Set in an AU where the Norse gods are real and living among us in an altered United States, the story follows Soren and Astrid set off to find the missing god, Baldur, while Soren fights his birthright as a berserker and tries and fails to keep from falling in love with Astrid.

An interesting take on the Norse stories. I enjoyed the couple of twists at the end and I liked the main characters (Baldur is nicely portrayed as well), but I didn’t love it enough to continue on with the series. ( )

https://tamaranth.blogspot.com/2021/10/2021126-lost-sun-tessa-gratton.html ( )

I raced through this book in less than two days, and loved every page.

I loved the creation of a United States which is grounded in the real presence of the Norse gods, and how that looks: Tyr directly involved with the justice system, a representative of Odin advising the president, followers of Freya doing seidr (called "Seething" here). I loved the tale of a young man born to be a berserker but hating the violence within him. About a god who has been stolen and has forgotten himself. A young seether searching for a lost mother that even her own great power can not find. A caravan girl who's a Loki-child. And Fenris Herself.

Gratton takes some of the familiar Nordic myths and re-tells them in new ways. I'd like to ask her why, especially the ones about Baldur's death and Loki's response. I loved her re-telling of Fenris's story.

I don't if someone who doesn't already care about the Norse gods would find this as engaging. I'm not sure I would have liked it so much ten years ago, but at this time it was a delight all the way through. ( )

A berserker and a seer unite on a quest to find the Lost Sun, Baldur The Beautiful, the God of the Sun. The God that rises from his ashes to be reborn again every year. This is the first year that the Sun God did not rise again on his feat day. In the United States of Asgard the Norse Gods rule, They sit upon the House of Congress and the Valkyrie rule along side the chosen president.
Each citizen is a son or daughter of a god that they have given allegiance too. Soren the berserker son of Odin and Astrid the Seer daughter of Freya band together with a daughter of Loki to return Baldur to the only place that will restore him to his Sun God status, but in doing so it could also destroy the bonds they have made.

I give this book 5 stars, great writing style the characters were wonderful and the use of Norse Mythology set in a modern day republic was a wild concept.
( )

3.5/5 stars.

These stories take place in a modern world, similar to ours where cars, mobile phones, and reality TV exist, where religion is pervasive and broadcast to the masses, where the troll war is a recent memory, and where Norse gods and their children live among us.

I'd read the three novellas prior to reading the main trilogy, which meant that in places (in books 1 and 2) I was spoiled for characters or events. I found that actually heightened my excitement, especially with characters. (Glory fangirl forever.)

[b: The Lost Sun|13021366|The Lost Sun (The United States of Asgard, #1)|Tessa Gratton|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1362068810s/13021366.jpg|18183974] is Soren Bearskin's story, his, Astrid Glyn's, and Baldur's. On Baldur's Day, the sun god who dies for half the year, doesn't rise. Fear and confusion grip the people, and Odin Alfather promises a boon to whomever finds the missing god. Both Soren the Berserker and Astrid the Seether want that boon. It's about making your destiny your own.

[b: The Strange Maid|18301603|The Strange Maid (The United States of Asgard, #2)|Tessa Gratton|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1396739924s/18301603.jpg|25790139] is Signy Valborn's tale. She's the Valkyrie of the Tree, some say Odin's favorite, and for two years she's been unable to solve the riddle that keeps her from claiming her power and place among her sisters. Ned Unferth offers her a solution, one that will shake everything she knows about her sisters and the gods. It's about learning who you are and why, and about the choices you make that shape your fate.

[b: The Apple Throne|24602702|The Apple Throne (The United States of Asgard, #3)|Tessa Gratton|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1421792891s/24602702.jpg|44211965] is the story of Idun of the Apples and the missing human man she loves. More than almost any other story it's about love, about defying your fate in favor of loving who you will, and about being a bridge between worlds.

The United States of Asgard series is marvelous, and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys meddling gods, amazing heroes, tales of destiny and defying that destiny, and love of all kinds. ( )