This book takes you on an adventure which is gripping, unbelievable, inspiring, and exciting. A great tale of heroes and villains, trolls and dragons, and loyalty! A great read! ( )

This book starts off with no action but becomes a great book. i recomend this book for any one. ( )

A great read. The story is fast paced and exciting. ( )

Richie's Picks: THE SEA OF TROLLS by Nancy Farmer

"He dragged Jack to the campfire and selected a knife for him to carry. 'This is for your protection. You're not to join in the fight,' Olaf said.
" 'Don't worry,' said Jack.
" 'I know how exciting pillaging is,' the giant said fondly, ruffling Jack's hair. It felt like a blow. 'No matter how much you're tempted, just say no.'
" 'Just say no to pillaging. You got it.' "

Despite reading some of her consistently award-winning tales, many of you may not be aware of how funny Nancy Farmer can be. But for those who have gotten to spend any time around her it's no surprise to encounter all sorts of terrific humor in her fabulous, fantastical new adventure, THE SEA OF TROLLS. And for anyone who has read Gordon Korman's SON OF THE MOB, with all of Vince's so-called "uncles" bearing wacky names, you'll understand why that book comes to mind as Nancy Farmer introduces us to the likes of Ivar the Boneless, Einar the Ear-Hoarder, Pig Face, Dirty Pants, Eric Pretty-Face, Eric the Rash, and Magnus the Mauler.

Eleven-year-old Jack, who had been happily apprenticing with The Bard, and Jack's five-year-old sister, Lucy, are captured and enslaved by the Northmen and head off in their custody to destinations unknown. The Holy Isle that Jack sees through the haze is Lindisfarne. The Holy Isle's destruction in A.D. 793, which marked the onset of two hundred years of Viking raids on Great Britain, provides readers with a historic reference point for this year's great epic adventure story.

Farmer packs THE SEA OF TROLLS' 450 pages full of humor, history, mythology, and adventure. This is a deceptively complex story, beyond the mere fact that readers encounter Vikings, trolls, dragons, Beowulf, big-mouth fathers, and all sorts of other good stuff in the same book.

What readers (and Jack) are left to sort out at the end of the odyssey are their feelings about the berserkers--those Northmen invaders with whom Lucy and Jack spend all of that time.

On one hand, the siblings and the berserkers have all become so close to each other as they share stories, meals, and life and death struggles of immense proportion. Through those experiences, and despite their beliefs and customs being so different from his own, Jack has repeatedly seen and felt their humanity. As readers, we come to know and love the violent and smelly Olaf and Thorgil, and their wild and wacky comrades. On the other hand, even as Jack has to steel himself for having to say good-bye to them, he has to recognize (as we also have to) that the berserkers' intent--indeed their need, if their civilization is to survive--is to return to Jack's Britain again and again, robbing and pillaging and enslaving and murdering and partaking in those other activities that my eighth grade science teacher would repeatedly tell us about. "That's why you're genetically all a little bit of everything!" insisted old Mr. Max Krenis in his white lab coat and spectacles.

So how do we as readers feel about the berserkers' need to invade in order to survive?
How would we feel if we were Jack?
How does "Love thine enemies" relate to the story?
How does the Stockholm Syndrome fit in?
How will readers relate all this to our being at war right now, and to the widespread suspicion of all people from that part of the world?

But there's still more to THE SEA OF TROLLS. In fact, there is a whole 'nother story before Olaf One-Brow and his homies even show up in Britain the first time. The tale begins with Jack and Lucy, their family, and the Bard.

Jack's a bright kid with an overbearing father who dotes on little Lucy. The Bard is a mysterious old guy who showed up a couple of years earlier, moved into the ancient Roman house overlooking the sea, and is provided for by the community. One day when Jack is delivering provisions to the Bard, he invites Jack back for lunch.

The relationship that develops between Jack and the Bard is so heartwarming that I'd be happy to just keep going back and reading the first portion of the book again and again. The old man takes the beaten-down boy and, as he teaches him song, story, nature, and wisdom, he works to make Jack understand what a special kid he really is. And, oh what stories the Bard does tell him.

Then, that time as an apprentice ends for Jack with the arrival of the long ships. And the real journey begins.

THE SEA OF TROLLS nearly defies categorization, there are so many sides to it. And I couldn't begin to recount what Shari tried to explain to me about all of Nancy Farmer's allusions to traditional mythologies. But the humor, the excitement and danger, the history, and the characters who are real enough to cause you to really mourn the end of the book make THE SEA OF TROLLS the latest success in the career of one of the great storytellers of our time. ( )

This is an amazing historical fantasy about a boy named Jack who is captured and enslaved by viking berserkers. I'm no expert on this time period or culture, but as far as I can tell, Farmer slips a lot of historical and mythical details naturally into the story, as well as some magic and of course, trolls! ( )

Summary: Jack thought he was just an ordinary farm boy until he became an apprentice to the local bard - who is teaching him music, but also the magic of the Life Force. When his village is attacked by Viking berserkers, and he and his little sister are taken as thralls, he doesn't know the perils in store for him - in order to survive and maybe get home, he'll have to learn to deal with the Northmen, face down dragons, brave the perils of troll country, and learn more about magic than he ever thought possible.

