How to Be a Hero

Two outsiders star in this lively, comic Viking saga. Up in Asgard, Lotta is in training to be a Valkyrie and she is struggling with almost every part of the curriculum, from fighting to horse riding to transformation. That’s no fun when your teacher is the hard-as-a-battle-axe Scold, and you have sneaky bullies Flee and Flay as classmates. Meanwhile, down in Midgard, orphan Whetstone is determined to make a name for himself in sagas and stories, and if that’s for being a thief, so be it. The two meet when Lotta gets separated from the Valkyrie party heading to a battlefield to collect dead heroes to transport to Valhalla and picks up an unconscious Whetstone as the best she can manage. His arrival in Asgard sets in train a whole series of events and appears not to be the wild stroke of fortune it first appears: trickster Loki is very interested in Whetstone and the magic cup he’s stolen, and even Odin gets involved. It’s certainly lots of fun and makes excellent use of Norse myths and beliefs, weaving stories, details and famous characters into the framework of the adventure. Being a Valkyrie has never seemed so appealing, while Whetstone’s journey to decide the kind of hero he wants to be is also given room. And there’s a fantastic battle with a dragon – what more could you want? This is part one in a trilogy and will be much enjoyed by youngster getting to grips with the Vikings.