspired fantasy romance series from the bestselling author of The Bridge Kingdom series.
Bound in an unwanted marriage, Freya spends her days gutting fish, but dreams of becoming a warrior. And of putting an axe in her boorish husband’s back.
Freya’s dreams abruptly become reality when her husband betrays her to the region’s jarl, landing her in a fight to the death against his son, Bjorn. To survive, Freya is forced to reveal her deepest secret: She possesses a drop of a goddess’s blood, which makes her a shield maiden with magic capable of repelling any attack. It was foretold such a magic would unite the fractured nation of Skaland beneath the one who controls the shield maiden’s fate.
Believing he’s destined to rule Skaland as king, the fanatical jarl binds Freya with a blood oath and orders Bjorn to protect her from their enemies. Desperate to prove her strength, Freya must train to fight and learn to control her magic, all while facing perilous tests set by the gods. The greatest test of all, however, may be resisting her forbidden attraction to Bjorn. If Freya succumbs to her lust for the charming and fierce warrior, she risks not only her own destiny but the fate of all the people she swore to protect.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
Throw yourself into a world filled with myth, legend, and violence in this sexy and exciting fantasy romance. Freya wants to pursue her dream of becoming a warrior. But she’s hiding a secret: A tiny glimmer of divine heritage in her family tree has gifted her with magical powers that are invaluable in battle. Soon, Freya is learning to control her magic under the protection of a warrior named Bjorn—whose attractiveness can sometimes be a distraction. Danielle L. Jensen creates an impressively immersive world filled with Viking-esque lore and a seriously swoon-worthy forbidden romance. (The sexual tension and witty banter between Bjorn and Freya is half the fun of her journey!) We also loved how fierce, headstrong, and tough Freya is in a male-dominated world. Fans of Rebecca Yarros’ Fourth Wing and Rebecca Ross’ Divine Rivals will dive headfirst into this brutal and steamy saga.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
This sizzling if sometimes silly romantasy kicks off Jensen's Saga of the Unfated series (after the Bridge Kingdom series). The setting is a Norse mythology–inspired universe where a few "unfated" humans are gifted with one blood drop each from one of the fierce Nordic pantheon and are thus able to magically defy the destinies that would otherwise be set for them. Among the unfated is Freya, who leaves off fishgutting to pursue her dream of becoming a lusty shieldmaiden after she's smitten by gorgeous Bjorn, a warrior from Nordeland now fighting to help ruler Jarl Snorri unite Skaland as its king. Both Freya and Bjorn, whom Snorri assigns to protect her, are torn between conflicting obligations: Freya's swelling passion for Bjorn clashes with her duty to her family, and Bjorn's desire for Freya distracts from his quest to avenge his mother. Jensen tries to have it both ways: making Freya a hard-drinking, saucy-mouthed New Woman, even as Bjorn's face, body, and suggestive repartee continually befuddle her. Both characters' inner angst feels insufficiently motivated, though heated battles and steamy interludes keep the pages turning. It's entertaining historical fluff.
Customer Reviews
exciting and original fantasy
it was very original; it uses norse mythology to set up a new universe with exciting world building and lore. loved the balance of action/adventure to romance - though the lead was infuriating at times! recommend for fantasy lovers.
Simplistic
World building = 1 star. Story line simplistic = 1 star. Snorri making his attractive son become his attractive young 2nd wife ridiculous. In terms of romance Bjorn should have continued to be associated with women as a way to deal with frustration and jealous emotions always evoke more emotions. Bjorn sounded like an independent thinker but cowered to his idiotic father. The story line was too fast without detail. I’m not expecting Lord of the Rings level of writing but I am hoping for at least 40% of that level of writing ….
Character growth?
If character growth were a class, Freya must’ve skipped every lecture. She starts off impulsive, emotional, and somehow manages to get even more reckless as the story goes on. It’s like watching a reality show contestant make every bad decision possible—but with Viking vibes and a sword. Honestly, if it weren’t for the wild plot twists and the “wait, what just happened?!” moments, I would’ve yeeted this book into a fjord. And yet… here I am, probably picking up book two, because apparently I enjoy chaos.