Review: This book's got an excellent blend of fantasy, mythology, epic hero's quest, magic, morality, and coming of age story. I'm not sure exactly what the target age is - Jack's twelve, which would usually indicate mid-grade, but there's enough mythology, character development, plot complexity, and generally more mature feeling to the storyline that it reads as more of a young adult. Norse mythology is something I came to only very lately in my reading life, so it's interesting to see it worked into fantasy in a new way, and it would be a very palatable and memorable introduction for someone who doesn't know the myths themselves. Plus, there's some very interesting blending with Saxon magic/mythology, including a different perspective on the story of Beowulf that will probably be taken in stride by younger readers, but made me go "Wait, Beowulf?!?" All around, this is a solid, and solidly entertaining, piece of fantasy adventure, and my only real complaint is that the pseudo-romantic storyline that kept getting hinted at never went anywhere... although the kids *are* only twelve, plus there's a sequel - which I'll definitely be reading. 4 out of 5 stars.

Recommendation: Original, well-crafted, and enjoyable young adult fantasy. It may not be destined to become a favorite, but it's good fun, and well worth reading. ( )

An action packed book filled with surprises. An imaginable fantasy land. A thrilling book with twists and turns of magic and betrayal.Shows you that a normal person can become someone that matters to everyone.This book was amazing. filled with magic and power. An imaginative novel. Powerful. It puts you into an amzing fantasy world filled with creatures and trolls, allies and enemies.

Keevin L. ( )

I am always inspired by Nancy Farmer's writing and stories! This one combines the Viking way of life with an adventure story. ( )

Nancy Farmer has taken actual historical incidents circa the years 635 to 700 and woven them into a fantasy that might have been imagined by the early Vikings. It is quite an interesting book idea, however, lacks a "golden thread" that pulls me into devoted reading. This is definitely not one of those, "I couldn't stop reading it" books. The story takes a long time to develop. I'm not even quite sure I could find a plot in the beginning, however, many small plots develop throughout the story managing to carry my interest to the end of the book. Many details are re-visited and answer lingering questions at the end. As a plus, Farmer has quite a way of developing scenery and characters (and, oh, there are sooo many of both). Farmer also has a way of using language familiar to today's teens to draw them in. I would recommend this to my average middle-schooler book clubs where discussion/question/answers abound. I would reserve it for more advanced middle-school readers looking for "something new". ( )

This book is riviting with details of epic adventure and folklore.
You feel as though you are in a adventure from the start! ( )

Farmer's fantastic!

Adventure, Vikings, magic!

How can you go wrong? ( )

Farmboy and Bard's apprentice Jack is eleven years old when he and his sister Lucy are kidnapped by berserkers during a Viking raid on their village. When Lucy is given to the half-troll queen Frith as a prize, Jack must use all of his talents and all of his wits to travel through Jotenheim to save her.

The Sea of Trolls is a well-researched adventure story that combines English and Norse mythology with historical details from the 8th century AD. And if that sounds dull, think again. Jack goes up against trolls, dragons, and berserkers with an incomplete knowledge of magic at best. His companions on his quest have a completely different outlook on life than he -and at least one of them delights in needling him. The characters were interesting and well-fleshed out, although both Thorgil and Lucy got on my nerves at times. Thorgil I could understand, but I just wanted to smack Lucy on several occasions.

I enjoyed the quest and the interweaving of mythology, even though I'm not usually a Norse mythology fan. I liked that Jack actually needed (and used) the help he got from others. Everyone makes mistakes, has to pay for them, and then has to figure out how to make things right. I liked his growing bond with Thorgil despite their differences.

This one's not going to get a glowing review from me; parts of the book felt more sketched than anything, and I wasn't as invested in the story as I would have liked to be. I had one of the bigger plot twists figured out at the beginning, but it's a good solid adventure story for young adults, and one I would recommend.

Also posted at my blog. ( )

Nancy Farmer is a wonderful story teller. Every book she writes is supremely researched and this is no exception. Set in the mid-700s AD, the story follows the thrilling adventures of Jack from his humble beginnings as a "common farm brat" through his apprenticeship to a Bard, then his abduction by beserker Norsemen, and his quest to the hall's of the Ice Queen for passage to Memeer's well so that he can save his sister, Lucy's life.

Highly recommended! ( )

My favorite Nancy Farmer book. Excellent viking epic adventure.

The sequel is good, but not as action packed. Perhaps the Norse mythology is more exciting that English faeries.

