Storytellers On Tour is a Blog/Instagram Tour organising service. It was born out of Justine’s (Whispers & Wonder) and my love and dedication toward SFF indie books and authors. Our goal is to give as much exposure to our clients as we can, while we also build a community among our Roadies. Find out more about us on www.storytellersontour.online!
This past week we gave the spotlight to The Skald’s Black Verse, an Epic Grimdark Fantasy by Jordan Loyal Short in celebration of its re-release! Our Roadies brought a wide selection of content to this show with reviews and other posts. Now it’s time to bring the show to an end and it’s my pleasure to present you with the encore, including some extra content. Come and learn a bit more about the world of The Skald’s Black Verse through Jordan’s inspirational board and playlist!
Shall we?
Jordan Loyal Short is a debut author of epic fantasy. His first novel, The Skald’s Black Verse, is a dark and beautiful story about families, cultures, and beliefs at war with themselves. The protagonist, Brohr, must navigate the tangled loyalties and unforgiving biases of a planet conquered by invaders from another world. Using black magic, and the bizarre bond he shares with his stillborn brother’s spirit, Brohr unravels the truth about himself and an eon spanning war that has reached its end game. Jordan has worked in a variety of industries, as a waiter, bartender, copywriter and more. He lives in Washington state with his wife where he is currently daydreaming about the end of the world.
When a soldier’s murder sparks rebellion in the tiny village of Skolja, Brohr’s past marks him as the prime suspect. Haunted by his brother’s ghost, and drawn into a web of dark pacts and tangled loyalties, Brohr must choose between the path of vengeance set before him, and a chance to forge his own fate.
From the shadows, an all but extinct race of alien demigods have begun the end game of their millennia-spanning war, and one has chosen Brohr for his closing gambit.
But Brohr’s grandfather harbors a dark secret that will change everything.
Above it all, a dread portent looms in the sky, spelling the death of Brohr’s world. With doom spiraling toward them, Brohr must lead an unlikely rebellion, unearth disturbing family secrets, and tame the raging ghost that haunts him. Can Brohr lead his people out of darkness, or will he succumb to his own terrifying bloodlust, and destroy the very people he has sworn to save?
Click on the blog name to read their full review or other content!
SEPTEMBER 9TH–THE WELCOMING
Whispers & Wonder – interview + IG spotlight
SEPTEMBER 10TH
The Swordsmith – review
“This was a truly great story, it blended some brilliant things together. There were some brilliant parts, some truly dark creatures and at one point a whole planet is smashed in to another one (it’s brilliantly handled). This was an exciting story which I have been pleased to discover has a sequel, the Dreadbound Ode has one new fan it blended my two favourite genres together in a brilliant way. A great example of a character driven story, with well drawn characters and good secondary character who were well drawn, a brilliant book and perfect for those looking for something dark to read!”
Debjani’s Thoughts – review
“If you like a blend of magic, fantasy, and space travel with plenty of action and gore, you will like The Skald’s Black Verse by Jordan Loyal Short.”
Book Steff’s Bookish Blog – review
“Jordan Loyal Short was able to take a story, infuse it with all the heart and bloodthirst of the Norse Pantheon whilst also showcasing a new dynamic way to infuse the story with colliding planets, inter-planetary spaceships, and interesting cultures. This story was filled with explosive action, dark creatures, awesome magic, and a rise against repression.”
SEPTEMBER 11TH
Woven From Words – review
“In conclusion, I thought The Skald’s Black Verse is very thorough and complex. Additionally, it shares Brohr’s journey as a man embattled with rage while doing right for his people. I recommend this story for those who enjoy epic fantasy while learning about a character overcoming obstacles!”
Beneath A Thousand Skies – review
“There is nothing gentle about this book, and it must be noted that the first chapter, in particular, is brutal to read and may not be for everyone. However, while it is shocking and firmly places the book immediately onto the dark spectrum of fantasy, it is done with a purpose and is important to the rest of the plot. It also feeds into the atmosphere of the book, which is decidedly bleak, although not entirely without hope.”
Kat’s Reading Room – review + IG spotlight
“I went into this expecting a fairly typical Viking story which I usually end up loving! However, what I got was actually a mixture of sci-fi and fantasy – a concept that was very cool!“
SEPTEMBER 12TH
The Writer’s Alley – review
“The characters are beyond interesting and realistic. One thing the author does is tackle the idea of colonialism. The world building was interesting, seeing that most of it took place on an island on a remote planet.”
DarkSideReads – review
“The events of the story push Brohr to his physical and emotional limits but he is able to cope and adapt to push through all that happens to him. I loved the dark grittiness to this book and am excitedly awaiting the second book in the series.”
@the.b00kreader – IG spotlight
SEPTEMBER 13TH
I Can Has Books? – review
“This novel might not be everyone’s horn of mead, it is brutal at parts, but if you enjoy your fantasy on the darker side then you are in for a treat with The Skald’s Black Verse. There is a lot happening in this novel. A blend of science fiction and fantasy, black magic, Norse mythos and interplanetary race who have conquered and oppressed.”
Knapsack.News – review
“So, yes, suffice to say, there is a LOT going on with The Skald’s Black Verse. I enjoyed reading this book, and enjoyed the approach that Short took with layering in information and having surprise reveals of different elements of the story. So, yes, this is one I’d recommend if you like the sound of a Norse-setting fantasy novel.”
Spells & Spaceships – review
“There are two other predominant POVs but I have to say that Brohr’s was the most enjoyable. I felt this dark force within him was brilliantly done and epitomised the excitement and barrage of action that flows through the book.”
SEPTEMBER 14TH
@fanfiaddict – IG spotlight
Jake is Reading – review
“My favourite aspect of this book is the familiar, Norse-inspired fantasy world colliding with sci-fi themes like interplanetary colonisation. It creates a fascinating mashup experience that I’ve only ever come across in Deathscent by Robin Jarvis and Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir.It’s fun to see how Short uses his magic systems (yes, plural!) to account for the absence of modern technology, and I’m interested to see how this develops in the second book.”
The Bookwyrm’s Guide to the Galaxy – review + song recs
“Even in the other systems of magic exposed in the book, such as the blood magic used by the old Norns, song is a central part of the process, and without it, no magic would be made true.
As someone who loves music (not so much sacrifice, but hey, sometimes you have to find that middle ground), I found this especially fascinating and was excited when such scenes came into play.
As such, I decided to honor that creativity in this post, and pair 5 memorable moments from the The Skald’s Black Verse with music that I feel could be listened to as you read.”
One by Metallica (Cover by Stary Olsa)
Californication by Red Hot Chili Peppers (Cover by Stary Olsa)
Dragonborn Theme – Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim by IntoNation Choir der Hochschule & LJO Bremen Deutchland
Arthas, My Son – Dragon’s Rest, Mother’s Lament
Kollaps by Null Positive
Rún by SKÁLD
Grá by Wardruna
Yggdrasil by SKÁLD
If you are interested in The Skald’s Black Verse and would like to get in contact with Jordan Loyal Short, you can find him on social media:
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Grab a copy of The Skald’s Black Verse at your local Amazon!
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