Tur: A Romance of Asgardian Proportions!

How do you feel about a little Asgardian excitement?

Prophesy,

Battles,

And a bit of romance for good measure.

Because that's what I have for you today! And no, I'm not reviewing a new Marvel screenplay... although I'm perfectly happy with the idea of placing a few choice actors into the characters' roles.

Rather, I'd like to introduce you to a fantasy romance novella that takes place predominantly in Asgard, written by someone that actually speaks Norwegian!

Meow!

Cover art by Rebecca K. Sterling

Tur is a novella written by S.T. Bende, and a prequel to The Elsker Saga.

So what's it about?

Inga holds a respectable position within Asgard. She's Odin's chief fight choreographer, which is of extreme importance. Just one problem: She hates it. Inga wants to be out on the battlefields as a warrior - not stuck in an administrative position. As if that's not enough, duties in Asgard have lately been cutting into her time with her husband, Gunnar, one of the hottest fighters in all of Asgard. Further, dark elves have suddenly invaded, and their main target is Ull, Inga's best friend and a member of the royal line. Inga is faced with losing everything she holds dear.

Tur was a lot shorter than I thought it was going to be, due to the addition of a sneak peak of the first full novel in the saga. I was sad to see that it ended so soon (It was only around 10,000 words), but even though it was so short, the pages were packed with action.

And romance, of course.

The banter within the pages was a special treat. Dialogue was always amusing and believable - even when it occurred in the midst of battle. While most authors shy away from lighthearted speech when swords are waving and arrows are flying, Bende dives in and lets loose.

The result was quite pleasing for someone like me that minored in theatre in college: Dialogue was no longer than absolutely necessary, and could easily flow if read aloud. Every word was precisely chosen for full effect.

I did have one problem that dealt with dialogue, but it was a minor one: When Inga said "Jeg elsker deg" to her husband, I was at a loss as to the meaning. After looking it up I discovered that it means "I love you," and it completely fit the situation at hand... there were even context clues, but I would have appreciated even stronger ones.

That's just me, though. I've never been good at taking hints. Lousy, actually. 

The romance within Tur was quite steamy, and at the same time aided in character development. It brought out Inga's spirited nature, as well as the frustration she had due to never seeming to get a moment to relax and enjoy herself... or should I say 'enjoy her husband,' instead?

If you're looking for a short and exciting romance to finish off this Memorial Day weekend, I'd recommend Tur. You won't be disappointed.

Tur is available on Kindle, Nook, and Smashwords.