A bit slow going at first, this turns into a great adventure when Jack and his sister Lucy, who've been captured by Viking Berserkers, to find Mimir's Well in Jotunheim, the home of the dreaded Trolls, and, by drinking from it, to restore the hair of the hated Queen Frith, a beautiful half-troll, and queen of the Northmen. ( )

Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews, September 15, 2004 (Vol. 72, No. 18))
He left as an apprentice and returned a full-fledged bard, complete with a fire-wizard's staff in hand and a crow perched on his shoulder. Between being kidnapped by Norse berserkers and returning home, Saxon Jack has met Norse Jill, saved sister Lucy from a shape-shifting troll queen, faced a troll-bear, dragons, and giant spiders, and drunk from a magic well. This tale of a Saxon Bilbo Baggins, set in c.e. 793, at the advent of 200 years of Viking raids on the British Isles, weaves a colorful tapestry of bards and raiders, evil queens and plucky heroes, quests and home. Jack is a friendly companion in this exciting story of sacrifices made, lessons learned, and friends lost and found, all told with grace and humor. Allusions to Beowulf, the destruction of the Holy Isle of Lindisfarne, and the Norse legend of Jack and Jill offer a rich backdrop for a hugely entertaining story sure to appeal to fans of The Lord of the Rings. (appendix, sources) 2004, Richard Jackson/Atheneum, 480p, $17.95. Category: Fiction. Ages 10 to 13. Starred Review. © 2004 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.

Won:

Best Books, 2004 ; Washington Post Book World; United States

Best Books for Young Adults, 2005 ; American Library Association YALSA; United States

I have avoided Nancy Farmer's work over the years because they didn't really appeal to me. A Girl Named Disaster, the title was good, but reading the blurb on the back of the book didn't entice me. But, she tends to hit home runs with her writing. Adults who give out awards for children's literature love her. I believe she is a three-time Newbery Honor author which is a pretty good track record. I picked up Sea of Trolls because it was fantasy, it was nordic myth-based (which can be pretty tough to find) and it was a quest story. Okay, you can spin it that every story is a quest of some sort, but this is an in your face, character development kind of quest. It was really good. Subtle humour, likeable characters, excellent but simple story.
Originally posted April 8, 2005

The Sea of Trolls is as imaginative and stirring as Nancy Farmer's other books and her characters are engaging and variably motivated. The Sea of Trolls differs from some of her books by having less ethical/moral stress and more fun story (though the story is stressful at times since the protaganist is in danger and works through lots of problems).

Jack is apprentice to the village Bard when his village is pillaged by berserkers. Jack and his young sister are kidnapped and taken to Iceland; Jack as personal bard to Olaf One Brow and his sister as a gift to the half-troll Queen. Berserkers turn out to be real people with families and the Queen is much more dangerous than Jack had imagined. Lots or adventures in lands populated by wonderful and dangerous animals and plants.

This is a keeper.

it was OK
not that great ( )

A fantasy set in the time of Beowulf, in which Jack, a Saxon boy who is training to be a bard (a magician), is carried off by the invading Northmen. Jack must go on a quest to the land of the trolls, where he encounters dragons, giant spiders and more, in order to save his sister Lucy. No wonder Farmer is an award winner. Her books are well-researched, engaging and original (although she does relate the Beowulf story and other elements of fantasy writing). I think she is my favorite children's author. I loved The House of the Scorpion as well. I can't recommend her books highly enough. ( )

About a brother and sister who are captured from their home in England by Vikings. To save his sister, Jack must travel to the land of trolls and drink from Mimur's Well. ( )

Come join the Saxons and the Northmen on an awesome quest! Magic, dragons, trolls and grand adventure await the readers of this book. Complex characters (are the Northmen vicious psychotics or family men out earning a living?) are too difficult to judge easily, and the author does an amazing job creating this believeable alternate world! A Great Read for fantasy readers!

Selecting the book was the easy part. After all, Cayman Walter Howard, 12, had just completed "The Sea of Trolls," the national acclaimed best-seller by Nancy Farmer.

And that makes me feel good.

Howard is a sixth-grader at Berean Christian Academy in Atlanta. He's also a member of a boys book club that I started late last year.

The young men recently completed "The Sea of Trolls," their follow-up to "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea," the first book the club read. The book's a textured, but fun, Harry Potterish fantasy that clocks in at more than 200 pages.

We took our sweet time reading "The Sea of Trolls," a Scandinavian folkloric tale with dragons, trolls, spiders and beasts. It's a novel about Jack, an 11-year-old farm boy who gets rebuked by his religious father. The village bard asks if Jack can be his apprentice. Jack barely starts his apprenticeship when he and his sister, Lucy, are captured by a ship of marauders.
(The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, April 10, 2007 Tuesday, Main Edition SECTION: GWINNETT NEWS; Pg. 3J).
( )

Jack is just your average boy living in 793 A.D. until the Bard takes him under his wing and teaches him to become a skald. But before his training can be completed, Jack and Lucy are captured by Viking Berserkers and taken on a journey across the sea. Jack must prove has can be a skald in order to save his and Lucy's life and must fight an evil queen, go on an epic quest, and learn what friendship really means before he can think about going home.

Nancy Farmer's books are widely varied and always exciting. I got so engaged in this book that it's lead me to an entire exploration of my Norse heritage. We're even going on an exploration of the Viking sites in North America. The book tells the story of Jack and his little sister who are captured by Viking Berserkers and taken by ship to their home. The boy must undertake a quest through the land of trolls to save his sister. ( )